Prep

Reading 

This week in Reading, we explored the /ē/ sound made by ee, learnt the new /z/ sound linked to z and zz, and reviewed /sh/, /qu/, /ē/, /z/ and /zz. We also practised recognising and reading tricky words from Sets 1–3, using games, memory challenges and hands-on activities to help remember words like little, all, ball, call, and tall. Students practised matching capital and lowercase letters to their sounds, blending sounds to read short words, and writing sentences using capital letters and full stops.

Maths 

This fortnight in Maths, our Prep students have been busy exploring numbers, difference, totals, and measurement! We have been learning to count two collections and find the difference between them within 10. Using tens-frames and number tracks, students have practised counting forwards from the smaller number to the bigger number to work out the difference, as well as counting on to find the total of two numbers. We have also been using number tracks to solve subtraction problems within 10. It’s been exciting to see students using a variety of strategies to solve open-ended questions, and recognising that there can be more than one way to find an answer.

In measurement, our focus has been on the attributes of length and height. We’ve been comparing and ordering objects, using words such as longer, shorter, taller, and the same. Students have practised lining up objects at the same starting point to compare their lengths, and finding items that are taller, shorter, or the same size as each other. We’ve also been building our measurement vocabulary to describe the size of objects and putting them in order based on their characteristics.

It has been wonderful to watch our students use hands-on materials to explore these concepts and confidently use mathematical language in their discussions.

Writing

This term in Prep, students have been focusing on revising the “sky, grass, dirt” letters and practicing correct letter formation. To support their learning, they’ve enjoyed a variety of fun, interactive games like Roll and Write, Fishing for Letters, Letter Formation Spinner, Snakes and Ladders, and Letter Formation Bingo, which help reinforce the correct way to form letters. This week, we moved on to sentence writing, exploring important sentence components such as starting with a capital letter, using a full stop at the end, and leaving finger spaces between words. Students worked together to fix sentences with errors, and then practiced tracing, building, and copying sentences to develop their skills. To extend their learning further, they also had the opportunity to write their own sentences using picture prompts, encouraging creativity and independence. We encourage families to continue supporting their children’s writing development at home by practicing letter formation and sentence writing together.

SEL and other

In SEL (Social & Emotional Learning) this week, we learned about recognising when our bodies and minds feel stressed, such as having a fast heartbeat, tight muscles, or feeling worried. We talked about different strategies we can use to help ourselves feel calm and ready to learn, including taking slow deep breaths, finding a quiet space, talking to a trusted adult, or doing something we enjoy like drawing or reading. The students enjoyed practising these calming strategies together by placing feelings on a scale and learning that it’s okay to ask for help when we need it. We all enjoyed quiet mindful colouring too whilst listening to calming sounds.

In Geography, we explored how we can experience a familiar place using all of our senses. We talked about the things we can see, hear, smell, touch, and even taste in places we know well, such as our classroom, playground, or local park. The students enjoyed sharing their own sensory observations, like the sound of birds in the trees, the feel of the grass under their feet, the smell of lunch cooking, and the sight of colourful flowers. This helped us understand how our senses work together to give us a full picture of a place.

In Culture, we learned that dance and songs are very important in Indigenous Australian cultures as they are a way to share stories, history, and traditions. We discovered that these performances can teach lessons, celebrate special events, and pass down knowledge from one generation to the next. The students enjoyed watching examples of traditional dances and songs, and we talked about how each movement, rhythm, and word can have a special meaning that connects people to their land, community, and ancestors.