Bachelors
Bachelors’ Newsletter Term 2 2010
Dear Everyone
Welcome back. I hope everyone had a great holiday.
The Art Auction
This term is a busy term with the main school event being the Art Auction in Week 9. In the weeks leading up to the auction the children will be having lots of opportunities to practise skills and techniques using different media to produce works of art that can go into the auction. Week 5 will be a whole week of art activities.
Communities of Thinking – C.O.T.
Last term as part of answering the big school wide question “”How on Earth Could Anything Live There?” we took a close look at what it was like to live on a farm and in the country. As part of the assessment we got the children to tell us if they would like to live on a farm and why or why not – some of the answers were very interesting –
“No because you have to get up too early in the morning and work to the end of the day.”
“No because it is way too much work because you would have to get all the animals out of the field so the grass can grow.”
“I would like to live on a farm because I like little animals.”
”I want to milk the cows and feed the baby goats and hens.”
This term we are researching what it would be like to live on an island. We will look at such things as the physical geography and formation of islands, climate, map studying and island cultures.
Homework
Reading , Spelling and Basic facts homework will continue as usual this term. Reading with your child is probably the most important one out of these three. If your child is becoming reluctant to read with you or they (and you) are not enjoying it anymore please come and see us as we might have some ideas to help.
The monthly spelling tests are on Friday 7 May (this week) and Friday 11 June. This is the first time some of the children have been working on the “big” list. We will see how they handle it and then modify the programme for some of these children.
We will continue going to the Library on a Day 6 to change books. Remember children are welcome to go to the Library before school to return their books and during some lunchtimes to change their books.
Maths
Maths this term continues with Number and Numeration followed by Addition and Subtraction. Some groups will move onto Multiplication and Division as well. This will be followed by a couple of weeks on Measurement towards the end of the term.
The Afternoon Programme
On three days a week we will rotate the classes around three activities taken by each teacher. This is called Interchange. Mrs Harsant is taking P.E. lessons teaching ball skills.
Miss Bonner will be taking Te Reo/Maori language lessons and Mrs LeSueur will be “Making Music” with the children.
We are also going to the hall to do P.M.P. This is a perceptual motor programme which includes activities based around balance, co-ordination, body and spatial awareness and movement. There is a series of stations with equipment that the children rotate around. The rest of the afternoon will be taken up with our C.O.T. research.
Help in the classroom
We are very fortunate to have the help of our Teacher Aides/Learning Assistants - Mrs Thomas, Mrs Finlay, Mrs Little and Kooi who help out with the children in various ways . Your child might need some extra support in reading or writing or learning how to speak English or just some support out in the playground. They work under the guidance of the class teacher or Mrs Henderson, our Assistant Principal. If your child is in one of these groups we usually let you know so that you can support and help your child at home as well.
Next week we are also making some changes within our English groups so that we can better cater for the learning needs of your child. Please check with us if you need any clarification.
Needed
We always need supplies of items for art. If you have any of the following please send them along orjust put them in the boxes on the shelf in the cloakroom
Clean ice cream containers
Take away containers with lids
Egg cartons
Cardboard tubes/rolls
Wool, gift wrapping ribbon, beads, buttons etc
School Wide Notices
Shoes must be worn when playing outside during Term 2 and 3. Hats are compulsory in Terms 1 and 4. Please name shoes, sweat shirts and vests as these often get muddled in the cloakroom. As the weather is getting cooler it is sensible to get children to wear layers on top of their T shirts rather than dressed in multiple layers under their T shirts. When the heaters are turned on children get too hot when dressed in too many singlets, skivvies or vests.
Thank you for your ongoing support. We welcome any feed back from you. Please feel free to come and discuss or email us with any issues you have concerning your child.
Jennie, Margo and Ruth-Anne
