Hi Everyone!
With the start to the new school year well under-way, it was time to send out our first Y3-4 newsletter for the year. What a great start to the year each class has had, judging by the posts made on each classes blog. Have you visited your child's class blog lately? These blogs are a great way of keeping up to date with what is happening at school, and the teachers and children enjoy reading the comments visitors make.
You will have met your child's teacher at Parent Interviews already, but you may not know some of the other teachers in the Y3-4 Team...
Room 7: Richard Dobson/Ruth Holmes (on Fridays), Y4
Room 8: Pippa Grant/Sue Steele (on Thursdays), Y3
Room 9: Jess Savage, Y3
Room 10: Hayden Ray, Y4
Room 11: Karen Chao, Y4
We are also very lucky to have Sarah Richardson (Learning Support teacher) working with a number of our Y3-4 students each day.
Upcoming events later this term:
Tuesday 8th March: Year 3-4 Swimming Sports, 9.30-12.00 at Eastbourne Pool. We do require a number of parent helpers for the day.
Monday 14th March: All day trip into Wellington for the Capital E Arts Festival. A notice about this trip has already been sent to you.
Main theme for 2011
The school-wide main theme this year is "Standing Tall". This theme will help us encourage our students to be resilient in times of doubt, proud in times of achievement, and courageous to 'do the right thing'. Teachers will take a little bit of time each week to visit this theme and encourage the children to 'stand tall'.
Curriculum:
Literacy
Our focus for writing this term is recounts. Children will be learning to structure their writing by sequencing events chronologically, linking ideas in a variety of ways and adding an introduction and conclusion. During this topic we will also be focussing on the writing process and encouraging children to plan their ideas in a variety of ways before writing. Children will be learning to edit their own work by proof reading to check for meaning and by using simple dictionaries to correct spelling.
Mathematics
The major part of the term will be spent on number knowledge and strategies., particularly Place Value. This will include a focus on problem solving and algebra. Cross-grouping of students during Maths time will begin in Week 5 and continue for the rest of the term.
P.E.
Swimming is the main PE focus for the first 6 weeks, followed by large ball skills later in the term.We are lucky to have the skilled instructors of Swimming NZ taking each class for 8 lessons over 2 weeks. Their focus is on 'Water Safety and Survival', as well as fundamental swimming skills.
Integrated Study:
"Happy Healthy Me" is a term long investigation into what makes us better learners. We will look at different learning styles, optimal conditions for new learning, and how to stay fit and healthy. Keep checking the classroom blogs to see what each class is doing.
Keeping in contact
As always, we can be contacted by our email address (surname@muritai.school.nz), or feel free to pop in before/after school for a quick chat. Thanks for your support so far this year, it has been a wonderful start to the school year.
Kind regards,
The Year 3-4 Teaching Team.
