Science

It has been a great start to Early Years Science with the Receptions settling in well to school. The first two weeks of term have been used to focus on building strong connections to set up positive relationships for the year. Students have been encouraged to work collaboratively in lesson times to get to know their peers as well as share and discuss observations and ideas.

Reception Science lessons are held on Thursdays between recess and lunch as a double lesson of 100 minutes with Richard Barwa taking R8 and Mirjana Faccin taking R9.

The focus for the first term is for students to participate in a variety of guided experiments, using their senses, and inquiry tasks based around movement (Physical Science) to build on prior knowledge and to make connections to their lives.

We will be:

exploring various human and animal movements
how force can affect movement and
recognising that observation is an important part of exploring and investigating the things and places around us.

Join in the song below with your child and have fun!

Next term, students will be introduced to Chemical Sciences. This will involve examining the properties of materials and how they are used.

Richard Barwa (Early Years Science)

Richard.Barwa911@schools.sa.edu.au

Mirjana Faccin (Deputy Principal / Early Years Science)

Mirjana.Grubor793@schools.sa.edu.au

German

Learning another language is like peeking through a window into another part of the world; giving a different perspective, and awareness beyond ourselves and the way we communicate on a daily basis with those we interact with in familiar settings.

Second language learners are creative thinkers, asking questions to further their knowledge and spark their interest in other people and places. Considering how to interact and communicate encourages empathy as well as

refined listening skills and working memory.

When learning another language, we are not just learning words, but making connections with our own first languages; vocabulary, language concepts and structures. We get an opportunity to speak but also appreciate, understand and acknowledge traditions as well as cultural differences and similarities.

Many of our families already have another language at home other than English. Sharing the language learning experiences we already have recognises the skills which students bring with them and can share with their peers.

Students use language in context through familiar routines, games, songs and repetition. This semester will be an introduction to learning German including the concept of where we are in the world and where German is spoken. There is a high component of oral interaction in our learning experiences; with opportunities to experiment with language, listen and respond, use simple sentences to describe and convey factual information about ourselves.

Please encourage your child(ren) to tell you about what they have been learning in German.

Using the language helps to build confidence .

See what they can teach you!

Students have one 50 minute German lesson each week. Monday (R8), Tuesday (R9)

(Frau) Libby Edwards (R-2 German)

Elizabeth.Edwards559@schools.sa.edu.au

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Children’s engagement and enthusiasm towards physical activity is great for general wellbeing.

60 minutes of physical activity everyday promotes a healthy heart, healthy mind and healthy body. Benefits for keeping active include increasing happiness, being challenged, increasing academic performance and on task behaviour as well as building self-esteem and self-efficacy amongst students.

Being active is easy and can be as simple as active home chores, going to the playground or taking your dog for a walk around your local area.

This semester, children will develop and master fundamental movement skills, through cooperative team building games and health and fitness games. Children will practise and develop locomotor skills, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness and object placement and control. Catching, throwing, bouncing, dribbling and kicking a variety of small and large balls will be explicitly taught and skills transferred in team based games. Children will identify the learning intention of each lesson and follow the success criteria to be successful. They will be given opportunities to apply strategies to participate with others in physical activities in a positive, safe and fair way, learning to follow basic game rules successfully and respond to a whistle.

Children will engage in warm up activities, learning the importance of stretching before and after physical activity followed by developing and refining new skills and techniques. Every lesson, children are given opportunities to reflect on what went well and articulate their strengths and areas of improvement. They will engage in conversations with their peers and use reflection journals to record their thinking. Using the teaching personal and social responsibility model, children will learn life and social skills during physical activities with a strong focus on respect and effort.

Throughout the semester children will be involved in sporting clinics, explicitly teaching children skills that may inspire children to learn a new sport.

Children have been busy getting off to a great start, establishing learning agreements through fun, engaging team building games fostering teamwork, cooperation and learning the difference between personal space and general space.

Sports Day will be held in term 4, enabling children to develop turn taking and sportsmanship skills during PE lessons. Children can earn team points in lesson time by upholding the LNPS values- care and concern, pursuit of excellence, respect and honesty. The points are recorded and contribute to their sports day teams total, celebrated at the end of the year.

Your child has been allocated a Sports Day team for their entire schooling at LNPS. Sports Day T-Shirts can be purchased from our online shop for $18.

Students are reminded to wear suitable clothing and footwear to all PE lessons to ensure their full participation.

Children will participate in one, fifty minute PE lesson every week, held on Wednesday ( R8 and R9).

Amy Byrnes Early Years PE

Amy.Byrnes464@schools.sa.edu.au

Important Dates

Important Dates

Term 1