Learning Decimals and Fractions

Learner: Richard    Learning Coach:  N.Denuwara         Date: Term 4

Learning Area: Mathematics

Learning Observed, Key Competencies/ Vision Principles

Richard has been learning about place values and decimal numbers in maths this term. To help him understand the value of a decimal number he is using the place values chart shown below. He has shown his capabilities at recognizing where each number goes on the place values chart by writing decimal numbers in the chart. He has also been participating and contributing in class discussions about place values. Richard has also made connections to his knowledge of number word forms to show his capabilities at writing values of decimal number.

Evidence of learning

Richard's maths work

Next Learning Steps

Write the fraction version of simple decimal numbers.

Imran, Lim Hor, Richard: Rights and Responsibilities/ Citizenship

Learner: Imran, Lim Hor, Richard     Learning Coach:  N.Denuwara         Date: Term 4

Learning Area: Social Studies

Learning Observed, Key Competencies/ Vision Principles

Richard is participating in an iExperience session. This particular session focuses on learning about Rights, Responsibility and Citizenship. For this topic the learners are given the task of creating their own country. Today the first part of the task includes deciding on a name, emblem and motto for his country. To accomplish this task Richard has to use Key Competencies such as understanding language symbols and text. In order to create a name, emblem and motto for his country he has to show curiosity by researching how existing countries around the world got their names, emblems and mottos. By using the internet to research Richard shows that he is capable of using technology to execute a given task. Richard is also being collaborative because he is working in a group with two other learners. His group is brainstorming ideas together for what the name, emblem and motto of their country could be.

Evidence of learning

Brainstorm for country name, emblem and motto

Next Learning Steps

Decide with his group on one of the names, emblems and mottos they brainstormed to be their final choice. Publish the country’s name, emblem and motto on a good copy. Learn about the contents of a national anthem and write one for the country he created with his group.

Robot Wars iExperience

Learner: Richard                                                          Date: September 2015

Learning Area:        iExperience - Robot Wars               Learning Coach:    John Dyer

Learning Observed

Over a course of 6 sessions, Richard took part in a Science and Technology challenge. The aim was to design and make an electronic robot using a variety of materials including a button cell battery and a mobile phone buzzer. Richard collaborated with other learners as they decided that the ‘Ormibots’ (as they became affectionately known) would compete in categories of speed, strength and good looks! Richard worked with Shaun and Rohullah to create the most deadly moving weapon the world had ever seen! Initial challenges faced were finding ways to combine the motor and battery to good effect. Richard helped his group to problem solve and redraft plans in order to overcome difficulties and compete well in the Ormibot challenge.

Evidence of learning It may look harmless but it is rumoured that the Ormibot pictured is faster than a speeding bullet and stronger that cryptonite! Richard claims to be the brains behind the whole project!

Key Competencies/Vision Principles being demonstrated

Thinking - Making sense of information, experiences and ideas. Using language, symbols, and texts - Making sense of words, numbers and images. Managing self - knowing when to lead, when to follow and when to act independently. Relating to others - Interacting effectively in a range of contexts. Participating and contributing - Being actively involved in school and the community Curious Collaborative Connected Capable

Next Learning Steps

Richard needs to take time in the planning stage of his work and ensure he has clear direction with what he wants to achieve. He also needs to reflect further on his work in order to greater understand concepts in technology and across the curriculum.

