An Audience with Stu Duval

What an awesome afternoon!  Today the Senior School had the pleasure of hearing Stu Duval give a taste test of his upcoming novel - working title 'The Flax Cross'.  

               Man, it was awesome; it possessed so many of the elements we explored when we studied narrative.  There was the protagonist, Red McAllister, who is sent to Botany Bay in Sydney for stealing bread thrown out by a London baker; the menacing antagonist in the form of the Reverend Scree, who has clawed hands and dresses all in black, and Red's love interest, the beautiful, but downtrodden, Sarah. There was excitement, there was drama .... there was true and enduring love.  I won't give away the story, but needless to say we were all captivated, and a few tears were even shed. I think there will be no argument when I say we are all waiting with bated breath for Stu to finish the writing and editing process, before sending it off to his publisher. 

                There was a quiz and prize at the end of the session.... So which class won?  Well, that'd be the best class in the school, of course.  Thank you Cailan and Jacob for your efforts in winning us this original Stu Duval artwork.  You guys rock!!!!

In pursuit of all things green and shiny ...

Amazing leprechaun trap by Jacob.  Wowsers!

The purpose of this collaborative learning task was to help the children to see how by combining the individual strengths of the individuals in a team great outcomes can be achieved.

All the groups have worked on scripts, detailing their interactions with a wily leprechaun, and designed their own menus, offering Gaelic fare, in order to charm the leprechaun out of his gold.
The kids have also designed traps, researched the history of leprechauns, and created a spreadsheet showing how they would spend the pot of gold should they secure it.

All of these activities were designed to promote critical and creative thinking skills.   Those children who excel at maths worked out the capacity of the pot and then worked out how many gold coins it was likely to contain.  They researched the weight of an average gold coin and then worked out the current value of gold in order to calculate how much money they would have to spend.

The menus are beautifully crafted.  The creative children experimented with a variety of fonts and formatting when finishing the carefully researched dietary needs of an Irish faerie.  The history of the leprechaun has been presented in Google Slides and the traps were designed in Google Draw but constructed using hard materials.

Because of the range of activities, and the varying skills required for successful task completion, there was something for every type of learner.



Jared, Karthiga and Samuel presenting their leprechaun script. The audience loved it and it was laughter all round.  Well done guys.

Go New Zealand!!!!

Our promotional brochures are progressing nicely.  The kids are working collaboratively? Check. The kids are learning how to use new forms of technology? Check.  The kids are increasing their knowledge of our unique kiwi culture?  Check. The kids are learning to format their work in a challenging new way? Check. Emirates Team New Zealand won the America's Cup today? Check.

So, all and all, another great day in Room 2? Check!

Or should that be check mate? ;-)  Or check bro? :-)  Or check... heck...

Is the Big Orange Splot the best book ever written?

Prolly.

I was lucky, my dad loved books and I was raised in a home rich with reading material. Dad selected books carefully because he thought content mattered, and that books should provoke deeper thinking; I think he was right.  My dad bought me The Big Orange Splot.  Yesterday as part of our exploration of Narrative writing, I introduced Room 2 to The Big Orange Splot.

So here's a basic synopsis:

Mr Plumbean lives in a house where all the houses are the same.  Mr Plumbean lives in a neat street. After a stroke of bad luck, Mr Plumbean seizes the opportunity to reinvent his home and ends up with a house that he explains 'looks like all my dreams'.   The house is painted brightly, there's a clock tower on the roof and a crocodile in the yard.  Naturally, the neighbours go into an uproar, and send one of the strongest opponents over to Plumbean's house with the expectation that he'll talk some sense into him.  The next day this neighbour's house is transformed into a ship styled home...

Get the picture?

The author, Daniel Manus Pinkwater never tells us what is said during the conversation.  As readers we are only told that they stay up all night talking and drinking lemonade.  

SO AWESOME!!!!

The mystery of this conversation is a gift to budding writers. What was said that night?  How did Mr Plumbean convince his neighbour to change his house to look like his dreams?  This was clearly a watershed moment for the neighbour; what caused his enlightenment?

