Thank you to all those parents who attended our Learning Conferences this week and for Hub 10, last week.  It was wonderful to see the children showing you around the learning spaces and to hear the conversations about their learning and goals.  The children were very excited to share their achievements with you - thank you for all your interest and the way you supported and encouraged your child in this process.

We would appreciate your feedback through the questionnaire that was emailed out this week.  Thank you very much.




We have thoroughly enjoyed hearing the fascinating facts about our children in Koru team and have set up a fascinating facts gallery in our foyer in the West Hub.  We would love you to come in and enjoy all the facts and photos.  We based this learning around the Vogels adds that have been on tv. 
The children have delighted in sharing their facts and guessing who has 3 kidneys, who has been on a plane by themselves, who has 2 different coloured eyes, who ate rat poison as a baby .......  Come and enjoy the wall with your child.

Can you help? 
With the number of bugs that have been around this year we are running short of tissues for the children to use  and would appreciate it if anyone could contribute to our supplies.
We're also in search of things you no longer need at home, to support discovery learning. These include: 
* Construction materials: old clean containers, small boxes, old cotton reels
* Technology & tinkering materials: old phones, cameras, calculators, screwdrivers, allen keys, any old technology
* Nature items: acorns, chestnuts, shells, pebbles
* Craft: wool, string, tape, left over ribbon, wrapping or other paper. 
Please bring to the West Wing and give to any of the teachers.

Circle Time 
Dorinda has been leading us in Circle Time this term, which has provided fantastic learning for teachers and children. The classes work together, learning the routines and rules of Circle Time, and participating in fun games. The games this term have focused on our value of Getting There Together, and allowed us to practise co-operation, turn taking, sharing and listening to others' ideas, and encouraging others. 

Taking New Steps in Discovery Time
We have been impressed with children as they begin to show so much agency during discovery time. Many children are confidently trying new things, by playing with different materials or working with peers they didn't know well prior to our move into the new Learning Space. They have had to solve problems, source materials and work together to get results. It has also been lovely watching creativity spring out into the new space. 





















Honey spread on brown, brown bread
Last week we had our first session "cooking" in our new maker space (kitchen area).  After our poem the previous week, 'Honey spread on brown, brown bread', the children made their own toast and spread it with Honey or Marmite.  It was lovely to use our Maker Space and to fill the hub with delicious smells.  The children loved independently making and spreading their own toast (with a little help from Anne).  The communication skills, self management, language around fractions (cutting into halves and quarters), fine motor skills and problem solving skills involved in an activity like this make it as rich in learning as it is exciting!

Kia ora whanau,

Spring is in the air, and the children are loving being out at break times in the glorious sunshine!

New Entrants:
A very warm welcome to our new children and their families. The children have all settled beautifully, and have made a great start to the next phase of their learning.
Parents of new children, if you feel that your child is feeling extremely tired at the end of the day/week, touch base with Gail Turner to make a temporary arrangement - you know your children and their needs best of all!

Spellathon:
Spellathon testing took place last Friday, and now comes the business of collecting all of the sponsorship money back in. No pressure, but...! There is a prize for the whole class which has all of its sponsorship money back into the office FIRST!
Congratulations to the children who have worked so hard to learn their Spellathon words.

Baby photos:
Many thanks to you for hunting out all of those very cute baby photos. They have proven to be highly valuable as we focus on our topic, Change. Check out some of the Youtube clips relating to babies and their first experiences!

Film Festival:
What a wonderful outing - the 13 short films we saw were each, both fascinating and entertaining. The fact that we were able to view them in the most splendid of venues, was the icing on the cake.

Excited anticipation...

Discovery Stations:
Hub 10 have been focusing on fairy tales, as a motivation for both Discovery Stations and writing. There was a lot of hilarity and creativity displayed as children put time, thought and effort into setting up the Three Billy Goats Gruff 'small world'. We love seeing the children follow their passions and take the lead, as they feel able. The Key Competencies exhibited throughout these sessions are wonderful, including: Thinking, Relating to Others, Managing Self and Participating and Contributing! Have a browse through the photos below. Many thanks to the parents who help to support these activities, and particularly by recording the children's discussions and contributions at the time.

Setting up the 'goats' with their horns

Creating the river...

...and a bridge which would hold the three goats

More work on the river

Ta da!! Horns for one of the goats

And finally, a stable bridge, complete with festive tinsel!

We Love Numbers!!
Michelle loves dropping in to visit, and the children take great delight in explaining to her, their learning and how it relates to numbers.
As we look around the room, we are always amazed at the levels of self-management, engagement, and enjoyment that the children are showing. It's gorgeous to see even the very young children so highly engaged and motivated, and at the same time, directing their own learning. Well done, Hub 10 children! Every day, you display the Beckenham value of We Love Learning.

Guess how many teddies will fit on the sofa and in the bed!

And how many teddies will fit in this big bed?

Can you count?

Ollie the Orca and his little penguin friend need to learn their tens frame patterns!

8 + 3 = ?

Making up equations using dominoes, number tiles and unifix cubes

Dots plus spaces equals ten

More equations to show our learning about addition

The apple tree playdough mats

Writing addition equations by throwing the 'dice within the dice' (each large dice has a smaller dice within)

More dots plus spaces

Skip counting in twos

Let's make the tallest tower we can

Wow - how many gems are there sitting on this big octopus?

'The animals went in two by two...'

Skip count in twos to work out how many animals altogether on these blocks

Practising writing addition equations

I know the groupings with numbers up to 10

Addition equations using the dominoes, the number tiles and the unifix cubes

...and more!

Addition equations up to 10 and doubles up to 20

Give Your Friend a Massage!

At the end of the day ...

... aaaahhhhh!

Click on this link - we love it!
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

Have a wonderful Week 5, everyone!

• I like the way you are reading like talking.
• You made your voice sound very interesting when you read that piece.
• Well done you are reading using the punctuation.
• Your reading is getting more phrased and fluent (fast).