Prep Curriculum News
Term 3, 2024

Welcome to Term 3, we can’t believe we are already half-way through Prep! The children have achieved so much and also have so much to look forward to for the remainder of the year.

Term 3 focuses on extending students’ knowledge, with our wonderful programs designed for targeted development. We continue with our morning exercises to get our bodies ready for learning and brains switched on for the day.

Our ‘How the world works’ unit of inquiry has a Maths and Design/Technology focus, and the students will be involved in a variety of fun, hands on explorations such as ‘Cubby Day’, designing a treehouse and a tallest tower challenge.

This Term we also celebrate the Preps 100 Days of school and Father’s Day morning. We have another interesting and exciting term ahead!

Units of Inquiry

Transdisciplinary Theme:

Where we are in place and time

Central Idea:

Family histories provide an insight into culture.

Lines of Inquiry:

Features of a family
The way we are influenced by cultural differences of families
Changes in family life due to evolving technology

Transdisciplinary Theme:

How the world works

Central Idea:

Climate and the type of materials available determines the structures that can be built.

Lines of inquiry:

The different materials used to build structures
The way these materials influence the design of the buildings and structures
The effects climate has on the design of houses

Literacy

During Term 3, the Prep students will continue to establish their skills in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. The SMART Spelling Program will advance, introducing new digraphs and trigraphs and words though our Word of the Week and Sentence of the Week activities.

The students are now familiar with many aspects of The Daily 5 Literacy Program and will continue to develop their skills through activities including Read to Self, Read to Others and Word Work.

Our Take Home Reading Program will continue with an emphasis on reading for pleasure and developing the students’ word decoding skills.

As students gain confidence in their reading, we encourage expression and fluency skills. Students will continue to share their experiences during Circle Time and use these as a basis for their weekly writing. When writing, students will be encouraged to be risk takers and write their own words using their knowledge of the letter/sound relationships.

Show and Tell will continue and is an opportunity for the children to further develop their ‘Speaking and Listening’ skills while making connections to our unit of inquiry.

During Term 3, the Preps will be trialing Heggerty Phonological lessons. Phonological awareness allows children to recognise and work with the sounds of language. These activities are sometimes called ear exercises because the focus is on hearing the parts or sounds in words. This program involves short, sharp activities that run for approximately 10 minutes each day.

Numeracy

During Term 3, the Prep students will continue to participate in hands on activities to further develop their understanding of the Number System. The focus will be on two-digit numbers up to 20. Students will consolidate their understanding of addition and will be introduced to subtraction using concrete materials.

They will continue to develop their ability to read, write and represent numbers in a variety of ways such as models, drawings, in words, on number lines, with fingers, tally marks and on dice.

Students will compare and order common events using the everyday language of time and connect days of the week to familiar events and actions. They will learn informal methods of measuring items and compare objects to decide which is longer or shorter, heavier or lighter or holds more or less. Students will be encouraged to explain their reasoning in everyday language.

During class iPad sessions, the Preps will utilise the MathSeeds Program to consolidate and further extend their mathematical understandings.

Inclusive Approaches

The Resilience Project

In Term 3, Prep students will continue working on the activities in their Resilience Project workbooks. These activities offer practical strategies to build resilience and happiness. We promote the values of Gratitude, Empathy & Mindfulness (GEM) in all class activities.

Whole-school Focus on PYP Learner Profile

July- Thinkers

We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.

August- Balanced

We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives - intellectual, physical, and emotional to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We practice mindfulness to create a calm and relaxed environment

September- Open-minded

We show appreciation for our own cultures and personal histories. We respect the values and traditions of others. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view.