T shaped literacy

We have started using T-Shaped literacy in our class.  We read books as a class and then work with buddies at our table to record ideas about questions that help us think about the things that are happening in the stories.  Here are some photos and an Explain Everything that was created during this time as part of T-Shaped literacy work.  

Our T-Shaped literacy often links both our reading and writing together as well as topics we are focusing on.  Currently, we are focusing on Animals, looking at different types of animals and their different habitats (both in the wild and as zoo animals and as pets.  This is helping us get ready for our Zoo trip in late August.

The previous topic that we were focusing on was about Myths and Legends.  Here is an Explain Everything of a story that was being re-told.  Our publishing during this Myths and Legends T-Shaped literacy focus was acting out myths we had focused on and we recorded these.  We hope to be able to share with you all what these look like.

What am I?

This week in class we have had a shared  book called Tails and Claws.  It gives you clues about an animal and then it tells you what it is.  So in writing we have been doing something similar. 

Everyone has created some fantastic work.  The focus has been on adding adjectives to add even more detail to our work.  Some of us have moved onto publishing because they were so fantastic.  

Initially we published some for our walls.  

Then some of us decided to publish using explain everything.  When we published on explain everything we decided that we wanted to use 2 different slides.  One for our clues and one for our answer to make our work more interesting for people watching it.  When we had put all the writing in, we recorded ourselves.  The finished work is what we are most proud of.  You can see a few examples below the pictures of our initial slide set up.

Watch out for more examples coming VERY SOON!!!

Zaviers Tuatara Animal Report

Last week we continued with our animal reports and researching different animals.  One of the creatures we talked about (but didn't get around to looking into in detail) was the Tuatara.

Over the weekend Zavier did his own research and brought it back to share this morning.  It was a fantastic example of an animal recount from a year 2.  Well done Zavier.  Mrs S and I were so impressed with how your had researched, and written your report, that instead of doing more research with the rest of the class, you were able to move straight into publishing your report to share.  Well done on your amazing work.

Animal Reports Continued

Here are a few examples of Animal reports we have been working on in class.  We planned to share these as part of our assembly on Friday, and at the last minute we decided it would look cool to be green screened so EVERY ONE could see and hear our wonderful reports.  Here are two that we recorded.  These also will become a rewindable learning experience as we can look back to see how and what to include in animal reports in the future.

We recorded a third but I have to say we are really proud of the third child who said that his was not up to the standard of putting it up on our blog.  This highlights how we talk with the students about posting quality posts.  Well done Mason.  We look forward to re-recording your this week.

Animal Reports

Many children in our class are really engaged in our current writing topic of Animal Reports.  A number of children have been so excited about researching topics that they have been doing so at home as well as at school.  

The diagram below is one we created to help the children in class to remember the things that need to be included in an animal report, and this is helping them with their research at school.   This may support any one at home wishing to continue doing research.  

Feel free to email your findings to us, or take pictures of your child's work (or you researching together) which can be a lot of fun.  We always love sharing these at morning news time.

HAPPY RESEARCHING!!!

Our Skype to Daniel

Joel :  Today we skyped with Daniel over in Canada.  We had lots of fun.

Kyle :  We saw a loader, lots of be birds and also an airstrip.  We have come up with some questions to ask Daniel next time we Skype with him...

'What do you use the loader for?'
'Why did you need to have the fuel brought in to your airstrip?'

Stella :  It was great seeing the Moose antlers that had been painted golden, and the Beaver skull with the orange tooth for chewing wood.  Next time we Skype we want to ask Daniel...

'Why is the tooth Orange that it chews wood with?"
Also what happens now that the ice is melting and their homes are getting exposed?

Mikayla :  We learn't that Daniel and his family carry pepper spray in-case they get attacked by a bear, but that they have to be 3 feet away for it to be effective.  We also learn't that black bears can actually be white as well which sounded really interesting.  We will have to look up more about black bears for next time we Skype with Daniel.