We spent a bit of time creating a class treaty. We decided that we already knew the rules and behaviour expectations for Toko School, so we didn't need to dwell on that. Instead our treaty is about learning and being the best that we can be - as that is why we come to school.
After a lot of discussion and brainstorming we decided that the things listed below were the most important for us.
- Have a positive 'I can' attitude
- Remember the power of 'YET'
- Celebrate mistakes and successes
- Challenge ourselves by taking the path that pushes us
- Judge people by the size of their heart
- Make wise choices with our learning
- Live to our Learning Star values
- Respect other's right to learn
- Use Plan B-Z if plan A doesn't work
We will be displaying our treaty on the wall and will be checking in that we are following our agreed learning behaviours.
Last week we also spent some time looking at our learning stars and linking them to the book Make Your Bed. Each of the chapters in the book link to our learning stars as well as containing a great life message.
This week, as well as continuing with last week's learning, we will begin a unit on the Treaty of Waitangi. We will work through a unit that starts from when New Zealand was uninhabited by humans, then the arrival of the first Maori around 800 years ago and on to the settling of New Zealand by the British. Gaining an understanding of how the Settlers changed the lives of the Maori is vital in order to understand how the Treaty came about. At the end of the unit students will work in small groups to create a performance that shows their learning in this area.
We will also begin to brighten up the room through a unit of work looking at the artist Modigliani. Students will investigate Modigliani and will produce a self portrait in his style of art.
Team Building activities also continue. Last week students completed an activity where they were either giving instructions or listening to instructions. Some good lessons were learned around giving precise instructions and making sure help or further explanations were given if you didn't understand an instruction. This week students will complete a maths task in small groups that actually can't be solved unless they work as a team with another team. Teamwork is important in all areas of life as we nearly always have to work with others and consider their point of view.
Also this week we begin reading our class book - Refugee. This is a powerful book that follows the lives of 3 children as they escape their countries of birth with their families. The following is a review that Common Sense Media have written for parents:
Parents need to know that Refugee by Alan Gratz is a historical novel that braids the stories of three young refugees in three different time periods and settings: 1938 Berlin, 1994 Cuba, and 2015 Syria. The circumstances of all the kids and families are dire, and their journeys are fraught with imminent danger. The publisher recommends this book for kids starting at age 9, but due to the level of violence and peril, we recommend it for 10 and up. Though all three protagonists survive for the length of the story, all lose family members. Josef the Berlin Jewish boy gets beat up, as does Cuban Isabel's father. Syrian Mahmoud's home is destroyed by a missile, and he sees a dead man floating in the sea, as well as a soldier with a bullet in his head. Some in the book almost drown. But the book isn't gratuitously violent. It paints a vivid picture of the plight of refugees, and the kids and families seem both real and relatable, making this a good book for sparking family discussion.
Also this week we begin reading our class book - Refugee. This is a powerful book that follows the lives of 3 children as they escape their countries of birth with their families. The following is a review that Common Sense Media have written for parents:
Parents need to know that Refugee by Alan Gratz is a historical novel that braids the stories of three young refugees in three different time periods and settings: 1938 Berlin, 1994 Cuba, and 2015 Syria. The circumstances of all the kids and families are dire, and their journeys are fraught with imminent danger. The publisher recommends this book for kids starting at age 9, but due to the level of violence and peril, we recommend it for 10 and up. Though all three protagonists survive for the length of the story, all lose family members. Josef the Berlin Jewish boy gets beat up, as does Cuban Isabel's father. Syrian Mahmoud's home is destroyed by a missile, and he sees a dead man floating in the sea, as well as a soldier with a bullet in his head. Some in the book almost drown. But the book isn't gratuitously violent. It paints a vivid picture of the plight of refugees, and the kids and families seem both real and relatable, making this a good book for sparking family discussion.
Thank you to those of you that have already signed up to this blog. It really is the best and easiest way to keep up with the learning your child is involved in.
Have a great week and enjoy Waitangi Day.
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