This one was so funny that I just had to add it. The faces are incredible.

Time Out!

We are in the middle of Student Market Place...an entrepreneurial programme whereby students come up with a business idea and plan and make their product.

Mitchell and Connor have worked tirelessly on their 'cubees'. Quite a time-consuming product requiring perseverance and work ethic. Today...the intensity 'got too much' and they felt the need to LET LOOSE!!

Gotta love it!

#theONE6oneword

Okay...so the end of Term 2 is upon us. 

Students have been reflecting on their learning for their student comment attached to their report.

I thought it would be cool to do another #oneword mid-year as it was something we did at the beginning of the year too.

Here is a video put together with all the kids #theONE6oneword for mid-year.

You could also check out Twitter under the same hashtag as some of the kids have tweeted them out too!

'Sticky Learning'

What is 'sticky learning'?

Sticky Learning is a fun way of saying... 

'what learning have you done that is MEMORABLE'

This week on a Twitter Chat I host called #BFC630NZ we shared how we make learning in our class 'sticky'... through the use of images (as well as other techniques.)

For us in 'theONE6' this week has been FULL of 'sticky learning'. We participated firstly in a Skype with Yellowstone Park and secondly in a Google HangOut with Susan Brocker....the author of Wolf in the Wardrobe. This beautifully written story is the one 23 classes have been reading around New Zealand for #NZreadaloud2.

After a shaky start with 'sound issues' (all 7 classes had their microphones turned ON and all we could hear was all the kids excitement - that being 7 classes of 25-30 kids!!!) we all realised our mics needed to be off when it wasn't our turn!

I had set up an 'order for questions' to the author (Susan had these also so she was prepared)... so off we went... each class asking the ONE question they had decided was the one THEY wanted the answer to.

We found out some interesting things about the story and about Susan. For me, one of the most interesting things I found out was the book only took her 3 months to write! I thought it would have taken longer! I also found out that the idea for her main character 'being a boy' was more because the name Finn popped into her head one day and it just went from there!

The best thing for myself and Jemma is that our students have really enjoyed participating in #NZreadaloud2 as it provides us with opportunities to do some amazing 'sticky learning'. We have all found out about wolves (only 100 in Yellowstone Park), we have connected with kids across New Zealand, we have talked with the author of the book, we have learnt along the way WHAT WE DO TO GET MEANING FROM TEXT!

For anyone out there...sign up for #NZreadaloud3 and watch the difference in your students' engagement with ALL literacy!

theONE6ers'.... we would like you to REPLY to this blog post with a comment about the Google HangOut AND some learning which was 'sticky' for you...what was something memorable about the #NZreadaloud2?

Park Ranger Mel

What an AWESOME experience this morning in 'theONE6'.

Having nearly finished our #NZreadaloud2 'The Wolf in the Wardrobe' by Susan Brocker.... it was the perfect time to Skype with the Park Ranger at Yellowstone Park in America....with us being nearly finished the book and Lupa's flight back to the States so close!

So at 9am we called 'Ranger Mel' and away we went. Mel has connections with New Zealand (her husband from Christchurch) and other family...Ranger Mel knew a lot about our country and we discussed a WIDE range of topics...including our own National Parks, native animals, and Rotorua!

As Ranger Mel shared information about Yellowstone Park...a few of us took notes (in our own way) so we could use them to create a presentation of what we found out. I had the kids write some questions on the whiteboard and as Ranger Mel gave us the answers I jotted them onto the board. I also added extra interesting information she shared. Here is what the board looked like at the end of our Skype.

In reply to this post, I would like all 'theONE6ers' to tell me the MOST INTERESTING thing you found out about Yellowstone Park or the animals in it.

Swedish sweet-tasting!

The day had come!

One week after our Mystery Google Hangout with Pernilla's kids in Sweden...we set aside half an hour to 'taste Swedish candy'!

Had the kids sit in a circle...the idea being we would casually 'record' some responses and have the kids 'use some descriptive language' to explain their thoughts (many kids have this as a writing goal - to use more descriptive words). So what a great opportunity to practice that within an authentic experience!

Well... the first 'taster' went out...I attempted to tell the kids what it was called... we smelled...lots of kids describing as 'caramel, coffee, liquorice smelling ...

And then we tasted!

The next thing I know... all the kids are up out of their seats and rushing to the rubbish bin! Well that was the end of the 'organisation'! Had to laugh though as this initial  reaction was 'priceless'!!

I decided to 'taste' myself with the thought that these kids are all just 'being dramatic' for the camera....WELL... i found myself having to 'get rid of mine' too....it was HORRID! (Sorry Pernilla)



So onto the 'next taster'...

The little marshmellowy ones were a hit! "fruity" "like eskimos"

Then we passed out the fizzy bottles... smelt "bubblegummy" "sour"


The raspberry jube was a hit too..."soft, chewy, sweet" ... MY FAVOURITE!


We so hope you have just as much fun tasting our 'KIWI SELECTION' Pernilla and class! Make sure you do a video too...will be fantastic to 'see / hear' reactions!

ON BEHALF OF THE KIDS>>>>thank you for sending us some of your Swedish candy...the experience was fantastic and I hope we can connect with more classes around the world and do the same thing!

Our Buddy Class Challenge

Well Friday saw us working with our buddy class of Yr8s, Room 5, to see how long we could last doing the '4 chair challenge'. 
We organised ourselves into teams of 4 consisting of 2 Yr7s and 2 Yr8s. It was boys challenging the girls. Game on!

A very enthusiastic team of volunteers demonstrated exactly what was (and was not!) required and we discussed various tips for best results. 

Some questions we were thinking about as we carried out the challenge were:
'Does height matter?'
'Does weight matter?'
'Will individual strength influence the outcome?'

This is how it's done.

Teams worked together to enable everyone to have turns attempting the challenge.

The strain began to show...

... And the winning team was found!