This week we started working in our sketching books. The big storm was a perfect opportunity when we found some fallen Kauri branches around the Library.
We looked closely at the shape of the branches and the leaves. We learned about using a 'whispering pencil' a 'talking pencil' and a 'shouting pencil'. It was tricky!
We also sketched some Tractor Seat leaves later in the week.
Sketching is a special time to be still, look closely and appreciate.
This week we looked at 'sorting'. We talked lots about things that get sorted in our lives and the different 'attributes' things can be sorted by.
We sorted all our shoes. We came up with lots of ways we could sort them:
- By colour
- By size
- By how they do up
- By type
Once we had sorted into piles, Vincent had the idea that we should line them up so it was easier to see how many were in each group. What a great idea! We needed to make sure the lines started at the same place so we used the edge of the mat. We had a great discussion about how this looked just like a graph. Some people had heard of graphs before, and others hadn't.
Maths isn's always numbers and operations, maths is all around us!
What a fantastic first day we have had! I feel very grateful to have had such an amazing bunch of tamariki to be my very first class at Hamilton East.
They were all so brave and confident arriving this morning and settled quickly into catching up with old friends and meeting new ones.
Today we spent the day getting to know each other through play, learning our new routines, reading stories and exploring.
We welcome two new students and their whanau to Hamilton East - Aurora and Casper.
Thank you all for your friendly messages already and for the waves at the fence. Thank you so much for your patience as we all navigate what Red Level looks like at school.
Have a look at some snapshots from our day today!
Kia ora koutou and welcome to Room 5!
I'm so excited to be starting at Hamilton East School with a class full of beautiful Year 1 and 2 children. My name is Laura Stewart and I live in Hamilton East with my two daughters, Mila and Macy, and my husband Pete. I love reading, sewing, flowers and going for bike rides and bush walks.
Unfortunately, the wall coverings for Room 5 are stuck off shore and so our classroom is not ready for our first day of school. Until it is ready, we will be learning and having fun from the library.
I hope you saw Pippa's recent update for school's Red Level requirements. If your child is reluctant to be dropped at the gate, or with one of our leadership team, you will be able to bring them to the classroom until they feel comfortable doing this on their own or with a friend. Please remember to wear a mask and stay outside of the classroom (the library).
I hope you have had a lovely long weekend. I look forward to seeing our new class and meeting you on Thursday.
Ngā manaakitanga, many blessings,
Laura
