Term 4

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 17^th ~ Sustainable Coastlines Presentation and Beach Clean Up Day

Friday 24^th ~ Teacher Only Day - (School Closed)

Monday 27^th ~ Labour Day – (School Closed)

Thursday 30^th ~ Athletics Day

November

Sunday 23^rd ~ Eastbourne Carnival

Monday 24^th and Tuesday 25^th ~ Year 3 Anniversary reporting will take place.

December

Thursday 4^th ~ Celebration of Learning afternoon

Monday 8^th ~ EOTC Week will be starting

Monday 15^th ~ Meet the Teacher for 2015

Wednesday 17^th ~ Year 3/4 Christmas Concert

Thursday 18^th ~ 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