Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome back to school! We hope you were able to spend some time relaxing with your family. The children have made a great start and are already enjoying some of the different and interesting learning opportunities that have been planned for this term.

Fitness

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 on time, before the 8.40am bell each day ready to take part. On Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays the children will go into the hall where they will have Jump Jam. For the first six weeks on Thursdays and Fridays (weather permitting) students will participate in cross-country practice, which will involve warming up and then running around the field. Please make sure that they have suitable footwear for running. From Week 7 we will focus on teaching skills involving large balls on Thursdays and Fridays.

Mathematics

This term in Mathematics we will be teaching Measurement where the focus for the first six weeks will be learning about time.  In the second half of the term we will be learning about Geometry and during this will learn about position, orientation and transformation. The students will also be exploring addition and subtraction and numeral identification as the focus in Number throughout the whole term. They will continue to practice Mathletics at home as part of homework too.

Literacy

Within oral language the students will be focussing on their speaking, questioning and listening skills.

This term in writing they will be learning to write explanations, arguments and instructions. The children will also be learning to use punctuation correctly. Spelling homework will continue for year 2's this term with words to learn each week so that they automatically transfer these accurately to their daily writing.

In handwriting we will be continuing to focus upon correct pencil grip, letter size, shape and formation.

Your child will continue to bring home a reading book on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and a poem to share on Fridays. If you have any questions about your child’s homework please email your child’s classroom teacher.

Topic

The title for our Inquiry this term is ‘Seasons Change’. We will be investigating and communicating in Science and Technology. The big idea is around the four seasons and how they change during the year depending on which part of the Earth is tilted towards the sun. Our butterfly garden is affected by the seasonal cycles that involve a pattern of change that happens over and over again.

Sport

For the first part of the term the students will be doing a range of activities that involve running in an effort to increase their fitness levels for the forthcoming Cross Country run. In the second part of the term, they will be learning large ball skills and learning some games to practice these skills.

Arts

Our visual art focus for this term is painting. Students will mix and blend colours, using different brush strokes and talk about their own and others’ art works. They will also be taking part in Performing Arts. Singing lessons will continue and the students will also be audiences to three shows including an African Storyteller, mime artist and the Royal New Zealand Ballet.

Te Reo and ICT

This term the students will continue to learn songs, greetings and commands along with the weather in Te Reo Maori. They will be having Kapahaka lessons each week with Mr Chadwick. I.C.T. (Information Communications Technology) will be integrated into the daily learning programme to further enrich your child’s learning. Each class has a classroom blog so please check these on a regular basis. Please also leave us a comment as the children appreciate receiving them.

The children will be wearing slippers inside the classrooms throughout this term. There will also be written reports, learning journey folders and parent conferences later in the term. Please feel free to email your child’s classroom teacher, at any time, with your queries and celebrations. 

Yours in partnership,

Maureen Buckley          buckley@muritai.school.nz and

Gabrielle Heath            heath@muritai.school.nz            (Room 3)

Barbara Ryan                ryan@muritai.school.nz,             (Room 1)

Margs Mills                   mills@muritai.school.nz              (Room 2)

Mikaela Cody                cody@muritai.school.nz              (Room 4)

Rebecca Saker             saker@muritai.school.nz            (Room 5)

Morag Roberts             roberts@muritai.school.nz and

Jo Salisbury                 salisburyjo@gmail.com               (Room 6)

Carolyn Murphy            murphy@muritai.school.nz