2009: Santa

Santa 09 on PhotoPeach

2009: Safety around Dogs

Tod taught us how to be safe around dogs. We learnt that if we see a dog running towards us, we must stand still like a tree. We must cross our arms on our chest and stand tall. Tod brought his dog Austin and another dog Zorro to help us practice being safe around dogs. Austin and Zorro walked in between us when we were practicing standing still like trees. Afterwards, we were allowed to say hello and pat the dogs under their chins.
Safety around Dogs on PhotoPeach

2009: Our Portfolios

It's always so exciting to get our portfolios at the end of each term. Mrs.Pretorius hands them out one at a time, so that we all get to see the cover photo for each student, then we have a few minutes to look at all of the amazing work that we have done throughout the term. We take our portfolios home at the end of each term to share our work with our families and friends.
Our Term 3 Portfolios on PhotoPeach

2009: "Wacky Wednesday"

We had a "Wacky Wednesday" to raise funds for the Fred Hollows Foundation, which helps people in the Pacific Islands regain their sight. We got dressed up in funny outfits, and the teachers did too! After the morning roll, we met on the Junior Syndicate verandah. We paraded in front of all our peers and our teachers, and we put our gold coin in the bucket as we walked past.
Wacky Wednesday on PhotoPeach

2009: Craft

During the Reading Block each week, each student has a turn to work 1:1 with a teacher-aide on a craft activity. The craft that they make is used to reinforce/consolidate the letter/sound of the week. The activity involves tools and exercises that develop fine motor control eg: stapler, hole punch, cold-hot glue gun, glue stick, coloured pencils and felts, paintbrushes, scissors. The skills that are developed are: colouring, painting, cutting, glueing, hole-punching and threading, weaving, stapling etc. Here are some photo's of the craft that has been done this year:
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Craft on PhotoPeach

2009: Technology Week

During Technology Week, we practiced building bridges using newspaper and sellotape. We also had a fun session making Goo and building Volcanoes.
Technology Week on PhotoPeach

2009: Topic

Term 3: Bridges and Communities
We watched the video of The 3 Billy Goats Gruff, and we saw how the Billy Goats had to cross a bridge to get to the other side, so that they could eat the sweet, green grass. Mrs. Westcott later got dressed up as the Ugly Troll, and we walked across a low bridge, one at a time. As we walked across, everyone else clapped their hands and said, "trip, trap, trip, trap".
The 3 Billy Goats Gruff on PhotoPeach

Mrs.Powell taught us about foot bridges. We worked in pairs and made some awesome foot bridges.
Afterwards were able to play and learn; walking toy people across the foot bridge, and driving cars along the road beneath the foot bridge.
Foot Bridges on PhotoPeach


We went on a trip to see the Auckland Harbour Bridge. First we went on the bus, then we went on the ferry. The skipper was fantastic. He took us for an extra tour around the marina, and he went really slowly so that we could stand outside. It was quite exciting when he picked up speed, and we were able to see the bubbles and waves at the back of the ferry. We got off the ferry and had a picnic at Northcote Point.
Auckland Harbour Bridge on PhotoPeach


In the last week of term, Mrs. Powell covered 2 tables with paper, and drew some roads and houses. We talked about joining the 2 "maps" with bridges. There were bridges for trains, cars and for people. See if you can tell what each bridge is used for:
Roads and Bridges on PhotoPeach



Term 2: Communities Living with Water.
We are learning about how communities use water in different ways. First, we shared what we already know about water and ice. Mrs.Powell wrote these words on the water and ice pictures.

Next, we explored all the places where water can be found. We used our toilet roll binoculars, and looked for water as we walked around our school. Have a look at our photo's:

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Next, we talked about the different ways we use water in our everyday lives.
We did some fun activities afterwards, and we were "super-clean" at the end of the lesson! Have a look at our photo's:
Uses of Water on PhotoPeach

Next, Mrs. Westcott showed us a video about "Drippy the Raindrop". He taught us about the water cycle. If you would like to visit his website again, just click on Drippy's picture.

We practiced the water cycle too. 1: We wet our hands, then imagined that the hot sun (hairdryer) was shining down on our hands. Our hands were soon dry. 2: We wet soft balls of cotton wool (clouds) and gently squeezed them so that the water (rain) came out of the cotton wool balls. 3: We watered the garden with a watering can (rain). 4: We completed a worksheet about the water cycle. Have a look at our photo's:
Water Cycle on PhotoPeach

We made bubbles with water and dishwashing liquid.
Bubbles on PhotoPeach

We made some lemon juice with water, real lemons ... and some sugar!
Lemon Juice on PhotoPeach

Term 1: Our Community.
We learnt about our school community. We looked at all the people in our school who work with us. We learnt about the sorts of jobs that they do. Mrs. Powell taught us how to make a tapa cloth. We each made our own square, then we then placed our squares on a black background to make one tapa cloth. This activity showed us how we are all individuals in our class community, and how we can work together to produce one thing.

We also learnt about what other people do in our local community. The musician was heaps of fun, because he allowed us to play his electric guitar and talk on the microphone. Have a look at our videos:

The police also visited us at school. We later made a rainbow, because "communities are a rainbow of people". The teachers helped us trace around our hands and cut along the lines. We learnt about how to make different colours by mixing 2 colours of paint together, and painted our hands all the colours of the rainbow.

We copied the rainbow pattern in the song "I can sing a Rainbow". You can listen to the song by clicking on it in the Singing section on our Blog.

