Foundation Term 4 Week 5

Foundation Newsletter - Term 4 - Week 5

Connecting with the Preps

We hope everyone had a wonderful Melbourne Cup holiday!


Language

This past fortnight the students have continued to develop their skills in writing Narratives. The children have been encouraged to delve deep into their imaginations and to really think about how a story may unfold and draw to a conclusion. As part of this focus, children worked in several groups to brainstorm ideas for characters, settings and complications that could be potentially used in their stories. Their co-operative group work was most impressive.

                                     

Maths

Tomorrow the students will complete their two week unit on Subtraction. The students have been using dice to create subtraction equations and using counters, drawings or the count back strategy to solve them. Some students played a game called First to 0 with a partner and really enjoyed it. We started at 30 and using a 6 sided dice it was the first to get back to 0. Great game to play at home! We have talked a lot about 'take away', how many are left and why we need to start from the largest number. Next week we will move onto Sharing.

Melbourne Cup

The students had a fun filled Monday, the day before Melbourne Cup. They participated in word searches, cloze challenges and cutting and pasting activities with all activities centred around the Cup. We learnt some interesting facts about 'the race that stops a nation'. Here are some of the children's recollections:

* If you go to the Melbourne Cup you get to see which horse is the champion.
* It's so special and lots of people go to the Melbourne Cup. There are lots of races on the day and then there is the special race.
* If you come first you get a trophy.
* I think if you come second you just might get a silver medal.
* The first Melbourne Cup race was a long time ago - 157 years ago.
* The youngest jockey to ride in the Cup was almost 13 years old.
* Only 4,000 people attended the first race now about 100,000 people go. 
* The Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday of November.
* People wear fancy clothes to the races.
* I still don't know why we get a holiday!

HOW DID THAT PHOTO GET IN HERE?

On Monday afternoon the children joined the grade 1 and 2 students for horse races. One child was the horse and the other the jockey who had to hold onto the skipping rope reins. Children had to gallop or trot like a horse, and for safety no flat out running was permitted. The children had such good fun - and so did the teachers who also competed against each other as horse and jockey!

Buddies

Due to the Transition Program, the current prep children spent Wednesday morning with their buddies. Once again they listened to stories that their Buddies had written and participated in a range of Play Is the Way games. Great fun was had by all!

Next Transition Day will be on the 21st November when the current prep children will join with next year's preppies to participate in tabloid sports. The Grade 5 students, next year's Buddies, will be helping with the games and supporting the preppies, both young and old, on this day. The session will finish off with a Sausage Sizzle. If you can help on the day, either cooking or serving sausages, please let the us know. Your help will be much appreciated.

Colour Run

Have you bought your tickets for the Colour Run? Less than a fortnight to go until we will be donning our 'old' t-shirts, pants and runners to take on the preppies! Such good fun! We wonder how much money we will raise for next year's STEM program?

Reminders

The time has come....this term the children will be encouraged to walk into the classroom and organise their belongings independently.

• Could we please remind all parents and grandparents that students are to remain outside of the building until the bell goes at 8:50 unless an arrangement has been made in advance with a member of staff.
• Our Library day is Thursday.
• We continue to encourage the students to practise their MIOOW words at home and to put them into the tub when they are ready to show us their hard work!
• Could Reading Journals be signed each night and black pockets be at school each day. Thank you
• Term 4 is a SunSmart term - please ensure your child has a MPPS wide brim hat for recess and lunchtimes. Students without hats will be asked to play in the shaded areas.
• Could we please ask that all belongings be clearly named. Thank you.

Dates to Remember!

Sunday 18th November - Kingston Community Colour Run

Walk to School: 7th - 30th November - We encourage all students to walk, ride or scoot to and from school! Even if you live further away you could always walk, ride or scoot part of the way to and from school!

Braeside Park Excursion: Friday 30th November (parents needed)

Whole School Sports Day: Friday 7th December (volunteers needed - please let your classroom teacher know)
Christmas Carols: 11th December
Parent Helpers' Morning Tea: 12th December

Stay tuned for more dates for exciting happenings in the Junior School