Tuesday, November 24, 2015

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.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

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



Lim Hor, Imran, Richard 2.jpgLim Hor, Imran, Richard.jpg
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.

Thursday, October 1, 2015

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.



Thursday, August 27, 2015

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?!

Monday, August 10, 2015

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

IMG_4606.JPG
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.


Wednesday, July 29, 2015

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
IMG_0563.JPG IMG_0562.JPG

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.