Basic Facts

Practice your basic facts! Are you working towards your multiplication learning goal?
Here are some more ideas on how to practice them:

• use a pack of playing cards and play 'Fast Flips' 
• Ipad apps - Sushi Monster, Slide Maths - these apps are free!
• try ABCya - a learning website that has a variety of educational games for different levels. See the link below. Choose either grade 2 or 3 and see which suits you best. Make sure you are challenging yourself. A good game to play on this site is 'Maths Bingo'.

ABCya - learning games

Please ensure you are practicing your facts.

ANZAC Writing Super Sentences

Over the last two weeks as part of our ANZAC inquiry topic we have been exploring letters during the war. We read a book called 'Jim's Letters' by Glyn Harper. This story is a collection of letters from Thomas and his brother Jim who is away at war. We created a list of what we might write about if we 'at war' or 'at home'. We decided to focus on writing letters from the front lines to loved ones at home. 

Here are the super sentences this week. These sentences were chosen because they had great imagery and 'painted a vivid picture'.

I have lost a few friends while they've been serving their country and I am greatly grieved by this but have to keep going. - Josie

The muddy hand dug trenches are so mushy its hard to move around. - Poppy-Jade

Most of my friends have died but don't worry too much, I will still be your cheerful, whole bodied son when I come back. - Tessa

Me and my mates had a weird feeling when we were walking along, then out the enemy came from the bushes onto us. We retreated because they had more men. - Mac

I looked and there was a tall man running after me in the distance. I had to run and leave my friend behind. It was the hardest decision of my life. - Mya

Painted Portraits

Over the last two Friday we have been busy creating our painted portraits. So far we have completed our head outline and our background. We had to select one of the brush techniques that we have learnt to create an interesting background. Each week we will be self assess our painting and consider what we like and what we would like to change. We are hoping to have these finished before the end of the term. We will be pretty busy next week!

Here are some samples of our painting so far:

All ready for the next step!

Close up of stippling

Beautifully textured background

Inquiry Topic - ANZAC Day

Today we started our new Inquiry topic which will run until the end of the term. We will be learning all about ANZAC day and why we commemorate and remember all those that fought or contributed in the wars and how it affected us as a country.
To begin with we brainstormed all the things we already know about this topic. Mrs Jackson was very impressed with Room 7's knowledge and depth of understanding! We followed up our brainstorm with a photo activity and a shared reading activity that fired up our thinking about what questions we have about this topic.
Throughout this topic we will be creating, editing and adding to a Word Wall of topic words. This Word Wall will be very helpful for us when we are writing about this topic.