Session 4 Rostrata Primary School Year 6 Kristy Nita Brown and Maryia Konig

WARM UP:

Today, when I arrived after recess, it was quite cold and some of the students were visibly shivering. Mariya and I asked the class if they would prefer to postpone the warm up activity until later, when it might be a bit warmer outside, and begin with the main activity instead. A few students agreed, but then one student raised their hand and asked, “Will the warm up activities warm us up?” It was a great question and sparked a quick discussion. Mariya and I decided to let the class vote on what they would prefer to do first. To my surprise, the majority voted to begin with the warm up. This was a fantastic outcome, especially considering that I felt last week’s “People Bingo” warm up didn’t go particularly well. I may have underestimated how much the students enjoyed being active and outside right from the start–perhaps they appreciated the challenge and fun more than I had realised.

Today’s warm up was “Mirror Mirror.” The students stood in a circle and really engaged with the activity. They took it seriously and had a lot of fun. Here's how the game works: everyone stands in a circle. The first person (A) starts miming an activity, like eating an apple. The person to their left (B) asks, “What are you doing?” While continuing the original mime, A responds with a completely different activity–for example, “I’m playing the piano.” B then starts miming playing the piano. The next person (C) asks B, “What are you doing?” and the cycle continues. There are no repeating activities and no similar ones. The students did this in a large circle first, then broke off into smaller groups and partners to try again, this time getting faster. During the large circle, at one point, I prompted Mariya to mime scratching her bottom–something that was meant to be playful but I now realise was a bit inappropriate. In hindsight, I need to be mindful of maintaining a professional tone and avoiding my son’s five-year-old potty humour from sneaking into the Year 6 classroom. Overall, the students seemed to be having a great time during the warm up. When we returned to the classroom, I asked if they had enjoyed the activity, and the majority raised their hands and were laughing and smiling, a positive and encouraging response that reinforced the value of starting with an engaging, active warm up.

MAIN ACTIVITY:

I am taking smaller steps with the Year 6 students to gradually increase their comfort levels with tasks that require the use of the Five Habits of Learning. Today’s main activity focused on Collaboration and Persistence.

To build engagement, I linked the task to their ongoing toy design project, which has now become a competition: students will be designing and making toys for their Year 2 little buddies. The Year 2 students will take part in a pitching session and choose their favourite toy design. The winning designer will receive a voucher, kindly donated by Mariya. This competitive element has added a lot of excitement and motivation to the classroom.

To hook them into today’s task, I shared data from toy manufacturers that specifically target 7-year-olds. I then introduced the rules and materials available for the toy design project. Students were asked to complete a ranking ladder–a sequence of steps they believed would be involved in creating a toy from start to finish.

Each pair or group of three received 11 small slips of paper, each representing a stage in the production timeline. These included steps like collecting data from their little buddies, researching toys, designing, planning for materials, constructing, seeking teacher approval, and preparing for the pitch. By providing the steps rather than asking them to come up with them from scratch, the task felt more manageable. However, requiring students to discuss and determine the correct order still made the task intellectually engaging. It was fascinating to observe how deeply they engaged with the sequencing. Students took the task seriously, frequently double-checking their process and seeking my feedback. I made sure not to give them the answers but instead pointed out where their ranking ladders needed more work. This encouraged persistence, as students returned to their partners to re-evaluate and refine their ideas.

Overall, the students did extremely well. At the end of the session, I asked them to rate their collaboration, out of 10 using their fingers, as we did last week. One student was notably honest, giving himself a zero–which was interesting, as I had observed him allowing his partner to do most of the work. This opened up a valuable conversation about collaboration.

We also reflected on persistence, and students ranked themselves again. I noticed they are becoming more comfortable with my presence in the classroom. They’re more willing to ask questions, seek my feedback, and revise their work–signs of growing confidence and trust.

REFLECTION:

Following on from the main activity, we continued our discussion of the Five Habits of Learning and began working on our origami lucky stars, using coloured paper to represent the habits we had demonstrated. Last week, we identified Collaboration and Persistence, and the students recognised that they had used those same habits again this week.

To begin, students were asked to fold their paper lengthwise into sixteenths–a difficult task that required focus and precision. They then cut a thin strip along one of the folds to use for making their star. Each student selected a strip in the colour of the habit they believed they had demonstrated most during the session.

Some students were able to begin making stars right away, while many others needed step-by-step instructions, provided in both picture and video formats. The stars are very small and intricate, requiring strong fine motor skills and a great deal of patience. As a result, most students were unable to finish a star during the session.

I actually feel this is a fantastic outcome. Learning a skill like this slowly over time is a powerful way to build resilience and reinforce the Five Habits of Learning, particularly Persistence and Discipline. I fully expect that it may take several weeks for students to come close to successfully making a lucky star, and that’s perfectly ok. I’m determined to show them the reward that comes from perseverance and consistent effort over time. It’s also worth noting: I can’t make the stars yet either. I’m looking forward to going on this learning journey alongside the Year 6 students. I believe this shared experience will help build a sense of mutual respect and encourage the students to keep persisting, even when the task feels frustrating or difficult.

PLANNING WITH THE TEACHER:

Mariya and I had a Zoom call in the afternoon following my session. We both agreed that today’s session went well and that the students were engaged throughout. The toy project now feels more purposeful and authentic, as students are creating toys their little buddies will enjoy and be able to take home. After I left, Mariya noted that some students already had ideas for the toys they want to make.

WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS:

What’s emerging is a noticeable increase in engagement, particularly since introducing the competition element to the toy design project. The idea of designing a toy for their little buddies has also added purpose and excitement–it gives the task a sense of responsibility and relevance. Because they’re creating something for someone else, students seem more invested, and it avoids the risk of the task feeling too childish, as it might if they were designing a toy for themselves. Credit to Mariya for thoughtfully connecting these components and fostering an inclusive approach that ensures all students are genuinely on board with the project. It’s clear that this blend of competition, creativity, and empathy is tapping into their curiosity and motivation.

IDEAS MOVING FORWARD:

Next Monday is a public holiday, so I won’t be attending the classroom until the following Monday. In my absence, Mariya will work with the students to develop questions for their little buddies, helping them gather relevant information to design toys that match their buddies’ likes and dislikes. She will also organise a session where the Year 6 students can meet with their buddies to ask these questions and collect data for their designs.

Back in the classroom, students will use the collected data to begin researching toy ideas that align with their findings. Mariya will create a simple spreadsheet to record each student’s initial toy idea, which I will use to help plan and gather materials for my next session in two weeks (focusing on imagination and blueprints, patterns, layouts and designs).

Before that session, I’ll visit REmida to take photos and collect potential materials. I’ll present these options to the students to support their planning. Once their designs and construction steps are developed, I’ll return to REmida to collect any additional items based on their materials lists.

Mariya will also prepare student display folders to track their progress and store collected data. Additionally, she will photograph 3D models she has seen at Carousel to inspire the students and help them visualise possibilities for their own designs.