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.

Richard's Drama Learning Story - May 2015

Learner:  Richard                                                                           Date: May 20, 2015

Learning Area: The Arts- Drama                               Learning Coach: Diana Wilkes

Learning Observed

During iExperience this term with the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT), we have been learning how to use movement and space to effectively communicate.  The lasting understanding is that people represent their culture and heritage in different dramatic ways- past and present.  Learners had a variety of opportunities to explore the use of space, props and their body for communicating different ideas.  Richard worked in a group with Justin, Sadeen and Lim Hor to use dramatic techniques to explore drama elements and conventions and participated willingly.  When asked to initiate and develop ideas with others to create dramatic 1 minute skit about a culture he contributed and took leadership from others. Their group selected the British culture.

Evidence of learning

Richard makes effective use of space and body movement.  See video here.

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

Richard demonstrates that he can work Collaboratively with others towards a common goal. He shows his Capabilities in following complex instructions and strives to meet the success criteria- managing himself effectively. He is able to make Connections between what he knows about a culture and how to express that with movement, no sound and imaginary props.

Next Learning Steps

Further explore movements he can make with his body, sounds he can make with his voice, and creation of facial expressions to enhance dramatic effect Practice at home with games like charades or props

Richard and Harry's Literacy Learning Story

Learner: Richard & Harry L    Learning Coach: Tracey Dillner           Date: 25.3.15

Learning Area: Literacy

Learning Observed

Richard and Harry were working together on their independent literacy tasks. Richard had chosen to do a vocabulary game that required him to pick a word and draw a picture to represent it. He picked the word 'watermelon' and drew a picture for Harry to look at and guess his word. It was then Harry's turn to do one for Richard. He cleverly chose the word 'nothing' and left the picture area blank. This puzzled Richard for a while, but after Harry assured him it was correct, he was able to figure out what the word was. Richard needed a couple of attempts to spell 'nothing', but figured it out with Harry's help.

Evidence of learning

Key Competencies/Vision Principles

The two boys worked well and clearly enjoyed collaborating together (Relating to Others). They played a number of rounds and thought cleverly about how they could challenge each other with their choice of words and pictures (Thinking and Using Language, Symbols and Texts).

Next Learning Steps

Add words that were difficult to spell to Personal Dictionary. Challenge different learners next session.