Animal Habitat, Digitise It Learning Story - August 2015

Learner: Samantha                                                                   Learning Coach: DWilkes       Date: August 2015                                                                       Learning Area:  Science

Learning Observed

This term the LH1 learners have been learning about animals, adaptations and habitats. Samantha has been building her language and developing her understandings of the many ways the natural world can be represented.  Samantha is able to recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat and can discuss the adaptations of some specific animals.  Samantha makes connections that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive and could identify these for her animal, the white lion.  Samantha was fortunate enough to go on a field trip to the zoo where many animals captured her curiosity.  She used the learning from the zoo trip to try to create her creature using the www.buildyourwildself.com wesbite.  She used her curiosity to learn about the adaptations of the white lion.  She needed to create a habitat that would be suitable for his creature.  He opted for the ‘Digitize It’ option knowing that she wanted to develop her capability at using a new digital tool.  She went through a rigorous design process that involved connecting with information through researching to create a fact file on the white lion, drawing a draft diagram of what the habitat would look like and then creating it in a digital tool of her choosing.  Samantha collaborated well- listening to other learners and asking questions.  Her GOOGLE DRAWING was a good representation of what she initially planned with some modifications.  Ask her to show it to you!  When it was time to share their learning, she presented her habitat with some confidence and lots of enthusiasm to the Learning Coaches and learners in LH1.  You can see his assessment here.

Evidence of learning

Next Learning Steps

write a reflective blog post about the learning and share with parents create a product of their learning eg. google presentation to show all of the steps create a more detailed diagram with labels that is represented in the final product practice presenting so you are prepared- why don’t you present to your family?! check your research so you are not presenting false facts

Samantha's Food Chain Learning Story

Learners: Christian, Sadeen, Samantha, Richard, Divya, Shreya     Learning Coach: T.Dillner           Date: 22.7.15

Learning Area: iExperience - Science (Food Chain)

Learning Observed

At the moment, the learners in LH1 are looking at Animals and their various features. Today’s session was looking at the Food Chains that are formed by NZ plants and animals - both native and pests. The learners had to examine a set of animal pictures and come up with a system of organising them according to who would eat what. They had to transfer the name of the animal to a strip of paper and connect them to the animal/tree that would eat them, eventually forming a chain. Christian, Sadeen, Samantha, Richard, Divya and Shreya worked collaboratively to strategise a way of organisation. They assigned each animal a strip and laid the photo on the top. When they had established the bottom of the food chain (invertebrates), they matched up the rest. When a tree/animal had been incorporated, they removed the photo to eliminate it from those that remained. Their final food chain was showing the relationship between invertebrates at the bottom of the food chain to feral cats at the top.

Evidence of learning

Working together to create a method to classify the animals in the food chain.

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

Collaboration was the main focus of this task. The learners in this group worked well for a majority of the time they were given. They did work together to figure out how to group the animals, and mostly worked together to create the chain. There was some stress at the end to get it finished on time though. (Participating & Contributing and Managing Self). To complete the links in the chain, the group had to work out the connections between the animals by thinking about their needs, physical size/shape, and diets (Thinking).Their chain showed some of these connections as it was not completely straight, it had extra links added in on the sides.

Next Learning Steps

Continue to independently focus on collaborative behaviour: How do we speak to one another? How do we make sure everyone has a turn? How can we involve people who could contribute more? Find reading material/research that could inform them of different food chains e.g. marine food chains.

Samantha & Komal's Summarising Learning Story

Learners: Samantha & Komal     Learning Coach: T.Dillner           Date: 24.7.15

Learning Area: Literacy - Summarising

Learning Observed

Samantha and Komal are in the Kites learning group and selected to attend a workshop about summarising the main points of a story. Earlier in the week, we used the story called Scattercat by Lynley Dodd for another piece of learning and the girls chose to revisit this book for their summarising Capability Task. When we were working as a group, we talked about how summarising is using questions that start with who, what, when, where, how and why. In the videos below, Samantha and Komal try to use these prompts to ask each other summarising questions about Scattercat. They collaborated together to interview and film each other as evidence of their learning. Samantha and Komal displayed that they have developed their capabilities of summarising a text by asking and answering the questions they provided each other - I hope they can practise this at home!

Evidence of learning

Next Learning Steps

Ask questions that your buddy hasn’t already asked you. Use the chunks in the word to help you sound them out. Try and challenge yourself to answer the summarising questions without looking at the story book. Practise doing this at home with a parent, sibling or friend.

Samatha's Mathematics Narrative Assessment

Learner:    Samantha (mm)                                                 Date: June 2015

Learning Area: Maths - Strategy                             Learning Coach: John Dyer

Learning Observed

Samantha has been working hard to develop her capability in Maths. In this photo she is working collaboratively to solve division problems. Samantha is moving from using material to imaging objects in her mind. When faced with the problem of sharing 24 into 6 groups, she understands the idea of sharing as division and equally shares the correct number of counters. Samantha is now moving on to use her times tables knowledge to work out the number of groups in a set and is moving away from the need to use materials. She works well in groups and individually as asks for help when she is unsure of what to do next.

