Week 9

Week 8 was a very full week for the students. They were very busy getting assessments finished and training for cross country. As a reward we are giving them homework with a difference. Read all about it in the homework tab.

This is  meant to be fun and rewarding for you and your child. Please chat about the theme as a family around the dinner table or in the car on the way somewhere. You can help them as much or as little as you like.

Enjoy the opportunity to be collaborative.

Coming Up in Week 9
 

Mon – Cross Country, Homework available
Tues – Digital literacy, Library
Weds – Assembly
Thurs – Excursion to Ngutana Lui 
Value of the week: APPRECIATION

Cross Country

On Monday 21st March 2016, all students in Prep to Year 6 will take part in our annual Cross Country Carnival.  The main emphasis of the day is “Participation, Team Spirit and Challenging Ourselves!”
It is also an integral part of our School’s Fitness Program.  We welcome you, your family and friends to come along to support the students and their team.

A few things to remember:
• Bring your hat, sunscreen, a drink and something to sit on.
• Wear team colours to show your support.
• There will be a coffee van at the side of the hall for light refreshments.   For the students’ safety and the efficient running of events:
• Students are not permitted to wear spikes.
Please wear sport shoes!
• Spectators are not permitted on the ovals or near the course markers and must stay behind the barriers.
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Other information:
• After your child has raced they will be expected to return to class.
• Any student who is not able to participate must bring a Parent/Guardian note to their class teacher. If they do not provide a note they will be expected to participate.
Please ensure that your child is aware of their year of birth.

Celebration of Learning - Showcase

On Wednesday 23 March, we will hold our first Celebration of Learning showcase night from 6:00 to 7:00pm. All classrooms and specialist areas will be open for your child/ren to lead you around to experience a small snapshot of the excellent work that has occurred during Term 1. I hope to see as many families attend this night as possible. You will be able to collect the Term 1 portfolio at showcase and peruse through this during the Easter holidays. The portfolio must be returned on the first day of Term 2.

A reminder to all parents that this is NOT a parent-teacher interview night. It would not be possible in the one-hour time frame for me to spend 5 mins with every family. It is also a very busy night and your child’s privacy would not be respected if I were speaking to you regarding your concerns, when other parents and children are present in the room.
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I strongly encourage you to schedule an appointment time with me if you have any concerns or questions about your child’s portfolio or progress in Term 1.

Excursion to Ngutana Lui

A reminder that the Year 4 students will be going on an excursion to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Centre at Inala this Thursday. This is the culminating activity for our History/English unit on "The First Australians". Students will need to bring a packed lunch, school hat and a water bottle. All students are expected to follow school rules whilst on the excursion. The bus will depart school at 9:00am, and we will return to school by 2:45pm.

Homework and Week 8 happenings

I have been very pleased with the standard of neatness in the students' homework. It is evident that most students are able to do some homework each night. This is important so that positive study habits are developed.

A REMINDER: Some students are forgetting to do the particular activities written down for each day. Please read the instructions so that your child is doing the correct activity on the correct day.

THANK YOU: A very big thank you to all parents who are signing the reading log. Some students have shared the conversations they have had with their parent about the book they are reading. This is very pleasing as these students are making connections between home and school which highlights the effectiveness of these conversations. Data shows that this is one of the most powerful ways to increase a child's comprehension.

Value of the Week - HONESTY
Monday – Music
Tuesday – Digital literacy, Library
Wednesday –  Assembly   4 White are hosting
Friday – PE

Daily Number Focus: 0, 1, 2, 5, 10 X

Sound of the week:  i
Grammar Focus: Text cohesion
Comprehension Strategy: Summarising
Writing Strategy: Revision of writing traits
Writing Genre: Information report​

Coming up in Week 7

Mon – Holy week collage
Tues – Digital literacy, Library 
Weds –  Music,  Assembly
Fri – PE

Daily Number Focus: 0, 1, 2, 5, 10 X

Sound of the week:  d dd   


Grammar Focus: Text cohesion
Comprehension Strategy: Summarising
Writing Strategy: Revision of writing traits 
Writing Genre: Information report​

SCIENCE
To finish off the science unit "May the Force be With You" each student will be required to make a catapult. They need to bring all their materials by Wednesday. They will make and test their catapult at school.

This needs to be a very simple catapult using materials they find around the home. For example: rubber bands, paddle pop sticks, empty tissue box, ruler, cardboard rolls, clothes pegs, paper clips and the like.

This link has been used in class to demonstrate various designs and different materials that can be used to create their catapult.

Catapult ideas

Their catapult will need to have 3 different firing positions so the students can make predictions about the size of the force and the distance their object (a marshmallow - supplied by me) will travel.

EXCURSION

The Year 4 students are going on an excursion to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Centre at Inala. This is the culminating activity for the History/English unit on "The First Australians".

When - Thursday 24th March (last day of Term 1)
What to bring  - a packed lunch, school hat, water bottle, cheerful attitude, listening skills
Travel - bus departs school at 9:00am and returns to school by 2:45pm