From the Year Prep Classroom
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN FOUNDATION
We would like to thank all the parents who attended our Parent Teacher Interviews last week. It was a pleasure to discuss the milestones your child has achieved thus far in their educational journey, as well as areas for personal growth. We hope that during these interviews and our Handy Hints evening, you felt the support we are committed to providing for both you and your child in this important first year of school. Please remember that our doors are always open for any additional information or support you may need. If you were unable to attend our Handy Hints night, we kindly invite you to pop in and see us so that we can provide you with some information, as well as your child's reading satchel.
Thank you to everyone for your participation in our Harmony Week, especially on Odd Sock Day this past Friday. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the activities and appreciated the opportunity to create their crowns earlier in the week.
What’s happening in Religion?
The students have expressed great enthusiasm for hearing bible stories about Jesus and understanding his significant role in our Catholic identity at SHPS. While we strive to address their questions and curiosities, we acknowledge that we may not have all the answers. However, we make every effort to present these stories in a manner that is both authentic and accessible to their level of understanding.
Over the past few weeks, we have continued our Lenten journey. This week, we focused on re-enacting Palm Sunday, highlighting Jesus's entry on a donkey, where he was welcomed by his followers with palm branches and chants of "Hosanna." We also discussed Holy Thursday, emphasising the meal Jesus shared with his disciples. The students participated in their own Holy Thursday experience by sampling bread and wine (using blackcurrant juice, of course).
What’s happening in Literacy?
In the past two weeks, we have focused on consolidating our understanding of the sounds associated with the letters 'm' for Maggie Mouse, 's' for Sammy Seal, and 't' for Tommy Tiger. This week, we are introducing the letter 'a' for Andy Ant. Our objective is to develop our skills in orally blending these letters to form words, such as m-a-t resulting in "mat" and m-a-n resulting in "man." We are also exploring the position of the letter 'm' within words, identifying whether it appears at the beginning, as in "mat" and "man," or at the end, as in "dam" and "Sam. We encourage you to discuss the letters and sounds being learned at school at home as well, as this will help reinforce your child's understanding. Additionally, your child may enjoy practicing writing simple words such as "man" and "mat." Please remember to acknowledge and praise all of their efforts.
Last week, we continued our reading of "The River," which has proven to be an excellent choice for our students, as many have had personal experiences with visits to the river for swimming and camping. These experiences often involve swimming, playing, observing wildlife, and enjoying campfires with marshmallows. This week, we are engaged in reading "Possum in the House." We hope this book will inspire the students to undertake some creative writing by imagining what they would do if a possum entered their home. We encourage them to express their thoughts in writing, whether it be a reaction of surprise or other imaginative responses. Additionally, we greatly enjoy
incorporating art into our weekly activities. Last week, the children had fun creating a chomping crocodile, and this week, we enjoyed painting a charming possum. We encourage you to read with your child each night and engage in discussions about any unfamiliar words to enhance their vocabulary. Additionally, asking them questions about the book you have read together can further enrich their understanding.
What’s happening in Maths?
Counting is a fundamental focus of our current learning activities. We have been learning about subitising, which involves the rapid recognition of quantities without individually counting, as well as practicing counting both forward and backward between the ranges of 1 to 10 and 1 to 20. Our appreciation for Pevan and Sarah an online resource, enhances our experience as we work towards counting to 100 and sometimes beyond. We are also developing our understanding of adding one more or identifying what is one less, as well as recognising which number comes before or after a given number. Having completed 30 days of school, we are now exploring the concept of a tens frame and learning to count on from specific numbers, such as 5 or 10. Our approach includes various hands-on activities that reinforce our learning, utilising iPads, whiteboards, playing cards, and dice. Many of these games can be easily replicated at home, and we encourage you to reference the ‘Handy Hints’ maths sheet shared last night for engaging ideas to support your child's learning in a fun way.
A Couple Little Reminders:
· Only 6 days to go! Students are getting tired but hopefully they can hang in there before we head off on holidays – a little reminder 3 weeks of holidays for you all!
· Pupil Free Day Wednesday 2nd of April – students not required at school
· Easter Liturgy – Friday 4th of April in the Mercy Centre @ 11.40pm
· Last day of school Friday 4th of April – please note school will finish at 2.15pm
The Prep Team