Preps
What a fantastic start to the term we have had in Prep! Our students have been busy exploring new ideas, developing important skills and building their confidence as learners. From discovering the continents of the world to experimenting with historical writing tools and getting hands-on in the kitchen, there has been so much to celebrate!
Reading: Exploring the World Around Us
This term, we have begun our first Knowledge Building Unit, preparing students for the style of learning they will experience next year. Our focus has been on the different continents of the world, with each week dedicated to exploring a new continent.
Students have been discovering the unique day-to-day cultures, interesting traditions and famous landmarks found around the world. Along the way, we have been developing important classroom discussion skills, including learning how to turn and talk with a partner and using thumbs up and thumbs down to respond to questions.
Most excitingly, our students are becoming curious learners who ask thoughtful follow-up questions! These questions often lead to further investigations as a class, helping us deepen our understanding and build even more knowledge about each continent. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity grow as they discover just how much there is to learn about our world.
Writing: Turning Our Knowledge into Sentences
Our reading and Knowledge Building Unit have provided the perfect opportunity to consolidate our learning through writing. Students have been using the information they have learnt about each continent to construct their own sentences and share their new knowledge.
Our Preps are becoming such confident writers! They are working hard to form sentences that communicate their ideas, with some students even challenging themselves to write two or three facts about our focus continent. We are so proud of the progress they are making and the enthusiasm they are showing as they put their growing knowledge onto paper.
As part of our 150th Anniversary celebrations, students also had the opportunity to step back in time and explore what writing was like 150 years ago. They experimented with different writing tools, including using a pretend feather quill with ink and practising their writing on blackboards. We compared these experiences with the writing tools we use today and discussed how writing practices have changed over time. It was a wonderful hands-on way to connect our classroom learning with our school's rich history!
Maths: Learning the Art of Sharing
In Maths, we have been exploring the important concept of sharing. Students have been learning how to share objects fairly by placing one counter into each box, working through one group at a time.
This hands-on approach has helped students develop their understanding of how sharing works and why it is important to distribute objects carefully and evenly. We have also used real-life scenarios to make our learning engaging and relatable, giving students opportunities to practise their new skills in meaningful ways.
It has been wonderful to see students building their confidence as they work through these activities, explain their thinking and discover how mathematical concepts connect to everyday life.
SAKG: Little Chefs in the Kitchen!
Our students have been so excited to head into the kitchen each day for our SAKG program! There is always plenty of enthusiasm as we roll up our sleeves and get ready to learn something new.
One of our highlights has been learning how to knead dough. Students have enjoyed getting hands-on and discovering the steps involved in preparing food. Alongside these practical cooking skills, we are also developing important life skills that will support students well beyond the kitchen.
We have been practising listening carefully, following instructions, asking for help when we need it and working together as a team. Above all, SAKG has been a wonderful opportunity to nurture a love of learning, cooking and trying new things together.
