Hi Everyone!
Term
4 is here already – it’s hard to believe isn’t it? The year has certainly flown by and Christmas
will be here before we know it!
What
an amazing Performing Arts Term we have just had, culminating with our spectacular
Tall Tales Production. We were so very
proud of all the Year 3 and 4 children and were thrilled at how confidently
they sang, danced and acted on stage. We certainly have some budding performers
amongst our team!
With
Jess Savage now on Maternity Leave we have a couple of Staff changes in the
Middle School. Janelle McKay is now
teaching Room 11 Monday – Thursday, while Richard Dobson continues to teach
Room 11 on Fridays. I have taken over
the Assistant Principal role, which means I will be teaching Room 9 Monday –
Thursday and Sally Velven will be returning to Muritai to teach Room 9 on
Fridays.
Term
4 is traditionally a very busy term and this year is no exception. It will be a term full of athletic sports,
pupils’ reports and anniversary reporting, learning celebrations, Eastbourne
Carnival, EOTC, aquatics and of course our Christmas Concert! To help you keep track of all these events
there is a School Calendar on our school website http://www.muritai.school.nz/pages/calendar.php
Here
is a summary of upcoming events particular to the Year 3/4 Team:
October
Friday 17th ~ Sustainable Coastlines Presentation
and Beach Clean Up Day
Friday
24th ~ Teacher Only Day - (School Closed)
Monday
27th ~ Labour Day – (School Closed)
Thursday
30th ~ Athletics Day
November
Sunday
23rd ~ Eastbourne Carnival
Monday
24th and Tuesday 25th ~ Year 3 Anniversary reporting will
take place.
December
Thursday
4th ~ Celebration of Learning afternoon
Monday
8th ~ EOTC Week will be starting
Monday
15th ~ Meet the Teacher for 2015
Wednesday
17th ~ Year 3/4 Christmas Concert
Thursday
18th ~ Last day of Term – Leaver’s Assembly
Be
sure to visit your child’s class blog throughout the term, as they provide a
wonderful snapshot of your child’s learning journey and the children love to
receive and read comments from you all.
The
following is an outline of what will be happening this term. Later in the term an extra email about EOTC
will be sent.
Literacy
Our writing
focus for this term is poetry. The
children enjoy reading poems and especially love writing poetry, as it often
breaks all the conventional writing rules!
We will be identifying visual effects and language features of poetry
and exploring a wide variety of poem styles. There will be plenty of
opportunities to write and recite poetry aloud to an audience. We will also continue to write reports and
build upon the skills learned in Term 3.
There is still of course, the ongoing focus of embedding effective
editing, proofreading and re-crafting skills into every piece of writing the
children do.
Oral
Language will focus on skills of oral presentation, with an emphasis on
using vocal expression, confident body language and addressing an
audience. Children will be have opportunities
to present their Inquiry based reports, recite poetry as part of a Reader’s
Theatre and will continue to share news and items of interest.
Reading
continues in all classes, with particular emphasis on reading for
meaning and using expression when reading aloud. As previously mentioned,
poetry will also feature in our class reading programmes.
Numeracy
This
term we will begin with revising addition, subtraction, multiplication and
division and learning fraction skills in cross-grouped classes. Later in the term, children will return to
their homeroom for maths and the focus may include Measurement, Geometry or
Statistics.
PE
Every
Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday before lunch in the lead up to our School Athletics Day in Week 3, the children
will be taking part in Athletics practice.
Children will need to wear running shoes on these days to be able to
fully participate.
Swimming
is scheduled to begin in Week 7, however this is of course weather dependent.
EOTC
Week Planning for EOTC Week in Week 9 is underway, and we are planning
a fun filled week of events, with cycling, arts and crafts, bush
walks, and a beach day among other events.
More details to follow!
Integrated Studies
As
you will be aware, our Inquiry focus last term was delving into Ancient
Civilisations. This proved to be
immensely popular with the students and much to their delight we have decided
to continue on with this in Term 4. We
will have a range of focus across the team and unfamiliar civilisations will be
explored. This will enable students to further develop the research and
reporting skills they have acquired from Term 3.
Te Reo
In
Te Reo students will continue to learn Maori vocabulary as part of the Te Kupu
o Te Wiki programme. Alongside Te Reo,
the children will be attending weekly Friday arts and crafts sessions where
they will learn the significance of arts and crafts in Maori culture and will
also be making Manu Tukutuku (Maori kites), Poi, mini Tukutuku panels, Koru
designs, clay pendant gifts and weaving.
House Keeping Reminders:
~
drink bottles, sunscreen and sunhats are essential this term.
~
stationary: many children may need a top up of their stationary items. Pencils,
pens, rubbers in particular. Please check with your child as they will
know what they require.
If
you have any questions relating to your child or the Year 3/4 team please do
not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or myself.
On
behalf of the Year 3/4 Teachers,
Hayley
Skilton
