Discovery Time 24th of July

What a fantastic way to finish off a busy first week back at school. It was a beautiful day for Discovery today.

                The sun was shining and it was warm outside. 

                   

Mia and Ivy lie down beside "themselves" on the court.

Oska joins in with the hockey game.

Stormur watches while Leroy from Room 6, and Rori play in the sand pit.

Cash and Stormur chase the hockey ball.

Hannah from Room 9 and Te Atawhai turn their hoop and skipping rope into a horse.

Millie draws with the jumbo chalk out on the court.

Ahi and his friends Tay and Jackson from Room 6 hang out in the Reading Bus.

Cory and his big sister Natalie from Room 6 begin their block construction.

Schultuete - A German Tradition

Momo Vera- Steffen started on Monday. Momo's mum is from Germany, and his dad is from Chile. He can speak 3 languages. Momo had a great first day at school. After school, his mum Silke presented him with a Schultuete.

Momo was excited to see what was in his special school cone.

 

Here is Momo with his mum Silke and his big brother Lani.
They are holding their special Schultuete or "school cone".

Silke has written a little story to explain this tradition... 

"When children in Germany set off for their first day of school they are given a "Schultuete" (School Cone) by their parents, a big cardboard cone, decorated and filled with school supplies, like special pens, rulers, rubbers etc., chocolates, lollies, small toys and little presents.The parents can buy the "Schultueten", make them themselves and sometimes they are made by the children in their last days of kindergarten.

It is a very big tradition in Germany, all the children start school at the same day after the big summer holidays, so every child brings their "Schutuete" to this first day of school and is allowed to open it once back home after school. Often siblings get a smaller version, so they don't get too jealous.

It is said that with the first day of school the serious side of life begins, children leave the familiar surroundings and often have to orient themselves in a new social environment. 

It is supposed to make this anxiously awaited first day of school a little bit sweeter.

The tradition goes back to the 19th century. In some areas the children were told that there was a Schultuetenbaum (school cone tree) growing at the school and if the fruits (the Schultueten) are ripe and big enough to pick, it's time to go to school for the first time."

Thank you for sharing your tradition with us Momo and Silke.

Josephine Lambert began in Room 8 in Week 6 of Term 3. Her mum Veronika is from Germany.

Here is Josephine after her first day at school receiving her Schultueten. 

Welcome to Wainui Beach School Josephine!

We love learning about traditions.

Welcome to Term 3! Day One!

We had a fantastic first day back at school, and for 7 of our students it was their very first day at Wainui Beach School!

We began our day by being formally welcomed by the school with a powhiri in the hall. The school sang two waiata to us all.

Writing Time!  Cory, Momo, Cornelia, Rori, Stormur, Cash and Oska learnt about the words I & am. They did some cut up stories and drew a picture in their books. They took their books down to show Mrs Andrew in her office.

Mrs Andrew read our stories with us and wrote a welcome message under our work.

Ivy, Mia, Te Atawhai and Millie wrote sentences that had I went... in them. They wrote about one fun thing they did during the holidays. Playing in the snow was a popular choice. Here they are with their awesome work.

Ivy, Mia, Te Atawhai and Millie with their writing books. Well done girls, you were awesome role models today!

Casey Caterpillar Handwriting Formation! 

We listened to the story of Casey Caterpillar. We drew our pictures of the tree branches on our mini whiteboards. We practised forming the shape of her open mouth to correctly write the letter c. We tried hard to sit our caterpillars on the branch.

We worked hard to make sure we started our letter in the right place. We did a great job!