Week 3

Week 3 has been one of focusing on Science, with all the year 1 classes interchanging for different strands of the science curriculum. I took a mini-unit on Magnets in room 9 with the class really getting to grips through hands on activities about the idea of Magnets and their "magical" powers.
Shadows, growing seeds and chemical change was also covered in other rooms.
Its a fun way to open your childs mind to questions and ideas about the world around them.One morning (after a particularly blustery night) someone asked how you measured wind? So we trotted off down to Jackson Park with a balloon each. Soon they were measuring just how strong the wind was with their Balloons. Noah came up with the statement "we can't see the wind to measure it....But we can see what it does to other things so we can measure that!" Science Inquiry in a nutshell.
 Our class conclusion the wind was faster than we could run that day as we couldn't keep up and catch our balloons when we let them go.
When working with Magnets Liam noted that the North Pole was special because of the Magnetic North Pole not because Santa lived there. Who are we to argue with such logic? and no doubt they will all remember that.
Below are some snippets of work covered in the unit with room 9.

A group work out magnets worked through layers of plastic and card.

Using magnets the group find out what objects are magnetic.

Using the compass and new knowledge about the magnetic Pole they found out which way was North!

Not all magnets looked the same and not all things are magnetic!

Creating pictures with iron sand. They found out magnets even work through card!

We used the compass on our map to work out which way was North . Using the Magnetic North pole to guide us.
This really fascinated them as they recognised the compass and North arrow from our Pirate study earlier in the year.

Liam found out the North and South Pole don't like each other and repel each other ( they don't play well together was Emmas comment)

Discovering not all metals are magnetic.

Racing paperclip cars through the card with Magnets.

Working out which way was North.

A great week as you can see despite the cooler weather and ongoing sickness that has hit the class again.

It is well and truly winter and because of that some days children end up inside all day even through the breaks. We also have an urgent need for tissues. At least half the class have colds and many are sneezing over others so if you can help with a box I would really appreciate it. We went through 6 full boxes last week!

The trip to Tihi Reserve was postponed till later in the term, not cancelled and our scheduled Museum trip is going ahead as planned on Monday 31st August. Your child will bring a note home about this.

If you can help that would be great. We will be going along with room 7.Our Topic is looking at the mountain thermal wonderland we live in. Quite timely when you see the thermal blowout this weekend in central Rotorua.

Personal AFL folders will come home shortly for you to see a sample of your childs work and progress so far this year. So look out for these. Can I please ask for these be returned promptly once seen. I have only just got back the last 3, this week from last term. It is so easy for them to go missing with all your childs work in them and near impossible to replace. 

Many thanks Nadine