Apps to support learning

I have been collecting a list of applications that are useful to support your child's learning at home using mobile devices such as iPads.

I apologise in advance for anyone who has a PC based mobile device such as Samsung because I am not familiar with their app store and these apps are not able to be downloaded off the itunes store. This is not to say there there wasn't a PC version created, I just can't guarantee it.

I strongly encourage the use of these apps at home. In today's technological age, children naturally gravitate towards technology. I believe that we need to show children the use of technology in a constructive way. Rather than just knowing how is works and playing angry birds on mobile devices, I would like to use iPads and other ICT resources in supporting my learning program both inside and outside of the classroom.

Below are some apps listed that I believe have educational value for your children:


Literacy

• Word monsters: this build awareness of the reading strategies taught at school. Great support of the reading program in the class.

• Futaba: this is a multiplayer game. Great reading activity and the boys will love the competition.

• ABC farm: this is great for children who may need more practice in recognising the name and sound of letters in the alphabet. The more exposure the better it will be for their reading. Even if they know most of the letters, you may be surprised they all need constant reminding or this knowledge slips away and they fall back in their reading.

• Kids' vocab-mind snacks: great for vocab building and expanding. Building a network of words will greatly enhance their reading abilities.

• Bob's books #2-reading magic HD: develops reading ability

• Alphabytes: develops letter sound associations and develops early spelling skills.

• Word wizard: another apps to encourage early writers to use their letters-sounds associations to spell and write.

• Montesorri crosswords: great app. This app also goes into more advance sounds and will be useful for those children who want to extend knowledge of more complex sounds they may encounter in reading.

• Alphabet fun: this is good for the development of writing. Children trace letter and numbers.

• Spell + friends by tap to learn: exposure to correct spellings of english words. Children can compete in spelling bees. Encourages spelling ability and skills. 

• Spell Board: encourages spelling through word finds and words scramble and missing letter puzzles.

• iwrite words: for children who struggle to formulate letters. 

I will be adding onto this list...watch this space!!

Fence art-our progress so far

Throughout the year, Matakana School has theme week's. This term our theme week is on fence art. Every classroom in the school will be working on painting their fence panels and these will be displayed on the fence bordering the main Matakana road.

If anyone is able to come and help us do the painting, this would be greatly appreciated. The outlines are almost done, after which we are going to do the painting. We have 7 panels to paint and 3 children painting each panel.

Ideally, having one parent per panel to oversee the painting would be effective. Hence, having about 7 parents would make this process a lot easier.

I am going to schedule in the fence art everyday from 11:30am-12:20pm. Please e-mail me if you can come and help so that I can organize this during the week. 

Below shows our progress so far.

Enjoy!

Kind Regards,
Joy

 Our practice run on paper

Warm fuzzies

Our fuzzy jar has been collecting lots of fuzzies!

We are only 12 fuzzies away from celebrating the kind and caring behaviours of the children by means of a class party. I welcome any suggestions from you as to what we could do for this.

Cheers,
Joy

Writing

Please check out the writing tab on our blog. You will find a piece of your child's writing on there for you to have a look at and comment on. This makes the purpose for writing real for your children and will encourage them to continue to progress in their writing.

Many Thanks,
Joy

Fence art

Theme week is next week! Our theme is fence art! We are going to be painting our fence panels throughout the week and there will be a display of these.

Watch this space!!!

Room 3's volcano

Things are ready to blow up in Room 3!

Since the book about volcanoes, our interests in volcanoes have been sparked.
Miss Kraan went home that day and thought about what she could do to further the interest and the idea of making our own volcano came up!

This week we have begun the construction of our volcano. We started off by attaching the chicken wire onto the wooden plank.

Then we had to cover the chicken wire with paper mache! We really enjoyed getting our hands sticky to put our first layer of paper on. It is looking great!!!

We are letting the paper dry before we put another layer on and then we are going to paint it. We just can't wait to make it explode!!!