Hi Everyone,
For those of you who missed our Term 2 Assembly, here is the little imovie that was created of a Shopping Role Play in our Happy Shop.
This should give you a taste of how we are using the Happy Shop and the merchandise we have made to learn about money.
All children are still having shopping experiences in the shop and are supported to provide at least enough or more money than the item costs, to count their change to check it, to record what they bought and how much money they have left, and the shop assistants record all sales and who made the product in order to give people earnings.
We are also exploring statistics and graphing and we are tallying the products bought each week and creating bar/histogram charts of the sales. We are trying to see which items are the most popular and which items are less popular. We are then thinking of how to use this information i.e. to advertise less popular items, to have 2 for 1 sales, to make new merchandise that we predict might be popular based on previous sales data etc.
The merchandise we choose to make are items that we believe will bring others happiness. If you have any ideas of other things we could make for our Happy Shop please see a Neighbourhood Teacher. We have Cathy (Elliot's mum) who is going to show us how to do straw weaving next week!
Enjoy our Role Play Video.
Friday, 30 May 2014
Year One Has Talent Footage
Hi everyone,
We would like to invite you to share in Year One Has Talent by watching some of the performances below. Especially watch out for the special moment at 0.49 seconds of Gulliver's performance when the audience spontaneously joins in and sings "Let it Go" in unison.
We would like to invite you to share in Year One Has Talent by watching some of the performances below. Especially watch out for the special moment at 0.49 seconds of Gulliver's performance when the audience spontaneously joins in and sings "Let it Go" in unison.
Wednesday, 28 May 2014
Inquiry questions
Our current conversations are about;
Following a story shared by Kate the children decided to create 'Happiness Machines' for us to step inside and are writing explanations about why their machine can make you feel joy.
The children have designed and made their own Kimochis which they can lend to each other when there is a problem. They are writing about the Kimochi's powers. Thank you to the parents who are helping us with sewing.
An art installation project has been displayed by Bassi year 5. Each child will share a happy moment as part of the installation.
We are looking forward to parents sharing their stories and information about their work as volunteers.
How can we improve our happiness and the happiness of others? What action can we take or are we already taking to bring happiness to ourselves and others?
How does volunteering help to create positive change in our community? What kinds of things can we volunteer for? Why do we do things to help others?
Following a story shared by Kate the children decided to create 'Happiness Machines' for us to step inside and are writing explanations about why their machine can make you feel joy.
The children have designed and made their own Kimochis which they can lend to each other when there is a problem. They are writing about the Kimochi's powers. Thank you to the parents who are helping us with sewing.
An art installation project has been displayed by Bassi year 5. Each child will share a happy moment as part of the installation.
We are looking forward to parents sharing their stories and information about their work as volunteers.
Story Writing
The children have been very excited about writing stories in their new story books. They are learning to edit their work by reading their story to a partner to see if it makes sense and they are including describing words to create a picture for the readers. Punctuation is important and they are checking the spelling of the commonly used words. Our writers are very busy.
The children are reading stories with the teachers and investigating word patterns such as all, tall, fall, ball and they are learning to spell the commonly used words.
Please come in and share your child's stories with them and give them some editing tips.
The children are reading stories with the teachers and investigating word patterns such as all, tall, fall, ball and they are learning to spell the commonly used words.
Please come in and share your child's stories with them and give them some editing tips.
Saturday, 24 May 2014
The Gruffalo, A Puppet Show by Belle and Elly
Hi Everyone,
As part of negotiated learning during Learning Agreement, Belle and Elly developed a puppet show after being read the story 'The Gruffalo' during a Reading workshop. The girls did a spectacular job of captivating their audience through props, voice expression and humour.
Here is the show:
As part of negotiated learning during Learning Agreement, Belle and Elly developed a puppet show after being read the story 'The Gruffalo' during a Reading workshop. The girls did a spectacular job of captivating their audience through props, voice expression and humour.
Here is the show:
Friday, 23 May 2014
Posting Videos on the Blog using youtube
Hi everyone,
We have been filming some special moments in the neighbourhood like Year One has Talent and other noteworthy learning experiences. In order to embed videos on the blog I need to upload them to youtube as a public (unlisted) video. I believe most parents give permission to have photos and videos of their child published online when their child commences at PHPS but I wanted to give parents the opportunity to let us know if they would prefer that their child was not in any video footage that we post online.