I just love this kind of learning opportunity.   It presents a chance for children to participate in deeper philosophical discussions, and is also an opportunity to explore the importance of dialogue in character development.

In terms of teaching moments, it also provides a moment to explore symbolism.  We talked about how young children might read the book as being about changing houses, but the kids in Room 2 (an insightful bunch) recognised immediately that the house is a really a symbol (or metaphor) for the people who live in the houses.  In terms of mental well-being, we talked about the true message in the book - being true to yourself and celebrating uniqueness.

The kids have now paired up, and are writing scripts that we will act out next week.  What I like about this activity is how broad the appeal is.  It is fantastic for my creative kids but also fabulous for those kids who enjoy experimenting with the intellectual art of argument. .  You know you're on to a good thing when the kids moan when you ask them to put their devices away. ;-)

Follow the link directly below to watch a reading of The Big Orange Splot

The Big Orange Splot

Kids transfixed

Kids are working together on shared documents

Daring to be different

On Inquiry Learning

Why do Inquiry?

Because the skills of inquiry - questioning, investigating and analysing for a specific purpose - are empowering.  Inquiry motivates children by allowing them to own their learning.  It is when children are at the helm that they are engaged and more inclined to become  life-long learners.   The Inquiry philosophy recognises that children are wells to drawn from and not cups to be filled.

“Don’t be encumbered by history.  Go off and do something wonderful.”

This term we will start Genius Hour, an Inquiry that allows children the freedom to explore an area of interest that is not ‘googleable’.  It will require risk taking and an acceptance that ‘failing fast’ is critical in the road to success.

Robert Noyce first developed the microchip.  To do this he had to be prepared to be a pioneer, and to go out on a limb.  He had to be prepared to view his mistakes as critical steps that got him ever closer to his goal. His example, in part, has inspired the development of ‘Genius Hour’.

Be Brave!

During the holidays, I was fortunate to attend a seminar by Anthony Speranzagh who spoke about this type of enriched learning experience.  For those who are curious, feel free to copy this bitly : bit.ly/speranzagh

Reflecting on the learning behind our ANZAC investigations

The availability of the internet has changed the style of research for 21st century learners. 

         Once upon a time, a long time ago, content was king.  As a child my mother would take my to the library and I would hunt out information in books. This was a drawn out process, and the collection of facts I wrote down, generally copied straight from the book (or close to), would secure me an A (especially if accompanied by photos cut from National Geographic). I was particularly strong at regurgitating information, but as I got older, I saw the short comings of this system - it wasn't bringing out my brain.  It never challenged me to think for myself. Thankfully, things have changed.

             We live in a society where the internet has become ubiquitous and 'Googling' is the preferred method for finding out about any number of things.  The availability of Google (and other search engines) has meant that skills designed to develop a strength in research have now assumed dominance.   Because of the sheer amount of information that is available at the click of a finger, students are challenged to spend time thinking about the value of the information they find. Whereas I might have been able to find two or three books on a topic, the children now need to sort the mountain of good information from the bad.   The children are developing skills that allow them to sort through huge amounts of information efficiently, make judgments on its value and to question how it can be used to enrich the learning experience. These skills take many years to develop, but an Inquiry Based Approach to learning at the primary school level fosters this practice.  The ultimate goal is that children will be able to use knowledge, and think critically, to devise novel solutions to problems they encounter.  (This was the intention in undertaking our Eco-friendly Islands learning experience where I challenged them to see themselves as problem solvers and island guardians.)

           The students' online connection (through personal and shared devices) means that they are able to work cooperatively on Google Slideshows even when they are not in the same room - in this instance, there were team members working effectively from our learning hub in the library and communicating findings, delegating responsibilities and expectations without face to face interaction.
           Learning environments have certainly changed, and kids are no longer always contained within the four walls of the classroom. Learning happens when the structure, and scaffolding, allows learning to happen.  Learning is no longer characterised by a teacher lecturing at the front of the room. At Sunnyhill School the children identify themselves as learners capable of leading their own learning journeys.

