The Science of Christmas...

For all those little scientists and children that question everything, these scientist have found the answers we have been thinking about ourselves... 

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!  I'm so glad I understand more now about Christmas. 
Ms. Grant. 

The Science of Christmas.

Baby T Rex

We had a wee visitor today.  Actually he was a rather large visitor as far a babies go...  Baby T-Rex came to visit team 3.  He was a little unpredictable and rather vocal but the kids seemed to enjoy their time with him.  
Here are a couple of photos from our encounter with Baby T-Rex. 

Carols Evening Song List

Here is a link the Willowbank Carols Evening Songs so you can all start practising...  Carols Evening Youtube playlist.

The Carols Evening will be held on Thursday the 11th December from 6pm.  We look forward to seeing you there. 

Helpers Morning Tea & Year1/Kiwi Assembly Tomorrow.

We look forward to seeing you at our Helpers Morning Tea tomorrow, however due to our current concerns with the tummy bug, the morning tea will look a little bit different :o) 

YEAR 1/KIWI ASSEMBLY POSTPONED

Due to our current concerns with the tummy bug, we have decided to postpone this assembly.

FRIDAY SWIMMING CANCELLED

FRIDAY SWIMMING CANCELLED

Due to our current concerns with the tummy bug, Otara pools have asked us to keep our children back from swimming this week as a precaution, so we don't spread our germs.

Ms Grant. 

Week 3 Reminders

Just a reminder that room 21 are going on our trip to Te Tuhi art gallery on Tuesday morning and that we are starting our swimming lessons at Otara Pools on Friday.  

Maths Week - 'Figure Me Out' Parade

 Maths Week - 'Figure Me Out' Parade

On Friday 24 October we will be having a 'Figure Me Out' dress up parade to celebrate the end of Mathematics Week.  The dress up parade will be held at 10am on the back courts (in the case of wet weather teams will organise their own parades during the day indoors - please keep an eye on our Facebook status to check for any change of plans).  This is a chance for children to be as creative as they can.  Can you think of a costume for other children to 'figure out'?  We look forward to seeing what the children dress up in on the day.  There is no charge for this dress up day, it's just for fun and to celebrate a week of special mathematics focussed learning.

The Cardboard Box Challenge!

Well there have been some busy little people in room 21 over the school holidays and it made me grin from ear to ear when I saw their creativity and imaginations sitting at the front of room 21 this morning!  
Fernando, Dylan, Roshank, Alan and Shawn, you have all shown great team work and creativity as well as fabulous self management on this project!  Well done!  I hope we get some more cardboard box challenges coming in before Friday.  
A special thank you to all the mums and to Fernando's Mum (Annie) for helping the boys out and keeping them fed and hydrated through the 3 weeks they took to build their creations!  (AND also for the photos!) 

Just some brief notes on the boys (Fernando, Shawn, Alan, Roshank and Dylan’s) project which was achieved in 3 weeks amongst a lot of eating and playing.

Here is a breakdown of their mini inquiry...  

Week 1:    They all agreed that they wanted to build robots

                  Researched on the internet for ideas and printed off robots made out of cardboard boxes for inspiration

Week 2:    Gathering materials - cardboard boxes, coloured plastic film, coloured paper, glue, clear packaging tape, carpet, particle board for stand

                 Selected boxes to best fit body parts, covering up printing with white photocopy paper

                 Wrapped each body part in red or blue film like a parcel and then assembled robots with packaging tape.

Week 3:    Decided that they would switch their robot idea to minecraft characters

                 Hot melt glue carpets to bases

                 Cut coloured paper into squares and glued on

All the boys really enjoyed the project and worker well together as a team.

The Cardboard Box Challenge.  on PhotoPeach

HELPERS NEEDED!!!

Hello Parents, 
We are in need of parent helpers for the Gala.  A notice came home last week with the kids asking for parents to please offer at least half an hour of their time to volunteer. 
Please could you fill this in and return it asap. 
Regards, Gina. 

International Space Station Tour

WOW!  We found this fascinating video showing life on the ISS.  The kids in room 21 loved it! 

We had some wonderings afterwards though... 
FC -I wonder if you could sleep anywhere, without a bed, just floating around?
SL -Who was the first person in a space craft? 
IF -How big is the spacecraft, because from outside it looks small, but it could be really big?  
AY -Do the veges go rotten?  How often does the ISS get fresh fruit and veges delivered?  
IF -How long do the astronauts stay up on the ISS for? 
CL -How long does it take to get from Earth to the ISS? 
FC -What are the black parts? 
CE -I wonder if the astronauts miss home? 
DM -If your Mum and Dad aren't astronauts, are you allowed to bring them with you? 

The Cardboard Box Challenge

Here are the links to Caine's Arcade 1 and Caine's Arcade 2.  

