Pancake Tuesday

Today we celebrate Pancake Tuesday 

and with it the beginning of Lent.

This week in class (so far) we focused on Lent and its meaning. We have made our Lenten promises and created crosses to hang in the room to remind us of these. We have discussed Jesus' strength and all that he sacrificed for us. The children have been encouraged to take something up, for example doing more at home to assist Mum and Dad, trying harder not to fight with siblings or trying to be a better classmate or friend. These were only a few of the ideas and many children had their own take on what they could use as a Lenten promise. 

A huge thank you to Mrs Parker, one of our Teacher Assistants at school, who in her own time made pancakes for everyone at the school including the teachers! She is a treasure! 

I know that my students thoroughly enjoyed the pancakes and were very appreciative of Mrs Parker's cooking!

How much fun are Maths games!?!

Today my class participated in two different maths games. We were working on place value and had been looking at three and four digit numbers. Add a little competition and things got really interesting! The students were begging to play more!

The first game was using place value cards and I would write a number on the board and the students (who were in small groups) would make that number with their cards. We played awhile just getting used to the game and then we added a little heat and made it that the group who constructed the three digit number first got a point. As always this heated things up and we had a lot of fun! 

It was never about actually winning but more about getting quicker at identifying and making the numbers recorded! 

We then moved to a game using numeral expanders and four dice. This is the game that moved us from three-digit numbers into four digit numbers. The students had to throw four dies and then make the biggest number possible and record it on their expander (or as we call them 'number slinkys'). Once we had completed five of these we had to record the points. The students used their calculators to add their four digit numbers and the group that came up with the highest total was given the honor of being the highest number collector!! A couple of maths games that have really engaged the children in learning more about place value! Simple games that engaged and excited the students to know and learn more!