Christian's Big Cat iExplore - Term 3, 2015

Learner: Christian                                                                  Learning Coach :DWilkes  Date:  Term 3                                                               Learning Area: Science

Learning Observed

Christian has shown real curiosity, thinking and managing self skills researching and making connections to her prior knowledge.  Her driving iExplore learning adventure question has lead her to investigate 3 big cats: the puma, leopard and cheetah.  She wanted to know if they were the same and/or why they were different.  Christian found using a Venn diagram helpful for seeing, visually, how the feline species were different but also what their similarities were.  She showed capability at creating a presentation to share her learning with her classmates and created a wee quiz for us using an online tool called ‘kahoot.it’.  She had a lot of fun doing this with a group of learners and I.  I was very impressed that Christian trialled the quiz with a focus group before her presentation- she showed real preparation and forward thinking.  Her presentation and quiz showed clearly all that she has learned, where her new curiosities lay and how she made connections with people and resources.  I am looking forward to her new iExplore learning adventure- good luck!

Evidence of Learning

Video of her Introduction here Christian’s iExplore doc Christian’s Presentation

Next Learning Steps

finish updating your iExplore doc- this needs more detail asap write a reflective blog post about your iExplore experience check all of your facts in your presentation create a new iExplore doc and link it to our collaborative Balloons presentation show your presentation and quiz your family with the kahoot.it quiz

Learner: Christian, Kormel and Yuvika   Learning Coach: Margaret Patrick            Date: 24.09..2015

Learning Area: Science Narrative Learning story

Learning Observed

These learners were part of the “Mythbuster” group for iExperience in Weeks 6-10. They ”busted” the myths about everyday objects behaving in unusual ways. They were curious and explored the  physical and chemical reactions that caused the strange things to happen.They practiced writing up the phenomenon using a scientific experimental method developing their capabilities.  In week 10 they collaborated to form a  group and they had to make their own experiment, connect with other research available and come up with a hypothesis as what they expected to happen, do the experiment and reflect on the actual outcome. Following this they were required to make a presentation to an audience of learners. This included: the actual experiment, explanation of any changes they made, review of their hypothesis, present their digital recording of their work and field answers to questions. They managed their time well and were ready. They had observed a balloon inflated from the chemical reaction of baking soda and vinegar and decided to use this chemical reaction to be part of their “make it yourself’ Mythbuster. christian took responsibility for getting a bottle and used her time to paint it a rock colour to look like a mountain. On the day of their presentation that one of the team didn’t bring the  vinegar. They borrowed some from the staff room but realised that this was significant factor in creating the size of the explosion. There was not a lot of vinegar and the explosion was less significant. Refer link to their slide show

Evidence of learning

Next Learning Steps

try out other experiments in a safe supervised manner explore where this scientific phenomenon is used in real life activities write a reflective blog post about your learning. Add a cross-section of comments from the other learners’ feedback during your presentation. encourage your family to go online and read your blogs. spend time ensuring all group members have a role during a presentation. create a schedule for group members regarding responsibility for bringing various items to contribute to the group’s experiment.

Christian's Food Web 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.

Literature Circle Learning Story- Verbs Group

Learner:   Kimba-Jo, Christian and LimHor (Verbs)                            Date: June 2015

Learning Area: Literacy                                         Learning Coach:Diana Wilkes

Learning Observed

All learners require literacy skills in order to be contributors and active participants in society. We believe that learners must study, use and enjoy language and literature when communicated orally, visually or in writing.  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 them what book they are reading and how they knows it is a best fit on a regular basis.  Kimba-Jo, Christian and Lim Hor  are new to the Habitat and have been learning how our ‘book club’ works.  The Verbs group was introduced to an online book resource called http://booktrackclassroom.com which they can access anytime online. 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.  They are developing confidence at sharing in our meetings and contribute in the discussions with prompting.

Evidence of learning

Collaborative Literature Circle Document - Verbs   Snippet of Meeting

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

Kimba-Jo, Christian and Lim Hor are showing Connectedness by relating their work to the text we are reading. They are relating to others well by remaining respectful while others speak and they are Collaborative when they are participating in the discussion.  They are also developing his Capability in reading conversation and oral language.

Next Learning Steps

Always have a Best Fit book at school 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 the collaborative google doc and act on the feedback immediately Ask for help when unsure and manage time wisely

Christian's Music Learning Story

Learners:  Kim, Sadeen, Shreya and Christian    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, Kim, Sadeen, Shreya and Christian 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.