No Rat Tuesday

Good afternoon,

Thank you for your kind messages of condolence concerning Rattie's parting. Thanks Molly for the flowers, and thanks Gabriella for the biscuit!

No decision will be made about replacing the boys 'till next term, so...watch this space. (Well, not this space. This space won't tell you anything new. Any decision will be broadcast in a new post. Just to be clear...)

This morning we started a new fitness routine - skipping.


As you can see, it was kinda wet out, so the children had their lunch inside, before heading outside for a run around.



After lunch I was busy with the guitarists for a bit, so Mrs Campbell took Room 2 over to watch the Irish dancers in the hall.

And a good time was had by all.

CU in the morning,

Mr Grant

Rattie Has Passed Away

Good evening,

Or not so good evening...

Unfortunately, Rattie passed away this evening, some time between I transferred him to the smaller cage to bring him home for the night, and when I brought him in from the car into the lounge when I got home.

He was very lethargic all day, and felt quite cool when I had him in my lap after school this afternoon.

Poor wee chap.

He will be missed.

Mr Grant

In Memorium

Good afternoon,

I have some sad news to start this afternoon's post. Rat had to be put down this morning. The lump that I thought was just a large abscess on his undercarriage was discovered to be a tumor by the vet this morning, and Rat was put down before things got worse.

He will be missed.

On a lighter note, we kicked off the day with a new shared book Dad's Snore...


...demonstrated some ways of being a good friend...



...and ended the day with our first look at our Production pieces.

THE FROG KING

Far, far away
There was a spring:
There lived a frog
And the frog was king.
King of the pond
And he would boast
That he was ruler
From coast to coast.

His mighty words
Spread 'cross the land
Until they crossed
O'er the sea's salt strand,
Into the kingdom
Blue and deep
Where the whales swim
And the dolphins leap.

There was a turtle
Brave and free
Said: 'I will go
Test this mystery'.
He swam through rivers,
Lakes and fords
So he could visit
The great frog lord.

And when at last
He reached the spring
There was the frog,
There was the king.
'Bow down before me'
The frog said.
The turtle jumped in
And the frog was dead!

Paradise Island

We go to the sunshine
The paradise island
We go to Jamaica
We crossin' the sea
We go to the sunshine
The paradise island
Where you pick the mango
Right offa the tree

Sunshine in the winter.
Sunshine in the fall.
Kingston Town has never ever
Seen the snow at all!

We go to the sunshine
The paradise island
We go to Jamaica
We crossin' the sea
We go to the sunshine
The paradise island
Where you pick the mango
Right offa the tree

We know the way,
We know the way,
We know the way,
We know the way,
We know the way,
We know the way to be free.

Mento, ska calypso
Listen to the band
If you want a coconut
Just pick one from the sand!

We go to the sunshine
The paradise island
We go to Jamaica
We crossin' the sea
We go to the sunshine
The paradise island
Where you pick the mango
Right offa the tree

We know the way,
We know the way,
We know the way,
We know the way,
We know the way,
We know the way to be free.
(twice)

(together)
We go to the sunshine...
We know the way.,.

BELLY BUTTON BOOGIE

Grandma
This black button comes from Grandad's army demob suit.

Children
Demob suit?

Grandma
With a thin moustache and wide Lapels he looked quite "zoot hirsute"

Children
Zoot hirsute?

Grandma
But this one here is a strange one dear,
It belonged to Auntie Nelly.

Alice
It's got no button holes!

Grandma
Oh no! She wore it in her belly!

Children
Auntie Nelly? In her belly?

Grandma
She was a dancer of repute
In an oriental way
And when she wore her belly button
She would often say:

b b b b b b b
Boo boo belly button boogie
Boo boo belly button boogie
Boo boo belly button boogie
Boo boo belly button boogie
Do the belly belly belly belly
Belly button boogie tonight

Do the belly button boogie
Do the belly button boogie tonight
(belly button, ooh, belly button)
Do the belly button boogie
Do the belly button boogie tonight
(belly button, ooh, belly button)
Do the belly belly belly belly
Belly button boogie tonight

Just do the b - b - boogie
Woogie till you drop
It's Auntie Nelly's favourite
Her belly is never a flop!

