24 July 2017
Kia Ora and a very warm welcome back to Term 3. I hope you have managed to stay warm and dry and have some special time with your whanau during these holidays.
Inquiry Topic - Helath Focus
We have two inquiry topics this term starting with ‘Get Firewise’ which is a programme designed by the New Zealand Fire Service and Ministry of Education aimed at Year 1 and 2 children and delivers fire safety messages through literacy, maths, reading, spelling, story-writing, art, drama, science and music elements. The other inquiry unit of work is focused on Healthy Foods and we will be looking at the major food groups and what we need to eat in a balanced diet. This will culminate with a visit from the Life Education Trust who will teach three lessons in their onsite mobile caravan with Harold the Giraffe. Always a favourite with the children!
Art
We will be printmaking this term, looking at crayon prints, mono prints, wet and dry roller prints and using a variety of different materials to make prints such as tin foil, pva glue, collage materials and string. We will have a visit to the Christchurch Art Gallery at the end of the term to have a lesson on collagraph prints.
Maths
We continue to work on developing strategy and knowledge concepts through problem solving with the children, and will explore fractions for a week later in the term.
This term for the mathematics strand we will be looking at Statistics - sorting objects into categories for display, making a display of the data collected and finally making statements about data displays.
Religious Education
We are learning about Sacraments - why people, places and objects are holy, followed by the Church strand later in the term. There will be more information about these topics in the family-whanau information sheet in your child’s RE folder when we start these topics.
Writing
This term children will continue to write recounts and will be learning how to write explanations later in the term. For new children, the focus will remain on learning to write simple sentences.
Reading
We will continue to build up decoding strategies to enable children to become more independent with their reading and also retelling the story in their own words. Keep an eye out in your child’s yellow reading notebook to see what strategy they are currently working on.
Oral Language
We will be doing Informative Speeches later in the term where children will prepare a short speech at home, and will present it in front of the class. The children will peer assess each other giving feedback - three positive and one thing to work on for next time. I will send home information on this closer to the time.
Handwriting
This term the older children are working on writing capital letters using the correct letter formation, and newer children will be learning lower case letters. We have been working on children having good posture and using the correct pencil grip, so please help to reinforce this at home.
Maori
We will be learning about Te Taima – The Time, Ngā rā o te wiki – The days of the week, Te Ahua o te rāngi –Weather, Ngā Kakahu – Clothing, Te Wāhi – Locations as well as myths and legends.
Homework
- Children will have a new reading book Mon – Thurs and library books on Friday. Please help them to read these books and record them in your child’s reading notebook.
- A maths task-book is kept in reading folders that shows what your child is currently working on, and will have a game to play to help learn the new concept. Please sign the book and ask your child to show me when they have learnt this so I can give them the next activity.
- Your child will be working on either alphabet, sight words or spelling. Please try and practice these each day and let me know when your child has learnt the current set of letters/words.
Author’s Visit
We have the local author, Jennifer Somervell coming to work with the children with storytelling, dramatisation, how her stories are inspired and written, question and answers and the process of picture book production.
Cricket Workshop
We have the Christchurch Junior Cricket Association coming to teach the children some basic cricket skills this term and show them how much fun cricket can be.
Performing Theatre
We have the fabulous Taki Rua te reo Maori theatre coming for a whole school visit in September. They will be performing ‘Hinepau’ which is based on a story by New Zealand author, Gavin Bishop.
If you have any questions about anything, please email me at susanne.stack@olv.school.nz, or make a time to come and see me.
Warm Regards
Susanne Stack
