Scanning to locate

Throughout the year, the children have been given the responsibility to find their reading activity in 'Explain Everything' (EE). It's an easy search, usually on the first or second page of their EE. They've gone from having to notice what's in their reading book and searching for the appropriate illustration on their EE to having to now having to notice print. Life gets tough as you get higher up the reading levels!! It was interesting today watching the scanning that went on from reader to iPad screen in order to locate their reading activity!

Waffles and Integrated Learning

This past week we incorporated Explain Everything in to our 'Integrated Learning' which, this term is Science- looking at the Physical World using everyday technology to"Work Smarter, Not Harder." Class 20 looked at equipment used in the kitchen that has been designed to make our lives easier.  To support our understanding we made waffles in the classroom!  The first step was to describe and discuss the equipment to be used use. Language was developed, recycled and ideas shared. Labels were made and placed on the white board for further development. The learners then had to take photographs in Explain Everything adding in a new page for each new piece of equipment.  The labels were then placed on the equipment and the learners toured around class using their stylus to correctly label each photo.

During middle block we made some waffles using all the equipment and the special ingredients. We followed the recipe making sure that at each step we discussed the ingredients used. They were broken down into 'wet' and 'dry.'   Once again labels were made placed on each ingredient. The learners took turns using the measuring equipment and adding ingredients to the mixing bowls.  It was decided that an electric beater made it easier to mix the batter than a whisk.  As Arkar said "it was really hard to mix using the whisk."   Great outcome!


After all the excitement of eating waffles the students took photos of the ingredients and again wrote the words underneath each photo.  They then used Explain Everything to create a picture of themselves making the waffles and talked about their pictures.   The resulting creation was a their very own booklet with vocabulary and illustrations immediately available for them to use in their story writing.

Spark

Spark (formerly Telecom) have put together a video about digital learning featuring some of our learners in Class 20!

Identical shoes

Identical shoes from Team 1 PES on Vimeo.

One day Nature and Kahurangi came to school with the same shoes. They both noticed and from this a discussion was formed. We started to think about another word we could use instead of 'same.' Kahurangi came up with 'identical.' And so a song was developed! Another unknown word taken into the known!

The zookeeper and the birdhouse!

IMG 0018 from Team 1 PES on Vimeo.

IMG 0029 from Team 1 PES on Vimeo.

Another example of building stories into song to help understand and remember how technology was used at the Zoo. Here are two examples showing their understanding of how a pulley was used in the bird enclosure. This then linked into writing allowing the learners to recall what they wanted to write.

Ilaisaane playground from Team 1 PES on Vimeo.

As promised, today we sung our story. Interestingly not as much recycling was needed to get to this point! I also filmed ALL the class singing on their own. Check out Ilaisaane...her abililty to not only sing the whole story but also to monitor her voice so the audience can hear and understand her speech.

The suns rays from Team 1 PES on Vimeo.

Let's share and build on those ideas!

Todays story was built around an oral brainstorm motivated by a picture of Pt England kids playing in the sand. Words and ideas were gifted and meanings explained to begin the thinking process and also at odd times throughout the sharing time. Each learner was given the opportunity to 'think and prepare' before they 'shared.' As the stories were shared they were recycled continuously so everyones story was memorised. Interestingly, each child added on something a little different to their own idea/story by using what they had heard from the learners preceding them on the mat. It's easy to see which sentence was the first one shared!

Today we designed a story around a picture from last years picnic. I gifted ideas and words to the children and we went with a basic story. As we sung the children added in more bits and pieces to make their story more interesting. Listen to this wonderful story from a group of children who had difficulty holding a sentence 2 weeks ago!

Picnic Time from Team 1 PES on Vimeo.