Maths: Measuring

In the Neighbourhood this week the children have been measuring Autumn leaves as part of our Autumn Maths exploration. The children chose a large Autumn leaf and measured the height and width of the leaf using unifix cubes. If you don't know what a unifix cube is please ask your child. Today some children in the Neighbourhood had the opportunity to measure a variety of items that are found in the rooms using the unifix blocks. The children had to work co-operatively in small groups and did lots of counting.

 

Premier's Reading Challenge

We spoke with the children today about the Premier's Reading Challenge. If your child is interested in taking up the challenge please speak with one of the teachers to recieve a form to register. If you would like more information about the Premier's Reading Challenge please click on the link below.

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/prc/

 

Week 3 Happenings

Tuesday
Assembly (Year 1 hosting) and coffee cart

Wednesday
Library: Please return your library books so you can borrow new ones.
2:30 - 3:30 PMP: Parent helpers needed.

Parent Helpers for PMP

The Prep Neighbourhood will begin PMP on Wednesday in week 3. PMP will be on between 2:30 - 3:30. We require many parent helpers so if you are able to assist please add your name to one of the lists that are outside the homerooms.  

 

A Perceptual Motor Program (PMP) aims to give the child experiences in seeing, hearing, touching, processing, making perceptual judgements and reacting though carefully sequenced activities which children enjoy doing like running, hopping, skipping, jumping, balancing, crawling, climbing, throwing, catching, bowling, sliding, etc., using a variety of common and specially designed equipment.

 

 

Messages from Mark

Library Accessible from 8.50 am

Encourage your child to return items on time and to enjoy reading. Loan periods are for 14 days only. Children may renew a loan. Drop by the Library Monday-Thursday from 8.50am before classes begin! The Premiers’ Reading Challenge is on again for 2013...

 

Parent Helpers Needed for the main PHPS Library and the Junior School Library (red brick building)

Can you spare 15 minutes once a week? We need helpers to organise, order and sort our library shelves to keep them in good order for students to locate materials. 15 minutes a week makes all the difference!

Contact Mark Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the library or speak to Jessica 

Our Excursion to The Royal Botanical Gardens

Today the Prep Neighbourhood visited the Royal Botanical Gardens. We were lucky to have gorgeous weather, the rain stayed away until we were back school. Our time at the gardens was jammed back with exciting things to see and do.

Here is a sample of some of the great things we got to see and do in our 3 hours at the gardens:

· Plant a daffodil blub

· Explore a jungle

· Make potpourri using rose petals and lavender

· Felt and smelltmany plants

· Hug treeS

· Saw an elephant in a tree (see pic below to understand)

· Saw a fossilised tree that is 10 000 years old

A big thank you to all the parents and grandmas who joined us on the excursion.

Mother's Day Stall

When: FRIDAY 10^th May in the school gym

Set up from 7.30am

Retail sales from 9.15 til 11.15
Pack up after 11.15

Please help by;

# donating items for sale on the day – could you let us know in advance the items you can donate.

# Baking goods – baked goods are always popular – cellophane and wrapping items will be available from the office from Friday 26^th April 2013 and can be delivered on the day.

# Volunteering your time to help on the day

 

We need over 900 items to sell, so all donations small and big are helpful.

Top sellers are jewellery, scarves, soaps, plants,
Trinkets, teas, chocolates, candles, aprons, bags, jams – the only limit is your imagination!

 

Art Room

Today the Art Room during learning agreement time, the Preps had the opportunity to create their very own vegetable patch.We used cardboard as a base and the children made the vegetables (or fruit) with coloured plasticine. It was great to see such enthusiasm and creativity. Some beautiful paintings were painted with watercolour and the box construction table was also quite popular. Children from all homegroups ventured into the room to explore the learning experiences available.

Kimochi Workshops

The students in the Prep neighborhood have been participating in Kimochi workshops. Each home group has been rotating around the different spaces and learning from each teacher about a particular feeling.

Children are learning about what each feeling is, discussing how they feel when experiencing it and how to manage the feeling. We have been learning through role playing, discussing characters feelings from stories read together, group discussion and brainstorming.

We have worked through FRUSTRATED, HAPPY and MAD. Children are trying to apply what they have learnt to situations that may arise at school.

We are currently discussing  LEFT OUT, SILLY and SAD.

Information about the excursion

The current weather forecast for Wednesday is min: 11 max: 20. Mostly cloudy. Fingers crossed it doesn't rain.

