Goodbye Year 4

Well it's the end of the year and wow! What a fantastic year it has been. I really have no words to express how proud and happy Ms Alison and I have been with Year 4. We have had one of the best years in our teaching careers and for that we thank all of you and your parents. The effort and progress you have all made is nothing short of of outstanding. As promised I have added all the movie trailers from yesterdays show. Enjoy your holidays and I'll see you all soon. 4X here is link for all of Ms Alison's photos. In a couple of weeks her account will be deleted so please make sure you go through it and download any photos you wish to keep. All of the photos from my blog will remain so don't worry about them.

Spelling Bee

Today was the MP2 Spelling Bee and it was clear that there are plenty of  fantastic spellers in MP2! Each house had strong teams of Year 4 and Year 3 children but at the end of the day Hue was unstoppable. They were the clear champions. If you want to have any of the photos you can download them here.

Super Storyboards

Today Year 4 learned how to use a camera to capture different types of shot. They then used this knowledge to create a photographic storyboard that used a range of shots. Clearly they had fun and learned lots too.

You can download the photos here. 

Sand Paintings & Young Photographer Of The Year!

This week 4T experimented with coloured sand to create some paintings in the style of native people in 

America. Everyone enjoyed creating the images and their was also a photography competition too. Ms Van Anh, Mr Mike and Jeanette all took photos and the whole class chose the photos below to go on the blog. Of the photos below Mr Mike shot two, Ms Van Anh shot three and Jeanette shot the rest. I guess that makes her 4T's young photographer of the year!

   

 You can download the photos here.

Cave Paintings

As part of our Habitat IPC topic 4T looked at cave paintings from the past. They then attempted to create their own using cartridge paper, pastels and paint. Come and visit the cave in the MP2 corridor to see the results. Download the photos here.

 

Fantastic First Google Homework

I would just like to say well done to Jeanette for creating an excellent homework. As you can see below she really thought carefully before adding all the features to the information page. Well done Jeanette, I think I will use your amazing homework as an example when I'm teaching teachers how to use the new Google documents for homework.

Information Planning

English lesson time today was spent learning about the layout of information texts and how they can change dependent on the opinions and choices of the authors.  Each group then planned their own information text pages. If you would like any photos from the slideshow above click here. 

Year 4 Google Homework Trial

Hi Year 4. For the next few weeks the majority of your homework will be completed online. This may mean that you will have to write blog posts or it may mean using the new Google Drive features that we are testing. This week you will have to complete your English homework using a Google Drawing and your IPC/Information Literacy homework using a Google Drawing too. I have embedded two videos below that will help you.

Features Homework Help

Images Homework Help

Just For Hannah

Hi 4T,

I'm not sure how much time you have all spent on YouTube recently, but today I stumbled across a new channel called The Piano Guys. If you have not seen any of their videos yet,you have to check them out. They are very talented musicians and I was so impressed by how they have interpreted the One Direction song What Makes You Beautiful. It also made me think of Hannah and how she likes to find One Direction news for us all. They have tonnes of great videos. heck them out. I have put What Makes You Beautiful below for you all to see.

Mud Houses

4T enjoyed creating their own Vietnamese houses. These houses were inspired from the traditional houses found in the center of Vietnam. They are known for their mud, straw and bamboo construction as well as their low ceilings to keep the house cool in hot weather. 

Taking Charge Song

Please learn the words to the song below.

Taking charge is what we do,

Don't make your maids run after you,

Pack your bags with the things you need

Taking Charge is the message to heed

Take charge.........

Take charge

Take charge if you know what's good for you

        

Look around what do you see

Kids not thinking and being lazy,

Think about your attitude 

You'll receive some gratitude 

Take charge.........

Take charge

Take charge if you know what's good for you

When you go to the canteen 

Take charge go and choose your greens

Organize your self at school

You'll find your teachers will think you'recool

Take charge.........

Take charge

Take charge if you know what's good for you

Take charge make things possible 

Go and be responsible 

Now our song is nearly done 

Go take charge and then you've  won 

Take charge.........

Take charge

Take charge if you know what's good for you

Taking charge is what we do,                              Girls Split Take Charge 

Don't make your maids run after you,

Pack your bags with the things you need

Taking Charge is the message to heed                    

Take charge.........

Take charge

Take charge.........

Take charge

Mot Thoang Vietnam

Mot Thoang Vietnam is cultural centre where people can learn all about the crafts and houses from the different regions in Vietnam. The children were interested to learn about the many different houses and were great at asking questions to our tour guide to find out more. The trip was a success and soon the children will be using their notes from the trip to create some information pages during their English and IPC lessons.

Messy but imaginative!

We have just started our new IPC topic of Habitats. A large portion of the topic will focus on different human habitats around the world. For and entry point the children had to work together as a team to create their own habitats in the classroom. As you can see from the photos the classroom was fantastically messy but it was great to see 4T working so well together and being creative.

