Ban on Footy Cards

Due to a range of issues relating to footy cards we have decided to ban them from the Prep Neighbourhood. If footy cards are brought in, the teachers will confiscate the cards and parents will need to collect them. Thank you for your understanding.

Week 8 Happenings

Tuesday
9:00 Walkathon Assembly and Coffee Cart
2:30 Prep's Got Talent

Wednesday
9:00 Garden Club with Alexandra during learning agreement
12:10 Library
1:15 Footsteps
2:30- 3:30 PMP - Parents please sign up and come join us

Preps Experience Time Lapse

The Prep neighborhood watched some short timelapse videos today in response to their wonderings and curiosities about the world around them. Following the viewing, the Preps used the "Think, Pair, Share" routine to come up with some new wonderings.

 

How do plants grow?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2RuVxdr0mA

I was wondering.....
if it will grow into a beanstalk
if it will grow into a tree
how the shoots are growing
how the seeds make the tree grow
how the trees pop up out of the ground
how the plants grow after the big big bang
if the size of the bean will effect how big the plant grows

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is inside the cocoon we found and how will it get out?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5QH3bGF4uU&feature=endscreen&NR=1

I was wondering.....
how the butterfly can get out of the cocoon
How the butterfly can grow inside the cocoon

How do trees grow?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjnKAWxCK3k

 



Footsteps Dance Workshop

The Preps took part in their first Footsteps Dance Workshop. Here is a video showing what they learnt. Footsteps will take place every Wednesday until the end of term.

Great job Preps! Nice moves!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM-NAVur_XA

Message from the Green Team

Prep's Got Talent!

The Prep Neighborhood participated in the first ever Prep's Got Talent at Princes Hill Primary School. The Preps entertained the audience, performing on the stage area of the Performing Arts space in the courtyard.

There was plenty of laughter when children presented their favorite jokes, we also enjoyed listening to a song created by Grace and some Prep children sang a Japanese song that they learnt in Kinder.

If you would like to present a song or dance next Tuesday, make sure you bring the music with you to school (or the song name and artist for a teacher to Google search and find the song for you).

 

PMP Helpers Needed

PMP will be continuing on Wednesdays between 2:30-3:30 for the next 4 weeks (weeks 7-10). New sign-up sheets are in the Neighbourhood, if you can help out please sign up. PMP has become one of the children's favourite learning experiences at school this term and parent helpers are essential for a successful session.

Cyber safety evening for parents at Spensley Street Primary School

Cyber Safety

Recycling Room

A group of teachers, the environments committee, is responsible for implementing the consistent use of spaces across the schools. One of our initiatives has been to set up a Recycling Room. This is where we store reusable items that the children use in their neighbourhoods in art and craft activities. We encourage our community to add to our collection by bringing in clean, unbranded items they think we can use. Examples include bread clips, wrapping paper, ribbon and plain cardboard boxes. These may include beautiful perfume boxes and interesting shaped boxes. We are also looking for industrial offcuts from manufacturing processes which are non toxic. If you are unsure whether something is suitable or not, please send me an e-mail (a photo attached would be great). Please leave all suitable items at the office for collection.

Thanks,

Shana Upiter

upiter.shana.s@edumail.vic.gov.au

 

Week 7 Happenings

Tuesday
9:00 Assembly and coffee cart

Wednesday
12:10 Library
1:15 Footsteps dancing
2:30 PMP - Parent Helpers Needed

Friday
2:30 Singing with Nicola

The Rocket Project

A group of children working in the Science/Maths room were inspired to create rockets from some of the literature we have read.  Some children brought along their own resources to assist with the making of the models.  The children used cardboard and various other materials to make rockets.

My rocket travels to Venus. It measures the temperature of the climate. It usually travels 80 miles an hour. It has 6 astronauts. It has three very large boosters so it can go very fast. It’s top speed 180 miles an hour. It has a long orange ladder, so the astronauts can climb up to the door. It has silver inside to protect the astronauts from the heat of the boosters.

