Foundation Term 2 week 2

Foundation Newsletter: Term 2 Week 2

Connecting with the Preps

WELCOME TO TERM 2!

Term 2 has commenced with a huge SPLASH!

This week has seen the children commence the intensive swimming program. This is an incredible opportunity for the children to not only develop their swimming skills but also their organisational and independent skills. Have they brought their swimming gear to school? Have they remembered to take their swimming bag off and back on the bus? Have they placed their socks in their shoes and their uniform in their swimming bag? Are they able to dry and dress themselves independently? We are there to encourage and assist the children! The children are to be commended for their efforts to develop their water confidence and swimming skills. As we say to the children, "Be Brave - Participate to Progress".

The children enthusiastically settled back into the routines of school life. There have been some changes to the timetable this term with Art, P.E., Performing Arts and Italian now on a Wednesday. The Foundation children have commenced P.M.P. (Perceptual Motor Program), a movement program, on a Monday afternoon and Library is now held on a Thursday morning. The days are very busy with lots of laughter and learning.

This term we would like to invite parents into the classroom during literacy times to assist small groups of children with their learning. If you would like to assist, please fill in the timetable that is outside the classroom. (Unfortunately siblings are unable to attend during these sessions.) If you have a spare 15 minutes or so, we continue to encourage you to come and listen to children read their take home books from 9:00 to 9:15ish each day - siblings are most welcome during this time.

Language

As the children reconnect with writing in the classroom, they have continued to write about their personal experiences. They are reminded to reflect on their writing - does it start with a capital letter, finish with a full stop (or other appropriate punctuation) and are there spaces between their words? As mentioned in the last newsletter the children will begin to have a go at writing short, simple creative narratives with a beginning, middle and end.

Although referenced briefly last term, last week the children were formally introduced to Penny Punctuation a concept used to assist them to edit their work.

Guided Reading session usually run four times a week. Children are grouped according to their individual needs and rotate through several activities. On any given day this may include working with the teacher, spending time with Sarah playing phonic games or another activity to support children's learning, visiting Ms Smith, our Literacy Support Teacher, for support or extension, and working independently.

Multiple copies of the appropriate level of the 'Magic 100 Words' (M100W) will be sent home shortly. Having multiple copies will enable you to play games with your child to learn these sight vocabulary words in a meaningful and fun way. Games could include playing Fish, Memory or Snap. Children who can already easily read these words will be encouraged to learn to spell these words or even use the words in a sentence (verbally or written).

Practising the name and common sounds of each letter in the alphabet will also assist your child's learning. We will shortly send home a kit to the children who will benefit from further practice. This kit has the letters of the alphabet and several pictures which commence with each sound for you to use with your child. Playing matching games and 'I Spy' will help consolidate your child's understanding of the letter/sound relationship.

Reading Eggs and Mathletics

We hope you and your child are having fun logging in and exploring Reading Eggs and Mathletics. Please come and see us if you have any questions.

Maths
We continue our focus on recording numerals 0-9 with correct formation, starting from the right spot and trying really hard not to reverse them. We continue to learn that numbers can be made up of different parts for example, 8 can be made up of 2 and 6 or 7 and 1. We will also begin to focus on Doubles e.g. 2 and 2 or 3 and 3 or 4 and 4. This will help build their mental computation and aide their addition skills. Our topic for the last two weeks has been Counting and recording numbers. The students have been involved in a range of activities where they have had to record their counting, count a number of objects, put four different numbers in order from smallest to largest and fill in the missing numbers. Some students have been working with numbers up to 12 while others have been working with numbers up to 20 or all two digit numbers. We have been using dice, whiteboards, activity sheets and our Maths books. We have also been watching a range of counting videos on the big screen.

Inquiry/Wellbeing

We continue to use the language of the whole school welfare program Play is the Way. The focus is still around the Golden Rule - treat others as you like to be treated - and the importance of striving to make strong choices. We are also continuing our daily mantras - "It's okay to make a mistake" and "You've got to have a go"!

Although we will briefly touch on 'Our place in the World', our Inquiry focus this term is all about 'our personal history'. The children will be considering the questions: What is my personal and family history? What are the differences and similarities between families and the roles within families? What are the differences and similarities between my daily life and that of my parents and grandparents when they were children?

Buddies

Last week we had a fantastic Buddies session! Half of the class did Mathletics on the ipads with their buddies while the other half played board games with their buddies. Our Buddies Program will stop while swimming is on and will return in Week 4. The students will get to swap groups and either be doing board games or Mathletics. We encourage the regular use of Mathletics at home and it was great to see the children that have already been using the program. Well done!

Reminders

• Family photos for our Inquiry topic were due on the 23rd of April. Please send in or email (struthers.jo-ann.j@edumail.vic.gov.au) Please include the names your child calls each family member.
• Please send in Template A as soon as possible for our Inquiry Unit. Thank you to those who have already sent in a photo and/or Template A.
• Could we please ask that for birthdays just a small treat for each student be brought in e.g. freddo frog, cup cake, or lolly pop. Thank you.
• It has been great to see some of our students gain more independence by bringing in their school bag and unpacking it themselves. As we are now in Term 2 it would be great to see more students doing this. You may have a discussion prior to school about what they need to do when they walk in e.g. put bag away, get out drink bottle, put fruit break in their tub and put black pocket in the tub.

Important dates & notices

Wednesday 25th April: ANZAC Day Public Holiday
Friday 4th May: Swimming Program Concludes
Tuesday 8th May: Mother's Day Breakfast
Tuesday 22nd May: Italian Day
Tuesday 29th May: Grandparent/Special Friend Afternoon
Monday 11th June: Queen's Birthday Public Holiday
Thursday 21st June: Open Afternoon - Celebration of Work
Friday 29th June: End of Term 2

Contacting your child's teacher

Please download the FlexiBuzz app and sign in to your child's class to ensure that you are receiving all relevant updates. Using the chat function on the app is a great way to connect with the teacher but if the matter is urgent, please phone the office as we are not always able to receive or act on messages during the day.

ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/flexibuzz/id558791155?mt=8

ANDROID: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.au.elicere.tiqbiz&hl=en

Working with Children Check

All parents/guardians, visitors & volunteers to the school MUST sign in & out of the school and display their WWCC in a lanyard, which is available at the school office. The Department of Education requires any person involved in an activity where children may be present to have a current WWCC or have supplied proof that they have applied for a WWCC with the Department of Justice. All schools are required to comply with the Working with Children Act 2005. Volunteers are expected to carry the WWCC card with them at all times when working or volunteering at the school or during school related activities. There is no fee for this check. Apply now by visiting: www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au  The Junior School encourage and appreciate parent helpers. Please see your child's teacher if you are able to assist.

SWIMMING - MORE PICTURE OF THE SWIMMERS NEXT NEWSLETTER!