Learning About Animals

Mrs Lee came to teach us last week and she showed us some cool things we can do with Google Slides and You Tube. First, we had to pick an animal with our group and find a video about it on the You Tube Channel, All Things Animal TV. Mrs Lee showed us how to embed the video into a Google Slide, so that we could have it in our presentation. Then we wrote some facts that we found out about the animals. Have a look at some of the slides we made:

By Han, Paris and Koringoa

By Dakshesh and Soileti

   

By Bradley, Samuel & Trey

Our Class Assembly

This week was our class assembly. We were given the job of showing the school one of our values: Consistency, so we made a short video to tell everyone about it. We did some amazing acting and added some cool stop motion effects (and some even cooler effects on the short introduction videos that we had at the assembly). A couple students got awards today, but Mr Davidson forgot to take a picture. He'll sort that out next week so as to not ruin the surprise. Have a look at our video:

Stop Motion

Half of the class tried stop motion videos for a second time today. One of the groups made a video of an elephant chasing Spider-man. Have a look:

Bee Bots

We have been learning how to program the Bee Bots this term. We know how to make them go forward, backward and how to turn left and right. We have had lots of challenges to get the Bee Bot from one letter to the next. We have worked with a partner and shared the jobs. Have a look at the HUGE challenge that Mr Davidson gave us. We had to make the Bee Bot go through the whole race course. Have a look at what George did!

Stop Motion Videos

Today, Mr Davidson showed us how to use an app on the iPad to make Stop Motion Videos. It was really easy. You just had to make sure the camera didn't move. You take a toy and press the picture button. Then you move the toy a little bit and take another picture. You keep doing this over and over and then you get a movie. Have a look at some pictures of us doing it and some of our creations today. I can't wait to see what we'll come up with when we keep practicing this.

Computer Programming

Last week we started learning about computer programming. We all started a course on the chromebooks using a wonderful website called Code.org. We did a little bit of practice since then and had another go today. It was really fun because we got to do some problems with Angry Birds.

If you want to try this at home, follow the link HERE. You will need to get your secret word from Mr Davidson (send him a message from THIS page) if you want to sign in.

Skoolbo

Hi Parents and Caregivers,

I have talked to some of you about Skoolbo. As part of a future-focused classroom this year, one thing we are trialling is whether or not online educational games can help children learn. This particular game is free and, in my opinion, looks promising. The children will be playing this game as part of their reading and maths activities during learning time and will have access before school as well. I am encouraging them by offering to buy them all lunch if they collectively get 1 million answers. Though this number may seem daunting, it only requires students to answer around 1000 questions a week, which several students have been able to do so far (one student was able to answer over 4000 in one week). To do this, though, they will most likely have to play the game at home. If you have Internet access it is really easy. The following letter from Skoolbo may help to explain things a bit better.

The following links will be helpful to you:

To sign in online: http://dashboard.skoolbo.co.nz/

To download the app on your computer: http://skoolbo.co.nz/downloads

If you require their login details, you can ask me in a comment on here (I have some of your emails) and I can send you that info. But ask your child first as they may know their login already.

I currently give 1 house point for every 100 questions children answer, and I may start posting the Skoolbo Rankings on the blog as well.

Please leave a comment on here if you have any questions.

I am also in the process of setting up some sort of email list so that you have a further avenue for communication with me.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Michael Davidson

Putting Pictures in our Publishing

This week, Mr Davidson showed us how to put pictures into our documents on Google Drive. It was pretty easy. We even learned how to change the size of the picture.  Have a look at some of our work. Now we know how to:

- make a new document
- change the name of our document
- change the font, the colour and size of our words
- put a picture in our document and change the size

Learning to use Pic Collage

Today the Marvellous Meerkats learned how to take pictures on the iPads. With the photos we made a Pic Collage.

First Mr Davidson showed us how to take the pictures on the iPad. Next, he put us into groups. Then we took pictures of each other and we wrote our own names. Finally we sent the Pic Collages to Mr Davidson.

My favourite part was taking the pictures (Mu). It was cool doing the photo of the other people (Jalais). We took turns taking pictures (J-Lynn).

Learning With the Chrome Books

This week we started learning with the Chromebooks. Mr Davidson taught us how to find our student folders and make a new document. We all typed our name and the alphabet. Then we changed the name of our document to the date so that we would know when we did it. We were very clever and some of us remembered how to change the colour of the words. Have a look at some pictures of us working and our work: