Prep

The Preps are playing Tenzi in Maths Blast. They choose one whole number between 3 and 10, throw ten dice on their mat, and then find all the possible parts to make their whole number selected. This activity reinforces crucial number sense skills, such as automatic subitising skills, seeing the parts to make a whole number, and recalling number facts. 

In Maths, the students have been shape detectives. They were given the task of identifying circles and rectangles in the classroom. 

They learned about the features of circles and triangles and then created them using various materials. 

Literacy 

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! was the book we listened to and responded to in writing. The students discussed reasons why the pigeon should not be allowed to drive a bus. They then had the opportunity to try to convince each other why the pigeon should be allowed to drive it. The purpose of these lessons is to encourage oral language development by practising speaking in clear, full sentences and considering different points of view.

On Wednesday, the Preps celebrated National Simultaneous Storytime with The Truck Cat by Deborah Frenkel and Danny Snell. The story explores themes of belonging, friendship, and the meaning of "home." After reading, the students reflected on the characteristics of cats. In small groups, they discussed what cats look like, how they feel, the sounds they make, and their favourite things. Each student had the opportunity to share their knowledge about cats. It was wonderful to hear them making connections to personal experiences as well as to stories and movies. Finally, the Preps followed a guided drawing activity to create their own cat illustrations.

Inquiry 

On Tuesday morning, the Preps were immersed in the world of sand, seaweed, and smooth rocks as they explored the local rockpools and learned about the fascinating creatures that inhabit this environment and Port Phillip Bay. Miss Ellie shared her knowledge about sea urchins, sea snails, sea stars, crabs, Bottlenose Dolphins, and Pygmy Whales. The students engaged with the various objects, asked thoughtful questions to learn more, and shared their own knowledge with Ellie. They also reflected on ways to protect these precious habitats by keeping them free from pollution and safe for the creatures that call them home.