Louis

My rocket is called 123-D. It can go very fast. It’s an American rocket. This rocket goes to Saturn to explore the planet.

Rico

 

My rocket is called Rocket Booster. My rocket travels to space. It has two astronauts and three robots. The robots sing songs for astronauts. It travels very fast, but you can still see it. My rocket has twelve silver lights to help the astronauts see in space. The silver lights are on the front of the rocket ship. There is a large telescope on my rocket and one of the astronauts is looking through the lens to see if there are any aliens. They went into space.

Orlando

 

Learning in the Block Construction

This week a group of boys have been busy constructing a space station. The boys first looked through a space book, planned on the whiteboard and then began to construct. Today with Simon the boys wrote a short piece of writing about their construction. 

Read what the boys wrote

The boys constructing together

Prep's First Walkathon

Today the Preps took part in their first walkathon. There was much excitement before we begun and some children took off when we started while others opted to walk at an easy, steady pace. By the end of the day the children were all very tired and enjoyed their well-earned muffins and fruit. Everyone will sleep well tonight. The weather was glorious and the teachers enjoyed sitting in the sun. It's now time to start collecting money and returning it all to school. The homegroup that collects and returns their money first will have a Pizza Party.
 



Yummy!

Drink break

 

Walkathon

Our school walkathon is tomorrow (Tuesday, 21st May). The weather is predicted to be 16 and mostly sunny. Children are reminded to bring in their green walkathon notes so we can note down the number of laps they complete.

Walk Safely to School Day: Friday, 24th May

On Friday 24th of May is Walk Safely to School Day. We would encourage Prep children to walk part /or all of the way to school or to ride their bike to school on this day.

 

QUICK FACTS ABOUT NATIONAL WALK SAFELY TO SCHOOL DAY

 

NATIONAL WALK SAFELY TO SCHOOL DAY:

• Is an annual event held in Primary Schools around Australia and is on Friday May 24th.

• Asks parents and carers to walk their primary school aged children all or part of the way to school. Those who can’t walk the whole way are asked to combine a walk with public transport or to park the car a good distance away from the school and walk the rest of the way.

• Encourages regular physical activity because active kids are healthy kids!

• Helps to reduce hazardous traffic congestion in and around schools, creating pedestrian-safe areas for children entering or leaving school.

• Is a way parents, teachers, carers and students can help ease global warming and climate change, as they reduce car-dependency.

• Teaches children healthy lifestyle habits from a young age as they learn that walking is the best form of exercise. It’s easy, free and almost anyone can do it at anytime. And these habits tend to last a lifetime.

Library News

Books can be borrowed from the Library between 8.50 am and 9 am on Monday to Thursday

We encourage children to borrow a new library book at least once a week unless it is a chapter book.
Please keep in mind that loan periods are for 14 days only but children may renew a loan.
Mark or Pat will be supervising the borrowing process in the mornings.

Also...

Parent Helpers Needed for the main PHPS Library and the Junior School Library (old 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!

Please contact Mark on Tuesdays and Wednesdays  in the Library if you can help out.  

Football Fever in the Prep Neighborhood!

In the art room during learning agreement, children have been constructing football stadiums and creating football cards. The children have created small players using plasticine and constucted football fields with cardboard, small sticks, paddlepop sticks and lots of paint.
The football cards contain pictures, team names and the players' numbers, linking the learning to literacy and numeracy.
The children have shown great enthusiasm for this project.

Week 6 Happenings

Tuesday
9-9:30 Assembly (Mandarin students are hosting) 
After lunch: Walkathon

Wednesday
Library
2:30 - PMP Parent helpers still needed

Friday
2:30 Singing with Nicola

Walkathon

Our whole school Walkathon is next Tuesday (21st May). The long term weather forcast for the day is a shower or two developing. Max 16.

