What's Happening In Our Classroom

Preps

WOW! What a time we have had so far in Prep! The Grade Preps have been so busy with their learning and the beginning of their school journey. We enjoy seeing all the smiling faces working hard in the classrooms. Students have learnt school routines such as packing/unpacking their bags and lunchboxes and getting the correct equipment organised and getting ready for each lesson independently. 

Literacy

So far during our Literacy Lessons, students have been introduced to some letters of the alphabet to build on their alphabet knowledge. They have been practising identifying the letter symbol, naming the letter with its corresponding sound as well as letter formation for handwriting. Students are still developing their pencil grip and have been encouraged to become confident writers. They have be partaking in fine-motor and oral activities to help them with their language skills and cognitive development. They have also been learning to identify and write their own name. The students this term have started to blend letter sounds to read words and write simple sentences. 

Mathematics

So far for mathematics this year, the students have been learning lots about manipulating the numbers 1 to 10. We have been practising counting collections, exploring the number sequence, and ordering of numbers to 10 stating the numbers before and after a given number. We have been learning to identify and represent numbers and to match numerals to representations of objects, making sure that we count each object only once.

We have used a range of concrete materials such as dice, 10s frames, digit cards, dot cards and coloured teddies. We have been sorting objects, investigating things that are similar and different using colour and size.

We have also introduced vocabulary to describe our location. Students have been involved in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities that have allowed them to use language such as next to, between, in front, behind, in, under, up, down, forwards and backwards. Practising the days of the week and simple calendar work has and will be an ongoing focus.

In our mathematics sessions we have been practicing our calendar work daily by reciting the days of the week and months of the year and identifying the day, month, date and special events on the calendar. We are also exploring numbers from 10-20 by consolidating our knowledge of numbers from 0-10 through manipulating concrete materials and representing numbers in various ways. 

SWPBS 

As we settle into a new year of school and the Preps adjust to their new routine, as teachers and staff members at Mackellar we strive to provide a positive, safe, and supportive learning environment for all our students through the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support framework (SWPBS). As new members to our school the preps have been learning a lot about Mackellar’s school values: Learning, Respect, Resilience and Teamwork. Students have been modelling correct and incorrect behaviours in various settings of the school, and have been encouraged to continuously demonstrate the school values with Buzz awards. We have also been learning about our wellbeing and being the best that we can be through the Resilience Project lessons. These include lessons on gratitude, emotional literacy, empathy and mindfulness.

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