Prep Gardens

We read the text Uno's Garden last week and responded to it by creating our own gardens. Each child drew what would be in their gardens (animals, plants and shelter) and added labels. We created a word wall where children found their desired word and copied it onto their sheet. Children were also encouraged to have a go at using the alphabet strips to assist in identifying the key sounds in the word.

They worked on these during Learning Agreement time.



A little bit about the book Uno's Garden by Graeme Base

Uno's Garden is a picture book written and illustrated by Australian children's author Graeme Base. The story features themes of environmental degradation, conservation of nature and habitat, and extinction. It also features arithmetic, and at the back of the book there are instructions for several number games relating to the book. It also contains a game in the book where you have to find an amount of plants, animals, buildings and sometimes one snortelpig. All of the animals and plants featured in the book were invented by the author. Some of the animals included are the snortlepig, moopaloop, lumpybum, and frinklepod. The human voice of the story is that of the aptly named Uno, the first man to move into the forest. The story continues as other people follow Uno in moving into the forest, and as the number of people and buildings increase, the number of plants and animals decrease. 

Inquiry Building Group Happenings!

The Inquiry Building Group have been busy! We have been collaborating with a group of 5/6 students and our Art Specialist teacher Hannah to design and construct a maze. This maze is not just any maze because as you walk through the maze you will be actually on a journey which the children have created together. We have been brainstorming creatures that live in the maze and have explored using directional language to guide a friend through a maze. We even programmed a robot 'Probot' car to be guided through a simple maze and then the car even wrote letters on paper!

Car Club!

Some preps have been excited to participate in 'Car Club' at lunchtimes. The students designed and painted the cardboard cars themselves and researched traffic signs to then use in their imaginary traffic games. They have enjoyed playing with some older children who help to hold up stop signs and race the cars.

Dear Parents,

A reminder that our Teddy Bears picnic is on tomorrow.

The weather looks uncertain, however we will be holding this event with a wet weather back up plan all ready to go.

If the weather is fine it will be at the Railway Park as planned. If it is raining, we will be holding the event in the gymnasium foyer and surrounding veranda area.

We ask that on arrival at the school, you go to the school library where you will be met by our Assistant Principal Kerri Gibson. She will direct you from there.

Please make sure you are at the library by 12.10 and bring a picnic rug if you have one.

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Maddy, Hilary and Elizabeth
The Prep Team

Inquiry update: Nature group

Last Friday during Inquiry time, the Nature Group went on an exploration of the natural world within our school. Working in pairs, they searched for bugs in different areas of the school and they recorded their findings.

Teddy Bears in the neighbourhood

Last week, we requested that Prep children bring in a teddy to the Neighbourhood to incorporate into our literacy and numeracy program.

 

However, if it is a very special teddy with sentimental value, we suggest that your child choose a different teddy/soft toy...to avoid any trauma if it is lost.

 

Thankyou

 

 

Early departure from school this Friday

This Friday is the last day of Term 1.

 

We will conclude the term with an early Assembly from 2.00 - 2.30.

 

 

 

 

Week 8 Happenings

Monday

 

• Learning Agreement Skill Workshops
• Circus Skills Workshop

 

Tuesday

• Learning Agreement
• Italian – Prep H/Prep E
• PE/Sport – Prep M/ Prep H

  Visual Art – Prep E/ Prep M

Wednesday

• Learning Agreement

Thursday

• Learning Agreement
• Italian- Prep M
• PE- Prep E
• Visual Art- Prep H

 Friday 

• Inquiry groups
• Singing with Deborah
• Teddy Bears Picnic
• Visit School Library (max. of 2 books borrowed per child - books can be returned at the library and they can borrow again for the week) Help your child to change their take home book from the Junior school library
• Assembly 2.00 - 2.30

 

Teddy Bears Picnic

The Teddy Bear’s picnic is a tradition at Princes Hill Primary School. Every year, the Preps venture out of the school together for the first time as a Neighbourhood and have a picnic at the Railway Park. Family and friends of the Prep Neighbourhood (along with the Teddy Bears or special toys) are invited to join us. We will share a little food, the children can play in the playground at the park and the Preps will sing the Teddy Bear’s Picnic Song they have been learning. It is a fantastic afternoon and a great way to meet other families in the Prep community.

