Preps Term 2 Overviews

To all our wonderful Prep families,

Welcome to term 2! 

Reading

In Reading, we will develop our phonics knowledge with the following letters and the sounds they represent: l, v, y, r, e, k, w, qu, z, j, u, k,w. We will make each sound in consonant-vowel-consonant words and then blend the sounds together to read the word (e.g. /h/o/t/, hot). We will use strategies to help us understand what we read. We will identify different types of text (fiction and nonfiction) and explore the different purposes of texts (eg. to entertain or inform). We will focus on retelling the important parts of a story, inferring how characters feel, and making connections between texts and our own experiences.

Writing

In writing, we will develop our phonics knowledge by writing the letters learnt in Reading with correct formation. We will segment consonant-vowel-consonant words (e.g. sat = /s/a/t/, 3 sounds) and record the sounds we hear using known letters (e.g. if I hear /s/, I write the letter s). We will develop our writing ideas with a focus on exploring descriptions and information texts. We will draw pictures and label them with words from the classroom environment, verbalise sentences and attempt to record the sounds we hear. We will explore using finger spaces between words and experiment with adding ending punctuation. We will also be investigating how to use resources, such as word walls, DCC common words, anchor charts and known texts (Environmental print), to support our writing. 

Numeracy

In Numeracy, we will continue to develop a deep understanding of numbers to 10 and extend this knowledge to teen numbers, recognising them as a group of ten and a few more (e.g. 14 is 10 and 4 more). We will identify numbers before and after a given number, compare collections using the language of “more” and “less,” and partition numbers in a variety of ways. We will model and tell simple addition stories (e.g. “There are 2 flowers and 2 more grow. How many flowers are there altogether?”) We will explore data and statistics by collecting, sorting, and representing data using objects and images, and will compare results to draw simple conclusions. We will continue learning about time by comparing the duration of events using the language of “shorter time” and “longer time”. We will deepen our understanding of algebra by creating patterns and following short sequences of instructions. We will build on our location vocabulary by describing the position and location of objects within space. 

Inquiry

In Inquiry, we will focus on Social Responsibility through the guiding question ‘How does each family have a unique history?’ We will explore what a family is, how might our family be the same or different from other families, different events families might celebrate and different communities a family might belong to. Lastly we will learn about the changes different families might experience over time, and the history of others. 

        Social and Emotional Learning

In Social and Emotional Learning, we will be focusing on students identifying emotions they may feel and whether these are comfortable or uncomfortable emotions. We will be looking at how we express emotions and use words and actions to describe how we feel when faced with a problem. Students will learn about and practise calming strategies to support self regulation and how their emotions can change. We will also practise making kind and friendly choices when playing and problem solving with friends. 

Discovery

In Discovery, we will use rich mentor texts to help develop and strengthen our vocabularies to support our comprehension of both speech and written texts. We will explore the meanings of new words through engaging and play-based language experiences, including an excursion to the farm. These vocabulary words and experiences will form a strong base for generating ideas for our writing. We will use Colourful Semantics to help us orally construct strong sentences that contain a ‘who’ (noun, subject), a ‘do’ (verb) and a ‘what like’ (adjective). Our play-based learning will continue to link with literacy, numeracy, and inquiry topics, allowing us to develop our vocabularies, language skills, and understanding of these areas in an open, student-centred environment.

Home Learning

Please continue to read each night with your child and record the title in your child’s yellow Reading Log. After reading, you can ask your child comprehension questions such as: What happened at the beginning, middle and end (retell)? How did the character feel and why (inferring)? Did the story remind you of anything in your own life (making connections)? 

To further practise the concepts taught in class, you can support your child to use our online Apps (Wushka, and IXL). You can also use the additional resources in the blue homework folder to  practise your child’s handwriting, letter and number recognition and DCC words.  

Kind Regards,

Prep Teachers