Category: Fiona Griffin
Getting Ready To Write - Part Two
The explicit teaching of handwriting is essential if students are to develop the skills of correct letter formation. Handwriting instruction supports students in producing legible, smooth and fluent writing.
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Getting Ready to Write – Part One looks specifically at the connection between handwriting and phonics.
Read more about 'Getting Ready to Write - Part One'...Mia the Kea
Our class friend (mascot) is named Mia, and she is a Kea. Mia is an adventurous and inquisitive bird who likes to explore and learn. Room 15 students want to be just like Mia. We call ourselves Nga Kaihōpara (The Explorers). Mia the Kea travels home with a different student each Friday in a canvas bag for the weekend. That student creates a page in her Journal about what they did together.
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Puppets
Puppets are engaging toys that can help support oral language skills and communication, social/emotional development, and help children learn and understand the world around them through safe, imaginative play. Puppets offer children an engaging way to interact and explore their knowledge and understanding of the world.
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Christmas Trees for Taupo
We had another wonderful opportunity to take part in the Towncentre Taupo Plywood 3D Christmas Tree Project again this year. These recycled plywood boards were delivered to us ready for painting. All children at Wairakei Primary School were invited to submit their Christmas tree designs.
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Phonological Awareness
It is important for children to hear, identify and understand the sounds around them. This is called phonological awareness. Children with good phonological awareness are aware that there are different sounds in speech. This is important for communicating, reading and writing.
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Take-off, Target, Touch-down
STEM Challenges are terrific ways to help teach students about science, technology, engineering and maths, while building self-management, social skills and problem solving. ‘Target, Take-off, Touch-down’ was one of our STEM challenges. Students, working in pairs, had to launch a paper plane and land it on a landing platform.
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Balancing and Braking
Cath, from Kids Bike Taupō, came to school to help our children in Nga Tui learn to ride and develop their biking skills. We learnt about helmet fit, bike safety, bike maintenance and biking skills.
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Pizza
As part of our inquiry, ‘From Here to There’, we investigated where our food comes from. We decided to make pizza because it is delicious and everyone in the class likes pizza.
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A Tree For Me
At the beginning of each term students new to Wairakei Primary School plant a tree in one of our school gardens. Planting a tree creates a personal connection between that student and their learning journey at school. This can lead to children feeling important and valued. Providing an enriched environment where students feel valued promotes learning and the development of the whole child.
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