Term 3 Weeks 3 and 4

Term 3 Weeks 3 and 4

Our beautiful Cherry Blossoms

It has been another fantastic week of learning at Danebank. It is wonderful to walk around the school and see all the amazing things going on: sports lessons in the gymnasium, Literature lessons on Asian Perspectives, Science investigations, HSIE Weather and Seasons discussions, reading groups, Maths lessons and so much more. We always enjoy walking around the school and talking to the students about what they are learning. We like to ask our students what they do when they get stuck with their learning. This week we received two different answers, both of which we thought were wonderful - ‘Breathe’ and ‘you just think, I can do it!’ A positive attitude to learning, seen in this ‘can do’ mentality, mixed with a willingness to take a risk when learning new things is a powerful combination for success. Keep up with the fine work, Year 1.

Our Financial Literacy incursion

Financial Literacy incursion

Year 1 and 2 enjoyed participating in a Financial Literacy workshop last week. This was presented by the Start Smart Commonwealth Bank Primary program. Students learnt about financial concepts such as the Australian monetary system, the difference between needs and wants and using money to buys goods and services. Students enjoyed learning tips about using their money wisely.

Parent Notes

Parents can access excursion notes as well as other handouts through the Parent Portal. The Junior School office encourages all parents to access the Parent portal in the first instance of extra copies of excursion notes. You can access this by logging onto Edumate, click on ‘Home’ then ‘My Dashboard’ and selecting the ‘Notes’ link.

Premiers Reading Challenge

The Challenge finishes on 25th August, 2017.

Please enter all reading on the PRC website, or return the reading log to Mrs Jamieson.

All students entering the Premier's Reading Challenge will receive a PRC certificate signed by the Premier of NSW. These certificates will arrive in Term 4.

See the NSW Premier’s Reading Challenge website or contact Mrs Jamieson for further information.       

News from the Library

A short listed book that is a great favourite with the Year 1 children is ‘Chip’ by Kylie Howarth.

Chip, like most other gulls, is wild about chips. He likes fat chips, skinny chips, sandy or crunchy or soggy chips. But, most of all, he loves Joe’s chips from Joe’s Chip Van beside the sea.

Chip, like most other gulls, can be a little intrusive on his search for chips. So, one day, Joe erects a sign near his van warning people not to feed the seagulls. Chip is devastated, so he plans a way to get back into Joe’s good books, thus gaining access once more to his favourite food.

Will Chip succeed, or has he gone too far this time? 

      

Our beautiful Dragon puppets

Book Week Book Fair

Year 1 look forward to the Book Fair on Monday 21^st August in week 6. Books will be on sale from $20 to $50. Students may purchase books during class time. Notes will be sent home closer to the date.

Stage 1 Public Speaking

Year 1 students have been given the opportunity to have a ‘practise go’ of their speech on their usual Topic Talk day this past fortnight. It has been a wonderful experience for children to listen to their classmates topics on various interesting topics.

We encourage students to use palm cards and speeches should run for 2 minutes. Feel free to discuss the ideas with your daughters but the speech should reflect the ideas of the students themselves. Please encourage your daughter to practise aloud, to help them in the presentation of their speech.

Helping Your Child Prepare:

·         Stand still

·         Speak clearly

·         Make eye contact with the audience

·         Engage the audience with your topic

·         Use palm cards as a cue. Know your speech. Don’t read it.

·         Speeches need to have a clear beginning, middle and end.

Teachers will then choose up to 5 students from each class to progress through the Year 1 Grade competition in week 6. Teachers will then ask selected students to represent Year 1 in the Stage One Public Speaking Assembly.  All parents and friends are invited to attend out K-2 Public Speaking Assembly in the PAC on Wednesday 6^th September at 2pm. K-2 Students will be performing a song for parents.

We are looking forward to hearing the girl’s speeches.

Healthy Bones Action Week 7^th to 13^th August 2017

Healthy Bones Action Week encourages children of all ages to protect their bones.

Take the following actions to build and maintain healthy bones:

1. Increase daily serves of calcium through milk, cheese or yoghurt

2. Go for a walk or commit to some form of regular exercise

3. Spend time outdoors to get more vitamin D.

To find out how much dairy your child should consume each day, click here: http://www. healthybones.com.au/why-strongbones/kids

Weeks 3 and 4 in Year 1:

Mathematics- 2D shapes, Data, Graphs and reading information on Tables.

Writing- We continued work on our unit on Asian Perspectives and started our new unit on Shelter. This unit is linked with our HSIE unit on Shelter. Students read ‘Speak Chinese, Fang Fang!’ By Sally Rippin and ‘Come Over To My House’ By Dr Seuss.

Grammar- Adverbs, Questions and Grammar Review

PDHPE- Term 3 unit ‘Stranger Danger’

Reading- We completed guided reading activities in class.

Topic Talks- Students had a trial run of their Stage 1 Public Speaking topic.

Visual Arts- Year 1 created Asian inspired artworks.

Science- Students are learning about the new unit ‘Up, Down and All Around.’ We are investigating the changes to the Built and Natural Environments and how changes to the Earth affect us.

HSIE- Term 1 topic ‘Seasons.’ Students are investigating changes in Seasons and Indigenous Australian Seasonal Calendars.