Koru Team News, Term 2, Week 9

 Kia ora, e te whanau,

Wow, can you believe we have just finished our second to last week of Term 2, and now only one more week until the holidays? I'm sure you are all looking forward to spending some relaxing days with your little ones at home.

A very warm welcome to our new children, and their whanau, who have joined us in the last few weeks - Julia, Amani, Beau, Sailor, and Harriet. It is so lovely to have them in the hub with us. They have all settled in beautifully and our 'golden oldies' have been wonderful in making them feel very welcome.

Elizabeth and Nicola's home groups were lucky to be able to rebook their Junior Park Explorers outing to the ponds, after their initial trip was postponed. Our educator, Pete, did a fabulous job of being both captivating and informative with our group. We learnt lots about our native birds, the role trees play in our ecosystem, and where bugs like to live.

Making our bird call to find our friends with the same bird call.

Yay, we've found our bird friends and linked 'wings'.

Searching for birds around the ponds with Pete.

We had to be really quiet on our bird search. When we spotted a bird we used this signal to point it out.

"I've found one."

Using magnifying glasses to search for bugs under the trees.

"Look, I've found a bug!"

We played a fun game where we learnt about what happens to birds and bugs when they lose their homes.

We enjoyed dressing up!

Each bird and bug had to go home to their tree each night.

Oh no!! This home, to many birds and bugs, is being cut down!

Some children have since returned to the ponds area to place some logs of wood on the ground in order to create some new bug habitats. We are looking forward to checking on them next week to see if any bugs have moved into the new homes.

Using a rake to scrap back the fauna to find an ideal place for the log.

Covering up the log.

I wonder who will adopt this home?

"This looks like a good place."

Using the leaf matter to cover the log up.

Using his bird signal to show he has spotted a bird.

"I've found one, too."

We have been very lucky, the last couple of Fridays, to have Whaea Cath joining us in the morning. The children have loved her bringing her guitar in, and we have been singing some of our favourites waiata, and learning some new ones with her. What a treat!

Singing the action song, 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' in Te Reo Māori.

Learning the Matariki song.

Singing the Baby Shark song in Te Reo Māori!!

Our school-wide PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning) focus this week has been on cooperation. We have been practising this skill in a variety of ways during our Learning Through Play time.

This group has been showing cooperation in building this 'guinea pig enclosure'.

Cute little guinea pigs!

We loved the cooperation they showed when designing and building the enclosure! 

Each day, after our little play time we join in with an interoception activity. Simply put, interoception is the sense that allows us to answer the question, "How do I feel?" at any moment. This is a great chance to calm and reset as we prepare for the next learning block.

In this activity, we lay down, breathed in and scrunched our toes, then breathed out and relaxed our toes.

We then identified, by pointing to where we felt the stretch in our bodies.

As our numbers continue to grow, Nicola's Home Group has begun to use Kōmanawa in the afternoons. From next week, Nicola's Home Group will be starting their mornings in Kōmanawa too. The children can still unpack their bags and use the cubby holes outside Hangere. Their lunchboxes, drink bottles and literacy folders can still be stored in Hangere. The children can then go over to Kōmanawa to find an activity to start off their day. Teachers will be outside Hangere before 8:55 a.m., to help children, by reminding them about this.

A reminder:

• During the week ahead, school will close at 2:00 p.m., both tomorrow, Monday, 4th and again on Wednesday, 6th July, for Learning Conferences. If you haven't yet booked your child's learning conference, it's not too late! Please click on this link to find a time that suits
• Please note that if your child started school this term, you will have had, or will be having (about 6 weeks after your child started school), a transition to school meeting with your child's Home Group teacher, in place of a Learning Conference.

We hope you have had a lovely relaxing weekend together. Keep warm, and we'll see all your little ones back tomorrow, for our final week of Term 2. 

Ngā mihi mahana, and take care,

Georgia, Elizabeth, Nicola, Stacey, and Jeanette