River Trip

This week we had our river boat trip on the Waikato River.  We walked from school down the big steps across to the park and then down to the river.  We were all so excited to get on the boat. We pulled away from the jetty, and onto the river.  The water was like glass and we could see so many reflections of the things around us. We saw trees, bushes, someone riding their bike, and someone walking their dog.  We went under 3 bridges. The first was the Claudelands Bridge, which actually is 2 bridges. One of them is the old bridge of the track that used to go right into town.  The second bridge was built as well as a tunnel that goes underneath Centreplace. Next was the Whitiora Bridge, then lastly the Fairfield Bridge.

Claudelands Bridge and old rail bridge

Whitiora Bridge

Fairfield Bridge

It was hard to believe that we were still in the middle of the city in some places on the river.

Some children also got to drive the boat.

What learning is happening here?

This trip gave the children another opportunity to make connections with their home, their community, their city.  To be able to explore the river from this perspective really gave the children a sense of what the river is.

Where to next?

We will no doubt be talking about the trip for weeks to come, and be exploring the river in story and in art.

School Trip to Te Parapara Gardens and Hamilton Gardens

Today we went to the Hamilton Gardens.  We went to look at the kumara gardens and the carvings around the garden.

We saw so many beautiful other gardens too.  It was also very hot!

We spent time looking at the Pataka in the garden, as this is what we have talked about at school.  We saw how it would be difficult for rodents to get up into the storage area, but we did see ants climbing up the pole!

We got to look closely at the carvings, and see the paua shell used for the eyes.  We could trace with our hands the whirls of the patterns on the carvings. We talked about the sharp sticks around the kumara garden, wondering what they could be for.

We saw a great big kitchen garden with many vegetables, and a little potting shed that looked like it was from the Peter Rabbit story.  We also saw compost being made in the Sustainable Garden.

What learning is happening here?

Children are able to make connections between people, places and things in their world.  This enables them to generate and refine their working theories. For example, in the classroom we had discussed at length the Pataka, and why it was on a tall pole.  The visit gave the children the opportunity to see a Pataka and to take that knowledge and apply it and refine it.

Some children had visited the gardens before and were excited to share their knowledge with the group.  Amelia told us that there were eels in Turtle Lake, that she had seen them. It is important for children to have the opportunity to gain knowledge about significant icons in their wider world.

It is this interest and pleasure in learning about the wider, unfamiliar world that helps make connections back to home and school, as well as encouraging discussion of new ideas and theories.

Where to next?

We can begin to unpack and discuss our trip through discussion and art and make connections with similar icons at school (eg kitchen garden and our carvings).

Welcome to Room 1, 2019.

Nau Mai Haere Mai, Welcome to Room 1.

Tena koutou katoa

Ko Te Weraiti toku maunga

Ko Waihou toku awa

No Matamata ahau

Kei Kirikiriroa toku kainga inaianei

Ko Te Kura o Hamutana Rawhiti toku kura

Ko Follows toku whanau

Ko John toku matua

Ko Carol toku whaea

Ko Hendry toku taane

Ko Thomas raua ko Emily taku tamariki

Ko Rhonda Follows toku ingoa

No reira tena koutou tena koutou, tena tatou koutou

Hello. M name is Rhonda Follows and I am the teacher in Room 1 for this year.

I have a background in early childhood education and my passion is play-based learning.
We are in the Kiwi Hub which is in the Kowhai Team.
As well as this blog we will put  work on Seesaw - (a digital app that you can download on your phone) which will show your child's digital portfolio.
If you have any questions I am available from 8.30am. Please don't hesitate to ask.

I look forward to getting to know you all this year.

A few notices:
We will be going to Hukanui Marae on Friday 15 February.
We will also be going on a river cruise boat trip on the Waikato River, on Monday 18 February.
Both these trips are part of our Turangawaewae focus.

During our first few days together we have been getting to know each other.
We worked on our self-portraits.  These will be displayed in the classroom.