Room 22 Newsletter Term 2 is Here! 23rd April 2012 Dear Parents Welcome back to the X-team-ly cool Room 22. I am sure you have all had a lovely relaxing break over the last 2 weeks. I do hope the children are looking forward to getting back to school, to see friends, continue with learning and share more of themselves with us all. I am looking forward to a positive, fun learning term with our team!
Winter Uniforms Term 2 is the time for winter uniforms. Mornings are chilly, please ensure that the children have a jersey/sweatshirt to wear. PLEASE NAME ALL CLOTHING SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFUSION. We will need to take off shoes as the lawns are wet in the mornings. Slippers are welcome for the classroom. With X-country this term it is important for the children to have sensible running footwear every day.
Ms Steel and 22 went on a little plane ride to Perth to see her big boys. This was very exciting and a relaxing spending time with missed family. I am also looking forward to getting into some new, interesting activities and learning this term.
We have a few things on this term… First day of school Powhiri to welcome new children, families and teachers. Anzac Day focus Week One and the school is closed on Wednesday. School Cross Country during the first few weeks. Friday 4th May will be a School Celebration Assembly 11:45 in the hall. Canterbury Symphony Orchestra visit 16th May. Maori Language Week 6 starting the 27th May. Turbo Touch Sessions on a Thursday, during the term. School Inquiry Celebration Day . Queens Birthday 4th June School closed. Week 8 Impact Alpha Gymsport. School Mid-Year Reports Friday 22nd June will be a School Celebration Assembly 10:30. Parent Teacher Interviews again on 27th and 28th June. Keep these events and dates handy!
Writing: the usual personal recounts and creative writing, but we will have a focus on transactional writing, -writing a report. How to present a factual report and share our opinions formed. Reading: due to the assessment at the end of term one we have a few changes in the reading levels and goals. As most of the class are reading above their age level we do still have a strong focus on vocabulary, but along with this we will be discussing retelling a story in a sequence of events, while using thinking tools to form our own opinions and ideas, based on our prior knowledge, experiences and new knowledge learned Math: the class we will be covering the measurement strand this term together. Then we will have a syndicate interchange again to ensure that all children can receive the most suitable teaching for their specific levels. Inquiry: we have completed an investigation into the areas of school that we can influence for change and now it is our time to make those changes for the enjoyment of our selves and others. Art Focus: this term is on Painting. Autumn is a great time for some inspirational colour tones. We will be making our own colours from the Primary Colours. Blending light and dark tones. Learning different strategies to add detail to our finished work. Initiative Focus: for independent learning, responsibility for our belongings, time keeping.
HOW YOU CAN HELP AT HOME? A few minutes a day can help and homework is a routine that is important to establish now for the future. Reading and Vocabulary at this level is important. Monday to Thursday is a set reading task and new vocabulary will arise, please ensure you talk about new words and add them to your home word wall. Spelling is personal for each students needs. Math Basic Fact Activities need to be an instant recall using imaging not materials. Newsletters will continue to be placed in the front of homework books.
A pre-warning about the Term 4 Camp, this is for all Year 4 children. It is held every year and looking at last year’s camp an estimate for the cost will be around $120 for two nights. This is only for the Year 4 children and the Year 3 children will be working in other classrooms for those days. Tracey Steel
Welcome to the start of week two, we had a great return from the holidays, with a small focus on ANZAC Day. The children have a far greater understanding of what ANZAC means to us now, and the soldiers who fought from Australia and New Zealand so long ago. This was demonstrated through the ACROSTIC poems written by the children. We finished the week by making ANZAC biscuits and talking about why they were important.
Well done to the 4 students who were chosen to do a computer course with Danny the school ITC guru. They have made a little movie called student voice. When Ms Steel learns how to get it from it’s present format to one that is compatible to the class blog we will upload it!
We are now in the stages of finalizing a choice for our garden and seat design for our inquiry topic. This week we will work on costing a design, writing letters to Mrs Warren, the PTA and the Board, and deciding on a fundraising opportunity to help bring our ideas to a realization.
