Tucker Turtle

This week, the Preps learnt about Tucker Turtle. He uses the Turtle technique when he is upset and it helps him make positive choices. Children can use this technique to manage their emotions when they are upset.

Exploring the story setting

This week, during literacy workshops, the children have explored the idea of the 'setting' in stories.

We talked about what a story would be like if there was no setting and what a fairy tale might be like if it was set somewhere else. For example: Red Riding Hood but set in a supermarket!

The setting is very important in story telling because we can picture the place that the character is in and connect to it with our imagination.

The Preps got creative and made sets using various materials (drawing, modelling clay, water colour and blocks).

Mirka Mora Puppets in Art

The preps have been making wonderful puppets in Art with Hannah, inspired by artist Mirka Mora. Here are some of their designs:

Book Week: Parent Visit

This week during Learning Agreement, Aiden (Arlo's dad) came in and ran a workshop, focusing on characters and story telling. He read 'Anton and the Battle' and the children contributed their ideas about the 2 characters and discussed how they connected to the story.

He let us know some tips that we can use tell a good story. Writing workshops in the coming weeks will be centred around narrative writing.

 

 

 

Action Required: Premier's Reading Challenge

Children who have taken part in the Premier's Reading Challenge (PRC) need to print out their reading list from the PRC website, have a parent sign it and give it to their teacher by Monday 8th September.

Book Week Movie

As Book Week came to an end with the wonderful sharing of the hilarious collaborative story "Lost in Lost Property", some of the preps also shared how they connected to reading in the movie below:

Reading at Home

Below is a helpful video which provides some strategies that can be used when reading with your child at home. This video is a good guide however don't feel like you need to apply this approach exactly. Reading at home should be enjoyable and from any text the purpose is to gain meaning from it.

Some recommendations from the video are:

- Ensure that reading is enjoyable for your child.
- Discuss the book prior to reading to give confidence.
-Look at the pictures and draw attention to images that are mentioned in the text.
-Draw attention to some initial letters in words and what sound they make in that word.
-Encourage reading on as a strategy to identify unknown words.
-Not all mistakes need to be corrected (while your child gains confidence and can still enjoy reading with you).
-Ask 'Does it look right?' or 'Does that make sense?' to encourage another strategy that helps us read.
- Try not to always give the answer, be patient and give them time to think.
-Re read sentences from the start and say the first sound of tricky words.
- Be encouraging of achievements and attempts.

Action Required: Swimming

The swimming session on Monday is about Water Safety so the children need to bring an extra top and shorts to wear that will get wet.  

Week 7 Happenings!

Swimming Continues!

Monday
Swimming

Tuesday
Assembly and Coffee Cart (Clubs presenting)
2:30 Book Week Performance (Prep - 2)

Wednesday
Swimming
Italian (Yellow & Green)

Friday
Swimming (Final session)
Sport and Italian (Red & Blue)
Sport and Art (Yellow & Green)

Creative Writing Contest

Today Lucy and Bassi from year 5 visited the Prep Neighbourhood and spoke to the children about a creative writing contest that is being run across the school. Children are invited to write a fantasy short story using their imagination. Parents can scribe the story for the children, but the ideas and words must be the children's own. Lucy and Bassi have asked that the stories been written in neat handwriting or typed up if possible.

The winner of the Prep-2 category will receive a $30 voucher for the Little Book Room on Nicholson Street.

Library: borrowing times and the junior school library books

The school library is now open every morning from 8:45am for borrowing & returning books and at lunchtimes on Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday for quiet reading and borrowing. 

We have a basket near the torus for books that children would like to return to the school library as we don't have set library days. If you can't make it to the library please leave the books in the basket before or after school and the books will be returned when a Kimochi group visits the library. 

The Junior School Library books will now be issued through the computer borrowing system. One computer is set up for book returns whist the other is for borrowing. Leigh will be there for the returns and borrowing. It is important that all books are returned through the computer borrowing system.

