Foundation News

Returning On-site!

It was exciting to greet Foundation students back onsite last Monday. Many of our students bounded in without even taking a second glance at their parents, some of them even forgetting to say goodbye. Reuniting with friends, familiarising themselves with routines and the learning space, sharing home experiences with teachers and playing in different indoor and outdoor areas were their top priorities.

The children have quickly adapted to new hygiene and COVID safe practices in our learning space. Washing/sanitising their hands at regular intervals, wiping tables, wearing masks supplied from home, drinking water exclusively from their own drink bottle, having external doors open whilst inside, learning in outdoor areas and remaining in designated areas are habits that we have adopted since returning to school.

Seeing our learning space come to life during Investigations was terrific! Students were finally able to engage in investigative play in areas of interest and in areas where they were able to play with friends.

When the children were asked what they missed most about school, one of the most popular answers was 'the playground'. We invite you to peruse through photos to catch a glimpse of the first few days back!

Writing

This fortnight, students focused on identifying the characters, setting, problem and resolution in stories they have heard and read. Students have begun to write their own stories that include a beginning, a series of events and an ending. Last week, Foundation students listened to the story of 'The Three Little Pigs'. They used this story as a framework to write their own version. Here are a few examples:

Maths

This week in Maths, students in Foundation have been learning about money. They are developing the following understandings:

The value of Australian coins is not related to size
Each denomination has unique features that make it possible to identify them
There are different terms associated with money eg: cheap, expensive, valuable, precious.

Students have been using money in practical situations during Investigations, in order to pay for goods and services. During play, students are becoming familiar with the different ways people pay for goods and services. They are also estimating and becoming aware of the approximate cost of items. Finally and importantly, students are learning that money does not magically appear and people do not have an endless amount.

When opportunities arise at home or when you next go shopping, have a chat with your child about money. Ask your child to estimate the cost of items and classify things they want according to their value or how much they cost.

Inquiry

This Term, our Inquiry focus is "How to Keep Safe Under the Hot Australian Sun?" Students are learning about the uniqueness of Australia in relation to its location, geography and climate. As part of this unit, students will also learn about road safety with a specific focus on pedestrian, passenger and bike riding rules. Students will identify positive behaviours and will take part in a road safety simulation.