Making Pizzas

Debbie (Shamik's mum in 3/4T) came in on Wednesday to make pizzas.


We would also like to wish Shamik all the best as he is leaving our school on Friday. Keep in touch, Shamik!!

Book group reviews

Olivia's reading group has been using some response techniques from the Visible Thinking website. Below Jasmine's review are some "headlines" that capture the essence of the story.

The garden of Empress Cassia
The garden of Empress Cassia is a story about a school girl called Mimi. She's been bullied mostly by a girl called Gemma. But every kid calls her "smelly loo" except one boy called Josh who everybody likes. He calls her M. Mimi is sad but is talented, she is a great artist. She gets 98% for maths but her dad says its not good enough. But one day her art teacher gives her some magic pastels that can be very dangerous in the wrong hands. But for Mimi it changes her life. I would recommend this book. By Jasmine

Magic pastels fall into the hands of young child and she realises she is more than special - Safije

The magic pastels are gone and found in a girl’s heart.

Found from years and lost.

Miss O’Dell’s promies has been broken. - Katrina

Some girl draws on footpath.

Empress Cassia seen in Mimi’s house.

Garden of Empress Cassia v garden of Darkness. - Nick S

The magic pastels are found.

Pastels for ever. - Seb

Chinese Garden blows people’s minds.

These are no ordinary pastels.

Magic Pastels – good and evil?

Pastels change girl’s life. - Joe

Change is good.

Do not steal pastels as they could be dangerous. - Nic R

Italian Cooking

On Thursday Jasmine's mum, Donna, came in to make bruschetta and a fritatta with eight children. Here are the recipes:

Bruschetta

Ingredients: 4-5 tomatoes, oregano, garlic, salt, olive oil, pastadura bread and pepper.

Method:
1. Chop and core tomatoes
2. Add oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper and mix
3. Rub toasted bread with garlic
4. Place tomato mix on the bread and enjoy!


Fritatta

Ingredients: 5 eggs, 5 boiled chopped potatoes, garlic, parsley, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Method:
1. Mix eggs, potatoes, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl
2. Fry mixture in a pan
3. Turn frittata by placing plate on the fry pan and flipping it onto the plate. Then slide back into fry pan to cook other side.
4. Slice and enjoy!

Greetings to England!

Kate Atkins, Head of Rosendale Primary School sent me a message. So as we are looking at different countries around the world, we would like to invite the children at her school to leave a comment in the form of a fact about London or England.

"Hello to the students at Rosendale Primary School! We would like to invite you to comment on this blog post with a fact about London or England. You could also comment with a fact about your school. Please take a moment to look at our blog to find out what we have been doing"

Wanted! Old atlases and maps

If you have any old atlases or maps could you please bring them in for our inquiry, "All Around the World"

Austrian Cooking

Today, Nic's mum Olivia (3/4K) and Nick's mum Alison (3/4T), came in to our neighbourhood to do some international cooking. Here is the recipe and information about this dish - thanks Olivia!

Austrian Desserts: Kaiserschmarrn

Recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of raisins

hot water

4 eggs (separated)

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons caster sugar

400 mls of milk

1 cup plain flour

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons butter

Icing sugar

Applesauce, plum sauce or other fruit

Preparation

1. Pour hot water over the raisins to cover and leave to soak

2. Separate the eggs putting the whites into one bowl and yolk into another.

3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and add the salt towards the end.

4. Beat egg yolks, sugar and vanilla until light yellow. Add milk and flour, a little at a time to avoid lumps.

5. Fold in egg whites. Let the batter rest for about ten minutes.

6. Drain the raisins on some paper towel.

7. Warm up a large frying pan (10 - 12 inches in diameter) and melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter in it.

8. Stir the batter again, gently, and pour into hot pan. Sprinkle the raisins evenly over the top. Cover the pan and let the pancake cook over low heat for about 8 minutes. Flip over (you may have to cut it into several portions to flip).

9. Cut or pull the pancake apart into bite size pieces while it continues to cook. When it is browned a bit, it is ready to serve.

Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with applesauce or preserves of your choice.

What is Kaiserschmarrn?