Where In The World?

Our new IPC topic is Habitats. We will be learning all about different human habitats across those world. You will see a map below. Over the next few weeks we will be adding pins and links to our work. You can see that I have added some pins of where I have lived in the world. I would like to add pins for all of you too.

View Where have you lived? in a larger map

Amazing Exit Point

Yesterday all of Year 4 had a great adventure around Ho Chi Minh City. The children had to navigate around District 1 and District 3 until they reached photo location and then move on to finish at Haagen Dazs for an ice-cream. It was a great success and I would like to say a big thank you to all the parent helpers who came. They made the trip more fun and did a great job of helping everyone to stay safe.

Earth Hour

Did you remember to turn your lights off for Earth hour? If you did, post your photo to your blog and I will add a link to that post into this one. Hopefully I will have to add 18 links to this post to show that our whole class participated in Earth hour.

Adventure Exit Point Instructions

View Year 4 Adventure Group in a larger map


On Tuesday afternoon Year 4 will be going on an expedition in District One and District  Three. The task of each group will be to navigate from their starting point to the snowflake on the map. Click on the pins to discover which group you are in and where you can earn bonus points for a photo. It might be a good idea to think about the best route you could take from your starting point. The instructions in each pin explain which roads you can not use.

On the day it will be hot so please come to school wearing your PE shorts and your house t-shirt. You will also of course need your water bottle, hat and have sun cream to put on. Each group will have two teachers to make sure that you are all safe when crossing roads. It is going to be the best exit point of the year and I can't wait!

Long Hai Oscars

Next Friday is mufti day and there will be a special occasion in Year 4. That's right it's the day everyone has been waiting for..... The Long Hai Oscars! Ms Alison and I would like all the children to come wearing fancy clothes ready to receive their awards from the Long Hai residential. Amongst the many coveted  awards, there will be awards for Coolest Dude, Messiest Room, Best Belly Flop and more. The awards will give the opportunity to see videos and photos that have never before been shared with children and parents and so everyone is invited. We would love to have as many mums and dads there as possible. It will take place at 10:45 on the last day of term and when it is over the children can be taken home. I look forward to seeing you all there. I will certainly be wearing my bow tie!

Adventurous Exit

For our exit point Year 4 will be going on an adventure around Ho Chi Minh City. Each group will be given a map and have the task of using it to navigate to a specific location in District 1. All the groups will have a different starting point in either District 3 or 1, and then have to make their way on foot. Ms Alison and I would welcome any help that parents would like to offer. If you are willing to come on the adventure and help the children please let us know. The Exit point adventure will happen on  Tuesday afternoon next week at 12:15. If your mum or dad are willing to help please ask them to contact Mr Mike or Ms Alison so that buses and taxis can be organised. We need to know by the end of the day tomorrow. 

Picasa Photos Here

https://picasaweb.google.com/116786838255756925124/AfternoonActivities

https://picasaweb.google.com/116786838255756925124/LongHaiSGotTalent

https://picasaweb.google.com/116786838255756925124/BeachDayNight

https://picasaweb.google.com/116786838255756925124/LongHaiDay102

https://picasaweb.google.com/116786838255756925124/BrightReadyForANewMorning

Afternoon Activities

The afternoon has been fantastic! Year 4 started by completing a construction challenge and I think, by the photographic results below, you can see it was a huge success. Well done to Sam's group who managed to build the tallest tower! After construction it was time for our last visit to the beach to play some games to celebrate Nine's birthday. The children had a great time and right now they are al getting ready for the talent show tonight. I'll keep you posted! 

Beach Day & Night

Year 4 have just had lunch and everyone is either resting in their rooms or eagerly practising for the talent show later this evening. The day started with  birthday cake for Nine and then went to the beach for the group activities. As you can see from the photos everyone is having fun and enjoying the Long Hai experience. Later today after some construction challenges Year four will be going down to the beach to play some party games to celebrate Nine's birthday in style!

Bright & Ready For Morning

I think I was the last to wake up this morning. Well... now I think about it Shu and Yoo Min were so fast asleep that Ms Alison and I knocked on their door, opened it, turned the light on, did a dance and sang a song but still they were asleep! Everyone else was up a ready and most had bed hair! We're about to have lunch after a really great morning on the beach. Once we have eaten I will post new photos from the morning's activities.

Beach Afternoon

Year 4 have made it to the resort and after a  meal in the restaurant have also had a great afternoon on the beach. The children enjoyed being amongst the waves and building sandcastles. I'm Sure Ms Sue will find it difficult to judge a winner!

The Balaclava Story Endings

This week in English everyone listened to the opening of the story Balaclava Boys. Ms Alison and I were were really impressed with the endings that each group created. You can watch them all below. Please see Ms Alison's Blog for the endings filmed in the multipurpose room.

Is exploration a good thing?