           The success the children had in unlocking the sad story of Fritz Honore reflects their ability to research effectively, to manage themselves and to work collaboratively.  Well done everyone.  So stoked.  You guys rock!  

Welcome to our first eco-friendly island ....

Wow! Our first island is complete.  Samuel and Joseph have impressed me and produced something beyond my wildest expectations.   I'm so proud of you boys.  Your information is great, your island looks fantastic and I love the research you did on inventions designed to address pollution problems.

Awesome stuff!  I can't wait to see more of the islands up on the classroom walls as they are completed.   

More ANZAC Presentations

Making connections:  Sophie, Angie and Caitlin asked why I brought the taonga to school.  They reasoned that I must somehow be related to Fritz Honore.  Well done girls, you are right!

The girls found a death penny on ebay for the equivalent of NZD$356.66.  They also reported that there is a collectors' market
 for plaques that are inscribed with less common names.  Many of the death pennies were melted down (for the bronze) in the 60s and the 70s, but they are now more treasured.

Brayden, Skylar, Samuel and Travis called their presentation The Taonga.  Their presentation included a lot of interesting information, including the place of Fritz Honore's death.  He was killed in France and still lies there today.

Island Progression

Nessa, Ishika and Caitlin are using windmills to power their resort.  They will be growing their own food.  This means that they will not need to bring in supplies from off shore. 

Nicholas is using solar panels.  The energy will be converted into electricity

Ruby is providing a natural salt water pool.  Water will be replenished when there's a high tide.
Joseph and Samuel are collecting rainwater runoff from the roofs of their units.  This will be used as drinking water at their resort

Nadia has decided it is more responsible to have her guests stay in tents.
"I don't want people to stay in something that used stuff (resources) from the natural environment."

Eco-friendly Resorts - in the midst of the action...

Our islands are slowly taking form with paint now being applied, and our vision for creating eco-friendly and sustainable resorts is being fleshed out.  Yay and super yay!

As you can see, the kids are working hard (even hosting Room 6 this afternoon).  All of the groups have identified the problems that lead to pressure on our natural environment and are offering up solutions to minimise the impact of tourists on the land. Many have even incorporated ideas and systems that will result in positive change. 

Brayden is planning on using tourist guides who will provide education on rare plants and the marine reserve, and almost every group is choosing to plant gardens where fruit and vegetables will be grown and harvested.  If you don't fancy using a long drop, you may not want to visit Ishika's island, but if sleeping under canvas is something you'd consider, then perhaps you'd like to visit Joseph's?  I have heard rumours those staying at Jacob's island will be sleeping in hollowed out trees... I'm looking forward to seeing that design!

This week we will continue to work on our documents that lay out what we are trying to achieve. The kids will be encouraged to research how alternative energy systems work and will learn that New Zealand is considered a leader when it comes to the use of our natural resources to keep the lights on, and the internet running.  (Gee whiz, imagine a world with no internet! Totally shocking!  Doesn't bear thinking about.)

For extra photos, feel free to follow this link to the awesome Miss Coffer's blog:
http://room6shs2017.blogspot.co.nz/2017/03/eco-friendly-islands.html

Have you heard the one about the kids who got to design their own camp?

What collaboration looks like in Room 2

Well, the kids had a great time, got the opportunity to get their creative juices flowing and worked effectively in teams.

Bad joke ... but seriously good learning experience.  

At face value the level of thinking for this project might not seem very complicated, but consider these questions ...

What kind of activities should school camps provide?

How much space does a horse arena require?  

Where would you put the camp toilets, and how close should these facilities be to the sleeping area?

How do you most effectively show a lot of information on a single map?

How do you show the physical space between zones?

How do you best negotiate in a group environment to ensure your ideas are included in plans?

How do you market your camp to schools?

More thinking than you first thought, right?

In Room 2 we are not intimidated by these kinds of thinking tasks. We take it all in our stride because that's just the way we roll.  

A big thank you to Mrs Turner who supported Mrs Wallace in the development of this idea.  You rock, Mrs Turner.