The most legendary of all Austrian desserts: Kaiserschmarrn is something like a torn omelette. Its origin, in fact, is somewhat legendary itself: Torn omelettes ("Schmarrn") already had a longstanding tradition when Austria's last "real" emperor, Franz Joseph I demanded one such thing for dessert. His cook quickly created this simple Schmarrn from few ingredients. Inspired by the milk, he named it "Käser Schmarrn" (Cheesemaker's Schmarrn), which the old emperor misunderstood as "Kaiserschmarrn" (Emperor's Schmarrn).

Since you don't disagree with an emperor, the dish became known as just that. "Schmarrn" is also used in colloquial German like "rubbish" or nonsense in English, describing inaccurate information or stories. The legend of the name Kaiserschmarrn may be just that but it makes a good story.

Source: http://www.tourmycountry.com/austria/kaiserschmarrn.htm

Photo of Nick’s Kaiserschmarrn 16/10/10

Shamik's World Web Quest

Have a go at Shamik's Web Quest!

Find out what are the 4 biggest countries in the world.

Find out the country that has the most people and how many people live in that country and name two facts about that.

Find out the diameter of earth.

Find out the layers of the Earth and 4 mathematical facts about earth.

To learn more about the earth click here.

Study Ladder

A note will be going home about a new (ish!) website called Study Ladder. It is made by the people who created Smartkiddies, but it includes a range of literacy activities as well. The children's login for Smartkiddies will work on this site.

New Learning Agreement

Learning Agreement Term 4 Number 1

The Ultranet

You may have read something about the Ultranet in Talking Point. Here is a video to explain further...

Angles

We did an investigation about angles today. Here is a great little web page to help you remember the types of angles. I have also included a chart!

What famous Melbourne landmark is this? What types of angles can you see?

New Website List

Underneath the "Useful Website" list on the blog, I have created a new list called "Websites for Around the World". As the term progresses I will add more resources for the students. Thanks to Olivia (Nick in 3/4K's mum) for the Germany link. If you have any other links you think would be suitable, please email me:

hawkins.tim.r@edumail.vic.gov.au

A Bazaar Message from our Parent Reps

Dear Parents and Carers of 34KT,

2010 Spinning Wheel Hamper Themes/prizes for the Bazaar

Each year, classes are asked to donate goods for themed hampers as prizes at the Bazaar Spinning Wheel.

This year, Kevin and Tim’s home group themes are “Gourmet food” (which may include wine, olives, honey, coffee, vinegars, herbs/spices, preserves, crackers/biscuits, olive oil, nuts etc) and “Bath time luxuries” (which may include bubble bath/bath oils, scented candles, soap, shower caps, face washers, toiletries and champagne).

The hampers (handsome looking coloured rubber tubs) have arrived in the Neighborhood, so please drop in any donation you can manage in the next few weeks. Please keep in mind the goods need to non perishable and non melt-able.

Thanks for all contributions large and small.

Regards,

Dianne and Lisa

3D Shape Webquest

1. Visit this website about 3D shapes – investigate and create three or four 3D shapes and describe them.

2. Visit this page of images of buildings. Print one or two out and label as many different 3D shapes that you can see.

3. Open Kahootz and create an expression using 3D shapes.

4. Create some 3D shapes using this isometric tool.

5. Try some of these games and activities.

6. Like to learn more about 3D shapes? – visit this site. (Advanced)

International Cooking - Indonesia

A big thanks to Dianne (George in 3/4T's mum) for kicking off our international cooking sessions on Monday. A group of 8 students made Nasi Goreng (recipe below) and the smell through the neighbourhood was irresistible. Some students peeled raw prawns, cut up spring onions, made an omelette for garnish and learned about a range of cooking methods. They then sat down and enjoyed the food they had created.

Please see Tim or Kevin if you are available to cook on Mondays from 12.10 - 2.00pm or another time that suits.

Visual Art Newsletter for Term 4

Newsletter term 4

Global Connections

The world is coming to Neighbourhood 2 and Neighbourhood 2 goes global! Check it out... see the cluster map on the right column or just click here!

Also, note the "subscribe" and "follow" options on the right. You can get emailed updates every time a new post is created.

Our Learning Environment

To create and maintain interest and curiosity in our studies into countries around the world we would like to create a 'Museum' in the neighbourhood. If you have any artifacts, posters, costumes, postcards, music etc. that reflect the Arts or culture of a country you have visited or come from we would love to 'borrow' them to make our student's learning come alive and stimulate learning.

