Paper weaving

To further extend upon the children's interest in weaving, I introduced a paper weaving activity to the children this wet afternoon. This is a fun activity that supports children's learning of basic mathematical skills such as, interpretation of different materials, organising, creation of patterns, to thinking logically, and making comparisons. The activity also support's children's fine motor skills such as the pincer grip, together with eye and hand co-ordination. Exploration. Ann

Snail moving on a window

Giant Snails

Max's interest in bugs

Max is still showing increasing interest in bugs and hunting for them with his friends. On Monday he brought in a snail that he found on the KIDSPACE drive way. His mum and I suggested he find a home for the snail. He thought for a little bit. I said, "I've just brought in some recycling boxes you could use one of those for your snail". Max said, "yeah" and quickly rushed down to the art room to find one. He showed me the box he chose, I questioned whether the snail would need some food while it was in the box. Max said, "yeah, they eat grass, I'll get it some grass". Max got a nice big handful of fresh grass for his snail. Max then proceeded to tell me he needed to put water in his box for the snail. I wondered how much.... Max put quite a bit in there, I asked "would it drown?". Max said "No they like to drink the water". Later Max and I researched on the internet. He had a few questions to ask. We went onto the website www.answers.com.

Max asked questions such as,

-What do snails eat?

-What snails slither on?

-Do snails slither on peoples arms

-Where do snails hide?

We watched some video clips on YouTube, where the snails were slithering up the window and

the one we found most exciting was a snail called the African snail; they are HUGE. Max and I both learnt something new, we didn't know snails that big existed. DID YOU SEE THE PHOTO!!!

Through this experience Max was actively exploring his world and caring for the little snail he had found, ensuring his well-being was being looked after. Max was being a scientist and actively driving his own learning through research on the Internet and we looked in books too.

Tamara

Happy Birthday Libby

Technology at KIDSPACE

Look at these children and teachers experiencing an environment where they discover and develop different ways to be creative and expressive through communication, using ICT such as laptops and the laminator. Rie helps Taneesha and Paige to laminate their kai place mats, Max and Tamara look for answers on the laptop, Lyrique and Acacia view photos of themselves and add verbal messages to Jess' learning story, and Noah and Caelyn download photos on the laptop with Ann.

"Children develop familiarity with an appropriate selection of the stories and literature valued by cultures in their community", Communication.

-Kaua e rangiruatia te haapai o te hoe;

e kore too taatou waka e uu ki uta.

-Don't paddle out of unison; our canoe will never reach the shore. (Technology, The New Zealand Curriculum).

Jessie

Developing mathematic skills

Jorja and Caelyn play a matching shapes game.

"In Mathematics and statistics, students explore relationships in quantities, space, and data and learn to express these relationships in ways that help them to make sense of the world around them", Learning Areas, The New Zealand Curriculum.

-Kei hopu toou ringa ki te aka taaepa,

engari ka mau ki te aka matua.

-Cling to the main vine, not the loose one. (The New Zealand Curriculum)

Jorja and Caelyn explore the use of patterns and relationships in quantities, space and time. Mathematics uses symbols to help find and communicate patterns and relationships.

Jessie