Items for children to bring:

• packed lunch or snack in a labeled plastic bag

• water bottle

• sun hat & sunscreen or

• wet weather gear

• comfortable shoes

• appropriate clothing

The Royal Botanical Gardens have asked that the following information be passed on to parents who are joining us on the excursion:

• Mobile phones – please limit to emergency calls only and keep phone on vibrate mode.
• Ensure students/children have prime position in the learning group so that they can see & hear adequately
• Please be aware of cues from your RBG teacher who will guide your hands-on involvement which we encourage.
• Your cooperation with keeping talking to a minimum while the RBG teacher is addressing the children is greatly appreciated, if communication must occur, please remove self from the learning area
• Holding hands is not encouraged as we like the children to use their hands for exploring the landscape!
• If you must discipline a child/student, please remove yourselves away from the group so as to minimise impact on the rest of the class/group.

Absence Notifications

• If your child is absent from school please notify the teachers (or office) in writing the first day they have returned back school.
• If you have any planned holidays during the term please notify the school in writing prior to your departure.
• If a child arrives at school after the bell they must sign in at the office and bring a slip to the homegroup teacher.

Learning Agreement: Writing Room

The writing room was buzzing with learning this morning during learning agreement time as children from across the neighbourhood explored the many experiences in the room. Many children were excited to use the iPads to practice writing the alphabet, while others were using dictionaries and writing their own books. The children were interested in the new letter box and red tubes and many started writing letters to friends and family.

Changes to Learning Agreement

Starting on Monday our Neighbourhood will be organised differently during learning agreement time. Each room will now be offering a particular type of learning: writing, art or maths/science. Children are to go to their homeroom at the bell for the marking of the roll. Please feel free to look at the different learning spaces in the morning with your child.

Week 2 Happenings

Tuesday
Assembly and coffee cart

Wednesday
9:15 - 1:30 Excursion to the Royal Botanical Gardens
No Library

Thursday
ANZAC Day: No school

Important: Nut Allergy

It has been brought to my attention that there is a child with a severe nut allergy in the Neighbourhood. This is not just peanuts as we previously mentioned on the blog, but all nuts. Could you please take this in to consideration when packing your child's lunch.

Gardening Club Work Bee: Sunday 21st April

All PHPS community members are invited to help establish the Neighbourhood Garden beds.

Come along this Sunday, 21st April between 10am - 1pm.

 

Gardening with Alexandra

Today during learning agreement two small groups explored the prep's garden plot with Alexandra. The garden plot is outside the gym. The children had a wonderful time digging up the soil and seeing what lay beneath. The children also looked at what other neighbourhoods have planted.

Statements made by the children:
"Worms are skinny and they feel wet"
"The worms like it under the ground"
"It's wet"
"It wriggles"
'It's got an orange head"
"It's a caterpiller"
"The soil is solid, rock hard"

Peanut Allergies

In the Prep Neighbourhood a few of the children have a severe peanut allergy. The prep teachers would be most grateful if you could avoid using peanut products in your child’s lunch.

The prep teachers have already spoken to all the children about not sharing food with other children and washing their hands after lunch (especially if they have been eating peanut butter or nuts). We would appreciate if you could please remind your child about sharing food and washing hands.

Thank you

Prep Teachers

Welcome Claudia!

We have a new addition to the Prep Neighborhood. Her name is Claudia and she has come from Belguim. We look forward working you this year Claudia!

Autumn Maths

On Monday the Prep Neighbourhood collected leaves from the school playground that had changed colour and fallen from the trees. Over the last 2 days the children have counted, ordered, sorted and graphed the leaves. Take a look at the photos below, how do you think the leaves have been sorted?

 

Welcome back Preps!

It was lovely to see everyone today share stories about our holidays. The Prep team hopes you all had a safe and enjoyable holiday. We are all well rested and looking forward to the term ahead. 

There have been some small changes throughout the neighbourhood. Ask your child what changes they noticed and please come and take a look.

 

Science tables in the rooms

Home corner is in the courtyard

 

Excursion to the Botanical Gardens

The Prep Neighbourhood will be visiting the Botanical Gardens on Wednesday in week 2. Most children have returned their green permission note. If your child has not returned their note can you please insure it is returned this week. If you are unsure if the note has been returned please ask their homegroup teacher.

Parent Helpers
We require parents helpers for the excursion. If you can assist please sign up on the sheet that is located in the courtyard. The excursion will begin at 9am and we will return to school at approximately 1:30pm.

Week 1 Happenings

Monday
First day of term 2

Tuesday
9am: Assembly and coffee cart

Wednesday
Library: Please return books borrowed last term so you can borrow new books