Don't forget we would love to have any one come in and cook a dish from another country with a small group of children - thanks Dianne (George in 3/4T's mum) for coming in on Monday to cook Malaysian fried rice, save some for us!!!

Thanks

We would really like to thank all the parents from Neighbourhood 2 who have contributed throughout the year. We really value the strong home-school links we have built together and look forward to this going further in the future. We would like to acknowledge Anjali's mum, Rohini, for the time she has given in supporting students' literacy learning because due to work commitments she is unable to help this term.

We would also like to thank Barb Allen for her visit on Friday to share her African experience to encourage interest in learning about the world. Out of retirement for an afternoon!

Learning in Term 4

In Learning Neighbourhood 2 there will no longer be a "paper" newsletter and all information and news will be posted on the blog. If you are unable to access at home we invite you to come in and look at the blog with your child.

This term in literacy we will be focusing on the text features of non-fiction material. We will continue to develop the children's ability to write narratives, recounts and reports. At the end of the research stage of their inquiry, "Around the World", students will present a travelogue about that country. This could be presented in many different ways that negotiated as the term progresses. Please note the research grid (embedded below) will assist them in their information gathering. The reading groups run by parents have been highly successful and we would encourage anyone with some spare time to participate in this program. Nick Szigeter's mum, Olivia, has kindly offered to share her experience in doing this with anyone interested. We expect that at all times our students have at least two books in their lockers either borrowed from the school library, brought from home or selected from the class library. These are for both class and home reading and are expected to be recorded in their reading log.

This term in mathematics the students will undertake targeted teaching sessions based on current assessment that will support and extend student learning in this area. Students will also use mathematics in project work, such as webquests and activities relating to the inquiry. We would still encourage students to use the mathematical resources in the "useful website" list on the blog as part of their home learning. These include tutpup for strengthening basic number facts, smartkiddies to encourage children to work mathematically and participate in the range of games that support mathematical thinking.

We will continue to provide students with Learning Agreements which will also be embedded into the blog. This term there will be a section titled "Home Learning" which will be left blank. Students will be expected to fill in any learning or activities they do at home. These may include cultural experiences (cooking, sport, helping out at home, family events, etc).

As always, you are welcome to come in at anytime to share your child's learning, share their portfolios or chat to Kevin or Tim about any concerns or issues.

category sheet for mutlicultural facts_blank

Where we come from...

As an introduction to our multicultural inquiry we brainstormed where our families came from including our parents, grandparents and other family members. Here is the list (so far!):


List of countries

Our Inquiry for Term 4

This term we will be focusing on multicultural studies. These are the through lines of this inquiry:

Learning to understand ourselves:

· Identity is shaped by a range of influences (culture, family, community, place, tradition, religion, history)

Learning to live well with others:

· Diversity enriches our society. Living well within a diverse society requires tolerance, understanding and respect

PARENTS AND FAMILIES - WE NEED YOUR HELP

We are hoping to ask family members to come in a do a cooking session on a particular country or regions food with a small group of children. Please see Kevin or Tim if you are interested...

Maths in the Commonwealth Games

This week in your library sessions you will be investigating the Commonwealth Games website. Answer these questions in your journal:

1. Go to the MapQuest Atlas website and locate India. Click on it to find out the time and temperature there. Convert the Fahrenheit temperature to Celsius using this website.

2. What number day is it of the Commonwealth Games? What does XIX mean before the Commonwealth Games? Visit this website about Roman Numerals to help you.

3. Visit the main schedule page and name four sports that are happening today.

4. Click on one of the animated sport icons on the home page and write down three mathematical facts about that sport.

5. Go the medals page and record the top 6 countries and the number of medals they have won.

6. Visit the Australia Post Letter Link 2010 site and go to the facts page. For each of the three sections write down 2 - 3 mathematical facts.

7. If you finish, explore the Commonwealth Games Website and/or the Letter Link 2010 website.

Welcome to Term 4!

Welcome back to school everybody! The new gymnasium and oval are almost ready. With the weather warming up it will be great to be able to play on the new oval!

Don't forget swimming starts next week - so make sure you have returned your form whether you are going or not.