Math Interchange will resume again this week, allowing us to focus on specific needs of each math level. Reading is well under way again and there will be reading each night of the week including the Poem for Friday.
School Cross Country is next Wednesday 9th of May. Remember sensible footwear is required up until this date for daily practise.
This week a timetable will come home for the class speech. Each student will orally present in front of the class. The topic focus is an animal or insect of their choice.
This term has started full on as far as fitness goes we have cross-country practice each day. On a Tuesday we have syndicate winter sports interchange and on a Thursday we now have Mrs. Jones teaching us skills for invasion games.
Dear Parents/Caregivers It is the BIG Cross Country Week! Wednesday 11:45 is the middle school time for running, starting at English Park. We will need to gather just before this time. Parents are most welcome to support their children. This is a great time for those students who demonstrate strength with physical agility, (Body Smarts) to showcase their interest and skills. I look forward to seeing their competitive natures shine. For those of us who are not quite so physically endowed we can still always give our best effort, it is all we ask! Remember house coloured shirts to be worn on the day, a good morning tea, drink bottle, sensible running shoes please, and have a jersey or polo fleece to put on after running in case of a cold wind.
The Room 22 environment inquiry focus has led the children to two major areas of interest and what they believe are valuable improvements to the school environment. One was a garden seating area, to allow some planting of herbs or vege that could be used for the children, and that will aesthetically enhance/soften the concrete two storey building area. The second area of interest and concern is finding a way to promote/showcase the variety of cultures represented within St Albans School. I believe both these areas are equally important and demonstrate a pleasing result of our student directed inquiry learning. We have decided to first focus on the garden seat outside our classroom and later look at how we can showcase other countries. We have drawn up some designs and are looking at pricing. We would love any parent imput at this stage from building/landscape/in the know families that maybe able to help us out at this point, Please feel free to offer any ideas or help!!! We will put up in the classroom the winning design idea to discuss/play with this week!!! The students have completed their letters to Mrs. Warren, the Board of Trustees, and the P.T.A to ask for permission to build a garden seat outside our classroom and any feedback they have on this subject, so we will await their feedback.
Writing over the next few weeks will focus on Report Writing. The layout and content of a report, what information should be included etc. Math interchange will continue again this week. Reading activities are behind this week so we will continue with last weeks and the children will have an appropriate browsing box to chose from for nightly reading. Sport interchange and invasion sports will continue this week. We will have a fantastic week. Tracey Steel
Well Done! to all of Room 22 for giving the Cross Country their very best! We all put in a top effort, with no complaints, walkers or excuses. Thank you one and all. Well done to Jack Haldane who fell on the concrete stairs and hurt himself, but still got up and carried on. Well done to Jake Dickey for a top effort for the Year 3’s.
Last week Mrs Warren received our letters to ask permission to build a seat out side our classroom. She was very please with our environment improvement, the useful idea for a garden seat and the carefully written letters. Mrs Warren, Mr McKenzie and Mrs Howison popped into the classroom on Friday to give us full approval. This week a couple of students from Room 22 will present our idea and letters to the PTA to ask for some financial help.
Math interchange will continue over the next two weeks, with a focus on multiplication and division. Then we will return to our own classroom Math focus.
We have made a great team start to our Report Writing focus. We are all learning about how to write a report and lay it out correctly. The first focus is on frogs! Later this week we will begin another report on different insects, in small groups.
Due to the writing/reading focus this week we will be reading resources, books, and the internet for factual information. The top groups will continue reading their Roald Dahl books for home reading.
On Wednesday the 16th we have a CSO visit at 11am. On Thursday we continue with our Turbo Touch Sessions, which we are thoroughly enjoying. There is a parent café chat on Friday morning in the café at 9:20. The focus is on effective parent help. We will have a fantastic week.
Dear Parents/Caregivers We have had a very busy time last week with children in and out of the class and teachers in the room on Wednesday, while Ms Steel had meetings. The weeks are creeping quickly by and we are in the middle of the term already. We have had quite a few absences the last couple of weeks with bugs and flu setting in, it is best to stay away until fully recovered so that we don’t spread sickness, thank you.
