Trip to the Playground

On Tuesday we visited Wat Botum Playground to explore how simple machines are used in everyday life. As a reflection, students drew posters and are working on a visual 'green-screen'  presentation which demonstrates their understanding.

Spotlight on the Arts

The children in grade two hosted a fantastic Spotlight on the arts evening with the art and music teachers before the holidays. We had many families visit and spend time working through the artistic process with their children. Children also shared their summatives from their ' How We Express Ourselves Unit'. It was a fabulous evening!

Stephen - craft

Artist Statement - Stephen

“I like the art I saw of a King Octopus. It made me feel like it was the king of the ocean, it reminded my of an Octopus I saw at Siam Paragon. So I wanted to make an octopus. I used paper, glue, stapler, scissors, paint, googly eyes, string, a box, and a marker. I feel excited about my work. It is called Octopus”.

Pixel Art

Today we had our second session creating pixel art using mine-craft. Children drew a plan using squared paper, and then had to recreate it using coloured blocks in the virtual world Mr Matt created for them. When they shot up into the sky and viewed their work from a birds eye perspective, they could see their art from a different view.

Ooblek - Dr Suess

Oobleck is very fascinating stuff! The other week Mrs Karyn brought some into class to show us! We used our imaginations and wrote a narrative using the 'what if' scenario of 'what if the ooblek came to life? The children's ideas were fantastic! Ooblek is a non-newtonian fluid. That is, it acts like a liquid when being poured, but like a solid when a force is acting on it. You can grab it and then it will ooze out of your hands. Make enough Oobleck and you can even walk on it!

Oobleck gets its name from the Dr. Seuss book Bartholomew and the Oobleck where a gooey green substance, Oobleck, fell from the sky and caused chaos in the town. We watched the story online, and then made Ooblek ourselves.

Smart Dad

"The book is about a smart dad who builds a boat. I chose it because I like it and I think building is a way to express yourself. When I read it to the class I felt excited. I tried hard and practiced at home"
By Stephen

Puppetry

Today the form of art we looked at was Puppetry.

Puppetry is... the making and manipulation of puppets for use in some kind of theatrical show. A puppet is a figure—human, animal, or abstract in form—that is moved by human, and not mechanical, aid.



We had visiting performers come from the Sovanna Phum Art Association. They presented a one and a half hour show in the Black Box Theatre. It was a combination of small puppetry, storytelling, dance and traditional music. Wow! What a show! The children were really engaged by this traditional Khymer art form.

I have uploaded 3 short clips from todays performance. As part of your homework choose which is your favourite and explain why. What story do you think was being told? What art forms were being used?
                                                                           Example 1:

Example 2:

Example 3:

Not a Box

On Friday we had the early years team visit us to look at our 'not a box' creations. It was wonderful to see the younger children interact with us, asking questions and studying our own creations. What innovative learners we have in grade two! The related concept to out unit of inquiry was 'imagination'.

Scratch Jnr

Today Mr Matt came and worked with us on an app called 'Scratch Junior'. This is a very early introduction to computer programming. It will be a useful tool when we come to present our narrative writing, as it allows us to present our information in a new and imaginative way. Today we experimented with the tools on this app and then worked collaboratively with a partner to programme our own imaginative scene. This week we may use it to further explain our thinking of one of our unit vocabulary words 'perspective'.

Provocation 'How We Express Ourselves'

This week we launched into our new unit of inquiry. We are currently tuning into the unit, and on Tuesday moved around the grade two classes completing a provocation designed to spark our thinking about different art forms and their purpose. Learners made notes using the visible thinking routine 'I See, I Think, I Wonder'. There were carvings, artworks, sculptures, dances, poems, music, and dramatisations for them to look at...all to provoke their thinking around the question 'What is art?'.

Wet Recess

It doesn't happen often...but on the odd occasion we get rain at break times. Last week it poured down right on bell time and today the sky darkened so much we thought there'd been an eclipse! Then it bucketed down. Here are some pictures of what the class gets up to during wet recess.

