Week 9

Talking Topic: Reflection of the Term
Final Assembly: Solway College at 1pm

Have a look at this!!

                           We will be busing to Solway College at 12.30. Please come and join us for the final celebration for 2014.

Week 8

Talking Topic: When I grow up...
Sound of the Week: Revision of term's sounds
Maths: Fractions/ Basic Facts

Thankyou to the parents and grandparents who gave up their time to transport and accompany Totara on the trip to Mount Holdsworth. We all had a fun day even though the weather was not kind to us!

WEEK 6

Talking Topic: Technology-Bath Toys
                        Choose a toy and talk about                             these attributes 

• physical- looks like
• functional- how it works
• materials- what is it made from

Sound of the Week: y used as a vowel
Maths: Measurement- Weight
Technology: Structures- Bath Toys
 Students will be designing a bath toy which they will make. They will need support with finding materials to use for the making.

Remember to send the Holdsworth Trip note back to school which gives permission to go on the trip.

WEEK 3

Talking Topic: My Favourite Book
Sound of the Week: Words with doubled letters
Maths: Multiplication & Division
            Statistics- Chance
PE: Athletics
Rich Concepts: Technology

Thankyou to parents who have offered to transport Totara to the show Mr McGee. We still need a few more cars.

WEEK 2

Talking Topic: Values of Honesty & Compassion
Sound of the Week: words with doubled letters
Maths: Multiplication & Division
            Learn your 7 times tables
            Statistics- Chance
Writing: Recounts
Rich Concepts: Technology- Bath Toy

Some children have not returned their slips for the outing to Mr McGee. We need more parents to provide transport please.

Encourage your child to play a summer sport as being in a team is a great way to learn skills of sharing and working together.

What a fun time was had by all during the Inline Hockey session we had last week.Watch out for the notice in our newsletter about future sessions being held at Clareville.

WEEK 10

Talking Topic: Reflection of the Term
Sound of the Week: Plurals
Maths: Multiplication & Division

The Life Education Bus is here at Solway this week. We have two sessions with the tutor which we will follow up in class.

Thanks to the parents who transported us to the Have A Go Day on Wednesday. The weather held out and everyone had fun and tried some new activities.

Friday was Flower and Pet Day. Again it was an excellent day of sharing and enjoyment!

This Friday at 9.15 is our Reflection Assembly- please come along and see what Solway Students have been busy learning during Term 3. Have a restful holiday!

Week 9

Talking Topic: A Favourite TV Programme
Sound of the Week: Plurals
Maths: Multiplication & Division
            Geometry- Position

Have A Go Day- Thankyou to the parents who have offered to transport Totara to Memorial Park for this day. We will leave at 11.30am on Wednesday.

Flower & Pet Day- This Friday- a note will come home this week

Week 8

Talking Topic: A favourite photo
Sound of the Week: Short o
Maths: Multiplication & Division
                           Learn your times tables!!!
Colour: We completed our Mondrian copies of primary colours- they look amazing.
We also made air dried clay beads. We will paint these two different primary colours and the secondary colour that these colours make.
Lastly the koru art has been glued onto its mounting sheet. I think this is my favourite piece of art from this term - WAY TO GO!!!

Totara students have been practising taking interesting photos using macro or photographing something in an unusual way. There are two categories

• living 
• non-living

Students can take photos at home and email them to school steve@solway.school.nz  or send them on a pen drive. All photos must be in by this Friday.
A big thankyou to Cheryl Falloon for transporting children to the park on Thursday for a photo shoot.  :)
                    

Week 7

Talking Topic: Make up a colour poem eg Red is like a fire truck
Red as an apple...
Sound of the Week: short u
Maths: Subtraction
Topic: Colours
On Friday we put 3 daffodils into different coloured dye- red, yellow and blue. After a few hours this is what we noticed!!

iPads- On Thursday Totara tried out the app Skoolboo- this is a site to practise literacy and  maths skills. Everyone was so engaged!
Thanks Solway for the new iPads.

Friday was Daffodil Day. We wore mufti and donated a gold coin to give to the Cancer Society. Thanks Lachie for the beautiful daffodils.

WEEK 6

Talking Topic: Colour- Read a story about different colours, Talk about information you found about colour, write a colour poem, ...
Sound of the Week: short i
Maths: Time
Topic: Last week we were busy trying out experiments that involve colour. What fun we had!!

Thankyou to everyone who wore red of Friday to support Red Nose Day and children who have cancer. The weather was kind to us and everyone had fun using their WHEELS.

Check out the videos in the pages at the top of the page under Maths, Reading and Rich Concepts.

