Term 3 Newsletter

27 July 2015

Dear children, parents, and families

Welcome back to Room 9 for Term 3. How lovely to see you all after the holidays and to meet our new class friends and their families. Please introduce yourselves to each other and be friendly and helpful to our new families. J

This term it’s straight into learning and this week we have been integrating our writing with religious education and writing imaginative prayers and also learning about how we can talk to Jesus and God in our hearts, silently. The children’s silent prayers are very respectful and reflective and I am impressed by their reverent attitudes. A reminder that our class goes over to morning Mass every second Wednesday (even weeks this term). The children really are amazing at learning the rituals and prayers of the Mass and their behaviour is exemplary. Please join us if you would like to come with us. It is very helpful if children are at school by 8.45am. It gives them time to unpack and settle in with their friends.

For reading we have been focusing on understanding what we are reading with lots of discussion, making connections to our own lives and also thinking and asking questions. Most of our children are reading well now so the focus is more on thinking and talking. It is really appreciated and of great benefit to your child if you can make sure you spend time with them each evening and listen to them reading and particularly engage in discussion about the characters, themes, plots and ideas associated with them and their story.

We began to prepare for our Art unit this term which is collage and will be lots of fun. We also brainstormed our first lesson of our Inquiry Technology unit. This series of lessons is built around STRUCTURES, so our first lesson was exploring the children’s understanding of what structures are. They had lots of good ideas and theories and were able to give many examples as well. We will be doing hands-on exploring and I know the children will love it.

Physical Education is small balls activities this term. My goal is to build up skills and teamwork, positive attitudes and determination. I find the children are very willing and open to engage in any outdoor activity. We have twice as many boys than girls so I like to break up the day with quick activities outside to allow all the children to expend their energy.

Storywriting from Week 3 will be procedural writing. They will write ‘how to . . . ‘ do various activities, e.g. instructions.

This week for Maths we have been re-acquainting ourselves with maths activities, whole class activities and fraction work. Next week we will begin our group rotations focusing on Numeracy activities. http://nzmaths.co.nz/ is an excellent website if you want to know more about what your child is learning at maths time. Please continue to spend time each evening with Mathletics for Maths homework. 

Library folders go home on Fridays. Please return them with the books by the following Friday. Please also ensure that when R.E. folders go home that they are returned the next day.

Keep up with the blog  -   http://room9loveslearning.blogspot.co.nz/

There are loads of activities and songs and stories on there. You often have to go back through the ‘older posts’ to find what you may be looking for. I think there might be about 800 photos on there now too. I endeavour to put pictures on about once a week, and I do write messages in at various times. Just keep an eye on it. . .  If there are new photos I usually put them on the NEW PIX page but also put a wee note on the home page. The children take many photos of their own work. So you should get a good picture of what’s going on in the classroom. Every so often I put in a video as well.

My weekly timetable and long term plan is up on the wall behind my desk. Please feel free to have a read at any time. Also, our daily timetable is always written up on the whiteboard.

I am looking forward to some great learning and thinking with your children this term. They are an absolutely delightful and thoughtful collection of lovely children.

:)