Evidence of learning

Samantha collaborates with Norah and Gracy to solve a division problem.

Key Competencies/Vision Principles being demonstrated

Thinking - Making sense of information, experiences and ideas. Using language, symbols, and texts - Making sense of words, numbers and images. Managing self - knowing when to lead, when to follow and when to act independently. Relating to others - Interacting effectively in a range of contexts. Participating and contributing - Being actively involved in school and the community Curious Collaborative Connected Capable

Next Learning Steps

Continue to develop basic facts knowledge. This will include quick recall of addition and subtraction facts to 20 and recall of multiplication facts for the 2, 5, 10 x tables. In time, this will progress to the 3, 6, 9 x tables, the 4 and 8 x and finally 7 x tables.

Samantha's Music Learning Story

Learner: Komal, Samantha, Sameeha and Vivian     Learning Coach:  T.Dillner          Date: 2.6.15

Learning Area: The Arts - Music

Learning Observed

The Keas Hapu group have been learning about the features that we use to make music. They were introduced to the formal language of Tempo, Dynamics and Rhythm. After three sessions, Komal, Samantha, Sameeha and Vivian chose to work together in a group to collaboratively write three lots of four beats (rhythm), that had a change in volume (dynamics) and speed (tempo). The learners needed to record their patterns using correct musical notes to show timing and the correct Italian terms to show where the dynamics and tempo changed. The girls then had an opportunity to share this with the Keas and demonstrate their understanding of the three features of music. They used clapping to show these patterns.

Evidence of learning

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

All four girls worked collaboratively to share their thinking and formulate their pattern (Participating and Contributing). By standing up and giving a short presentation, they demonstrated their capability in understanding these three features of music. When we talked about Dynamics and Tempo, the learners were making connections with new vocabulary. They had to make sense of words and symbols in the traditional language of music - Italian (Using Language, Symbols and Texts).

Next Learning Steps

To make up a clapping game that uses the same thinking or language from this activity. In the future, practise musical performances in order to stay in time with one another.

Literature Circle Learning Story - June 2015

Learner: Samantha  (Nouns)                                                                  Date: June 1, 2015

Learning Area: Literacy                                         Learning Coach: Diana Wilkes

Learning Observed

We have been working really hard this term to learn how to have a ‘Book Club’ in literacy iDevelop.  We began by learning about how to select and why to select a ‘Best Fit’ book- please ask Samantha what book she is reading and how she knows it is a ‘best fit’ on a regular basis.  Samantha learned all about the 5 finger strategy to help her choose.  The Nouns group was also introduced to an online book resource called http://booktrackclassroom.com to which she has an account. In our Literature Circle each learner has a different role each week:  Summariser, Literary Luminary, Word Wizard, Discussion Director, Connector, Artful Artist or Researcher which ensures that the book club runs smoothly. Samantha is developing confidence at sharing in our meetings and has usually been well prepared completing her task in her Literature Circle google doc.  She was our Discussion Director early on and made a great first effort!

Evidence of learning

First Literature Circle Meeting with the Nouns Group - video Samantha’s Literature Circle Roles - Google Doc

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

Samantha is showing Connectedness by relating her work to the text we are reading.  She is relating to others well by remaining respectful while others speak and she is Collaborative when she is participating in the discussion.  She is also developing her Capability in reading conversation and oral language.

Next Learning Steps

Always have her Best Fit book with her everyday and read every night at home, out loud when possible Visit booktrackclassroom.com often to read new books Prepare for the Literature Circle meetings in her Daily 5 time or at home in her google document

Drama Learning Story - May 2015

Learner:  Kevin, Samantha, Willie and William                             Date: May 20, 2015

Learning Area: The Arts- Drama                                 Learning Coach: Diana Wilkes

Learning Observed

During iExperience this term with the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT), we have been learning how to use movement and space to effectively communicate.  The lasting understanding is that people represent their culture and heritage in different dramatic ways- past and present.  Learners had a variety of opportunities to explore the use of space, props and their body for communicating different ideas.  Kevin worked in a group with William, Willie and Samantha to use dramatic techniques to explore drama elements and conventions.  The group exhibited enthusiasm for performing.  When asked to initiate and develop ideas with others to create dramatic 1 minute skit about a culture, their group selected a Pasifika culture.  They generated a variety of ideas to mime and used props effectively.

Evidence of learning

The team makes effective use of space, facial expressions and movement.

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

All members of this team demonstrated that they can work Collaboratively with others towards a common goal.Together they exemplified Capabilities in following complex instructions and ultimately met the success criteria.  They related to each other well and managed themselves and their time wisely. Together they were able to make Connections between what they knew collectively about the culture and how to express that with movement, no sound and imaginary props.

Next Learning Steps

Further explore movements they can make with body, voice, space, and creation of facial expressions to enhance dramatic effect Practicing drama games at home will enhance their confidence (Props or Charades)