We are pretty excited in room 21 about the cardboard box challenge.  This is an optional activity for the children at Willowbank to complete at home between now and the beginning of term 4.
Get your creativity and imagination roaring room 21! 
http://imagination.is/our-projects/cardboard-challenge/

Team Kiwi, 1, 2 and 3 Cross Country

Hi All,  

Sorry for the delayed decision on when our Cross Country Races would be……

It will be held this Thursday 11th September with races starting at 11.20am.  (Lets hope the weather plays its part!)  We still hope to see as many parents as possible at this short notice.  -Ms Grant and Room 21.  

Baking Chocolate Chip Cookies...

Well Room 21, started their Fun Week of learning, with baking this morning.  We baked some delicious cookies, from Chelsea Winter and the kids just loved them!  I would love to hear what you thought of todays experience room 21?

Fun Week Baking. on PhotoPeach

Book Character Day

What a great week we had at WBS with the Scholastic book fair visiting us, DEAR and the finale of the week being our book character parade.  The children (and teachers) went to great effort to come dressed as their favourite book character.  Well done to you all. 

Book Character Parade, WBS 2014 on PhotoPeach

Calendar Art

The children in room 21 have worked very hard on their calendar art this year and they have done a fantastic job.
Orders for these are due by next Friday, the 5th September.  If you have lost your order form, contact me via email and I will send another home with your child. 

Room 21s Calendar Art, 2014 on PhotoPeach

Cross Country and Fathers Day Breakfast.

Cross country is on Week 7, Tuesday 2nd September and the savings day is Friday 5th September (also Fathers day breakfast day). 
Fathers Day breakfast and the annual paper plane competition, is on Friday 5th September from 7:30-8:30 in the hall.  There will be cereal, toast, sausages and tea and coffee.  Don't forget your gold coins for the raffles. 
We look forward to seeing you at both events! 

Book Week

This week is the start of Book Week at Willowbank School, YAY!!! 
We will be having the Scholastic Book Fair on site from this Thursday.  The opening times are before school 8:30-9, during lunch from 12:45-1:25 and again after school from 3-3:30 from the 14th until the 21st of August! 

Our Onesie/PJ night is on Monday 18th August from 5pm-7pm.  Come along to hear stories read by the awesome WBS teachers in Tuatara for Y0-3 and in Kakapo for Y4-6. The Book Fair will also be open as well as the 'Coffee Man' and a sausage sizzle!

Gabs and Mace getting ready for Onesie night! 

The book character parade is on Friday the 22nd August from 9am (Parents please come along if you're free to see all the amazing costumes and if you're daring enough you can dress up yourself!) Kids get your thinking caps on! :o)

This week we will also be starting our DEAR (Drop Everything and READ!) I look forward to that.

If there are any parents that would like to come and read stories (in English or another language) to the children in room 21 (or in any other classes at Willowbank) please contact me via email or pop into class.
Ms. Grant.

Facts about the Commonwealth Games.

Here are a couple of links that might help you with your research around the Commonwealth Games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_at_the_Commonwealth_Games

http://www.commonwealthgames.kiwi/glasgow-2014


http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/free-tagging/commonwealth-games

Clyde, Mascot of the 2014 Glasgow Games

The mascot for the 2014 Games is a "wee" thistle called Clyde, whose job it is to tell the world about the Commonwealth Games and welcome friends from all over the world to Glasgow. His story is inspired by the past - a real ship called the SS Cameronia built on the Clyde in 1920 - but set in the present day. In the video below, Clyde's story is narrated by Billy Connolly.

The Incredible story Clyde

Loom Band Dress

With a lot of the children being very interested in loom bands recently, I wondered what you all thought of this article about a loom dress?  What other fashion type items do you think kids could make?  What would you do with the money made from selling such items?  Do you think this is a good idea for kids to sell their creations?  What are the positives and negatives around this? 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/fashion/10268930/This-rainbow-loom-dress-could-be-yours-for-300k

Matariki 2014.

This week marks the start of Matariki.  Matariki marks the beginning of the Maori new year and a time to remember those that have passed as well as new life.  Matariki is the name of the Pleiades star cluster and the season of its first rising in late May or early June each year.  

There are some great things to learn about Matariki on the Kiwi Kids News website and plenty of stories of Matariki on youtube.  

It looks like Wednesday will be the best evening for viewing the stars of Matariki in our skies.  

I hope you have fun learning about Matariki.  We will be continuing this during the week at school too. 

From Ms. Grant. 

Tiana's Cheerleading competition

Tiana had her very first cheerleading competition this weekend and she came first!  I think she did really well, what do you think?  Im sure she would love to hear some positive comments from her peers about what you think.


Tiana's Cheerleading Competition

Supporting your child at school

Here is a link to the Ministry of Educations, Supporting your Child's Learning document.
I hope you find it useful and gives you some ideas for ways to help your child at home.
Gina.

