Super focused inquirers

This morning we were super focused inquirers and Mr O'Reilly came to join us in our learning! 

He was even able to stay and do his work without being distracted. 

Ka mau te wehi Ōtākaro!

Museum Visit - Ōtākaro 1 and 4

Ōtākaro 1 and 4 had a brilliant time visiting the Christchurch Museum yesterday (Tuesday 31st May).

We were extremely lucky to have the expertise of Anthony who took our Mini Beasts lesson and Marisa who took our Feathers and Beaks lesson.

The start of our Feathers and Beaks lesson

Here's what we were looking at!

We took turns to examine and FEEL the feathers of different birds

Investigating bird wings - we got to feel them!

Scavenger hunt time - Theo and Tristan found theirs very quickly!

A tarantula skin - It was very soft

James and Whaea Rhiannon had fun using the insect eye viewers

A young tarantula 

Creating insects and spiders - Do you know where their legs attach to their body?

Thank you to our parent helpers, we loved sharing our learning with you!

Visit from the Mobile Library bus

We are loving having Zac from the Christchurch city mobile library visiting our studio. He brings along a selection of new picture books and reads them to us. We love having Zac come to visit us because he reads the stories with funny voices.

Today the library bus was busy all lunchtime. It was great to see so many students bringing their library cards and enjoying browsing for new books.

The next visit is Monday 20th June. The bus will also visit on the 4th July. We still have forms if you would like to join your child up. This service is free.

Today's books: 

Coeliac Awareness Week

Last week was Coeliac Awareness week in New Zealand.  We have several students in our studio that are Coeliac and a few that have gluten intolerance.  One of our Cooking Club groups had our coeliac and gluten intolerant students all together and they used a flour substitute to make lemonade scones. 

 They were delicious

Learn About the Characteristics of Different Animal Groups

Animals are classified into two big groups - invertebrates and vertebrates.

INVERTEBRATES

This invertebrate song will help you learn about the characteristics of invertebrates.





VERTEBRATES

Sing a song about vertebrates to learn about this large group of animals.

What are the most important characteristics of amphibians?  What makes an animal an amphibian?  

What are the characteristics mammals have in common?  What makes an animal a mammal?

View this video to find out about the main characteristics used to classify vertebrates as mammals.

Sing a song about mammals.

Check out this Mammals link to find out what makes an animal a mammal, where they live and the different types of mammals.

You can read further facts about mammals here.

To identify an animal as a mammal, it has to have these characteristics.

What are the characteristics all birds have in common?  What makes an animal a bird?

What are the characteristics of reptiles that we should know about so we can recognise them and compare them with other groups of animals?

Learn about the characteristics of fish so that you can recognise them and differentiate them from other animals.

Learn about the amphibians, reptiles and fish

Drag each of the characteristics into the bin it suits best.


What Makes An Animal a Mollusc?

Mollusc Characteristics and Types of Molluscs


Main Characteristics of Molluscs



Learn about molluscs and how they survive.




Molluscs and Echinoderms

The World's Deadliest - Hermit Crab vs Conch

What do we know about Animal Families

Musical Patterns

In music we are learning how to write a rhythm pattern using musical notation.  Look at the pattern Giovanni has created.


Can you clap the pattern he has created?

Do you know the names of the notes he has used and their values?

Whakatauki of the Week

Whaea Rhiannon has started to introduce a whakataukī to our studio each week.

ANZAC Service

On the first day of term Otakaro and Travis studios walked down to the Burwood War Memorial for an ANZAC service.  Children and teachers from the Lake Terrace Pre School joined us.  Mr O'Reilly came with his guitar and Miss Reynolds with her ukelele.

We stood respectfully in a semi-circle shape around the monument. Mrs Forbes-Henry introduced the service and led us and read together the poem 'In Flanders Fields' and sang the national anthem.

Riley holding the NZ flag

Reading 'In Flanders Field'

Mrs Forbes-Henry introducing our service

Malena places her wreath