The muffins that have been ordered do not have nuts, but unfortunately we cannot guarantee that the muffins will have no traces of nuts.

Children will need:
a labelled water bottle 
to dress sensibly and warmly, ie sturdy walking shoes and warm coat

.

Look What We Found!

We See ...

We Think ....
it is made of sticks
it is a butterfly or a moth
it is stuck up with clear silk
it is moving

We Wonder ...
how long it has been there?
when will the butterfly or moth come out?

Our New Worm Farm

The Prep Neighbourhood now has a worm farm in the courtyard to learn about, maintain and use. Today Alexandra showed some of the children the worms and explained how the worm farm works. The children made signs about what can and can't be placed in the worm farm and will be reporting back to the Neighbourhood on Thursday. The children today came back from the workshop with Alexandra very excited about the worm farm and we all (teacher's included) look forward to learning more about worms and how to maintain a worm farm throughout the year.

Prep's Got Talent

 

The Prep Neighbourhood will be hosting Prep's Got Talent each Tuesday afternoon beginning in week 7. Children can perform a song, dance, short play or play an instrument individually or in a small group. Children are to bring any music or props they need for their performance. To begin with it will just be an event for the Prep Neighbourhood, but later once the children have gained some experience with performing to a large group parents will be invited too. The Prep teachers are very excited to see what the children can do. 

Magazines Wanted

The Prep Neighbourhood is looking for magazines to use in the writing area during learning agreement. If you have any old magazines can you please give them to Jessica. Thank you.

Word Study: Our Names

Today the Prep Neighbourhood took a closer look at our own names. As part of the workshop the children played 'I spy a person beginning with the letter ...', and made graphs about our names. Take a look at the graphs below, what do you notice?

This graph was made in Prep M and looks at the letter our names begin with.

This graph was made in Prep J and looks at all the letters that are in our first names.

Happy Mother's Day!

The prep team would like to wish all the wonderful mothers of the Prep Neighbourhood a Happy Mother's Day. We hope the children spoil you on Sunday.

Parent Helpers for our Library Time

We are looking for parents to assist with the returning and borrowing of books in our library sessions. Our library time is from 12:10 - 2pm, each homegroup visits the library for approximately 40 minutes during this time. If you can assist please come and speak to Jessica.

Week 5 Happenings

Tuesday
No assembly due to Naplan

Wednesday
2:30 PMP - Parent helpers required
Library: Please return your books so you can borrow again

Prep Assembly Videos

Congratulations to all the Preps on a wonderful assembly.

Here are the videos for you to watch again and share with family and friends.

Botanical Garden Excursion slideshow with audio

 

Preps describe the contents of their plasticine garden plots and garden animations

 

Parent Helpers Needed

We are looking for parent helpers for the first hour on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to assist with learning agreement. If you feel you could help out in one of our rooms, art room, writing room or science & maths room please speak with Maddy, Jessica or Sia. You would be working with a small group (3-8 children) helping to keep them focused and engaged.

Week 4 Happenings

Tuesday
9 - 9:30 Prep Assembly
9:30 Neighbourhood Photo - Smile

Wednesday
Library: Please return your books so you can borrow more
2:30 - 3:30 PMP - Parent helpers required. Please add your name to the lists outside the homerooms if you can help

Friday
Mother's Day Stall - Children can purchase gifts for their mothers and/or special careers.

Walkathon

Today the children will be bringing home a green walkathon note. Please read the note and start collecting sponsors. The walkathon is an annual event that includes the whole school and this year will take place on Tuesday 21st May.

Class Photos

Due to exposure issues the Prep Neighbourhood photo will be retaken on TUESDAY 7TH MAY.

PMP Fun!

Today we had our first PMP session. A big thank you to all the mums and siblings who came and helped out. Everyone had a fantastic time and the children learnt some new skills. Take a look at the photos below. If you would like to join in the fun please sign up as we are still looking for helpers for the coming weeks.