Science / German / PE
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 Mondays R7 and R8, and Tuesdays R9. Each class has a double lesson of Science per week, the focus for the first term is for students to participate in a variety of guided experiments and inquiry tasks based around movement (physical science) to build on prior knowledge and to make connections to their lives.
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
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. Our introduction to German includes sharing the language learning experiences we already have to recognise the skills which we bring with us and can share with our peers.
In our weekly German lessons, students use language in context through familiar routines, games, songs and repetition. They exchange greetings and information making connections between English and German. 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.
Each class has one 50 minute lesson of German per week. Monday (R9), Tuesday (R7) and Thursday (R8)
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!
(Frau) Libby Edwards (R-2 German)
Elizabeth.Edwards559@schools.sa.edu.au
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Children’s engagement and enthusiasm for 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 enjoyment, 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.
This year we will continue to promote the importance of physical activity through PE and through the Premier’s Be Active Challenge, a program for all South Australian children. The Challenge is the same as in previous years, with students participating in and recording 60 minutes of physical activity per day, 5 days per week for 4 or 10 weeks. After 10 weeks of daily physical activity, schools are in the running to win an award. I encourage children to challenge themselves this year and record their physical activity for 10 weeks. After completion of the challenge, children will be rewarded with personal satisfaction and a medal at the end of the year. More information about The Premier's Be Active Challenge will be provided in upcoming newsletters.
This semester, children will develop and refine fundamental movement skills and increase levels of fitness, through cooperative team building games and exploring different sports. Children will learn fundamental movement patterns like jumping, skipping, hopping, throwing, galloping and running to be confident at participating in all sports and games.
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.
New skills will be explicitly taught and promoted through game based activities, with a focus on object control skills. Children will develop their gross motor skills through various ball sports involving throwing, catching, kicking and rolling.
Throughout the semester children will be involved in sporting clinics, explicitly teaching children skills that may inspire and give children the confidence to learn a new sport.
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 will be allocated a Sports Day team colour for their entire schooling at LNPS.
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 Tuesday ( R8 )and Thursday (R7) and (R9).
Amy Byrnes Early Years PE
Amy.Byrnes464@schools.sa.edu.au