Piwakawaka Learning @ Oropi School: Week 5 term 2...

Hi so today we started sewing and it was a very popular activity.  Thanks to Tracey our parent help who was in today...remember we love to have any help available so please let us know if you would like to come in!!!



Sewing promotes hand eye co-ordination and it also helps to develop our fine motor muscles.  The children drew a picture first and then tried to sew around the outline.

 

 

Week 5 term 2...

On Friday we were very lucky to have some of the children from Pukeko come and help us for our 'Art Morning'...every Friday we do art instead of our discovery play.  It was great to have the older children helping us and learning leadership and responsibility skills.

 

We were making over, under and through weavings/pictures.  Have a look at them on the walls the next time that you are in Piwakawaka.

 

  We also, with the help of one of our parents....wove this old umbrella.  Our weaving is taking on a lot of forms.  We have had paper, flax and material weaving.  This was an old paper Chinese umbrella.  We took the old paper off and replaced it with fabric.  Doesn't it look great!

Tomorrow we will try our hand at sewing......watch this space!!!

Remember Cross Country for the Junior school is this Wednesday and next week we have our Matariki celebrations.

Week 4 Term 2...

This week we have continued weaving...we have woven paper, flax and have also used paper cups and wool.  These activities are great for developing our fine motor skills.  They also help us to develop our Maths language: Over and Under.

 

 

 

We have also been helping Armadine in the garden.  We have been thinking about Matariki and harvesting our crops and sharing them with family.  These children were very happy and excited when they came back from the garden with their veges to take home to share with their family/Whanau.

 

 

 

Remember we love parents, caregivers and Whanau to be involved so please feel to come in and play with us during our discovery time.

 

We also need more boxes etc for our making area....any donations are most appreciated!!!!

Welcome back Frosty and Patch...

Today the children were very excited to see the Guineas Pigs.  Their first visit since the holidays.



The children love Frosty and Patch.  They help to feed them and look after them whilst they are at school.  Animals are an important part of the curriculum as they help children to understand the needs of living things and the world around them.

 

Our Flax weaving is still going strong and the children are very interested in this. 

 

 Next we will make some kites.  We read a book about "The seven Kites of Matariki " today and how they symbolise the seven stars/ The Seven Sisters that come out at this time of year.

 

 

We made flax fishes...

 

 

Week Three, Term Two...

Monday 16th May...



Last week we did lots of weaving.  This week to extend on this and to continue our Matariki Learning we are making kites and are trying to weave with flax.



Check out the below photos that were taken at discovery play time this morning:

 

 

As always our play time is a busy time as we follow our own interests.  Here is a snap shot of some of the activities on offer today:

 

                                                             Puppet making...

 

 

Paper folding/paper aeroplanes....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water play....

 

 

Making playdough and tasting different ingredients...

Week 2 Term 2...

What a busy week we have had in Piwakawaka....



New interests are puppets, the balance bikes, paper aeroplanes(on-going) and book making has become popular again now that we are thinking about traditional tales.



This week, yesterday in fact, we had some visitors to the school which taught us some basic signs for 'Sign Language Week'.  We learnt the colours and animals.  So please ask your children to show you what they know.



Below you can see how some children are very interested in making their own paper planes at home.  The children have also been asking for copies of plans to take home...look at what Corey did at home!!!

 

 

 

 

Paper planes help the children to strengthen their finger muscles, build on their knowledge and understanding and reading skills as they have to follow a plan/directions.



Also we are thinking about Matariki...The Maori New Year and the children are helping in the garden to harvest and plant.  We are also doing paper and material weaving.

 

 

 

Week one Term 2...Welcome back everyone!

This Term we will be looking at Traditional stories and Matariki, The Maori New Year.



 Remember our discovery learning happens every morning and all year round so please send your children with a change of clothes and jackets and gumboots are a must in wet weather!!!



Please also come and look at our new 'mobile' classroom.  It is situated near Piwakawaka and is an extention of our classroom.  We will be using it as our New Entrant numbers grow.  We also welcome Mrs Gilmore this Term and once again she will be the fourth teacher on a part time basis so as to provide additional support as our numbers increase.  So as you can see even though we are growing which is very exciting, we are also catering for your children space wise and Child- Teacher ratio wise.



Any questions please feel free to come in and ask!!

 

 

 

Watch this space for more learning photos!

Week one Term 2...Welcome back everyone!

Welcome back everyone and we hope you had a good holiday......we have been busy as always in Piwakawaka this week...



Already we have some new interests in our play and this week at discovery time we have been making puppets based on our large book focus: "Little Red Riding Hood." Paper planes are also back by popular demand and I spend many an hour showing the children how to fold these planes but we love it and have fun.  Parents beware as some paper plane instructions are coming home and some are very challenging!!!!!!  Your children have asked to take these copies home.....

Our Maths programme is well and truly up and running now and look at the wonderful learning that is occurring.....all based around set making, sorting, matching, counting, sequencing, shapes and pattern making.....  we do these activities every afternoon.