Prep 

Information and Reminders

Book Week!

Book Week kicks off this week! We are looking forward to celebrating with our BookWeek Parade on Wednesday, followed by our special author visit. 

We have created a Social Story to help students know what to expect during Book Week. Please feel free to share it with your child if you think they would benefit from having a little extra preparation.

Final Gymnastics session this week

Our final gymnastics session is this Thursday!A big thank you to all of our wonderful parent helpers who have come along and supported the program. Having the extra adults available makes our sessions safer, smoother and even more enjoyable for our students. We really appreciate your time and support!

Headphones for literacy task

Later in the week, we will be completing a literacy task that would be best done using headphones. If your child has a pair they can use at school, please send them along. Your child can keep them in their book box for future use, or we can send them home at the end of the week.

Term 3 Specialist Timetable

Please note: Due to the Grade 5/6 students participating in an onsite incursion, Prep students will still have their big specialist day on Tuesday, but their specialist classes will take place in the morning rather than the afternoon. This is the last week of this arrangement.

Curriculum

*Please remind your child to go to the toilet before they enter the classroom.

Phonics and reading 

We are learning about the digraph TH, exploring both the voiced sound, as in this, and the unvoiced sound, as in think. Digraphs are two letters that work together to make one sound.

Our learning focus will include reading words and short texts, spelling words containing these patterns, and writing simple sentences using our new spelling knowledge.

What can you do at home?

• Support your child to read the decodable book and/or UFLI text in their Reading Pocket. Try and aim to read every day, if you can.

• The 'Roll and Read' page is a great way to practise sounding out and blending words, especially for students who find reading sentences a little challenging.

•Review the letter names and sounds for all letters of the alphabet. When practising, say them like this: “A spells /a/.” Ask your child if they can show you the cued articulation for the sounds. 

•Learn the Heart Words (in red booklet). 

• Work through the optional UFLI pages. 

Sound / Letter cards to review:

Digraphs to review:

Optional UFLI Home Practice Pages:

Literature: reading responses and writing 

Our mentor text is Koala Lou, by Mem Fox. Students will plot the story on a story mountain. They will investigate the inside and outside characteristics of Koala Lou and complete an oral retell of the story using key vocabulary from the text.

All of our mentor text sessions will incorporate writing, giving students opportunities to practise their writing skills while responding to and building on their learning from the text. In handwriting, students will review the correct formation of the 'Boss U' letters – u, y and w - using their Sky, Grass, Ground books. They will focus on correct letter formation, size, placement and entry and exit points.

What can you do at home?

•Encourage your child to write about things they are interested in - a picture, a favourite animal, something they did that day or a story they have imagined. Encourage them to sound out words using the sounds they know and have a go at spelling independently.

•Help your child practise writing their name with a capital letter at the beginning and lowercase letters for the rest of their name.

Maths 

We are beginning a new maths concept of Sharing and Grouping. Students will explore what it means to share equally and identify when groups have equal shares. They will practise sharing collections equally between2 people, then 3 people, and explore what happens when there is one leftover that cannot be shared equally.

What can you do at home?

•Practise sharing everyday objects equally - for example, share 6 grapes, toys or blocks between 2 people and ask, “Can we make sure we each get the same amount?” Then try sharing between 3 people.

•Explore 'leftovers' by using a small collection of objects and asking your child to share them equally. Talk about what happens when there is one left over and use words such as 'equal', 'same', 'share' and 'leftover'.

CBL

Students will listen to carefully selected texts and explore the different types of power they can identify. They will discuss how power is used in each text and consider the ways in which that power is shown through the characters, their actions and their choices.

Wellbeing

SWPBS

We are continuing to keep the learning from Bullying No Way! Week alive by revisiting the importance of Be Kind and thinking carefully about the words we use. Students will practise using the THINK acronym before they speak, considering whether their words are True, Helpful, Necessary, Inspiring and Kind.

 Respectful Relationships

Students will explore how to ask for help and identify trusted adults they can turn to when they need support. They will practise using clear words and confident communication to explain what they need and seek help when something feels tricky or unsafe.

What can you do at home?

• Encourage your child to use the THINK acronym before speaking. Ask, “Are your words True, Helpful, Necessary, Inspiring and Kind?” Discuss how choosing kind words can make others feel happy, included and valued.

•Talk with your child about trusted adults they can ask for help when something feels tricky, uncomfortable or unsafe. Practise what they could say, such as, “I need help with something” or “I don't feel safe.”