Prep Happenings

Well who can believe it – The Preps are in their last term of Prep and almost ready to be Year 1’s. We are all so proud of their achievements through the year and are looking forward to a great Term 4!

 

Wednesday 7/10/09 – Water Police Incursion

Friday 9/10/09 – Fireman Incursion

Wednesday 14/10/09 – Book Fair begins

Thursday 22/10/09 – Water Day/Circus Incursion

Tuesday 3/11/09 – Melbourne Cup Day

Sunday 8/11/09 – Community Landscaping Project

Tuesday 10/11/09 – Grandparent’s/special friends Day

Tuesday 8/12/09 – BIG DAY OUT – Melbourne Zoo

Friday 18/12/09 – Last day term 4 – early dismissal 1.30pm

 

We continue to thank all our parent helpers for their ongoing assistance with reading and our classroom activities. If you would like to help this term or have a preference for a different day please let your class teacher know. Thankyou to all parents for reading at home, this is much appreciated by your child and us. It is great to see all the children knowing how to read their ‘coloured’ words – it would be great to have them practice writing them at home too! Also thankyou to our parent reps for their support and their organisation of parent get togethers.

 

This terms unit of work is based around ‘Toys.’ We will be investigating, learning about and making a variety of toys. The students will design and make a wheeled toy using cardboard boxes, tubes and hard plastic wheels. They will also be involved in the design and creation of a soft toy using calico and other materials. We do require parent assistance with sewing of these toys and a note will be sent home later in the term with more details. If you have any buttons, wool, material scraps or anything that we may use for toy decoration please keep aside for this part of our unit. Previous students have really enjoyed making the toys and we know that the soft toys made in Prep are still part of many a toy box and treasured by students throughout the school.

 

Children will continue to be introduced to a new sound of the week. Sounds coming up are qu, sh, th, ee, oo, ch and wh. Please encourage your child to say and identify their sounds at home. We will still be practising our letter codes/phonograms and students will begin some simple spelling lessons based on the Write to Read program preparing them for the structure of Year 1. Also don’t forget to practise reading and writing your high frequency words.

This term we will continue to reinforce the numbers 1 – 20. . We will be looking at simple subtraction using concrete materials and strategies such as counting back. The Preps will also learn about 3D shapes, revise simple measurement and discuss chance concepts such as the possibility of an event occurring in simple terms such as Likely, unlikely, certain.

 

This term our ICT coach Gail Gunn once again works with the Preps in the ICT lab teaching them new skills and providing them with lots of opportunity to practise what they learn.

 

On Tuesday 10/11, Grandparent’s or special friends are invited by the school to come and see the students at school. A special activity is planned for students and their visitors and morning tea is provided. More details will be provided closer to the date.

 

To celebrate the end of the year we will be having our BIG DAY OUT on Tuesday 8/12/09 to the Melbourne Zoo. The children will be involved in a variety of activities and we will have lunch and play activities also as part of our day. More details will be sent home closer to the day.

 

Term 4 is a busy term for your child and us as their teachers, a great deal of assessment is carried out to ensure we provide you with a report at the end of the year that reflects your child’s learning. We understand that a number of parents are concerned about reading levels and where their child is situated. Please be aware that the books your child takes home are for them to practise their skills and enjoy their time reading with you. Books read with the teacher at school are often more challenging for your child and this is when strategies are taught and students practise problem solving more difficult text with teacher guidance and support. We want your child to enjoy reading with you therefore texts sent home are not designed to be too difficult. We would like discussion to take place around the text your child is reading, ask them to predict what might happen, question them about what has happened or ask them what they would do if they were a character in the story. Also read a variety of texts with your child at home, an interesting article in the local paper or magazine, a store catalogue, road signs are all avenues to allow your child to practise their skills.

 

Term 4 is also the time we start to place your child in a class group for Year 1. Please do not approach your teacher regarding placement with a specific teacher or friendship group. Many, many hours and much effort is put into class placement taking into consideration a number of factors including behaviour, ability, personality and who your child will work well with. We attempt to create 7 classes for next year that reflect well balanced, happy, cohesive and productive working groups. If you have any significant issues or requests that are academically based please put them in writing and address to David Foley.

 

Term 4 is a Sunsmart term and children are expected to wear hats in the playground. Children not having hats will be asked to play in the Rest – a – While Shelter. Also we ask if the children could bring along an outside drink bottle for in the playground. Also a reminder about our Rubbish Free Lunch Policy, aiming to reduce the amount of rubbish our school produces.

 

The Prep team is looking forward to working with you and your child in Term 4.

 

If you have any questions or queries please feel free to speak with us personally or notify us via your child’s communication folder and please remember to check whether YOU’VE GOT MAIL.

 

Michelle Lucas, Sue James, Simone Juratowitch, Cara Grant and Anthea Eames.