The first of the speeches are under way and the results have been extremely pleasing. I am excited to see such an improvement from the term one presentations. The effort from the children is fantastic they listen to advice/feedback and rise to the challenge. Yes, I know it is not easy for all, but it is a worthwhile skill for all walks of life. It is exciting to see audience eye contact, cue cards and good use of props to support their speech. Big High 5 from Ms Steel! I also love the amazing knowledge that is being shared especially during the questioning time, a great chance to shine on our favourite subjects. I am videoing the speeches for quality feedback, family viewing and formative assessment.
Two children from Room 22 (Rosie and Jack H) represented Room 22 at the PTA meeting on Wednesday night to share letters about our inquiry environment learning and ask for financial support to go towards our garden seat. They did a super job and made us proud. Thank you to the parents for bringing them. As of the end of next week (week 6) we will be sharing at the Y3/4 assembly our journey of inquiry about, “How can we make a difference to the St Albans School Environment?” The classes that have completed a physical end product will have a walk around after assembly to share their work. Friday 1st June 2:15, so pencil in this date if you would like to see what all of the middle school classes have discovered/learnt/achieved.
Tuesday 22nd May, Ms Steel will have a CRT day. I will be in the school/classroom but a reliever will be taking the class.
The first Turbo Touch was last Thursday, this is for the Year 4’s only so the Year 3’s continued on with class lessons. We are still continuing with our syndicate ball skills on a Tuesday and the invasion games on a Thursday.
Core curriculum areas will continue the same this week –reports -writing and reading integrated, math –multiplication, spelling testing again to assess individual words, art painting. Tracey Steel
Room 22 Newsletter Term 2 is Here! 23rd April 2012
ReplyDeleteDear Parents
Welcome back to the X-team-ly cool Room 22. I am sure you have all had a lovely relaxing break over the last 2 weeks. I do hope the children are looking forward to getting back to school, to see friends, continue with learning and share more of themselves with us all. I am looking forward to a positive, fun learning term with our team!
Winter Uniforms Term 2 is the time for winter uniforms. Mornings are chilly, please ensure that the children have a jersey/sweatshirt to wear. PLEASE NAME ALL CLOTHING SO WE DO NOT HAVE ANY CONFUSION. We will need to take off shoes as the lawns are wet in the mornings. Slippers are welcome for the classroom. With X-country this term it is important for the children to have sensible running footwear every day.
Ms Steel and 22 went on a little plane ride to Perth to see her big boys. This was very exciting and a relaxing spending time with missed family. I am also looking forward to getting into some new, interesting activities and learning this term.
We have a few things on this term…
First day of school Powhiri to welcome new children, families and teachers.
Anzac Day focus Week One and the school is closed on Wednesday.
School Cross Country during the first few weeks.
Friday 4th May will be a School Celebration Assembly 11:45 in the hall.
Canterbury Symphony Orchestra visit 16th May.
Maori Language Week 6 starting the 27th May.
Turbo Touch Sessions on a Thursday, during the term.
School Inquiry Celebration Day .
Queens Birthday 4th June School closed.
Week 8 Impact Alpha Gymsport.
School Mid-Year Reports
Friday 22nd June will be a School Celebration Assembly 10:30.
Parent Teacher Interviews again on 27th and 28th June.
Keep these events and dates handy!
Writing: the usual personal recounts and creative writing, but we will have a focus on transactional writing, -writing a report. How to present a factual report and share our opinions formed.
Reading: due to the assessment at the end of term one we have a few changes in the reading levels and goals. As most of the class are reading above their age level we do still have a strong focus on vocabulary, but along with this we will be discussing retelling a story in a sequence of events, while using thinking tools to form our own opinions and ideas, based on our prior knowledge, experiences and new knowledge learned
Math: the class we will be covering the measurement strand this term together. Then we will have a syndicate interchange again to ensure that all children can receive the most suitable teaching for their specific levels.