Our Super Hero Music Video

The preps launched their Super Hero Song with a music video last Tuesday. The preps enjoyed making costumes, props, animations, singing and acting to create the video together. We would like to thank Deborah for the passion and skill that she shared with us to help develop this song. Well Done Preps!

Prep Assembly Movie

Book Week Parade is tomorrow!

One final reminder that the book week parade is tomorrow. Children from Prep-2 are asked to dress up as a character connect to. The parade will take place during the normal assembly at 9am. 

Here is a clue from Jessica about her character: I connect to me character because I have red/blonde (ginger) hair and I love to run, "You can't catch me!" Can you guess my character?

Week 6 Happenings!

Book Week Inquiry continues: How do we connect to reading?

Monday

Swimming begins! 

Tuesday

Assembly: Book Week Parade! Children to dress up as a character they connect to. 

Wednesday

Swimming

Italian (Green/Yellow)

Thursday
PMP

2:30 Special Assembly for Book Week. First reading of the book created across the school. 

Friday

Swimming

Italian & Sport (Red/Blue)

Art & Sport (Yellow/Green)

Book Week Parade

Children in Prep-2 are invited to dress up as a book character they connect to for next Tuesday's Assembly as part of our Book Week Inquiry. The children are also asked to bring in the book the character comes from to share with the Neighbourhood. Children can wear their costume all day if it is comfortable. We look forward to seeing everyone dressed up. 

When: Tuesday 19th August (Week 6)

Time: 9 - 9:30

Where: School gym 

Week 5 Happenings! It's action packed!

Book Week Inquiry begins this week.

How do we connect to books?

Sign up for Book Talk

Monday

Introduction to our new inquiry.

Art (Red & Blue)

Tuesday

Prep Assembly followed by our Celebration of Learning which will include:

The launch of the Prep Music Video &

The opening of the Reporter's Office

Wednesday

Preps working with Nova on the whole school book

Italian (Yellow & Green)

Thursday

PMP - new day, helpers required

Friday

Italian and Sport (Red & Blue)

Art and Sport (Yellow & Green)

THURSDAY is now PMP DAY!

There is a new timetable for specialist classes and there are now some changes to our timetable.

 

Wednesday: Green/Yellow Italian

 

Thursday: PMP (9.15-10.15)

 

A new sign up sheet will be outside the Learning Commons tomorrow.

 

Thankyou

Imagination Survey!

You might have seen this survey go home last week. As part of our inquiry, the preps have been looking at the question "How do others change the world with their imagination?". In order to research this question, we have come up with a survey sheet which we would love you to fill out. We will be reading the data collected with the children and documenting all the different ways families and friends have used their imagination as well as deepening our understanding of what imagination is and the possibilities of what we can do with our imaginations. If you could fill in the survey and return it to any prep teacher, we would appreciate your contribution.

Thank you,

The Prep Neighbourhood

Action Required: Swimming

Today two notices were sent home about swimming, the green notice is the permission slip and attached is the bill. The white notice outlines the times each group will be attending swimming. If your child is not going swimming you will not have received the swimming notices. The children need to change before and after swimming so we need lots of parent helpers to assist with this. When the children are in the pool you can sit back and relax and maybe spot a Richmond football player. If you are able to join us please add your name on the appropriate time and day. A sign up sheet will be placed on the Parent Notice Board.

Swimming times:
9:10 - 11:15 Prep Maddy (Yellow)
10:05 - 12:10 Prep Hilary (Green)
11:15 - 13:20 Prep Jessica (Red)
12:10 - 14:15 Prep Elizabeth (Blue)

Prep Assembly and Celebration of Learning

Next Tuesday (12th August) the Prep Neighbourhood will be presenting their learning at the whole school assembly. After our assembly we invite family and friends of Prep to stay for the release of our Superhero song video clip, the opening of the Prep Reporter's Office and a tour of the Prep Neighbourhood. We hope to see you all there. 