Jack
Hey! Grandad!
You've got enough belly to do a belly dance!!

Do the belly button boogie
Do the belly button boogie tonight
(belly button, ooh, belly button)
Do the belly button boogie
Do the belly button boogie tonight
(belly button, ooh, belly button)
Do the belly belly belly belly
Belly button boogie tonight

You wriggle and you jiggle
Wiggle round the floor
With jelly belly Nelly
The evening is never a bore!

Do the belly button boogie
Do the belly button boogie tonight
(belly button, ooh, belly button)
Do the belly button boogie
Do the belly button boogie tonight
(belly button, ooh, belly button)
Do the belly belly belly belly
Belly button boogie tonight

B-b-b-b-b-b-b
Boo boo belly button boogie (x4)

Do the belly belly belly belly Belly belly belly belly
Belly button boogie tonight

Yeah!!!!

Mr Grant

One Photo Thursday...

...but two video clips.

Good afternoon,

This afternoon kicked off with a discussion about John 21:9-14, which we essentially summarized thusly...


We then talked about how we could be a bit more like Jesus.


The afternoon then continued with some more work on keeping in time with the beat, this time keeping the four count going around the circle.


And a good time was had by all.

Mr O'Neil will be at the con tomorrow as I am going to be taking reading assessments. Lots of reading assessments.

Mr Grant

While We're Waiting...

Good evening,

Just before I headed out to shovel some silt this morning a courier arrived with four new maths games for Room 2.

• Ben 10 Hide and Seek


• Ben 10 Memory Game


• Connect Four


• Snakes and Ladders

I will hopefully have figured out how the first one works by the time we're back at school.

Whenever that might be.

Mr Grant

By the way, yes Eliza, the boys are fine. They're here at home with me.

Treaty Friday

Good afternoon,

This morning kicked off with me out of the room for some unscheduled Class Room Release Time to do some Running Records. Thankfully Kate Rooney (she was teaching Room 9 last year) was able to step in before she steps off to foreign shores in a couple of weeks.

Just before lunch, Room 2 had their very own treaty signing ceremony...







Thank you to those who were able to come along, and thanks Lysa for holding down the treaty as the children signed it - I hadn't really figured on the wind!

After assembly we pretty much finished the day in the pool with Rooms 1 and 8.



And a good time was had by all.

I'm taking home the boys this weekend so's they can say goodbye to Mum before she hops back over the ditch, but I'll work on a rat roster over the weekend. If you haven't expressed interest in bringing them home for the odd weekend, please let me know.

Enjoy your weekend,

Mr Grant

Funday Friday

Good afternoon,

And what a lovely afternoon it is.

This morning, after a quick Maori lesson, where we learnt how to say hello to one, then two, then three or more people...




(and no, I did not create this rather cool flip chart!)

...and read He Kuri), we reviewed what to do in an earthquake when we're outside. First go like a turtle...


...then, when its stopped, come over to the basketball court so's Room 2 can all be checked in.


After morning tea, we had our first art lesson for the year.







After lunch, assembly and swimming, we continued on with our story as the children got changed back into their uniforms.

Papa Puss has just been abducted by some Robot Rats!


No, not those ones, these ones...



Thank you all for a wonderful first week, I'll see you all next week.

Have a great weekend,

Mr Grant

Hot Day Tuesday

Good afternoon,

And what a glorious afternoon it was. Indeed it was just too hot for some...


For the rest of us, a dip in the pool was in order.





While the children got changed we are reading Brave Mama Puss, which I got the children to act parts of afterwards.

Here Papa Puss is being a pop star...


Now, if he can only figure away out of the rubbish dump that he's stuck in...

Earlier in the day we sang happy birthday to my daughter Kelsey (the big 14 today!)...


...and learnt a wee prayer.


Sorry about the strange colours the camera captured. Not sure what's going on there.

Bye for now,

Mr Grant