Prep

Prep Term 4 2020

Welcome back!

This term the Preps will be reintroduced to the expectations of school life and how we show respect to self, others and property. We will re-identify places to play around the school, how we can ask to play with other people and how to spot students who might need a friend.

Term Overview

Religious Education

This term students will listen to parables Jesus told and draw out the key messages in the stories. They will explore the themes of kindness and compassion and will articulate how to be a good friend like Jesus. They will explore the events leading up to the birth of Christ, such as the Annunciation and Advent. This term the Preps will also spend time studying the Nativity Story, which they will re-enact.

English

Students will be learning how to comprehend texts beyond the surface level this term and will be exposed to more advanced reading strategies such as changing the vowel sound, reading on and inferencing. Students are now expected to read a wide variety of high frequency words and stretch out simple new words and be encouraged to gain a deeper understanding of what is being read. To link with our Inquiry, we will be learning more explicitly about non-fiction texts, in particular information reports. Students will be exposed to a greater variety of authors and writing styles and will be taught how to write for a particular purpose, for example, to entertain, to persuade or to inform. A few skills include, searching for facts, how to create headings, how to use diagrams.

Maths

In addition to our daily work on counting, we will be developing and consolidating skills in these areas:

Fractions: Modelling and explaining equal parts of a whole, particularly looking at halves and quarters.

Money: Identifying Australian coins and comparing their value.

Chance: Using specific language to describe how likely an event is to occur.

Time: Using time-specific language and telling the time to the hour (o’clock times).

Please continue to utilise the Mathletics program at home to support your child’s learning.

Inquiry

In Inquiry this term students will be exploring ‘What we can see in the sea?’ Students will learn about the types of animals they may find in the sea as well as the topography of the sea bed and types of non-living objects that are in the sea. Students will explore the environmental impact that humans have on God’s creation.

Social and Emotional Learning

This term there is a whole school focus on Social Management. This strongly relates to problem solving, resilience and making and keeping friends. Students will learn that friends can like different or the same things and both are ok. They will also learn what self-control is and how it is a combination of being both strong and gentle at various times.

Specialist Subjects

Specialist subjects will continue this term. This will include:

STEM, Digital Technologies and Physical Education on Tuesdays
Italian on Thursdays
Performing and Visual Arts on Fridays

Here are some friendly reminders for school...

Food: The Preps eat a fruit/vegetable snack each morning around 10am. Food should be chopped into small pieces as students do not have a long time for this snack. Please bring a named drink bottle to school every day. Just a reminder that students need to have only four items in their lunch box as there are 3 opportunities to eat. Please be aware that some children have nut allergies and cannot come into contact with these foods. Thank you for your understanding with this.

Book Bags: Our blue book bags need to be brought to and from school each day. They are used for notices and reminders, so please check them each day when they come home. At school they live in our ‘book bag locker.’

Hats: School hats are to be worn during Term 4 when outside for sports, lunch and recess. Hats need to be worn every day, in line with our sunsmart policy.

Communication:

Please come and see us at any time and know there are no ‘silly questions!’ Our emails are skearns@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au and jmcphee@sjmitcham.catholic.edu.au