Play Dough Friends!

We are learning about relationships/friendships in A1 and A2.  Ayla, Emma and Isabella decided to use the play dough to make a group of friends going to the movies.  They said that they are being kind to each other and are helping each other when people are mean.  We think that they have done a fantastic job!

There are only 3 weeks to go before Easter!  Where has the time gone this term?  We are busy trying to fit as much learning as we can into the last few weeks of school.  Everybody is tired but they all still seem eager to learn!

We have had a few unwelcome visitors on people's heads the last couple of weeks.  Please check your child for naughty nits and treat them if necessary.  Remember to repeat the treatment to avoid any unnoticed eggs hatching from the first time as well.  

It is a vicious cycle, but if we can all keep on top of it, hopefully it should keep them to a minimum...

As I'm sure people will be able to see from the picture, there are less and less children bringing their togs for swimming each week.  As a result of this, we have decided to make next week the last week for swimming this year.  Make sure you bring your togs so that we can make the most of our last couple of weeks in the pool!

This week our big book is "Keep Trying", and our poem is "Me".  Our letters that we are learning about are 'd' and 'g' and we are continuing to work on number recognition, and before and after numbers to 20 for maths.

We are continuing with our school wide focus on manners and picking up our rubbish.  All the tamariki in A1 are making a concerted effort to remember to say please and thank you and are doing really well remembering to put all of their rubbish in the bin.

Have a good week everybody! 

Dinosaur Zoo!

Some of the super clever kids in our class decided to use their discovery/developmental time to make this amazing dinosaur zoo!  Caeden, Lauren and Jai decided to use the blocks and dinosaurs to make a zoo.  They put little dinosaurs in the big gap and the big dinosaurs in the little gaps.  They tried their best to fit them all in there.  They said that they had to think about the sizes.  Caeden said it is like a thunder zoo with lots of reptiles and animals and dinosaurs.

We think it is really cool!

This term is certainly flying by!  We have all been working really hard and have been learning so much that we are exhausted by the end of the day!

This week our big book is called "Dog" and our poem is called "I Can Jump".  Our letters that we are learning about are 'i' and 'n' and we are continuing to focus on recognition and formation of numbers to 10, before and after numbers to 10, and basic facts to 5 for maths.

The children are all enjoying swimming on Monday and Thursday afternoons.  Don't forget to name everything (we have had quite a few pairs of nameless undies that nobody will claim!!) and to ensure that the children have their togs and towels with them on those days.

They are also enjoying library on Wednesday afternoons and look forward to their visits with 'Mrs Books'.  Please make sure that the children have their library books in their book bags on Wednesdays so that they can choose a new book to issue.

Have a great week!

We have another busy week planned in A1.  

Our letters that we are focusing on are 't' and 'p', we are still writing every day focusing on where to do our plans, write our names and do our writing, and for maths we are focusing on number recognition to 10, before and after numbers to 10 and basic facts to 5.  We are continuing to work on our school song, our school dance and we have team building middle block on Friday.  Hopefully after all of that we will still have time to fit in our swimming, library and some reading as well!

We have our new Bike Track opening on Wednesday afternoon straight after we have been to visit the library.  It would be great if the tamariki could bring decorated bikes or scooters to ride around the track on that day!  Don't forget your helmet and your shoes if you do decide to bring them!!

We are slowly getting used to being at school.  We had lots of tired children at the end of last week!  Luckily Friday was a really fun day with a powhiri to welcome all our new staff and students, team building with the rest of the A-Team, and a special assembly where Charlotte from Peaches and Pickles told us all about Passion Fridays.

Passion Fridays are new to Whangaparaoa School and we are all excited about being involved in encouraging our tamariki with the passions that they have.  The eldest and only child in each whanau should have received a newsletter today outlining Passion Friday and the cost that it will incur.  Please be sure to have your forms into the school office before the end of the week if you wish for your child to be involved in any of the classes.

We are busy learning a school song and a new dance that we will hopefully be able to perform at the end of the term with the rest of the school.  We are having heaps of fun learning them!  Here are the links so that you can practise them at home:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REntT1Amvxc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxJyMOpJrrY

Some people may have noticed the pink 1F4 book in their child's book bag each night.  This is their home book.  Inside it is the Anton Song that we sing daily, a sheet with the correct formation of letters and the rhymes that go with them, and a Word Worm at the back of the book.  Please sing the Anton Song with your child each night as it helps with their alphabet recognition and sounds.  I have included the formation sheet in their homework books so that you are able to check that they are using the correct formation and pencil grip when they are doing any writing at home.  The Word Worm has either letters or words that your child is learning in class.  They will get a sticker on each word/letter as they master them.  A reader will be sent home in their book bags to read with somebody each night.

I firmly believe that home time is family time and the time to speak to your child about their day and what they are learning about at school.  While reinforcing what they are learning in class is important, it is also important for them to have some down time to recharge the batteries ready for the next day.  If you do not manage to sing the song or do the Word Worm every night then that is not a problem.  I do ask however, that you make the time to read their reader with them each night.  Doing this helps them with their basic sight word recognition and reinforces the lessons that they have had with that book during the day.

REMINDERS:

Swimming is on Monday and Thursday afternoons.  Please make sure you send their NAMED togs and towel to school in a plastic bag.

Library is on Wednesdays this term.  

Our day for the water slide is Thursday this week.

Our powhiri for our new staff and students is at 10am this Friday.  Hope to see you all there!