Richard's Animal Habitat Digitise It Learning Story - August 2015

Learner: Richard                                                                          Learning Coach: DWilkes       Date: August 2015                                                                       Learning Area:  Science

Learning Observed

This term the LH1 learners have been learning about animals, adaptations and habitats. Richard has been building his language and developing his understandings of the many ways the natural world can be represented.  Richard is able to recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat and can discuss the adaptations of specific animals.  He used his curiosity and creativity to create adaptations for his imaginary animal the BEAST.  Richard recognises that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive and could identify these for his creature.  Richard was fortunate enough to go on a field trip to the zoo where many animals captured this curiosity.  He used the learning from the zoo trip to create his creature using the www.buildyourwildself.com wesbite.  He needed to create a habitat that would be suitable for his creature.  He opted for the ‘Digitize It’ option knowing that he wanted to design the creature habitat in Minecraft and demonstrate his capability at using it.  He went through a rigorous design process that involved connecting with information through researching to create a fact file on the Beast, drawing a draft diagram of what the habitat would look like and then creating it in a digital tool of his choosing.  Richard collaborated well- listening to other learners and asking questions.  His Minecraft was a good representation of what he initially planned with some modifications.  Ask him to show it to you!  When it was time to share their learning, Richard presented his habitat with some confidence to the Learning Coaches and learners in LH1.  You can see his assessment here.

Evidence of learning

Next Learning Steps

write a reflective blog post about the learning and share with parents create a product of their learning eg. iMovie to show the habitat in minecraft create a more detailed diagram with labels that is represented in the final product practice presenting so you are prepared- why don’t you present to your family?!

Richard & Shivin's Maths Learning Story

Learners: Richard & Shivin    Learning Coach: T.Dillner           Date: 28.7.15

Learning Area: Mathematics - Number Recognition

Learning Observed

Shivin and Richard chose to opt in to a Curiosity Workshop (Teaching Session) on recognising numbers up to 6 digits. They needed to be able to identify a number in its word form and its digit form. They were given five numbers that had between 3-6 digits and were written in a combination of words or numbers. Richard and Shivin worked together to write an answer to correspond with each card e.g. 456 is the same as four hundred and fifty six. The boys made it clear that they were after a challenge, so they were given numbers like 236,195. They stepped up to this and worked together effectively, with good communication and focus.

Evidence of learning

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

Richard and Shivin used great collaborative behaviour which allowed them to think quickly and carefully. They finished the task and were able to feedback to the larger group (Managing Self and Participating & Contributing). Because they were actively seeking a challenge, Richard and Shivin displayed curiosity and eagerness to extend their current Mathematical knowledge (Using Language, Symbols & Text). The outcome of this was a definite growth in capability from the beginning of the workshop until the end.

Next Learning Steps

Teach another learner about this new knowledge. Find out how many ones, tens, hundreds etc. are in all of the numbers they used. Use the same skills to work with numbers with 7 digits.

Richard's Food Chain 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.

Richard's Music Learning Story

Learner: Kavish, Aniq and Richard    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, Kavish, Aniq and Richard 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 boys 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 three boys 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.

Richard's Maths Learning Story

Learners: Aniq & Richard     Learning Coach: T.Dillner          Date: 21.5.15

Learning Area: Mathematics

Learning Observed

During Numeracy time, the learners in Mrs Remington’s groups have been learning about subtracting. On this particular occasion, Mrs Dillner was lucky enough to spend some time looking at how Aniq and Richard could subtract together. In pairs, all of the learners had to subtract and use the string to match the number on the left with its answer on the right (see photos below). Richard and Aniq were subtracting 9 each time. When they were finished, they could check if they were correct by looking on the back to see if their strings matched the answer pattern. When they were not right, they had to undo the string and fix their answers.

Evidence of learning

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

Richard and Aniq worked collaboratively to subtract nine from a variety of numbers under 30. They used their curiosity to drive their learning - they wanted to use this new learning tool and find out if they were correct or not. They were capable of successfully completing this task once each. They worked well together by sharing the equipment, speaking clearly and respectfully and being helpful (Participating and Contributing). They also used the correct mathematical language of ‘subtract’ instead of ‘take away’ (Using Symbols, Language and Text).

Next Learning Steps

Progressively move onto more complex subtraction equations that are two-digit minus two-digit e.g. 21-12 = During Numeracy time, work together to complete all of the orange subtraction cards.