Book Week: Book Talk

As part of Book Week the students will be participating in a whole school mini inquiry., commencing on Monday the 11^th  of August  and concluding with a special 2.30 pm assembly  on Thursday 21^st of August. A big part of the inquiry will be to investigate, through book talk, how readers connect to the stories they read, and the kinds of personal, social, cultural and literary assumptions the writer is making about their reader.   A reader’s prior knowledge and experiences support readers in responding to the meanings of the texts they read.  Book talk not only encourages students to engage in and respond to the books they are reading, but by listening  to the varied experiences of  their peers, also enriches their own experience of the text. As a community of readers, we would like to extend an invitation for parents to come into the neighbourhood of their child and share a book that resonated with them at a similar age.  Please let your child’s teachers know if you would like to participate in sharing your experience with the children  by arranging a suitable time for this to occur.

Tim Aris

Student learning

A timetable for book talk will be put up in each homeroom. If possible we would like book talk to take place at the beginning and/or end of the day during the Book Week inquiry. We look forward to sharing books with you. 

Artist Study: Henri Matisse

The Prep Neighbourhood is beginning to investigate "How do others change the world with their imagination?" As part of this investigation we are looking at the French Artist Henry Matisse who loved to use colour and towards the end of his life 'painted with scissors'. We have begun to look at Matisse's collages and discussing what we see. The conversations have been wonderful as we all see different things in his work. The artwork has also invoked a variety of feelings and today the Cloud group had some fantastic response in our workshop. 

The colours are bright and make me feel happy. - Jethro

Reminds me of the sea and makes me feel floaty. - Freddy

It makes me feel like I want to paint myself. - Mila L

It makes me feel like a fish because it looks like seaweed. - Oakley

The children are encourage to 'paint with scissors' in the art studio during Learning Agreement. 

Maths

This term the preps have been exploring measurement through capacity, depth and shape. We read Goldilocks and the three bears and had the opportunity to create our own porridge bowls! The preps used their imagination to create different portions for each bear and were able to count and compare different sizes using unifix. 

PMP

PMP was relocated to the mini oval this week. The kids enjoyed the change of setting and we were treated to some sunshine. It is evident that the Preps are improving their gross motor skills and they  are participating with much enthusiasm.

August 1, 2014

Gym Club

Hendrix and Wei Dong have taken the initiative to help start a 'Gym Club' at lunch time on Thursdays where "kids can get fit!". They selected some equipment and are encouraging exercise by:
-timing personal bests for running
-counting push ups
-teaching skipping and ball games
It is great to see everyone joining in and trying something new at lunch time!

Reporter Nina visits the Preps

On Wednesday Reporter Nina (Jessie's mum) visited the Prep Neighbourhood and spoke to us about being a reporter. In preparation the children wrote questions that they wanted to ask Nina about being a reporters and working for a Newspaper. Nina reminded us about famous reporters we may know:
Clark Kent (Superman)
Peter Parker (Spiderman)
April O'Neil (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)
Kermit the frog

Below are some of the important points Nina made about being a reporter:

When writing a newspaper article you need to answer the 5 'W' questions:
Who
What
Where
When
Why

You need to be a good listener.

Show don't tell. A picture can be more powerful.

She spoke to us about using Good open ended questions when interviewing people for an article. Closed questions will only receive a yes.no answer.

"Writing is a great way to communicate with someone"

Book Week: What book/character do you connect with?

As part of our Book Week Inquiry we are going to create flags for the library. On the flags we will be drawing a book or book character that we connect with. On the weekend, we encourage you to discuss with your child what their favourite book is and what characters they connect with, to assist with the flag making process.  

Week 4 Happenings!

Monday
Art (Red & Blue)

Tuesday
Assembly and coffee cart

Wednesday
PMP

Thursday
Italian (Green & Yellow)

Friday
Italian and Sport (Red & Blue)
Art and Sport (Green & Yellow)