Learning News Kindergarten

Welcome to another week of amazing learning in Kindergarten! It is wonderful to see our students growing in confidence in their learning every day. 

Literacy

Reading

Our home reading program is officially underway. This week, students have brought home their first decodable readers, PM readers and a set of Tricky Words to practice. Make sure to return these every Monday in their blue folder for new readers and Tricky words. 

Home reading

To help your child feel successful, try this simple flow each night:

• The Warm-Up: Before starting the story, open the inside front cover. Practise the sounds and "Tricky Words" listed there. This prepares their brain for the specific patterns they are about to see.
• Stretching the sounds of a word out (sounding out): If your child reaches an unfamiliar word, encourage them to stretch the sounds and blend them together (e.g., m-a-t becomes mat).
• Tricky Words: Tricky words are words that can’t be sounded out yet (I, my, the, a, is), simply tell them the word. We will be sending these home regularly as we learn them is class so you can practise them together. Encourage your child to create their own sentences using their Tricky Words. This activity strengthens their vocabulary and helps them see the connection between the words they read and the stories they tell.
• The Power of Repetition: It is great to read the same book several times! Re-reading builds fluency and "reading muscles," helping your child move from choppy sounding-out to smooth, confident reading.

Writing

In Writing, Kindergarten are exploring persuasive texts (also known as expositions). They are learning that their words have the power to influence others and share their opinions. We have been busy forming clear viewpoints and brainstorming creative reasons to back them up, even exploring modality to make our arguments unstoppable. By swapping "weak" words for "strong" ones—like using must and will instead of might—the students are learning how to truly capture a reader’s attention.

As they move toward writing independently, the children are using a Success Criteria checklist to guide their work. We are focusing on stating a clear opinion, providing reasons, capital letters, finger spaces, and full stops. It is a joy to watch their confidence and handwriting neatness grow as they craft their own independent thoughts.

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, Kindergarten are busy exploring the world of Whole Numbers, focusing on reading and representing numerals up to 20 and beyond. Through hands-on activities, we are learning to count forwards to 30 and practice the tricky skill of counting backwards from 20.

A major focus this week is understanding the relationship between numbers. Our Success Criteria includes being able to identify the number before and after a given value, as well as understanding that these are "one less" and "one more" than a number. Strengthening these foundations helps the children develop a deep "number sense" that will support them as they move into more complex addition and subtraction later in the year.

How you can help at home:

you can turn everyday moments into playful "maths chats" using these simple ideas:

• Incidental Counting: Count steps while walking to the park, or count the number of red cars you see while driving.
• The Before and After Game: While waiting in line or sitting at the dinner table, challenge your child to name the number that comes "before" or "after" a given number (e.g., "I'm thinking of 14, what is the number after?").
• Snack Time Math: Use fruit or crackers to practice "one more" and "one less." Ask your child to tell you how many they have left after eating one, or how many they have total if you add one more to their plate.
• Number Hunts: Look for numbers in the environment—on house letterboxes, speed signs, or grocery labels—and ask your child to identify the numeral.

Physical Education (PE) : Learn to swim

This week, our Kindergarten students have been diving into their Learn to Swim program at the Hydro Pool. This is a wonderful opportunity for them to build their water confidence in a safe and supportive environment.

Throughout the week, the students are participating in structured lessons tailored to their individual abilities. They are learning essential water safety skills, such as floating, treading water, and safe entry and exit, alongside fundamental swimming strokes. It has been a joy to see their bravery and progress as they develop these life-saving skills while enjoying some active fun with their peers.