Week 8…

Enterprise Day crafts– We had our first Enterprise Day upcycling session and are now well underway with the crafts. Thank you to the parent volunteers who came in to help on Thursday afternoon. The students and I really appreciated the extra set of hands…and eyes! Next week’s craft sessions will be on both Wednesday and Friday afternoons after lunch. We might get started a bit earlier than on Thursday, say at 2pm so we can start to pack up a bit earlier at the end of the day. If parents/volunteers could please let me know if you are coming in to help and on which day/s, that would be great. Some craft items that we still need some more of for this weeks sessions are; alfoil, wooden pegs, string, and magnets. Thank you to all the families who have donated craft materials for our craft sessions.

Inquiry– Room’s 11 and 12 have started Inquiry lessons with Simone once a week until the end of the term. This is a great chance for the two 3/4 classes to work together in small groups. The inquiry has a Science theme to it and encourages students to use their prior knowledge as well as the skills of hypothesising and observation to explore certain concepts. Students have explored various materials/substances that have been used in Science to help with diseases and illnesses as well as bush medicines that were used in the past and looked at how they are similar to some medicinal remedies we use regularly today.

Parent Teacher Interviews– A reminder that next week (week 9) is Parent teacher interview week. I will put a copy of my timetable on the classroom door on Monday morning if anyone needs to check any details. The interviews are scheduled for 15 minutes blocks and I will need to stick strictly to these times as to not get behind for other parents later in the afternoons/evenings. I’m looking forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s learning this term.

In week 7…

English-We started the planners to map out the structure for our free choice Narrative piece of writing. We are moving into the drafting stage this coming week. The students have come up with some great topics and I am looking forward to watching their great ideas develop into great stories.

Maths– We have started looking at our 2x and 5x multiplication facts. Please see attached below an explanation on Multiplication Facts from Ann Baker- Mathematician in Residence for SA. This is method I like to use as a guide when teaching multiplication facts.

Multiplication Facts

Enterprise Day– On Friday, we got into small groups to plan an Upcycled craft to make and sell for Enterprise Day. The ideas could change slightly this week, however below are the ideas so far and some of the resources that we need to start collecting. If families have any of these things at home that they wouldn’t mind donating, that would be greatly appreciated.

Craft title and Equipment needed

Monster Magnets– goggle eyes, bottle caps, magnets

CD Artwork- Old CD’s, toothpicks, old cloths, black acrylic paint

Bookmarks and Bracelets– straws, string, glitter

Peg creatures– Wooden pegs, google eyes

Easter Pom Poms– felt, google eyes, pom poms

Toy planes– popsticks, pom poms

Coasters– popsticks

Also if any volunteers could let me know some times that suit you to come in and help craft with the students, that’d be great. It doesn’t have to be just parent volunteers either, if their are any grandparents or other relatives they are more than welcome! I will plan our sessions to suit your availability, the more notice you give me the better. Thanks

At this stage I have an Enterprise Day session planned for this coming Thursday after lunch.

Passion Projects– If your child hasn’t brought their Passion Project booklet home to discuss with you yet, can you please remind them to do this. Any feedback you have on their choice of topic and possible ideas for sources will be greatly appreciated by the students. We are well underway with the projects now. Students are welcome to take their Project booklets home at any stage, as long as they have them at school on a Wednesday and Thursday please.

Parent/Teacher interviews– Thanks to the families who have already made a booking time online to see me in Wk 9. Just a reminder for those still to book, that the bookings close this Friday.

I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend!

In week 6….

Passion Projects– Students finalised their ‘fat’ question to focus on and are now hitting the books and internet to begin their research. This Tuesday, students will bring home their planning so far to discuss with you. This is so you can see what the project is about and the direction your child has chosen to take. Could families  please make sure that the project sheets are back at school by Thursday morning as we will need to use them then. Thanks

Enterprise Day– Enterprise Day will be here before we know it! If you haven’t already put the date in your diary, then please do so; Week 11, Wed 12th April. More information will be sent out soon. Rooms 11 and 12 are going to run an Upcycling stall on the day. This will link in well with the Science strand of  ‘Sustainability’. At this stage, students have been asked to think about some things they would like to make in small groups. Then we can start to collect some resources that families may have lying around at home e.g. bottle caps, bottles etc. For these craft sessions if there are any parents that would be willing and available to help, I know that I would really appreciate some extra hands!

Science- A note went home on Thursday, asking students to please;
Look for seeds in and around the home. These may be in fruits or vegetables that are eaten or seeds found in the garden. Collect a number of each seed if possible and place in a small plastic bag. Write the name of the flower or fruit on the bag.  Take a photo of or draw the fruit or flower that the seed came from and attach to the plastic bag
with the date of collection. Students will be asked to share their collected seeds with the class on Thursday afternoon this week.

Camp- A note went home this week with a bit more information regarding camp. In order to gauge how many students will be attending, we are asking all families to please fill out and return the slip by Monday the 20th of March. I will attach the note in a link below in case anyone has misplaced their form.

Camp Letter Narnu Farm-2

*Reminder- Family Picnic coming up this Friday March 17th from 4:30-7:30pm

If you would like to know more about the Maths strategies your child been learning in class (for addition and subtraction) so far this term, please click the link below.

Guide for parents

Class information

Health- We have started our unit on ‘Keeping Healthy’. We have been discussing what it means to be healthy and in particular focusing on the foods we eat. Students have been asked to please bring in any food labels from packaging at home for Tuesday’s lesson next week. Thanks to the students who have already brought some food labels in.

Passion Projects- Our preparation for our Passion Projects has well and truly begun. We have been working with Simone to discuss ‘fat’ and ‘skinny’ questions. Students are in the process of constructing their ‘fat’ question to research which will give them great scope for their project. We are all really excited about getting started with the research, particularly as students have selected a topic that they are really interested in.

Camp– We have booked our Yr 3/4 camp for 2017! We will be going with Rooms 11 and 16 to Narnu Farm in week 6 of Term 2, 7-9th of June. This is the week before the long weekend, which will give students a good amount of time to recover after the camp!

Studyladder- This week our class started using Studyladder. Studyladder is a web based educational program designed by teachers. The program is curriculum based and covers Mathematics, Literacy as well as other subjects. Your child has been given a username and password which can be used to access Studyladder at school or at home. It is not compulsory for your child to use Studyladder at home, however regular access will help them reinforce what they have been taught in school. It will also help to build their confidence through practice.