Inquiry: we have completed an investigation into the areas of school that we can influence for change and now it is our time to make those changes for the enjoyment of our selves and others.
Art Focus: this term is on Painting. Autumn is a great time for some inspirational colour tones. We will be making our own colours from the Primary Colours. Blending light and dark tones. Learning different strategies to add detail to our finished work.
Initiative Focus: for independent learning, responsibility for our belongings, time keeping.
HOW YOU CAN HELP AT HOME? A few minutes a day can help and homework is a routine that is important to establish now for the future. Reading and Vocabulary at this level is important. Monday to Thursday is a set reading task and new vocabulary will arise, please ensure you talk about new words and add them to your home word wall. Spelling is personal for each students needs. Math Basic Fact Activities need to be an instant recall using imaging not materials. Newsletters will continue to be placed in the front of homework books.
A pre-warning about the Term 4 Camp, this is for all Year 4 children. It is held every year and looking at last year’s camp an estimate for the cost will be around $120 for two nights. This is only for the Year 4 children and the Year 3 children will be working in other classrooms for those days.
Tracey Steel
Room 22 Newsletter 2 Term 2 30th April 2012
ReplyDeleteDear Parents/Caregivers
Welcome to the start of week two, we had a great return from the holidays, with a small focus on ANZAC Day. The children have a far greater understanding of what ANZAC means to us now, and the soldiers who fought from Australia and New Zealand so long ago. This was demonstrated through the ACROSTIC poems written by the children. We finished the week by making ANZAC biscuits and talking about why they were important.
Well done to the 4 students who were chosen to do a computer course with Danny the school ITC guru. They have made a little movie called student voice. When Ms Steel learns how to get it from it’s present format to one that is compatible to the class blog we will upload it!
We are now in the stages of finalizing a choice for our garden and seat design for our inquiry topic. This week we will work on costing a design, writing letters to Mrs Warren, the PTA and the Board, and deciding on a fundraising opportunity to help bring our ideas to a realization.
Math Interchange will resume again this week, allowing us to focus on specific needs of each math level. Reading is well under way again and there will be reading each night of the week including the Poem for Friday.
School Cross Country is next Wednesday 9th of May. Remember sensible footwear is required up until this date for daily practise.
This week a timetable will come home for the class speech. Each student will orally present in front of the class. The topic focus is an animal or insect of their choice.
This term has started full on as far as fitness goes we have cross-country practice each day. On a Tuesday we have syndicate winter sports interchange and on a Thursday we now have Mrs. Jones teaching us skills for invasion games.
We will have a fantastic week.
Tracey Steel
Room 22 Newsletter 3 Term 2 7th May 2012
ReplyDeleteDear Parents/Caregivers
It is the BIG Cross Country Week! Wednesday 11:45 is the middle school time for running, starting at English Park. We will need to gather just before this time. Parents are most welcome to support their children. This is a great time for those students who demonstrate strength with physical agility, (Body Smarts) to showcase their interest and skills. I look forward to seeing their competitive natures shine.
For those of us who are not quite so physically endowed we can still always give our best effort, it is all we ask!
Remember house coloured shirts to be worn on the day, a good morning tea, drink bottle, sensible running shoes please, and have a jersey or polo fleece to put on after running in case of a cold wind.
The Room 22 environment inquiry focus has led the children to two major areas of interest and what they believe are valuable improvements to the school environment. One was a garden seating area, to allow some planting of herbs or vege that could be used for the children, and that will aesthetically enhance/soften the concrete two storey building area. The second area of interest and concern is finding a way to promote/showcase the variety of cultures represented within St Albans School. I believe both these areas are equally important and demonstrate a pleasing result of our student directed inquiry learning.
We have decided to first focus on the garden seat outside our classroom and later look at how we can showcase other countries.
We have drawn up some designs and are looking at pricing. We would love any parent imput at this stage from building/landscape/in the know families that maybe able to help us out at this point, Please feel free to offer any ideas or help!!!
We will put up in the classroom the winning design idea to discuss/play with this week!!!