2009: Water Care

Sally from Watercare came to visit us in Week 5. She talked to our class about where the water and all our waste goes after we unplug the sink or flush the toilet. We also learnt about water in outside drains and how this water goes straight out to sea. We made a mountain range with rocks and plastic and poured water on this to see how streams and rivers are formed and how this water eventually runs out to sea. Have a look at our photo's:
Water Care on PhotoPeach

2009: Art

Term 3:
Mrs.Powell taught us how to do Abstract Patterns. We scribbled a squiggly pattern, then outlined it in dark crayon, then we coloured the patterns using cool colours.
Abstract Patterns on PhotoPeach

Mrs.Westcott taught us how to do Marble Art. We placed a sheet of A4 paper in an A4 paper ream lid, then we dipped a marble into paint, then we rolled the marble on the A4 paper. We used warm colours.
Marble Art on PhotoPeach


Mrs.Powell taught us how to do paper weaving. We made a blue "sea" background, then Mrs.Powell worked 1:1 with us to make a flax fish.
Weaving on PhotoPeach


We did some finger painting to demonstrate the waterfall. We said "down, down, down, bubbles."
Finger Paint on PhotoPeach

We made a beautiful "bridge over waterfall" picture, using different techniques: "drag" for the waterfall, "dry brushing" for the foaming water at the bottom of the waterfall, "splattering" for the water spray:
Waterfall Art on PhotoPeach

Spring is here ... yay! Look at our beautiful tissue paper flowers, and our pink blossom finger print trees:
Spring is Here! on PhotoPeach


Term 2:
Mrs.Pretorius helped the Rainbow Fish Puppet read us the Rainbow Fish story. We all really enjoyed that story so much. Mrs.Powell then showed us how to make our own Rainbow Fish. These fish will hang from our fishtank net, so that we have lots of beautifully coloured, shiny fish swimming in our suspended fishtank.

We had so much fun doing Bubble Art. First Mrs.Westcott showed us how to make bubbles with liquid soap and water. She blew air into the soapy mixture using a straw. Next, she added green paint, and made some green bubbles. We all had turns to make green, red and blue bubbles, and printed our bubbles onto paper. These bubbles will hang from our fishtank net, to give the effect of bubbles in our suspended fishtank.
Bubble Art on PhotoPeach

Next, Mrs. Westcott showed us how to make Rain Sticks. We've learnt to use these during Music.

Next, Mrs. Powell taught us how to do sponge stamping. These brown and white stamps will hang from our fishtank net, to form the stones at the base of our suspended fishtank.

Sponge Stamping on PhotoPeach

Term 1:
Mrs.Powell showed all the students and teachers in our class how to make their own square for a tapa cloth. We then placed our squares on a black background to make one tapa cloth. This activity showed us how we are all individuals in our class community, and how we can work together to produce one thing.

2009: Music

Term 3:
We did some surfing on our make-shift surfboards.

We made our own recorders and played them while wathcing and listening to the Orchestra Song on our Blog.
Recorder on PhotoPeach



The Stretchy Cord song was our favourite, and it didn't take long before we were all able to let the cord go at the end of the song:

We love doing movement to music, and we wanted to share some of our fabulous moves with you. Have a look at our video:

2009: PE

Term 3: Fun warm up activities are a good start to our PE lessons. This term we had to listen carefully to what Mrs.Powell wanted us to do, and we had to stand in a hoop when she blew the whistle. Sometimes Mrs.Powell would tell us to "swim" in the sea, and then she would shout "SHARK" ... that's when we had to run to a hoop! It gets tricky as Mrs.Powell takes one hoop away.
PE: Warm Up on PhotoPeach



We've thoroughly enjoyed Folk Dancing during the first 5 weeks of this term. Have a look at these photo's of the students participating in the Bird Dance, Frere Jacques, Boanopstekker, Choo Choo Train:
Folk Dancing on PhotoPeach



We had Gymnastics in the last 5 weeks of the term. The main focus was balance, and the students practiced balancing with only 1, 2 or 3 parts of their body touching the ground. Look at our super-stars:
Balancing Exercises on PhotoPeach





We were priveleged to half an hour with an awesome cricket coach. We all called him "Coach". The ball skill activities were fun. Here we are practicing hitting a ball with a bat:

Term 2: We focused on Ball Skills: catching, throwing, rolling. We start our PE lessons with a fun obstacle course or with Parachute Activities.

Here are some photo's of one group practicing their ball skills at each station.
Ball Skills on PhotoPeach

2009: Social Skills

Watch us playing Duck Duck Goose:

We love to play our Social Skills games every Friday. Here are some photo's of us practicing making eye contact using our animal masks. There is also a photo of someone hiding in the cushion bin during our hide and seek game!
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2009: Our Swimming Lesson

We've been enjoying our swimming lessons every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoon. Some of us have learnt to put our heads under water, and some of us have learnt to blow bubbles in the water. We love to play Ring O Ring O Roses with our teachers too. Have a look at our photo's!
Our Swimming Lesson on PhotoPeach

2009: The Morepork (Ruru)

Mr.Barnes found this beautiful Morepork in the school grounds on Friday morning. We think it flew into a window and died. Mrs.O'Hanlon brought the Morepork around to show us.Our Buddy class was with us at the time, and it was great being able to share something special like this together.
Morepork Ruru on PhotoPeach

2009: Junior Disco

Look at them dance!
Disco on PhotoPeach