Please inform Simone if you do not want any photos or videos of your child on youtube/the blog. The youtube account that they will be loaded to is part of the year one gmail that I set up at the start of the year which isn't linked to any social media etc.
Thank you,
Simone
We have been filming some special moments in the neighbourhood like Year One has Talent and other noteworthy learning experiences. In order to embed videos on the blog I need to upload them to youtube as a public (unlisted) video. I believe most parents give permission to have photos and videos of their child published online when their child commences at PHPS but I wanted to give parents the opportunity to let us know if they would prefer that their child was not in any video footage that we post online.
Please inform Simone if you do not want any photos or videos of your child on youtube/the blog. The youtube account that they will be loaded to is part of the year one gmail that I set up at the start of the year which isn't linked to any social media etc.
Thank you,
Simone
Walkathon next Wednesday
Hi everyone,
Just a reminder to use this weekend to get sponsors for the WALKATHON which will take place this coming Wednesday. Keep your sponsor list at home until after the completion of the walkathon and you will have some time to collect the sponsorship money and return it to school.
Please return the green form if you are able to help on the day.
Thank you!
Friday, 16 May 2014
Photos of Year Ones with their Year 6 Buddies
Hi everyone,
On Friday afternoons we have started a collaboration between the Year ones and their Year 6 buddies. The children will be continuing their projects on how to reduce litter around the school but this week we asked the Year sixes to share some games with the year ones and with such a stunning Autumn afternoon it was such a pleasure to see them all playing together.
We took a few snaps:
On Friday afternoons we have started a collaboration between the Year ones and their Year 6 buddies. The children will be continuing their projects on how to reduce litter around the school but this week we asked the Year sixes to share some games with the year ones and with such a stunning Autumn afternoon it was such a pleasure to see them all playing together.
We took a few snaps:
Sunday, 11 May 2014
A thorough update on our Inquiry to-date and current direction (and a couple of photos)
Hi everyone,
We would like to share with you the current direction of our Inquiry into change but first run through how we arrived at this point.
What did we learn in Term One?
To bring you up to speed, we started by asking the children what change meant to them. Some responses included that we can change our mistakes and we can change what we learn about. This prompted us to explore how we can change our responses to situations and make positive choices. We investigated how we can make changes that have a positive impact, that improve our life and the lives of others and that people's level of happiness can be changed through our actions.
We decided to look into what happiness means a little further. We had many parent speakers talk to us about what makes them happy and if this has changed since they were a child. We have learnt that many things make both children and adults happy. We have learnt that happiness is different things to different people, and that we can't be happy all the time.
Some children joined a project group learning how to express what they knew about happiness through drama, another group explored their ideas through music and another group helped to design the shop.
The Happy Shop
We decided to create a happy shop to develop our counting skills and to create products that we believed would bring happiness to the children in our own year one neighbourhood. We made friendship bracelets, scrolls and bookmarks with positive messages, ninjagos which have special feeling powers, and other merchandise.
We have grown our understanding of what brings people happiness from thinking it is all about fun and toys and buying things to now realising that for many of us it is family, friends and being kind to others. Most of our parent speakers said spending time with and caring for their family is the most important thing that brings them happiness - and so this means thinking of others and doing things for others brings people happiness.
Our excursion to Melbourne University
Alison Kealy spoke to us about measuring and mapping happiness around the world. She showed us a map that indicated that western (wealthier) countries are rated as being happier than poorer countries. She invited us to come to Melbourne University where her colleague Professor Joe contested that claim and said you can't judge happiness on whether a country is wealthy or poor. We also heard from some university international students who left their families and homes to come to Melbourne because learning and exploring new places brings them happiness. Alison told us how happy learning and working at the University makes her.
They left us with the questions, can you measure happiness? How would you map happiness?
(I'm pretty sure we could measure the level of happiness of the children by their smiles as they ate their pizza on the roof of the Engineering Department).
