Prep Term 4 Overviews

To all our wonderful Prep families,

Welcome to Term 4!!

Reading  

In Reading this term, students will continue to develop their decoding and comprehension skills by reading and responding to mentor texts. They will identify features of fiction and non-fiction texts and use these features to deepen their understanding of what they read. Students will explore how text and images work together to infer meaning in texts. Students will continue to share their thoughts, preferences and likes and dislikes about texts. They will begin to justify their opinions by identifying their favourite events, characters or new information they have learnt. Students will develop their fluency and expression by rereading sentences and changing their voice to suit the events in the text. They will monitor their reading by asking ‘Does that make sense?’ and re-reading to clarify meaning. Continuing our phonics work, students will explore the long a sound (ai, ay), the long e sound (ee, ea, and y), the long i sound (ie, igh, and y), the long o sound (oa). They will use this knowledge to read words that contain these spelling patterns (e.g. paint, beach, night, goat). Students will continue to practise their DCC common words throughout the term.

Writing

In Writing this term, students will develop their ideas into detailed written texts and apply a range of strategies to spell words and edit their work. Students will begin to elaborate on who was involved and what happened during shared experiences. They will write several sentences that sequence ideas or events within the same written piece. Students will check their work for 5 Star Writing. They will consider who they are writing about and what they were/are doing in each sentence. Students will focus on adding capital letters to the beginning of sentences and full stops at the end. They will re-read their writing to ensure it makes sense. Students will continue to strive to accurately record their DCC words in their writing and use finger spaces between words. Students will refine their spelling by sounding out and checking if the word looks right. They will apply their developing phonics knowledge by writing words that contain digraphs and some long vowel sounds. Students will further develop their handwriting, ensuring their letters are formed correctly and legibly. 

Numeracy

In Numeracy this term, students will build their understanding of the numbers to 20 through ordering, addition, subtraction and problem solving. They will compare quantities and order sequences of numbers (e.g. put 7, 13, 2, 18 in order from smallest to largest). Students will build familiarity with worded problems such as: “If I have 8 hot wheels and I buy 4 more, how many hot wheels will I have altogether?” and “If I have 15 apples and I eat 5, how many apples will I have left?” They will strengthen their understanding of how to solve problems and communicate their thinking using the strategies “Making a Model” and “Drawing a Diagram.” Students will practise counting collections of objects using efficient organisation, collaboration and counting strategies. They will develop fluency with part-part-whole knowledge and apply this in practical situations. Students will compare data sets represented in simple pictographs. They will use concrete and familiar materials to compare length using the language “longer” and “shorter.” 

Unit of Inquiry 

In our Unit of Inquiry this term, students will explore Environmental Sustainability through the lens of: ‘People have a responsibility to care for their environment.’ Students will tune into this topic by investigating rubbish in our local environment. They will learn how rubbish in our school can move through water ways and the air to pollute habitats beyond our immediate surroundings. Students will reflect on how members of our community demonstrate responsibility by caring for and cleaning their local environments. Students will deepen their understanding of how their actions can positively impact the environment by learning about the recycling process and their role within it. They will develop their collaboration skills by working as a team to imagine solutions to the rubbish problem in our local environment. Throughout the unit, students will deepen their understanding of connection (to our environment), responsibility, and cause and effect (how our actions can impact the world around us). 

Social and Emotional Learning

In Social and Emotional Learning this term, students will continue to develop their understanding of our school values and increase their independence when problem solving. With a focus on the value of “teamwork,” students will develop their repertoire of safe and fair games they can play outside. They will differentiate between “small problems” and “big problems” when interacting with peers. When faced with a small problem, students will practise strategies such as using their words, walking away, taking turns, and listening to others. When faced with a big problem, they will practise identifying trusted adults and seeking help. Students will develop their flexibility by trying new things and preparing for the transition to Grade 1. A highlight of the term will be our Prep Breakfast, which is a fantastic introduction to the camp program: Prep students will wear pyjamas, eat breakfast, change into sports clothes, and participate in camp activities, including Kaboom Sports, throughout the regular 8:40 am - 3:00 pm day. For further details please see the Compass event.

Other reminders

• Term 4 is a hat term. Please ensure hats are clearly labelled and brought to school daily.
• Prep Assembly is Tuesday the 21st of October at 2:15 pm. Parents are welcome to attend in the gym.
• Prep Breakfast and Kaboom sports is Tuesday the 11th of November (payment closes: Tuesday 28th of October)
• Prep Celebration of Learning is Monday the 8th of December at 2:30 pm. Parents are invited to attend in their child’s classroom. 

Kind Regards,

Prep Teachers