For IPC this week we will be deciding if exploration is good thing. You will need to research using Internet sites and books. Although I happy for you to find your own sites, you may want to start by using one of the sites below. 

Hernan Cortes - World History For Kids - By KidsPast.com

Hernan Cortez biography

Explorers for Kids: Hernan Cortes

Aztecs for Kids - Spanish Arrival, Cortez, Conquest of the Aztecs

Is there an issue and dilemma?

Watch the cartoon above. I would like you all to comment below to say what you think about the cartoon. You can write any comment you like, but remember, the best comments create or continue a conversation and make other people think deeply. If you not sure what to comment try to think of some answers to the questions below. 

Who has the dilemma?

What issues do you think are in the story?

Who is your favourite character?

Did you like the ending?

If you could change the ending what would you change it to?

What was good about the cartoon?

What can we learn from the cartoon?

What makes your heart beat faster?

During the Science lesson today Year 4 all investigated what happens to heart rates when the human body begins to work harder. They set up their own investigations and decided in groups what type of activity they should do to make their bodies work hard. It was a fun a lesson and everyone discovered just how hard a heart must work when the human body exercises more. 

4T Tet Dragon Dance

You all did a great job of the dragon dance. Ms Van Anh and Mr Ian both filmed it and you can see their videos below.

Can you find something mean?

In Maths this week my maths group have been learning how to find the average. It always help to have data to handle and find the average of so accurate measuring is essential. 

Think before you make a crease.

Today Year 4 had a very thought provoking session with Mr Steve. Every child was given a piece of paper and asked to say nasty words and phrases to it, maybe hurt it or even stamp on it. Even after apologizing to the paper and trying their best to make it better, no one could undo what they had done. The children were encouraged to think about how their actions in the past may have hurt others and left a crease in life. We all do things that we regret. Hopefully children at TX will think twice before they say or do something that may hurt another.

Sports Day

Last Thursday was Sports Day and what a great day it was. I was really busy running and trying to help organise events but I was proud to see 4T put so much effort in. Well done to Saigon who made it to the top spot for the second year in a row. Hopefully next year Dalat can beat them!

Meet 4T

Hi 4T, I have just learned something great whilst in Hong Kong. Check out the picture below and add a comment to tell me what you think. Would you like to start doing this in your blog?

Do you know your bones?

4T spent their Science lessons his week learning about the human skeleton. Our body has 206 bones and learning them all would be a tough challenge so we have just started to learn the main ones. How many can you name?

Healthy Cafe

All this week is Healthy Eating week and the children have all had the opportunity to purchase healthy snacks at the end of the day. Some eco warriors and school councillors were drafted in to help keep up with the healthy demand!

Margaret Mee Artists

Year 4 spent time yesterday discussing the work of explorer and artist Margaret Mee. She is famous for her love of plants and flowers and her very detailed drawings. We started our art work by making careful observations of different parts of plants and then attempting to sketch them.

Pen Licence 4T

Well done to Chenny, Jessica, Jeanette and Hannah. They have all gained their pen licences and will be writing in pen from now on. I'm sure it wont be long before many others join them.

Adventure Disaster (A Year 4 Horror Movie)

Today in English I would like you all to watch the horror movie below and turn it into a playscript. Take care to listen to the exact words and remember to the stage directions too.

Pen licences to arrive tomorrow!

I have been looking through the books very carefully and I can say that I'm very pleased with the effort that everyone is putting into keeping their work neat. There are always some children who present their work beautifully all the time, and I will definitely be giving out some pen licences tomorrow.

I will add samples of their work to this post to show you all the high standards of presentation you need to achieve to get a pen licence.

A Pile Of Play Writes

The English unit that 4T have just started is called Playscripts. Today the children had the tricky job of trying to improvise a small scene with a partner or in a three. Everyone got stuck in and came up with some brilliant short pieces of acting. The really hard part was trying to write this short scene down as a playscript in their English books. Luckily, we had the use of the Easi-Speak microphones to help us remember exactly what words were spoken. 

Our Adventure Begins

Today all of 4T went to X-Rock climbing club for the entry point of our new IPC topic. Lots of children were very nervous to begin with, but after watching a very confident Tyler, many wanted to try. I am proud to report that every member of 4T, including Ms Van Anh and I, tried to climb. As you can see from the photos it was quite scary. Well done to Hannah and Tyler who both managed to get all the way to the top of the 16m wall. 16m doesn't sound like very much but believe me, when you are looking down it does! Feel free to use this as one part of your BISCAT blog. Just type up an entry and add a photo. All of my photos can be downloaded from Picasa.

Can you find an explorer or adventurer?

It is easy to think of lots of male adventurers and explorers, but not so easy to think about some female ones. Later in our IPC topic we will be thinking about why that is, but for now I would like to see if anyone can research to find out the names of some female explorers or adventurers. If you discover any, then write them in the comments below.