I see / I think / I wonder

Today we introduced a visible thinking routine called See / Think / Wonder. This tool will be used throughout our next unit of inquiry  'How We Express Ourselves'. It will be particularly powerful as we launch into this arts based unit, as it encourages students to think carefully about why something looks the way it does, or is the way it is.

The Purpose: What kind of thinking does this routine encourage?



This routine encourages students to make careful observations and thoughtful interpretations.
It helps stimulate curiosity and sets the stage for inquiry.

Today we used it by focusing on a collection of interesting images related to our current unit. This helped encourage students to further apply their new knowledge and ideas.

They were asked:
• What do you see?
• What do you think about that?
• What does it make you wonder?

On a personal note...I have just got home and have found this massive spider outside my apartment!

My photo is a bit blurry, but it looked just like the one on the right!

I see: A large spider with freaky eyes staring at me from the wall.

It has slight stripes, long legs, and isn't particularly hairy.

I think: It might be native to Cambodia.

It probably isn't dangerous...but it could be!

This may prevent me from sleeping well tonight!

If there is one spider here...then there are probably more.

I wonder: What kind of spider it is.

Which of the children in my class will be clever enough to find out for me.

How I can get rid of it without killing it...(or having to go near it!)

Guided Reading Rotation

In reading, we participate in a variety of tasks to build our reading fluency and comprehension. Tasks vary depending on our needs, our current unit of inquiry, and the specific skills we need to acquire.
These pictures were taken during today's reading session.


Collage 1: Guided reading sessions with a focus on building comprehension and being able to make meaning form the story.

Collage 2: Using online tools (in this case Raz kids) to listen to, read, and engage in questions about the story.

 Collage 3: Building vocabulary. Here children are using the magnetic letters to create word lists related to our unit of inquiry.

Collage 4: In these pictures, learners are investigating their own unit of inquiry questions...seeking answers using unit books, and online websites and videos.

We Love Swimming!

We love our swimming sessions every Tuesday afternoon. We apologise if we are sometimes a little slow to get changed! If we don't turn up on time to our usual pick up location, you may like to meet us by the pool gate.

Practising 'Calm'

Part of our UOI has focussed on ways to keep our body healthy, but we have also been looking at factors that contribute to our mental wellbeing. Children are identifying ways in which they relax, and activities that lead to their own positive feelings. This week we spent time talking about ways that we relax, and listened to some meditative music to wind down after a busy day. Luckily nobody fell asleep!

Why Do You Come to School?

Student Questions

As part of our unit of inquiry, students came up with their own questions for investigation. We looked at 'thick' and 'thin' questioning first, to ensure we came up with robust open ended questions, relevant to our inquiry.

As we delve deeper into what it means to be healthy, students are discovering that their is much more involved than just food and exercise. Some of their questions included;

How does sleep affect our health?
In what ways can friendships affect your health?
How can people make themselves happier?
How can you keep your brain healthy?

Explain Everything

Mr Matt spent some time in our class this week teaching us how to use the app 'Explain Everything'. This will be a fabulous tool to share our learning. We experimented with the tools today, so that we can use this app to successfully share our thinking with others.

Friday Photos

It was wonderful to see the children out and about at break times, enjoying the playground and facilities. 

We finished our name tags to label our cubby holes. 

 We enjoyed our free lunch by Epicure at the cafeteria. These free sample lunches will also be available on Monday and Tuesday. From Wednesday, children who have not signed up for the epicure lunches will need to bring their lunch from home, or have it delivered to the baskets at school by 11.30. Children still need a healthy snack for recess.

School Vision

Learning together, growing together, each making a difference.

The vision statement above was created a couple of years ago with ISPP students. It reflects the school's philosophy and is an important guiding statement for all faculty and students. Today we unpacked this vision statement as a class, and asked students what this vision 'looks like' in action. The children had to draw a picture that demonstrated one or more aspect of the vision and explain their thinking. I was really impressed with their creativity and explanations.

 What our vision statement 'looks like'

learners in action!

 Collaboration - working together!