Prep News

ENGLISH
Reading:
In Reading this term, the Prep students will be starting an author study on Mem Fox. Throughout the author study, students will learn about the author herself and look at the different characters, illustrations, words and themes that are found throughout her texts. We will be exploring texts such as Possum Magic, Hattie and the Fox, and the Magic Hat. Students will be using comprehension strategies such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising and questioning to understand and discussing texts listened to, viewed or read. Students will also continue engaging in Phonics lessons which embed the process of teaching students the relationship between letters and sounds and how to use those relationships to read and write words.
Writing:
In Writing, the Prep students will continue their work on writing about a recount of an experience that has happened, utilising the elements of who, what, when and where. The students will also learn how to write a narrative, with a focus on retelling narratives that they have been exposed to during Reading. They will then use these skills to develop and write their own narratives, including a beginning, middle and end. They will also be focusing on during their writing sessions, how to hold their pencil correctly, and how capital letters are used for names and the beginning of sentences, and full stops/punctuation marks signal the end of a sentence.
MATHEMATICS
In Maths, the Prep students will be learning about 3D objects. They will name and sort all the shapes like cube, sphere. students will be engaged in a unit of Addition and Subtraction, which will involve students adding and subtracting groups to find the total. Students will continue working on number recognition and counting from zero to twenty, subitising. Students will also begin a new unit on Capacity, which involves comparing objects that are heavier and lighter.
INQUIRY
In Inquiry, the Prep students will be learning to understand their family history. This will involve identifying members of their family, their cultural traditions and the ways different cultures are presented. The key concepts covered this term will be identity and culture, namely our place in the world and who we are. The key understandings we will address are sharing and reflecting on personal histories and cultures, and learning about Dreaming stories to help describe the cultural history of Australia’s First Peoples. Some of the key questions we will use to explore these understandings are: What is my history / my story and how do I know? What are cultural traditions? What are some of my own traditions that I celebrate? What are the different ways that we show our culture to others?
SCIENCE
Welcome to Term 3! This term in Science we will be focusing on the Physical Science strand by investigating that how objects move is dependent on a variety of different factors, including their size and shape.
This is an exciting unit where students will demonstrate different movements using their own bodies, balls, and many different objects and toys! Students will describe the shapes of objects and make predictions on how they will move according to their shape; students will then conduct experiments to test their predictions and observe movements. They will also investigate and explain how the shape of an object affects how well it can roll or slide and will be able to compare and contrast the movements of objects.
Students will participate in various activities including whole class focus and individual ones and through information technology. They will also spend time outside the classroom, observing and practising different objects.
LOTE - AUSLAN
Welcome to Term 3 Auslan, the Foundation students will learn about:
Fruit, Zoo Animals, Wh Questions, Handshapes, HOLM+ NMF (Handshapes, Orientation,
Location, Movement and Non-Manual Features), Feelings#2 (extending on previous learning about feelings), About Me, Clothing, Medical/Health. The final week will involve revision of previous learning and celebrating our successes. These topic signs and features of Auslan are important as they extend our skills and build toward future learning. One activity will involve the students using Auslan to describe their features/appearance, e.g. hair type and colour, eye colour from the Lesson ‘About Me’. Explicit teaching through videos, with stories, songs, poems and games will provide an opportunity for learning, whilst having fun. The students will begin to understand what Auslan communication is about, by watching Deaf adults signing on the videos. At this level the teacher will guide and support the students’ learning, as they also continue to develop their own skills.
ART
The Preps are going to explore the elements of shape and form in Art this term. We will work with a range of materials including modelling clay, chalk and fabric. In addition, we will explore mixed media artworks, which are created using a combination of different materials. Indigenous artworks will be incorporated into some sessions and the works of Spanish artist Pablo Picasso will be our inspiration to explore how shapes and angles can be used to create artworks. Art activities will involve lots of discussion and play, as we discover creative possibilities in making artworks using a range of elements. Looking forward to another wonderful term of Art with Preps!
P.E
For physical education this term, our Prep students will continue building their fundamental motor skills, with a focus on controlling their body movements during different activities such as dance/music, and some different sports throughout the term. We’ll be practising skills like balancing, jumping, and catching, and will then transition into learning how to strike a ball with rackets to develop hand-eye coordination. I’m really looking forward to working with each student and helping them continue to grow and enjoy being active in physical education this term!
MUSIC
During term three preps will be exploring and listening to different genres of music. For example, rock music, classical music, jazz and pop. Students will be learning to recite rhymes. Students will use body percussion to clap the rhythms of the rhymes. Students will also be learning how to play simple 4/4 rhythms and keep a steady beat.