Prep

Welcome

Welcome to Term Three. 

This term, the Preps eagerly await reaching their 100 days of school.  It will be a wonderful celebration on Monday 5th August, highlighting their new learnings and friendships within our school community. 

We have an exciting term planned with many new learning opportunities throughout.  We wish you all a lovely and safe term ahead.  Our doors are always open to support you and your child's education journey at St Andrew’s. 

English

Our term three whole-class reading focus is on families. This ties in with our Inquiry Unit and our making connections with our parents and grandparents. 

During this term, we will continue with the daily two-hour Literacy block. One hour of the block targets reading, and the other focuses on writing.

In Reading, the focus will be on linking letter knowledge when segmenting and blending small words. 

Students are learning to point to each word, matching what is written in the text. Within our whole and small reading, we are learning to locate high-frequency words, which we will then transfer into our writing. As a class, we will discuss the story and any new vocabulary, using pictures to help guide the discussion. 

Each child is regularly monitored to ensure they read texts that are appropriate to their level. 

In Term 3, students will continue to develop their writing skills. They will draw a picture, talk about it, and attempt to write a sentence to match. Students are also developing their vocabulary skills by labelling pictures, using high-frequency words, and describing characters in a story. They can then use these words when writing sentences about the characters.

Students will continue to use their Handwriting book. This allows them to practice forming letters and the correct pencil grip.

Religious Education

In Religious Education, students will learn about the beauty of nature and our creation story. We will also reflect on ways Jesus shows us to live with fairness, sharing, and compassion.

Mathematics

The Mathematics focus for Prep students is Number. 

Students use manipulatives such as counters, blocks, dice, and dominoes to assist with their number development. Lessons are made up of “hands-on” activities that allow students to discuss, share, and reflect on their new learning.

Term 3 Units:

• Measurement - Length
• Place Value, Counting & Addition - Combining and Partitioning to 10
• 3D Objects
• Pattern
• Place Value, Counting & Subtraction (0-5)

Ideas for maths at home:

• Count, Count, Count! 
• Count forwards and backwards, starting at different starting spots. Ask your child what the number before and after is.
• Ask your child to make a certain number as fast as they can using their fingers. 
• Going shopping?  Get your children to count out the fruits and vegetables as they go in the bag. Going for a walk?  Count the steps from one house to another.  Notice the house numbers; guess what the next number would be. Setting the table?  How many people? 
• Compare the size of two piles.  Which one is bigger?  Which one is smaller? Why? Are you sure? How do you know?
• How tall are you?  Measure your child using string, blocks, etc.  Do it every week and see how your child grows! Compare the length or how many you need -see if they get bigger!

Involve your child in cooking. Your child can help stir, pour, fill and mix. Get your children 

to count and measure. How many knives and forks?  Do the amounts match?

Inquiry

This term, our Inquiry topic is Geography. We will investigate some places in our local community, why they are special to us, and why we need them. We will also explore how we are connected to different places near and far and who we go to these places with that makes them special. 

SPECIALIST PROGRAMS

L.O.T.E. Italian

Dear parents, welcome to Term 3.

This term in Prep, the focus will continue to be on introducing the Italian language and developing the students’ speaking and listening skills. The students will begin the term by revising the language of greetings, introductions, colours and numbers. They will continue to be exposed to new language and vocabulary through the text ‘Pinocchio.’ They will learn the Italian words for various body parts and how to say which part of the body hurts. The students will also be exposed to some common Italian expressions of surprise. During the lessons students will be participating in singing songs, playing games, reciting chants and completing varied classroom activities to reinforce their knowledge and understanding.

Le parti del corpo                                        Espressioni

Gli occhi – eyes                               Mamma mia!- Oh my gosh                                                       

Il naso –nose                                 Ahi mi fa male!- Ouch that hurts!

La bocca –mouth                           Ho mal di testa- I have a headache

Le mani- hands                               Ho mal di stomaco- I have a stomach ache                   

Le gambe-legs                                                 

Cordiali saluti,       

Signora White                                                                                                            

Physical Education

Hello families and welcome to Term 3 in Physical Education! 

The Preps will start their Swimming Program on August 26th and finish on September 5th. The lessons will be on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, with Friday being a rest day. The sessions are 30 minutes in duration. More information will come shortly! 

During our lessons this term, we are focusing on co-operation and sportsmanship in team sports. We will play co-operative games to develop positive sportsmanship for ourselves and others before we move on to organised sports. In the following weeks, we will learn the rules of AFL and basketball and focus on developing our skills in those sports. This includes kicking, catching, dribbling, passing, and shooting. 

Looking forward to a fun term! 

Miss Kayla Puetz

Art

During this term, the prep children will continue experimenting with different materials and techniques to make artwork. We began the term by discussing the upcoming Olympic Games. The children will make a felt French flag and order and colour the Olympic Rings. They will enjoy using coloured markers, water and dispersing papers to blend and create different colours and tie-dyed effects. They will use twisting, curling and scrunching methods with tissue and crepe papers to create various art forms. We will be cutting various shapes and patterned papers for collage work and mixing paints to make secondary colours. The children will continue to practise their drawing and cutting skills. We aim to have lots of fun using different media in the art room, such as oil pastels, crayons and inks.

