Term+2+Newsletter

** Term 2, 2012 ** Kia Ora Parents and Caregivers,
 * Team 4 Newsletter **

Welcome back year 4 students for term 2. We hope you had a fun and safe break and are ready for another engaging term of learning.


 * What’s Happening in Term 2? **


 * **__ SOCIAL STUDIES - __** Our global concept of learning for this year is Sustainability. This term as part of our global concept we are looking at the topic of Me and My Environment, focusing on our school, home and community environment in which we live. We are looking at the land, cultures, insects, sounds, how people influence these and how we are sustaining or unsustaining these environments.


 * **__ MATHEMATICS – __** For the first 3/4 weeks students will be focusing on Geometry with shape, rotation, reflection, translation and tessellation. They will then be learning a range of strategies based on their individual needs. A friendly reminder that children need to do 45 minutes of mathletics per week for success. Remember to practice times tables with children - sing them, read them, and ask them basic facts.


 * **__ WRITING – __** For the first 5 weeks students will be learning how to write factual reports. From weeks 6- 10 students will be learning how to write to explain.


 * **__ READING – __** The reading programmes in classrooms vary depending on classroom learning foci and students individual needs. Students will also read at home for pleasure, reading a wide range of texts such as researching on the computer, novels, magazines, fiction and non-fiction texts and newspaper articles. Don’t forget you can also take them to your local library.


 * **__ PHYSICAL EDUCATION – __** This term we are focusing on large ball skills including passing, catching and throwing, and gymnastics including bending, stretching, flexing, balance and turning. We have PE on Tuesdays and fitness on Mondays and Wednesdays. Students will need their PE gear on these days. Cross country will be starting at the end of this term so students will need to bring sports shoes for running and their PE gear every day. Students will be notified about this closer to the time.

Thanks for sending your child to school in the correct uniform. We appreciate parents/caregivers taking the time to name each part of their child’s uniform, as it makes it easier to find the owner of any items found. To keep our learning environments clean, we also ask that if students shoes are dirty that they take them off before entering the classroom. The correct footwear for winter is plain black shoes with socks.
 * Uniform Expectations **

Year 4 students are required to have a PE uniform as part of the Willowbank uniform requirements. If your child does not have the correct PE uniform please order it from the office. We will be starting cross country this term so please ensure your child has sport shoes to run in for health and safety reasons. It is important that your child wears their correct school uniform to school and home from school. They may get changed into their PE clothes during lunch breaks.


 * Keeping You Informed **


 * // Student Led Conferences and Mid- Year Reports. //**

// Parents and caregivers are invited to Student Led Conferences where mid-term reports will be given out. This is in week 9. During this time children will share their reading, writing and mathematics learning goals from their reports with parents/caregivers. Parents will have a chance to talk with children about how they are going to achieve their goals and how learning can be supported at home. //

// We look forward to seeing you in week 9. //


 * ** Event ** || ** Date ** ||
 * Mothers Day Afternoon Tea || Friday 11th May ||
 * Student Led Conferences || Wednesday 20th & Thursday 21st June. ||

Our school timetable is: First learning block: 8.55am – 11.00am Morning tea: 11.00am – 11.20am Second learning block: 11.20am – 12.30pm Lunch: 12.30pm – 1.30pm Third learning block 1.30pm – 3.00pm
 * School Timetable **

Kind Regards

Marissa Bowden, James O’Brien, Cheryl McLeod and Halina Munro.