Term 3 Week 1

ECO-LITERACY: Energy
Revisiting our learning from our Term 1 Solar Power Investigation for the Toyota "Dream Car Competition", this week we have had BIG discussions around "light", "circuits", and "electricity"...

"How do you make light bulbs glow?" Penina

Penina arrived back after the Term Break, bulb in hand and a question on her mind...At Monday Morning Meeting Penina posed her question to the group, seeking their support. Deep in thought we decided to revisit the question later in the day to give the group time to formulate their ideas. So at Te Wananga Time nga tamariki shared their thoughts:

Annabell: Bulbs get attached to the roof so the bulb doesn't blow. And don't touch it when it's been on or else you'd get burned!
Kaydin: A light switch makes it go
Isla: My switch is far away from my lights
Penina: There's a string in the wall and it goes to the light and then you turn the switch and then the light goes through the string and into the bulb and then the bulb lights up!

Judy introduced the word "Circuit" to the group. We discussed what a circuit is and how it works. If the circuit breaks, the light won't go. Like when you flick the switch. You stop the electricity. The circuit breaks. Then Judy posed a further question: "What is Electricity?"

Annabelle came back and introduced the term "static electricity" to the group...But what does that mean? Annabelle could SHOW us what that means! Taking a piece of paper and a pen, Annabelle rubbed the pen quickly, back and forth on her trousers and then sat the pen on the paper. Hmm...what was meant to happen...nothing...let's try again. This time everyone had a go. Sitting round the kai table, paper, pens, pencils, and swift arm actions as the children raced to make their pen move faster then the person next to them...wow, some of the pieces of paper began to rise...up...up...How did this happen? Why did some rise and some stay on the table? The answer = STATIC ELECTRICITY!

Home Research - Can you explain HOW static electricity works? 

We'd love to hear about what you uncover...let us know next week and we will share all the ideas with our scientists!


Hobbit Hole

Polyfest Kapahaka - The 22nd of August is drawing closer! Our MTW Group are working hard, learning their lyrics, actions, roles and responsibilities for this special performance! More information will be out soon for our trip to Stadium Southland for our on-stage debut. TF Group families are warmly invited to come along to Stadium Southland to watch!


Digital Microscope - Nga Tamariki have returned to Kindy to find our new Digital Microscope in the Project Room...sitting alongside our "Bones of Leaves" Project, a continuation of our screen-printing from Term 2...let's take a closer look...


The Bones of Leaves - have you seen page 2 of the Southland Daily Times today?  Check out our fabulous children and our learning and ponderings through The Arts as we take the unhurried time to slow down, to notice, and to reflect...


Winton Spring Flower Show Project - The Hobbit Hole
We have loved hearing about our families Hobbit Hole Projects in preparation for this year's Winton Spring Flower Show at the end of this term (check out our FB page from the end of last term for more details). We are also in the beginning stages of our Kindy Hobbit Hole entry...planning, designing, and foraging for nature's treasures to incorporate into our project. Christina introduced the coconut at the beginning of the week...could it be used in some way...what about a door? Or perhaps a hilltop? Kaydin and Dad used the specialised coconut hammer to pierce the coconut and we shared the contents. The next day Cam arrived to saw the coconut in half...mmm coconut flesh - delicious...now we have two star-dome-like shapes to use...what this space! We can't wait to see where our creativity and resourceful leads us this term!


Natures Nest - With many adventures taking place during the Term Break, we are in the process of creating a "sister-centre" with Auckland-based early learning centre "Natures Nest". Annabelle's cousin Bronte is a teacher there, with Annabelle and family visiting her during the holidays. After sending Bronte an email, we are now planning to have a video-call with each other in the near future...But how else could we be in contact...Where was Auckland...Could we drive there? Fly? Sophie arrived back at Kindy on Wednesday with her Google-Map...Gosh look how far away we are from each other! Perhaps we could write to them? Great ideas from the children during our Te Wananga/Discussion Time this week!


An incredibly investigative and intriguing first week back for the Term :)
Enjoy the weekend, ka kite ano.