Enjoy being creative!

Mrs Cathy  Bartlett

Performing Arts

Welcome back to Term 3 Prep Families!

Thanks to the very special members of the P & F and their incredible fundraising, I’m very excited to share that the Performing Arts room now has an electronic drum kit and 12 new full piano-size keyboards. We are super excited and grateful to have these new instruments to expand our performing arts learning.

The Preps will begin the term singing and dancing to the Indigenous song Sesere Eeye about a Kingfisher bird. Keep your eyes peeled for our ClassDojo update! We’ll focus on keeping the beat using a variety of folk dances and learning about the countries they originated from. We’ll also be learning the “Bear Dance” (Hungary), which is great for getting students to keep the beat using their body percussion, and Doudlebska Polka (Czechia), which we can turn into a fun dancing game. 

In music, students will learn rhythmic symbols for sounds such as ta, ti-ti, and zah. They’ll practice identifying these symbols using pictures of fruit- this is great help when learning syllables!, manipulatives including paddle pop sticks, visual reminders, instruments, and the song Apple Tree. They’ll then write their own rhythm pattern and show me how they perform it. The preps will also learn the song Sarasponda, a fun song from Holland, accompanied by a clapping game with a partner. 

In drama, students will use the song I Hear Thunder to show their emotions around storms and put it into a sound story with sound effects. 

Please encourage your students to show you what they’ve learned at home - I’ve already seen one video of a student practising at home and would LOVE to see more!

Happy singing, dancing and acting!

Mrs Emma Cooper

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) is a whole school organisational framework for supporting behaviour and creating safe and positive learning environments. 

The Preps are learning to become responsible learners by independently unpacking their bags as they enter the classroom in preparation for the day ahead. They demonstrate being responsible learners by helping to keep our areas clean and safe, both in the classroom and outside the classroom. 

The Preps have been learning about allowing others a chance to learn by respectfully raising their hands, listening to the speaker and following directions. They are developing skills to keep their hands and feet to themselves in order to respect others personal space. 

They are also learning to be resilient learners, always having a go and taking ownership of their feelings. They are developing skills to help them assess if a problem is a small problem which they or their friends can solve or whether it is a bigger problem which needs a teacher's assistance.  They are developing language to assist in communicating  with others when they need help. 

Classroom Organisation

Every week the Prep students will attend the following Specialist programs. These lessons will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Please remind your child to wear their sports uniform and runners on the appropriate day.

Specialist Teachers and Timetable 

Italian – Signora Santoro

P.E. – Miss Puetz

Performing Arts - Mrs Cooper

Art - Mrs Bartlett

Prep C

Tuesday- Art

Wednesday - Performing Arts, P.E. and Italian

Thursday -  Library

Prep R

Tuesday- Performing Arts

Wednesday- Art, Italian and P.E.

Thursday - Library

Library

The students can visit and borrow from the library each Thursday. Students are allowed to borrow two picture books each. Please ensure that these library books are well-looked after at home and returned to school in your child’s library bag by the following Thursday. 

Take home books  - pouches

Each day, your child will bring home a book in the blue reading pouch. Please ensure that the pouch returns to school each day and remember to fill in the Kluwell Book (yellow book) on a nightly basis. 

School Uniform and Hat

Please ensure that all items of clothing are clearly marked with your child’s name, preferably in a permanent marker.

School hats are required to be worn in Terms One and Four. During Terms Two and Three students may wear hats if they choose. 

The Winter uniform is now required to be worn during Terms Two and Three.

Meet and Greet

Please note that classrooms are open from 8:30 - 8:45 am for our Meet and Greet time. This is an important time for students to get themselves organised for their day of learning. It also gives students the opportunity to establish and maintain relationships with peers. Please ensure that you arrive during this time to give your child the best possible start each day.

Fruit Break

The Prep students will have a Fruit Break to ‘refuel’ on fruit, vegetables, yoghurt or cheese, and  ‘rehydrate’ with water. Please pack something extra in your child’s lunchbox for them to eat during this time. Students who are not hungry and are well hydrated perform better in the classroom and show increased concentration. 

Important Days for this term: 

Working Bee - Saturday, 3rd August

100 days of Prep celebration - Monday, 5th August

Mary MacKillop Mass - Thursday, 8th August

School Closure day - Friday, 16th August

Book Week Author Visit- Thursday, 22nd August

Father’s Day Stall - Thursday, 29th August

Swimming - Monday, 26th August - Thursday, 5th September (Fridays not included)

Term 3 concludes: Friday, 15th September 1.30 pm.

How to Contact Us

Holly Capomolla:         hcapomolla@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Rosemary Restaino:   rrestaino@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Milena Santoro:          msantoro@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au