Where to now... Term Two
Now here we are, aware that doing kind things for others can bring ourselves and others happiness. Our current question is 'How can we give of ourselves to promote greater happiness to our school community?' The children are developing their own ideas including caring for and beautifying our environment by gardening and picking up litter; making outdoor play equipment for children to play with (Freya's idea); and being kind to people.
Gina spoke to us on Friday about her work in the community that brings people happiness. She face paints at the zoo and teaches children to paint. She also submits body art pieces in competitions that raise awareness of important issues that Gina is passionate about like protecting the Great Barrier Reef and not being afraid to show your true colours. She taught us that standing up for what you believe and spreading positive messages can bring you a lot of happiness.
Upcoming Inquiry Projects on offer for the students:
Summary of Literacy and Numeracy concepts being developed through the Inquiry:
We INVITE PARENTS to come and speak with us about any of your own ideas for projects AND talk to us about anything you do in the community to make a different to people's happiness.
We would love to hear from you!
Here are a few pics of our excursion and Gina's talk.
We would like to share with you the current direction of our Inquiry into change but first run through how we arrived at this point.
What did we learn in Term One?
To bring you up to speed, we started by asking the children what change meant to them. Some responses included that we can change our mistakes and we can change what we learn about. This prompted us to explore how we can change our responses to situations and make positive choices. We investigated how we can make changes that have a positive impact, that improve our life and the lives of others and that people's level of happiness can be changed through our actions.
We decided to look into what happiness means a little further. We had many parent speakers talk to us about what makes them happy and if this has changed since they were a child. We have learnt that many things make both children and adults happy. We have learnt that happiness is different things to different people, and that we can't be happy all the time.
Some children joined a project group learning how to express what they knew about happiness through drama, another group explored their ideas through music and another group helped to design the shop.
The Happy Shop
We decided to create a happy shop to develop our counting skills and to create products that we believed would bring happiness to the children in our own year one neighbourhood. We made friendship bracelets, scrolls and bookmarks with positive messages, ninjagos which have special feeling powers, and other merchandise.
We have grown our understanding of what brings people happiness from thinking it is all about fun and toys and buying things to now realising that for many of us it is family, friends and being kind to others. Most of our parent speakers said spending time with and caring for their family is the most important thing that brings them happiness - and so this means thinking of others and doing things for others brings people happiness.
Our excursion to Melbourne University
Alison Kealy spoke to us about measuring and mapping happiness around the world. She showed us a map that indicated that western (wealthier) countries are rated as being happier than poorer countries. She invited us to come to Melbourne University where her colleague Professor Joe contested that claim and said you can't judge happiness on whether a country is wealthy or poor. We also heard from some university international students who left their families and homes to come to Melbourne because learning and exploring new places brings them happiness. Alison told us how happy learning and working at the University makes her.
They left us with the questions, can you measure happiness? How would you map happiness?
(I'm pretty sure we could measure the level of happiness of the children by their smiles as they ate their pizza on the roof of the Engineering Department).
Where to now... Term Two
Now here we are, aware that doing kind things for others can bring ourselves and others happiness. Our current question is 'How can we give of ourselves to promote greater happiness to our school community?' The children are developing their own ideas including caring for and beautifying our environment by gardening and picking up litter; making outdoor play equipment for children to play with (Freya's idea); and being kind to people.
Gina spoke to us on Friday about her work in the community that brings people happiness. She face paints at the zoo and teaches children to paint. She also submits body art pieces in competitions that raise awareness of important issues that Gina is passionate about like protecting the Great Barrier Reef and not being afraid to show your true colours. She taught us that standing up for what you believe and spreading positive messages can bring you a lot of happiness.
Upcoming Inquiry Projects on offer for the students:
- We are thinking of starting a random acts of kindness project
- We are collaborating with the Year 6s on Friday afternoons to creatively send a message to the school community about keeping our yard clean (perhaps through rap, comics, song, dance, drama, poetry, stories and informing about the impact litter has on animals and our water system).
- The children are going to start designing portable outdoor play equipment after Freya had a brilliant idea that a cable drum could be turned into a seesaw that would bring kids happiness.
- Seamus also brought in an article of a collaborative exhibition of indigenous pottery titled 'happy' so we may investigate designs, colours and patterns that represent 'happy' and produce our own pottery for a school exhibition ("Every Child has the right to beauty" -Reggio Amelia Rights of the Child).
