Galilee Community

Dear Families,

What a wonderful Week 5 we have had in Foundation! We can’t believe we are already halfway through Term 4! Although it has been a short week, it has certainly been a busy one, filled with lots of learning and fun. It has been lovely to see our students continue to grow in confidence and independence as they take on new challenges and give everything their best effort. We are so proud of their continued hard work and enthusiasm!

Swimming Reminder 🏊‍♀️

Our swimming program begins next week! Please ensure your child comes to school wearing their bathers underneath their PE uniform on swimming days.

Students will also need to bring:

• A clean, dry towel each day.
• A plastic bag for wet clothes.
• A spare change of underwear.
• A pair of thongs to wear at swimming. (Students must wear their sports shoes whilst at school and to and from the swimming complex).
• We encourage students with long hair to wear a swimming cap as teachers are unable to assist with brushing/tying hair.

Students are also reminded to bring their fruit, snack and lunch as usual in their school bag. Thank you for your support in helping our students be ready for swimming!

On Friday the 20th of November, students will be going on an excursion to Myuna Farm.

Please see the social story below for more information.

Learning for the term ahead

Religious Education:

Next week in Religious Education, students will be exploring the meaning of Christmas and why the birth of Jesus is such an important celebration for Christians. Students will also learn about Diwali, a special Hindu festival, exploring how different religions celebrate important occasions. We will also acknowledge Remembrance Day, reflecting on the importance of peace, kindness and remembering those who have served our country.

English:

Next week, students will continue reading ‘The Journey Home’ by Frann Preston-Gannon. The story follows a polar bear who sets off on an adventure to find a new home, meeting other animals along the way. Through this story, students will explore the characters, setting and important events, while learning about the importance of caring for animals and protecting our environment.

If you would like to read the book with your child, please follow the link below.

Mathematics:

Next week in Mathematics, students will be continuing to develop their counting skills by practising counting forwards and backwards within 100 from different starting numbers. Students will also explore comparing and ordering two-digit numbers by identifying which numbers have more tens. Through a range of fun and engaging activities, students will build their confidence in understanding number sequences and recognising which numbers are greater or smaller.

Inquiry: The Arts

Next week in Inquiry, students will be continuing to explore Media Arts and Drama as they bring their market advertisements to life! Students will practise performing their market jingle with singing and dance moves, before working together to film their short advertisements. This will be a fun opportunity for students to build their confidence, creativity and teamwork skills!

Social Emotional Learning (SEL):

Next week in SEL, students will be continuing to explore Positive Gender Relations. Students will learn about the importance of treating everyone with kindness, fairness and respect, while recognising that everyone deserves to feel safe, valued and included. Through discussions and engaging activities, students will explore how we can build positive friendships, celebrate our differences and treat others equally.

Auslan:

Next week in Auslan, students will be revising the signs they have learnt so far this term. Students will demonstrate that they can sign 3 colours, 3 pets and a farm animal.

Please note: there have been changes to the week 6 specilist timetable to accomodate for the foundation swimming program. Please see below.

What you can do at home

Reading together at home is one of the best ways to support your child’s learning. Enjoy our focus book together by reading it at home or listening to a read-aloud online (many are available on YouTube).

While reading, you could:

• Talk about the main events and important messages in the story.
• Encourage your child to retell the story in their own words.
• Discuss the characters, setting and what happens throughout the story.
• Look for words that begin with our focus sound/s.
• Encourage your child to think deeply about the story by asking questions such as:
  • Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?
  • I wonder why...
  • What makes you think that?
  • Can you show me where it says...?
  • What do you think will happen next?
  • That didn't make sense to me. Let's read it again.

✏️ Supporting Learning at Home

You can also support your child's learning through everyday activities and routines. Some simple ideas include:

• Practise correct letter formation and handwriting.
• Bring our Mathematics learning into everyday life by looking for opportunities to talk about maths during your daily routines.
• Count everyday objects, such as toys, fruit, stairs or cars.
• Look for numbers on houses, letterboxes, clocks and number plates.
• Talk about shapes you notice around your home or neighbourhood.
• Compare quantities, for example, "Who has more grapes?" or "Which pile has fewer?"
• Use maths language such as more, less, bigger, smaller, before, after, next to, behind and between.
• Get your child involved in cooking by asking them to count, measure or estimate ingredients.
• Play simple board games or card games that involve counting, matching or recognising numbers.
• Practise number stories using everyday objects. For example, "There were 8 strawberries. We ate 3. How many are left?"
• Ask questions while shopping, such as "Can you find 5 apples?" or "Which item costs more?"
• Notice patterns on clothing, wrapping paper, tiles or fences and encourage your child to continue or create the pattern.

Important Classroom Reminders:

• Fidget Toys

  We kindly ask that students do not bring fidget toys to school unless their use is a planned adjustment in consultation with Allied Health Professionals. Students who bring fidget toys without an approved adjustment will be asked to place them in their school bag for the remainder of the day to take home. We appreciate your support in encouraging your child to leave fidget toys at home.

• Spare clothes/change of clothes

  Please pack spare clothes with a pair of socks and underwear to be placed in the front zip pocket of your child's school bag in case of a toileting accident or when they get muddy during recess and play time. 

• Please ensure that you are labelling all your child's belongings.

Important Dates to Remember:

• Monday 9th - Thursday 19th November - Foundation Swimming Program
• Friday 20th November - Excursion to Myuna Farm
• Monday 30th November - Athletics Day at Casey Fields
• Tuesday 1st December - School Christmas Carols
• Friday 11th December - Last day of formal classes

Enjoy your weekend,

The Galilee Team

Contact us @ Galilee

galilee@cranbourneeast.catholic.edu.au  (all teachers) or