Using macrons on the ipads

We are learning to speak and write Te Reo Maori.  The Maori language uses macrons over some vowels to show that it is the long vowel sound.  Here is a video that shows you how to do this in Notes.  You can use the same technique when you are writing in the Pages app.

Here is a quick video that shows you the trick:

Writing with idioms and Flocabulary

We have also been using Flocabulary to learn new words.
Flocabulary is a website that provides new vocabulary words in the form of a rap song.  We really enjoy singing along to a new rap song each week and learning about the meaning of the words in the song.

We have started learning about idioms, so today we have written some stories and attempted to use an idiom in our story as well as at least two of the flocabulary words of the week.

We wrote our stories and then published them in Pages (on the ipad app).  Then we uploaded them to our class Dropbox (an app that allows you to store and share documents in the cloud), so Mrs Griffin could save them as jpegs and put them on our blog.  We also saved them to our Edmodo backpacks.  Edmodo is a virtual classroom where we can share and store digital work.

Here are some examples of our stories:

Pastel blending - owls and bats

We have been learning about owls and bats. We have created some artwork, blending pastels to create a sunset and used black paper to create silhouettes of bats and owls. All our bats and owls are our own hand drawings. We are also learning how to create documents and share them on the ipads. We have used the Pages (a wordprocessing app)and Dropbox (an app that allows you to share documents via the cloud). We researched and found facts about bats and published these on the ipads. Then Mrs Griffin printed our reports.

Wind power

We have been learning about wind power. Today our Super Heroes group (Room 8,5&7) got together to create some wind craft. We had a great time, we worked together beautifully and we have produced some awesome results. Take a look at our morning:

Popplet brainstorming

We have been learning about wind power.  Everyone in our class signed in to Popplet which is a brainstorming app.  You can use Popplet on a computer via the internet or download the app to an ipad.
We could all research wind power on our ipads and instantly contribute to the Popplet brainstorm that Mrs Griffin created.
It was pretty crazy with everyone in the class adding their ideas at the same time, but it was also exciting to see the ideas go up so instantly to share with everyone else.  Our names show up at the top of the boxes so we can see who contributed the different ideas.
You can also watch Popplet brainstorms as a slide show.
We had a great time making our first collaborative Popplet and we will be creating more through the year.

You can take a wander around our Popplet here

Here is a photo of our Popplet so far

Sword stories

We are writing fiction stories about a mythical beast. We have used a graphic organiser to create our brainstorm. We brainstormed our setting, main character, mythical beast and finally our problem and solution

Then we were ready to get writing our draft story. 

Breanna with her amazing sword story

Daniel and his exciting sword story

Rico with his cutting adventure 

Jasmine with her sharp revelation

Ani and her brainstorm

Aaron with his spectacular tale

Chisora with his pointed myth

Holiday destinations

We have been researching holidays. We have saved $20 a week for 6 years and now we have $6000.  We had to decide where we want to go, how much it would cost for flights, food, accommodation and activities.

We created a budget and itinerary. Then we made a diorama of ourselves in our holiday destination. 

Here is Daniel in Barcelona:

Here is Rico in Bejing

Here is Breanna relaxing in Hawaii

Chisora is chilly in Nepal

Charles is whale watching in Nuie

Jakob is sightseeing in Los Angeles

Ani is checking out the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

Jasmine is taking in the sight of the rainbow bridge in Tokyo

Lizzy is riding Dolphins in Las Vegas (you really can do everything there!)

Katie is skydiving in Las Vegas

Honor is taking a look around New Mexico

QR code fractions

We are learning about fractions. 

 We have been solving fraction problems on cards around the classroom and then checking our answers using QR codes on our mini ipads.  QR codes are special codes that you can only read with a QR code reader app.  You could put any information inside the QR code like youtube clips, written information, photos etc.  Our QR codes have the answer to the fraction problem on the card.

 Last week we were identifying fractions on a number line. 

 Today we have been reducing (simplifying) fractions.