Term 2 Week 10

Naming of the Albatross

Last week our group on Friday made a vote to name the baby Albatross at Otago Peninsula we have been eagerly watching over the past two terms. 

And the winner is........Tumanako 
 'The name Tūmanako was submitted by Elizabeth Graham, Katrina Ackees, Julie McNaughton and Marian Bevan.' (http://www.doc.govt.nz)  

Yay and this is the name we voted for!!! Don't forget to check up on our albatross's progress as it continues to grow and change as the weeks go by. This would also create a fabulous link between Home and Kindy and will encourage your child to share their albatross watching experience to their kaiako (teachers) and e hoa (friends) here at Kindy.

Our New Polyfest Waiata

This week we have began to practice our new Polyfest waiata 'Purerehua' written by Dr Hirine Melbourne. This is a beautiful song written about a butterfly.
This song/waiata links perfectly with our current learning focus ' Ecological Identity' and also encourages us to revisit our Monarch Butterflies we raised and nurtured in Term 1. This song will also be accompanied by Elle as she plays her ukulele alongside the tamariki.

Chorus Pürerehua rere runga hau Papaki parirau Rere runga hau (Ka piki, ka piki Runga rawa e Papaki parirau rere runga hau.) x 2

Butterfly carried on the wind. Fluttering its wings on the wind Up and up Way up high Fluttering its wings on the wind

We were lucky enough to have; Fergus, Ethan, Ella & Amelia from Limehills School come along to Kindy today and teach us the actions to Tutira mai nga iwi!! Thank-you guys, this will be something we will need to practice as we prepare for our Polyfest performance next term :)

Polyfest Art 

Our Polyfest Art creation has approached completion as we enter the end of Term 2. Our 3D hanging tree is looking amazing with the beautiful screen prints of the children's leaves in three different colours. We have also completed a book with pictures of the children's involvement in the creation of the tree with their story about how they and their whanau (family) care for and treasure the environment, and what is special about their leaf and where it comes from. 

Our Whakatauki for our Polyfest art piece: 

He taonga, no the whenua

Me hoki ano, ki te whenua

What is given to the land

Should be returned to the land

A big thank-you to all of our families who contributed to this art piece!! It was not possible without you all.

The America's Cup

Whoo hoo!! We have won The Cup!! The winning of the America's Cup has provoked some patriotic feelings here at Kindy as the children have spoken about the Cup and shared their knowledge of sailing:

"They drive the boat with a steering wheel" Penina
"They sail with wind" Zara
"They use paddles and wind" Kaydin

On Thursday we even had an opportunity to watch the live streaming of the 'America's Cup Victory Parade' in Auckland.

Spider Web Display

We have a new art display this week which shows off some of the beautiful spiderwebs the tamariki have been creating. During our conversations with the tamariki about spiders and their webs we have found out how different and unique each web is. This has inspired our tamariki to think about the different shapes, lines, and dynamics of spiders webs and their own. 

During 'Discovery Time' last week the tamariki set out to search for spiderwebs around Kindy. Once we had photo's of all of the webs we could find we came inside. The tamariki then created their own webs as they referred to the photographs using white crayons and dye. As the children changed colours they realised they could mix them together to create different colours. 

This experience has also been on offer for all of the tamariki as they too experimented with the uniqueness of webs and colour mixing.

Mini Hobbit Hole

The 'Winton Spring Flower show' on the 29th & 30th of September (end of Term 3) have put out information on an entry for the "Special" Section of the show. This entry is all about creating a mini Hobbit hole surrounded by living plant life. These holidays provide a perfect opportunity for your child to get creative with plants. When created your child will be able to care and nurture their living creation over the next term as they build their knowledge on plant life.
More information available on our Facebook page.

End of Term 2 - Tidy Up

Thank you to all who have volunteered their time to help us with our tidy up here at Kindy!! 'Many hands make light work' - you are all stars!!

Term Break

This Term break will be for two weeks and will re-open for Term 3 on Monday 24th of July 2017.





Have a fabulous break!! We can't wait to see you all again next term all bushy tailed!!

Your Winton Kindy Teaching Team