Prep

Literacy 

Last Tuesday, the Prep students made pancakes for Shrove Tuesday. The pancake-making process was also a language experience opportunity. The students verbally described the ingredients and the process using their five senses. 

We have read The Rainbow Fish, and discussed different ways to show kindness towards others. As we read the book, we counted words in sentences and discussed various forms of punctuation and how to read a sentence from left to right. The Preps have been practising the skills to be good listeners when others are sharing or speaking. In addition, they have been learning how to share their ideas by speaking slowly, and clearly and using appropriate volume. 

The Preps have also been identifying the rhyme in simple words and then finding words that rhyme together. They have also been segmenting words into syllables, including their names. 

Maths 

In Maths, the Preps have been creating and describing patterns using various concrete materials. As the week progressed, the students used letters and numbers to describe their patterns. During the gallery walks, the students had the opportunity to continue other students' patterns or ask questions about the pattern. During counting, the students are practising their forward and backward counting number sequences; they have also been writing and saying the numbers that come before and after a number. 

Education in Faith 

Last Monday, the Prep students visited the St Francis Xavier Catholic Church. Father Chinua took the students around the church and explained the different areas of the church, and he told the story of Francis Xavier as depicted in the stained glass window. 

The Preps were not at school last Wednesday to receive ashes for Ash Wednesday. On Thursday afternoon, an Ash Wednesday liturgy was held in the Prep class, and the students received their ashes from Father Chinua, symbolising the beginning of the season of Lent. 

During Education in Faith, we have been reading a variety of books about God, for example, 'What is God Like?' and 'Shhh ... God Is In the Silence'. The students reflected on these books and our discussions and drew a picture of where they see or feel God. 

On Wednesday, the Prep participated in their first whole school mass. They were reverent and respectful throughout the mass.