Shantytown

What an exciting day of hands on learning we had at Shantytown today.  The children had such a great time and were engaged all day in the activities set up by Judy and Lisa.  I think getting dressed up helped them step into the role of WWI school children.

Our ride on the train was lots of fun, and we talked about the old machinery we saw at the side of the track and how difficult it must have been building a train track through the bush.  Then everyone got a look at the engine room - it was very hot in there, with lots of interesting dials and mechanisms.

We looked at old toys and talked about how they may have been used, the materials they were made from, and how they differed from the toys we have at home.

We played lots of indoor and outdoor games, and had our lunch outside in the sunshine.  Before we went home we visited the new theatre, and watched a silent movie.  Charlie Chaplin made us laugh!

A special thanks to all the adults who helped on our trip.  We really appreciate you volunteering your time to make our learning more memorable.  We wouldn't be able to do these trips without you, and your enthusiasm and patience through the day was fabulous.  Thank you!

It's so good to see you all back after a lovely Easter break.  What a great first day!  I'm so proud of how many of you read a book each day of the two weeks - Ailene almost ran out of treasure to hand out!  During our guided reading groups it was clear that you had been practising, so well done to all of you.

We are heading to Shantytown in a couple of weeks, so watch out for the permission letter coming home tomorrow.  We are looking for volunteers to help on the trip, so any family members that could spare a hand, come and let me know.

Here's to a great Term 2!

Miss Bamford

Sharing Learning

Today all families received their invitation to Seesaw, an online journal that we are using in Room One to capture learning moments.  We have been using Seesaw in class for the past couple of weeks and are now very excited to be sharing them with you.  Please follow the instructions in the letter to connect to your child's journal.  Here you will be able to view learning your child has shared and talk about it with them at home.  You can even comment on their posts, which we will see when we log in.  It is so lovely to see families celebrating the successes of their children through positive comments and feedback.

These journals are a great way to capture moments in your child's learning.  They give us insight into what is being learned, but also can show us what their next steps may be.  So if you notice your child has counted incorrectly, know that we will be working on this in class, but also that you can support this at home by practising counting correctly to 10, 20, etc.  

Please feel free to share your family log in with grandparents and other family members.  It is a real treat for family far away to still be able to share these special moments.  I will check with you that you are happy for that person to be connected to the account to ensure your child's information is secure.  I would like to ask that posts are not shared on social media, as all of our children's confidentiality is very important to us.

Please come and see me if you have any questions or need any help accessing your child's account, and I will be in touch soon using the family announcement feature.

Happy Seesawing!

Miss Bamford

Helicopter Stories

Storytelling is a vital element of early literacy, reading and writing.  In Room One we have been composing and acting out our own stories. Each week, we set aside a time to tell our stories, which Miss Bamford records for us.  Then we come together around our storytelling stage.  We take turns to act out our stories for our audience.  Here are videos of some of our earliest stories. 

 

As we develop our narrative skills and understanding of effective storytelling during the year, our stories will change in structure, complexity and imaginative elements.  We look forward to sharing these with you as the year progresses.

Reading and book changes

Monday - Book bags handed in to get new reading books (x2)

Wednesday - Library books in pink box, new ones chosen in afternoon (x2)

Thursday - Book bags handed in to get new reading books (x2)

Please ensure that children's book bags are in school every day and checked at the end of the day.  This is where the children will be asked to put letters, information, new resources, and all communication from school.

Thank you!

Miss Bamford

Thank you to those parents that made it to the reading meeting last week.  All children have come home with a pack of reading resources.  This is for your child to keep and will be updated regularly.  In the pack, you will find...

• 'Help your child become a reader' leaflet
• 'Help your child with reading' top tips
• A bookmark with useful questions to ask while reading 
• Phonics explanation and breakdown of progression
• Phoneme flashcards
• Letter formation guide
• Phonics and reading game boards
• Phoneme frame (to support spelling)

I hope you will find these resource useful with supporting your child at home.  More phoneme flashcards will come home weekly, and look out for a list of useful websites and apps to support your child's developing reading skills.

If you have any questions, please come and see me and I'll be more than happy to help.

Miss Bamford

Reading Workshop

Today a letter came home inviting all parents to come in to class to see how reading is being taught in Room One, and to find out more about how to support your child at home when sharing books.  I'll be handing out some free games and resources to use at home too!

This workshop will be taking place on Thursday 28th February, at 9.00 a.m.

Positive experiences and an enjoyment of reading is highly linked to student achievement.  This is what we aspire to for ALL of our students, and together, we can give your child the best possible start towards a lifelong love of learning.