What's Up - Week 8

In maths this week we consolidate our subtracting decimals knowledge and begin to look at reversibility. This is when you can use the opposite operation to help solve a question. For example you may have a subtraction problem like 4.2 - 1.3. Using the reversibility strategy I want to turn it into an addition problem, therefore I turn it into 1.3 + __ = 4.2. If it is a multiplication problem I could reverse it into a division problem. A really effective strategy which also helps our basic facts knowledge. For example with times tables if I know 4 x 7 = 28 I also know 7 x 4 = 28. I can then use reversibility to remember my division facts, 28 ➗ 7 = 4 and 28 ➗ 4 = 7. So with every 1 times table I know I actually know 4 basic facts. On Thursday we also have to squeeze in the Otago Problem Solving challenge.

In writing we start to look at debating with the upcoming rural schools debating competition in week 10. We will learn what a debate is, what it involves and how to debate effectively. We are working towards holding debates in class to practice our new skills.

Reading becomes very self managed this week with the children being given a list of must do activities that they can achieve in any order as long as they are all completed by Friday. We will continue to strengthen the use of our prior knowledge to help us comprehend texts.

We are full steam ahead with our science fair investigations this week and children will be given the chance to develop their experiments and get things organised so they can start their tests. The kids are really enjoying this and it is great to see some of the creative ideas they are developing. Not only are they creating science experiments we also have some creating posters, capturing photos of chemical reactions, drawing scientific drawings of seeds and making water rockets.

We have Jones Cup practice again on Friday so remind children come to school with the correct sports gear.

Girls: sport shoes

Boys: mouthguard and boots

Jones Cup itself is on Monday of week 9. The newsletter this week will contain information about what children need to wear.

ANother busy week! Enjoy!