The Learning Zone

"Coming together is the beginning, staying together is progress,

and working together is success." - Henry Ford

Kinder 2024 Transition

It was exciting to welcome the preschoolers to the first Kindergarten Transition session last Tuesday. Our transition program provides children with a positive start to school as it aims to:

• Allow children, parents and staff to get to know each other and the school setting in a positive and relaxed way;
• Develop familiarity and a sense of belonging for children and their families to the school community;
• Begin to establish and build positive relationships with teachers, school staff and peers;
• Enhance children’s experience of learning in the formal school setting;
• Introduce the St Joseph’s school expectations: 
  • I am safe;
  • I am valued, cared for and respected;
  • I am a learner.

We look forward to the second Kindergarten Transition session tomorrow morning from 9am - 11am.

Armidale Diocesan Mathematics Initiative (MaST)

What is happening in the world of mathematics at St Joseph's? Let's take a look! 

Please see the information below to assist your child at home or to see what they have been doing so far this term.

Maths At Home:

Kindergarten - Mass

Mass: The amount of matter contained in an object

Hefting: To judge the weight of objects by lifting them in the hands 

Ask your child to look around at home and find objects that they would describe as being light. Once they have a collection of "lights" you could ask them to find objects that they would describe as heavy. 

Would it be fun to play on a see-saw with an elephant?

Can you add anything that would be heavier than the elephant?

What would it be?

Stage 1 - 3D Space

In Stage 1, your child has been busy looking at 3D shapes.

Note that the focus is on the recognition and identification of spheres, prisms, cones and pyramids. The focus is not on the identification of the specific prism or pyramid, just the classification. Parents are encouraged to point out real life examples of the various types of solids.

Stage 2 - Length

Stage 2 are working on aspects of Length this week. 

Please see the link below:

Doc from NESA and get your kids to measure!

Stage 3 - Chance

Stage 3 have been having a lot of fun during their Chance unit of work. Discuss plans for family outings and the chances of the weather being favourable. Include possible, impossible, likely and unlikely scenarios in the discussion (e.g. Will there be a snow storm when we are having our picnic?).

Discuss other chance happenings that might occur (e.g. Do you think it is possible that Grandma will visit us tomorrow? What could happen at football today?) as well as how likely this is (e.g. Grandma might come to visit, but as she lives in Perth this is pretty unlikely).

Talk about chance when playing games (e.g. It’s possible that I will roll a six but not certain). 

Have a great week of learning and fun!

Maree Holland & Greg O'Toole