WEEK 5

Talking Topic: Free Choice
Sound of the Week: short e
Maths: Talking about my thinking in Addition & Subtraction
             Time- timetables

Colour- We have started to ask questions about Colour?
How is colour made?
What kind of colours are there?
How do we make secondary colours?
Do people and animals see the same colours?
What is white light?
Which objects give reflective light?
 
 

Week 4

Talking Topic: Recite Maori description of yourself( practise sheet sent home on Friday)
Sound of the Week: short 'a'
Maths: Addition & Subtraction/ Time

Topic: Colours

Last week Totara presented their Myth 'How the Kiwi list its Wings' to the class in a drama skit. We loved watching the acting and listening to the great voices everyone used!

Week 3

Talking Topic: Choose your favourite myth or legend to retell
Sound of the Week: ear
Maths: Addition & Subtraction: check out the video clips on the Maths Page at the top of the page
Topic: Myths & Legends 

We loved the messages that Vani gave us last week about saving money and being a "cashlete". How are you going with earning money ??

Week 2

Talking Topic: Values of Respect & Obedience
Sound of the Week:   air:
Maths: Addition & Subtraction
          Check out the Maths Videos on the page link at the top of this blog
Topic: We will be looking at different countries and their stories

TERM 3 Week 1

Welcome to Term 3 2014

Talking Topic: Holiday Fun
Maths: Addition & Subtraction
                               Time
Writing: Narrative

Topic of Interest: Myths & Legends

Please return the Green Assessment Book in the first week of term.

WEEK 9

Kia Ora Koutou!
We made it - last week of term!!!

Talking Topic: Reflection of your learning over the term
Sound of the Week:long i
Maths: Weight & Capacity

Totara students have worked very hard this term. I am pleased with their independence and perseverance with their learning.
Have a restful holiday and enjoy the freedom from clock watching.

See you all at the Reflection Assembly on Friday 9.15

WEEK 8

Talking Topic: Basic Fact-Athon- how did you go, what way did you learn your facts?
I was impressed with the Talks children presented last week. They were well prepared and chose topics that interested their peers.
Sound of the Week- long e
Maths- Fractions & Area
Rich Concepts- Mini beasts
Our garden is planted and the new signs painted and decorated by the children in TOTARA.

 

Some of the plants have already started to flower

Week 7

Talking Topic: Free Choice- make sure                        you are well prepared
Sound of the Week:  long a / a-e
Maths: Fractions & Area
           How is the basic facts learning   
           going?
Rich Concepts: we are finding out so 
                     many interesting facts     
                     about minibeasts.Send 
                    along any books or 
                    pictures you have found 
                    at home.

A huge thankyou to Cheryll Falloon for taking Charlotte, Leo and Miki to the Garden Barn on Thursday to purchase plants for our garden.
Another big thankyou to the Miller family for supplying and delivering 2 loads of horse manure for the garden.

Charlotte, Leo and Miki researched on the internet what plants would attract minibeasts and be suitable for the garden.We were amazed with the choices they made!!
Thankyou Garden Barn for all the help you gave Solway School students- you rock!!!

WEEK 6

Talking Topic: Lucky Dip( organised at  
                                     school)
Sound of the Week: er
Maths: Fractions
Writing: Persuasive/ Arguments
Rich Concepts: The talking topic over the last two weeks has been focused on Minibeasts. I have been very impressed with the knowledge and facts children have shared with their peers. We have loved the pictures and books and especially the live minibeasts!

Check out Lachlie's stick insect!!

Have you looked at the wall displays in TOTARA? Ask your child what they mean.

Tuesday BBQ to support children from Malawai.
Sausages   $2                 Drinks   $1

Week 5

Talking Topic: Choose a minibeast and talk about it
Sound of the Week: oo
Maths: Fractions
Tomorrow your child will bring home a Basic Fact-Athon sheet. Read the information and get practising!!

The Solway Cross Country competition is on tomorrow at Solway Showgrounds. Children will go by bus at 12.30 and the running starts at 1pm.
Students can be taken home by parents after the races.

WEEK 4

Talking Topic: Minibeasts
Sound of Week: ar
Maths: Assessment of    
           Multiplication & Division
           Fractions
Rich Concepts: Minibeasts- spiders

I hope families have viewed the fantastic display of art created by all classes.It's still not too late!

We have been practising our folk dancing for the last few weeks.Totara kids love this activity!

We are running daily to build stamina for cross country. Next Tuesday Week 5 we will hold the Solway Cross Country event at Solway Showgrounds.