- The children are also creating "yellow pages advertisements" to advertise a personal strength of theirs that they would like to share with others as we have discovered that learning new things brings us happiness.
- Some children have designed their own kimochi feeling like Anton's which brings back fantastic memories. The children will be making their kimochi using fabric and designing the facial expression that will match it's feelings.
- We are commencing Year One Has Talent which started last Friday with a spectacular puppet show by Elly and Belle of "The Gruffalo". I will film this and post it for you next week. Children sharing their talents brings the entire neighbourhood so much happiness and the creativity in our neighbourhood is bursting ready to flow onto the stage!
Summary of Literacy and Numeracy concepts being developed through the Inquiry:
- Ordering Australian coins based on their value
- Counting collections of coins and finding equivalent combinations of coins to total small amounts (integrating place value understanding and addition and subtraction strategies)
- Creating TV and radio advertisements for products in our shop (ICT, speaking skills)
- Learning about how to graph sales in our shop in order to see which items are selling well and which items we may need to advertise or put on sale (statistics)
- Writing print advertisements
- Writing descriptions of their merchandise
- Writing letters of thanks to our inspiring speakers
- Working through the design process (design, creativity and technology)
We would love to hear from you!
Here are a few pics of our excursion and Gina's talk.
Tuesday, 6 May 2014
Web Links for Maths - Numeration
Hi everyone,
Some parents expressed interest in links to online resources like subitising and number lines along with the resources provided at the maths information session tonight which are in the previous blog post.
Here are a few links to resources that I think are beneficial for all children to work with.
Interactive 0-99 Number Chart: Colour in one number and ask your child: "What is one ten more/less?" "What patterns do you see?" Blank out some numbers with a dark colour and ask your child what number is missing in a particular covered place.
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/math/games/100-number-chart-zero.html
Interactive number line:
http://www.ictgames.com/numberlineJumpMaker/
Rapid Subitising:
http://subitizing.com/
The DEECD website has a resources page. Find the 'Subitising Materials' section and print off subitising flash cards. The section 'Research Papers and Publications' may also tickle your fancy for additional information.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/maths/assessment/pages/resourcelibrary.aspx#4
This website WOODLANDS has some good interactive games and activities.
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/interactive/numbers.htm#Place
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
Thanks,
Simone (Year One Neighbourhood Teacher)
Some parents expressed interest in links to online resources like subitising and number lines along with the resources provided at the maths information session tonight which are in the previous blog post.
Here are a few links to resources that I think are beneficial for all children to work with.
Interactive 0-99 Number Chart: Colour in one number and ask your child: "What is one ten more/less?" "What patterns do you see?" Blank out some numbers with a dark colour and ask your child what number is missing in a particular covered place.
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/math/games/100-number-chart-zero.html
Interactive number line:
http://www.ictgames.com/numberlineJumpMaker/
Rapid Subitising:
http://subitizing.com/
The DEECD website has a resources page. Find the 'Subitising Materials' section and print off subitising flash cards. The section 'Research Papers and Publications' may also tickle your fancy for additional information.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/teachingresources/discipline/maths/assessment/pages/resourcelibrary.aspx#4
This website WOODLANDS has some good interactive games and activities.
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/interactive/numbers.htm#Place
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
Thanks,
Simone (Year One Neighbourhood Teacher)
Monday, 5 May 2014
Resources from the Maths Games Information Evening
Hi everyone,
Thank you to the parents who have sent an RSVP to this evening's Maths Parent information session. For those of you who cannot attend, I would like to share with you the information pack which includes all of the information that will be covered, as well as links to the resources for the games that we will be sharing that develop Place Value concepts.
Enjoy!
The Year One Team
Math parent games night
0-99 Chart
tens frames
Tracks
' Trash Can Game
Thank you to the parents who have sent an RSVP to this evening's Maths Parent information session. For those of you who cannot attend, I would like to share with you the information pack which includes all of the information that will be covered, as well as links to the resources for the games that we will be sharing that develop Place Value concepts.
Enjoy!
The Year One Team
Math parent games night
0-99 Chart
tens frames
Tracks
' Trash Can Game
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