Show and Share Schedule & Parent Volunteers

Iggy Peck Architect 

Last week, we read the story "Iggy Peck Architect" by Andrea Beaty. When the characters in the story became stranded on an island, the children were inspired to think of creative solutions to cross the water. Children's answers included, "call the police", "swim", "make a boat".  It was brilliant to see and hear their problem-solving skills in action.


We observed Iggy planning and designing a bridge while his classmates searched for materials like shoelaces, sticks, and logs. The Gecko's noticed everyone (the children in the story) working collaboratively to build the bridge.


Some children used their imaginations to transform our carpet into a "sea" and built a bridge using foam and wooden blocks. It was wonderful to see the Gecko children collaborating, listening to each other's ideas, and working together to construct their bridge.

Next Steps

Building on their exploration of materials and their problem-solving idea of creating a boat, the children will be invited to design and build boats to see how many "Gecko" passengers they can transport across the river. We will explore which materials are waterproof through experimentation, encouraging children to think about which materials float and sink. Through this project, children will learn about the properties of different materials and apply scientific concepts to solve a 'real-life' problem.

** Some snapshots from our 'Materials' small groups and whole class activity can be found here: AM / PM **


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Three Little Pig Houses 

After reflecting on their time at The Shed, the Gecko children showed great interest in building houses. During small group and whole-class activities, they explored various tools and materials to construct sturdy houses that could withstand the big bad wolf. The children were encouraged to reflect on their creations and make changes to their designs.


** Some snapshots from the small group and whole class activity can be found here: AM / PM **

Parent Reader: 

Some parents expressed interest in coming to the Gecko class to read a story. If you'd like to volunteer, please sign up on the Parent Reader Sign-Up Sheet here: [Link]

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Parent Experts

We have invited two very special experts into the classroom this week, Miles's dad, Alex and Hannah's mum, Anissa. They will come to teach the Gecko's a new skill, Anissa Jewellery making and Alex, origami. I will be in touch with more parents who have completed the 'Family Maker Survey' in the coming weeks to invite you to the class :) 

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Show and Share Schedule 

To develop the children’s inquiry and questioning skills we will introduce our first round of ‘Show and Share’ starting Tuesday 19 November and ending Friday 6 December. The other half of the class will have their turn in Term 2. 

Children will be invited to bring something special that they would like to share with the class, such as a favourite toy or storybook. They will then have the opportunity to show and share their special object during a circle time or a small group, where other Geckos can ask them questions about it. This activity aims to nurture the children's curiosity, and inquisitiveness, and foster connections among them. We will also relate their special toy to our unit, encouraging children to think about the material it is made from and how it has been made. 

I will let your child when it is their turn to bring something in for Show and Share - It will be a wonderful opportunity for the children to practice responsibility as they will need to remember to inform their grown-ups and take care of their special objects at school. 

Please check the schedule below to find out when it is your child's turn to bring in their special object. Each child will have the chance to participate, and they will be encouraged to practice patience as they await their turn.
We will use the visual below to guide the children in asking questions about their classmates' special toys.

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I look forward to seeing some of you tomorrow at the Science Museum! :)
Don't forget to pack a mark making tool! 

Ammie

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