The students have completed their letters to Mrs. Warren, the Board of Trustees, and the P.T.A to ask for permission to build a garden seat outside our classroom and any feedback they have on this subject, so we will await their feedback.
Writing over the next few weeks will focus on Report Writing. The layout and content of a report, what information should be included etc.
Math interchange will continue again this week.
Reading activities are behind this week so we will continue with last weeks and the children will have an appropriate browsing box to chose from for nightly reading.
Sport interchange and invasion sports will continue this week.
We will have a fantastic week.
Tracey Steel
Room 22 Newsletter 4 Term 2 14th May 2012
ReplyDeleteDear Parents/Caregivers
Well Done! to all of Room 22 for giving the Cross Country their very best! We all put in a top effort, with no complaints, walkers or excuses. Thank you one and all.
Well done to Jack Haldane who fell on the concrete stairs and hurt himself, but still got up and carried on. Well done to Jake Dickey for a top effort for the Year 3’s.
Last week Mrs Warren received our letters to ask permission to build a seat out side our classroom. She was very please with our environment improvement, the useful idea for a garden seat and the carefully written letters. Mrs Warren, Mr McKenzie and Mrs Howison popped into the classroom on Friday to give us full approval.
This week a couple of students from Room 22 will present our idea and letters to the PTA to ask for some financial help.
Math interchange will continue over the next two weeks, with a focus on multiplication and division. Then we will return to our own classroom Math focus.
We have made a great team start to our Report Writing focus. We are all learning about how to write a report and lay it out correctly. The first focus is on frogs! Later this week we will begin another report on different insects, in small groups.
Due to the writing/reading focus this week we will be reading resources, books, and the internet for factual information. The top groups will continue reading their Roald Dahl books for home reading.
On Wednesday the 16th we have a CSO visit at 11am.
On Thursday we continue with our Turbo Touch Sessions, which we are thoroughly enjoying.
There is a parent café chat on Friday morning in the café at 9:20. The focus is on effective parent help.
We will have a fantastic week.
Room 22 Newsletter 5 Term 2 21st May 2012
ReplyDeleteDear Parents/Caregivers
We have had a very busy time last week with children in and out of the class and teachers in the room on Wednesday, while Ms Steel had meetings. The weeks are creeping quickly by and we are in the middle of the term already. We have had quite a few absences the last couple of weeks with bugs and flu setting in, it is best to stay away until fully recovered so that we don’t spread sickness, thank you.
The first of the speeches are under way and the results have been extremely pleasing. I am excited to see such an improvement from the term one presentations. The effort from the children is fantastic they listen to advice/feedback and rise to the challenge. Yes, I know it is not easy for all, but it is a worthwhile skill for all walks of life. It is exciting to see audience eye contact, cue cards and good use of props to support their speech. Big High 5 from Ms Steel! I also love the amazing knowledge that is being shared especially during the questioning time, a great chance to shine on our favourite subjects. I am videoing the speeches for quality feedback, family viewing and formative assessment.
Two children from Room 22 (Rosie and Jack H) represented Room 22 at the PTA meeting on Wednesday night to share letters about our inquiry environment learning and ask for financial support to go towards our garden seat. They did a super job and made us proud. Thank you to the parents for bringing them. As of the end of next week (week 6) we will be sharing at the Y3/4 assembly our journey of inquiry about, “How can we make a difference to the St Albans School Environment?” The classes that have completed a physical end product will have a walk around after assembly to share their work. Friday 1st June 2:15, so pencil in this date if you would like to see what all of the middle school classes have discovered/learnt/achieved.
Tuesday 22nd May, Ms Steel will have a CRT day. I will be in the school/classroom but a reliever will be taking the class.
The first Turbo Touch was last Thursday, this is for the Year 4’s only so the Year 3’s continued on with class lessons. We are still continuing with our syndicate ball skills on a Tuesday and the invasion games on a Thursday.
Core curriculum areas will continue the same this week –reports -writing and reading integrated, math –multiplication, spelling testing again to assess individual words, art painting.
Tracey Steel