Last term we made a fantastic start to the year with an amazing variety of learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom, including rippa rugby, a fundamental skills day, swimming sports and of course our trip to the Island Bay Marine Reserve.
The children and staff have quickly settled into the year and routines and class cultures are now firmly engrained. Recently we were very proud to report our Year 3 and 4 student achievement and targets for the year to the Board of Trustees. The Year 3 and 4 teaching staff have a common understanding of where our children are now and what they will focus in on to ensure our children make accelerated progress and are in the right place by the end of this year. On a personal level we also shared your child's progress and goals at the recent Parent Teacher interviews. At the end of Term 2 we will be reporting on student progress and goals once again through a written report and our very popular Celebration of Learning afternoon.
Once again Our classroom CARE (Citizenship, Achievement, Responsibility and Effort) programme will be closely linked to our School Values and Key Competencies. This term we will be focusing on the values of Curiosity and Excellence, as well as continuing to foster the Key Competencies of Relating to others, Participating and Contributing, Managing Self and Thinking.
Teaching and Learning in Years 3-4 in Term 2
There will continue to be lots of great learning happening in term 2. Below is a quick outline of what you can expect your child to be learning this term:
Literacy
For written and oral language, the children will be learning about report writing. News time will take on a more formal stance where children will be required to orally present reports (news articles) to an audience (their peers). Their peers will then provide written and/or verbal feedback on the report presentation. Children will be learning how to use appropriate verbal and non-verbal features to gain attention and how to effectively communicate ideas to an audience. Your child will need support with this at home as it will largely form the basis of their homework 'other tasks' this term. It would be great if you could help prepare your child by helping to research interesting articles online or in newspapers/magazines and of course by being their 'practice audience' at home!
The children will also be learning how to write instructional and procedural pieces by following set criteria including: writing in paragraphs, using connectives, headings and subheadings and using interesting vocabulary.
The children will also be learning how to write instructional and procedural pieces by following set criteria including: writing in paragraphs, using connectives, headings and subheadings and using interesting vocabulary.
Reading opportunities will be varied: teacher directed (reading groups) and independent (personal interest and enjoyment); and will be integrated across all areas of the curriculum. Children will be researching and reading for information, reading for meaning and understanding a range of texts. We will continue to encourage fluency, expression and reading punctuation to enhance comprehension levels.
Integrated Studies - We have three Inquiries this term:
Health: Kia Kaha
Big Idea - Through Kia Kaha students develop strategies for respectful relationships where bullying behaviours are not tolerated. Students will be able to define the differences between: Rude, Mean and Bullying behaviour. Through this Inquiry we will endeavour to 'empower the bystander' where students will develop the confidence to intervene as well as seek help for themselves and/or others.
For more information please click on the link:
http://www.police.govt.nz/advice/personal-and-community-advice/school-portal/resources/successful-relationships/kia-kaha/kia-0
Big Idea - Through Kia Kaha students develop strategies for respectful relationships where bullying behaviours are not tolerated. Students will be able to define the differences between: Rude, Mean and Bullying behaviour. Through this Inquiry we will endeavour to 'empower the bystander' where students will develop the confidence to intervene as well as seek help for themselves and/or others.
For more information please click on the link:
http://www.police.govt.nz/advice/personal-and-community-advice/school-portal/resources/successful-relationships/kia-kaha/kia-0
Social Sciences (Continuity and Change): ANZAC DAY
Science (Material World): Fizzing and Foaming
Big Idea - Substances have physical and chemical properties that can be described. When a physical change takes place, a substance changes form only. When a chemical change takes place, new substances are formed.
Big Idea - Substances have physical and chemical properties that can be described. When a physical change takes place, a substance changes form only. When a chemical change takes place, new substances are formed.
Numeracy
The majority of the term will be spent on number knowledge, number strategies and problem solving, with particular reference to addition and subtraction.
We will also be teaching the Measurement Strand and will be looking closely at how to measure Length and Area with standard and non-standard units. There will also be a Statistics focus this term in which children will be mastering tally charts, tables, line graphs, bar graphs, pictographs and pie graphs.
Physical Education - We begin the term with Cross Country Fitness each morning in preparation for our School Cross Country event to be held on Tuesday 24th May. Children will need to be at school promptly each morning with running shoes on to ensure they are ready to take part and build up their endurance for the big day!We have two units this term:
Gymnastics is the main PE focus for the first 5 weeks, followed by Winter Games and Ball Skills later in the term.
Art - Painting
The children will be experimenting with colour, tinting and shading, brush strokes, adding texture etc. They will also be discussing and reflecting upon colour choice and techniques used by themselves and other well known New Zealand artists.
Housekeeping
We have a 'shoes-off' policy throughout the Winter months to make sure the class carpets stay dry and clean and suitable for sitting on. There are shoe racks outside or inside each classroom. It is best if slippers stay at school for the term. Water bottles each day are still required as the children need to stay hydrated and trips to the drinking fountain can be quite disruptive to class programmes. Hotdogs recommence on Wednesdays for Term 2 and 3.
Parent Help
Many of you have kindly offered to help out in our classrooms this year - we would like to take you up on your offer this term in the form of listening to children read. This would entail listening to children read for 10 - 15 minutes at a time. If you are able to help out please email me: hskilton@muritai.school.nz with the days (mornings) and times you would be able to help. Thank you once again to all our wonderful parent helpers from Term 1, who assisted us with our trip to the Island Bay Marine Reserve, Swimming sports, Rippa Rugby and Fundamental Skills Day.
Reporting and Celebrating
As previously mentioned, towards the end of the term the children will bring home a written report of their progress and we invite you in to school to a ‘Celebration of Learning’ afternoon where the children will share their artwork and book work from the year so far. Whilst the teachers will be there, this is an opportunity for the children to share their learning with you. The children are very proud of the successes they achieve in class on a daily basis.
Getting in touch
As always, your first port of call is your child’s teacher. We can be contacted by our email address (surname@muritai.school.nz), or feel free to pop in before/after school to make an appointment. If you wish to talk about your child’s learning at any stage of the year, you do not have to wait until parent interviews to do so! Your child’s teacher will be happy to talk with you - however be aware that Monday and Tuesday after school are usually staff meeting times.
We all look forward to another great term. Our thanks for your support, as always.
Kind regards,
Hayley Skilton, Karen Chao, Richard Dobson, Mikaela Cody, Jess Davidson, Gabrielle Heath, Trish Theobald, Nikki Andrews and Ruth Holmes.
