Term 2 newsletter

19th April 2010

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome back to school! We hope you were able to spend some time relaxing with your family.
The junior team are looking forward to the interesting learning opportunities we have planned for this term. Our junior team starts with 6 classes, as Mrs Mills-Smith will be teaching our new entrant students in Room 1.





Our big idea for this term is ‘Changes in my World’. Classes have already brainstormed and came up with some very interesting ideas about things that change. Our big idea will lead towards investigating our student’s thoughts about everyday things around us that change and what is happening.




All classes in the Junior Team will continue to have daily Fitness from 8.40am, when the first bell rings, until 8.55am. Please ensure that your child is at school in time, before the 8.40am bell each day ready to take part. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays children will go into the hall where they will have Jump Jam. For the first 5 weeks on Wednesdays and Thursdays students will participate in cross-country practice, which will involve running around the field. From Week 6 we will focus on teaching large ball skills.




This term for Mathematics we will be teaching Geometry and Measurement, focussing on ordering and comparing objects or events and learning about time. The students will be exploring addition and subtraction and numeral identification throughout the whole term.








Within oral language the students will be focussing on their speaking, questioning and listening skills. This term in writing we are focussing on recounts and topic integration through writing explanations, facts and instructions. Students will be learning to add interesting vocabulary to their work and to use punctuation correctly. In handwriting we will be continuing to focus on correct pencil grip, letter size, shape and formation.



This term the students will be developing a wide range of movement skills through various games. Through games, students will be learning how to be part of a team and to develop positive attitudes about physical activity, using hand eye co-ordination to throw, catch, kick and strike, using a range of equipment.




Our visual art focus for this term is painting. Students will mix and blend colours, using different brush strokes, talk about their own and others art work.

On a fortnightly basis the students will also experience each discipline of the arts curriculum through the Junior Syndicate Enrichment Programme. The programme will involve music, dance, drama, Kapa haka and visual arts.




This term the students will be learning songs, greetings, feelings and commands in Te Reo Maori.
I.C.T. (Information Communications Technology) will be integrated into the daily learning programme to further enrich your child’s learning.

Homework.
Students will continue to receive a book four nights a week and a poem on Friday to read with you. On a daily basis, students need to be learning there rocket spelling words and rocket reading words. Year 2’s will be receiving a basic facts carriage. Your child will be tested on these carriages once a week and will receive a new carriage if they receive 100% accuracy.
If you have any questions about your child’s homework please see your child’s classroom teacher.

Each class has a notice board and a classroom blog so please check these on a regular basis. The children and teachers appreciate comments on our blogs!
Please feel free to book a time or email your child’s classroom teacher with your queries and celebrations.

Yours in partnership,


Mikaela Cody cody@muritai.school.nz and Priya Gain gain@muritai.school.nz (Room 2), Maureen Buckley buckley@muritai.school.nz and Gabrielle Heath heath@muritai.school.nz (Room 3) Sheena Naik naik@muritai.school.nz Hayley Skilton hskilton@muritai.school.nz (Room 5) Karen Jones jones@muritai.school.nz and Morag Roberts roberts@muritai.school.nz (Room 6) Margs Mills-Smith (Room 1) mills-smith@muritai.school.nz