When: Friday of 27th of March 2015 (Week 8)

Time: 12:15pm to 1:30pm (approx.)

Where: The Railway Park, Solly Ave. We will walk to the park together from the Prep courtyard.                 

 

What to bring: A small plate of food to share, your Teddy Bear (or special toy) and a picnic rug (if you have one).

We look forward to seeing you all there.

The Prep Team

Learning Agreement

The Prep Neighbourhood have excelled at negotiating their learning during Learning Agreement time.

On Mondays, the Neighbourhood participates in Learning Agreement skill workshops. There are 3 workshops throughout the day, each focusing on a particular skill that can be developed during Learning Agreement time. Each skill is appropriate for each learning space (eg - writing describing words in the Learning Commons).

These workshops ensure that the Preps are tuned in to each task and understand what they have to do to complete certain learning provocations.

Before we begin Learning Agreement on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings, we have a neighbourhood meeting in the Maths/Performance space. We outline each learning provocation available by showing pictures on the overhead projector.

The children decide which space they would like to begin in and head to the room to work on a particular learning experience. When they are finished, they check in with the teacher before moving to a new space of their choice. This is so their work can be photographed if necessary, a further challenge may be given for next time and so they are accountable for leaving the work space ready for the next person.

Final Circus Performance!

eCircus Performances

The celebration of the circus provocation as part of our inquiries around ideas of creativity will be held in term two. The school has been divided into two groups to perform on the following evenings;

Group A: Tuesday 28^th April

Group B: Wednesday 29^th April

Time: 7.00 – 8.30pm

Venue: Gymnasium

Costumes will be provided but we ask that children wear black or dark clothing under these. We also request that children come to the show with ‘crazy hair’.

SHOW A	SHOW B
Grade	Grade
Prep M	Prep E
Prep H	1S
1V	1N
1H	2J
2S	2A
3/4L	3/4R
3/4K	3/4M
3/4N	5/6T
5/6P	5/6W
5/6K

Inquiry Update

Following our sharing of special spaces at home, we noticed that there were three main categories that show the appeal and interest of the children.

 

From these categories we have created 3 research groups which will be working together to research 'spaces' more closely related to their interests.

Our 3 Inquiry groups

Nature: Children who exhibited a special fondness for spaces in nature.
This group is working with Maddy.


Building: Children who listed spaces where they are inspired to create and construct.
This group is working with Hilary.



Comfort: Children who gravitated towards spaces where they felt comfortable.
This group is working with Elizabeth.


We look forward to sharing the learning and future direction of each group.

Week 7 Happenings

Week 7 Happenings

Monday

 

• Learning Agreement
• Circus

 

Tuesday

• Learning Agreement
• Italian – Prep H/Prep E
• PE/Sport – Prep M/ Prep H

  Visual Art – Prep E/ Prep M

Wednesday

• Learning Agreement

Thursday

• Learning Agreement
• Italian- Prep M
• PE- Prep E
• Visual Art- Prep H
• Buddy Time

 Friday 

• Inquiry groups
• Singing with Deborah
• Visit School Library (max. of 2 books borrowed per child - books can be returned at the library and they can borrow again for the week) Help your child to change their take home book from the Junior school library.
• Assembly: 3pm – 3:30pm. 

Week 6 Happenings

Monday

• LABOUR DAY - No school today

Tuesday

• Learning Agreement
• Italian – Prep H/Prep E
• PE/Sport – Prep M/ Prep H

  Visual Art – Prep E/ Prep M

Wednesday

• Learning Agreement

Thursday

• Learning Agreement
• CIRCUS SKILLS (Moved to today because we missed it on Monday)
• Italian- Prep M
  

  PE- Prep E

  Visual Art- Prep H

 Friday 

• Help your child to change their take home book from the Junior school library.

• Assembly: 3pm – 3:30pm. 

HATS!

The school has a Sun Smart Policy which encourages responsible attitudes towards protection from the sun’s harmful UV rays. In accordance with our School Policy, all students are required to wear hats (either a broad brimmed hat or legionnaire style hat – no basketball caps) during Terms 1 and 4.

 

Also in accordance with the Sun Smart Policy, children are not to wear singlet/shoe-string strap tops.
 

Students without hats will be requested to remain in designated areas in the shade at all times.

 

Thankyou