Loom Band Ideas

 A few of the kids (ok, a LOT) have expressed an interest in loom bands, so here is a link to a bunch of ideas on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0lQa6X63J9bbgWdoIhQdRi1To_GbhtWH

Kea story from Campbell Live show

We are learning about Kea conservation at Willowbank at the moment, here is a great video about the Kea. 

http://www.3news.co.nz/Is-curiosity-killing-the-kea/tabid/817/articleID/345207/Default.aspx

J-Rock

The J-Rock performance is scheduled for Friday the 4th of July.
Tickets are available from the office.


-More details to come. :o)

Freaky Friday in Room 21.

The children (and some of the teachers) had fun dressing up for Freaky Friday mufti day.
What do you think of our freaky class?

Kiwi Kids News...

A great way to check out what is going on in New Zealand and around the world is Kiwi Kids News and its made just for kids!

http://www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz/

Freaky Friday (gold coin) mufti and PTA disco this Friday.

Freaky Friday - Mufti Day and Disco It's this Friday!  Dress up in your craziest, freakiest outfit! Gold coin donation for mufti day. Disco times: Year 1-3 5:30-6:30pm; Year 4-6 6:45-8pm - $2 entry Please collect your children on time after the disco.  Tea and coffee will be available for parents in Pekapeka awhina (by Rm 7/8).

House Hippo

Just in case any of the children come home taking about wanting a 'House Hippo' you may want to let them watch the whole of this video...
House Hippo video

Happy April Fools kids!
Love Ms. Grant!

Gold Coin Mufti Day

Just a reminder that tomorrow for a gold coin donation, the children can mufti.  This is to raise awareness for Shave for a Cure and Breast Cancer.
You may see some of the teachers wearing pink in support of this too!


Here is the snippet from this weeks newsletter in case you missed it and would like more information about the charities Willowbank support as well as how to purchase a ticket for the PINK RAFFLE...

SHAVE FOR A CURE  Each year we collect donations for a number of New Zealand charities. This week we are raising money forSHAVE FOR A CURE and Breast Cancer Awareness.Shave for a Cure is Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand's signature fundraising event. Six kiwis a day are diagnosed with a cancer or related condition. Most of us will know someone who has been affected in some way by cancer. Please support Willowbank's collection by donating a gold coin each afternoon as you drive in to the Drop Off Zone and for another Gold Coin donation, your child can wear mufti on Friday.  We will add our funds to those raised by Meryn Crocker-London, a St John's ambulance services employee, who shaved her very long locks off on Friday in support of SHAVE FOR A CURE. You can further support these excellent charities by purchasing a ticket in the pink raffle we currently have on display in the office. We only have the raffle for one more day so be quick! Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. Thank you in anticipation for your support.

Nature Trail Working Bee

Willowbank is having a Nature Trail Working Bee this Saturday 22nd of March from 8am-12pm, to tidy up the Nature Trail. 
If you are keen and able to help with any of the gardening tasks please email Sarah Blong to put your name down (sblong@willowbank.school.nz) or just turn up on the day.
It would be great to see some of the parents and children from room 21 out and about helping on the day, and even if you're only able to help for part of the time this would be greatly appreciated! Bring along your gardening gloves and we will supply the morning tea.

It would be great to see the Nature Trail returned to its former glory so that all the children can benefit from it once again.

Library

Just a reminder that our library day has now changed to Mondays.

Kia Kaha

We have started teaching the Kia Kaha (Police teaching unit,) across the school over the past week and the kids in room 21, seem to be really enjoying learning about what makes them the same as well as what makes them different.  
During one of the activities I gave the kids the chance to 'graffiti art' what makes them special.  I loved how involved they were with the new 'liquid chalk' and that quite a few kids stayed beyond the lunchtime bell to continue to write about what makes them special!  
If you have been past the outside window of room 21, we would love to hear what you think... If you haven't maybe you could use this as your opportunity and come take a look.  
We would love to hear what makes your child special in the comments below..!  
Thanks for dropping by!  
Ms. (Gina) Grant! 

Lunch Order changes!

For those that have yet to sign up to the Willowbank Facebook page...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Willowbank-School/125796360796155

Here is the reminder about how school lunch orders will be working as of Monday (24th February 2014).

The Faces of Room 21.

Introducing the class of 2014.

Aren't they a gorgeous bunch of little people?

Meet the Teacher evening

Just a reminder that meet the teacher is on this coming Wednesday (12th February 2014) from 6pm-7pm. I look forward to meeting you then if I haven't already.

To keep up to date with school info, join the Willowbank Shool Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Willowbank-School/125796360796155

You can also read the school newletters as well as sign up for the school newsletter to be emailed to you here: http://willowbank.school.nz/index.php/parents/newsletter

Welcome to 2014

Welcome back. Its been a great first 2 days in room 21 as the children and I get to know each other. Welcome to all our new families and subscribers! (If you haven't subscribed yet to this blog, enter your email address to the right and you will know when it has been update via email!) We love to hear comments about our work from parents, friends, neighbours and extended family, so feel free to share. From Ms. Grant.