What we're learning in Matai

Health

Students will learn about relationships with other people and focusing on our Sherwood value of Togetherness.

Inquiry Learning Area - Science

Students explore how both the natural physical world and science itself work so that they can participate as critical, informed and responsible citizens in a society in which science plays a significant role.

Nature of Science:

Children can extend their experiences and personal explanations of the natural world through exploration, play, asking questions and discussing simple models.

The Big Idea:

Changes happen when materials are mixed, dissolved, heated or cooled.

Lines of Inquiry

• We can change substances by dissolving and mixing.

• We can change substances by cooling (freezing) and heating (melting).

• We can use what we know about these changes in our daily lives.

Literacy

Reading:

Guided and shared reading looking at locating information from text and pictures - fiction/non-fiction emphasis.

We continue our learning through the Better Start Literacy program, following the scope and sequence at each level. Your child may come home with a whānau letter on Tuesdays outlining activities you can do at help to help your child - look for the QR code you can scan to read the book during the week before it comes home on a Friday. In addition, your child will come home with a choosing book to read. On Mondays look out for the Poem in their poem folder as this is their reading on that day.

Writing:

This term we will be focussing on Instructional writing (giving instructions):

Ingredients - list ingredients used

Equipment - what equipment is needed

Method - what we do

And Explanations - writing up our findings in Science.

We will also use our writing time to write about our experiments/findings in Science.

Library Day: Monday

Handwriting:

We practice handwriting every week - this is modelled first (on our mini whiteboards) then written in our Stepsweb hard copy handwriting books, then written in our handwriting books - using a capital letter, lower case letter, word, number and our name.

Oral Language:

This is linked with our Inquiry - talking/sharing in both small and large groups about what we observe through experimentation.

Spelling:

Your child has already been tested on spelling and is working at their own level on the Stepsweb program. Stepsweb can be utilised both at home and at school.

Maths -

Number:

We will continue to focus on number knowledge and + - x ÷ number strategies. Please practise the times tables at home. Here are some good websites to help with learning the times tables:

Times Tables

Multiplication Fruit Splat

Multiplication Mayhem

Alongside our Inquiry in Science and our experiments this term, we will recap last term’s learning on Measurement, Volume & Capacity in Maths throughout the term.

Strand:

Weeks 1-3 Geometry - Shape

We will be learning to:

• Sort, compare and classify 2D and 3D shapes.

• Describe and make patterns (repeating patterns)

Weeks 4 - 10 - Position & Orientation

We will be learning to:

• Describe where objects are using the language of position.

• Give and follow instructions using the language of position and direction.

• Follow and give directions involving ½ and ¼ turns.

• Give and follow directions using left, right, up, down, North, South, East and West.

Students will gain experience in using everyday language to describe position and direction of movement. Spatial understandings are developed in four types of questions: directions (which way?), distance (how far?), location (where?), and representation (what objects?).

At home, do some activities to extend your child’s knowledge of position in space. Look at maps in books or online. Make sure they understand words such as over and under, near and far, between, left and right. We will also be looking at North, South, West and East.

Te Reo Māori -

We are learning to use Te Reo Māori. We practise every day using our Waiako songs and practise our Te Reo with objects/phrases throughout the day. In addition, your child will learn:

Pōhiri - traditional/formal welcomes

Whakawhananaungatanga - becoming whanau

Pepeha - how to introduce themselves and their whanau (family).

Digital Technology -

Students will be introduced to basic coding this term, using the Ozobots and how to use Osmo (patterns).

PE (Monday) -

Focus: Fit for Life and Large Ball Skills - Modified ball activities

NZ Curriculum Key Concepts:

• Participate in creative and regular physical activities and identify enjoyable experiences.

• Participate in a range of games and activities and identify the factors that make participation safe and enjoyable.

• Identify and discuss obvious hazards in their home, school, and local environment and adopt simple safety practices.

• Develop a wide range of movement skills, using a variety of equipment and play environments.

• Demonstrate respect through sharing and cooperation in groups.

• Express their own ideas, needs, wants, and feelings clearly and listen to those of other people.

Music (Monday) -

Focus: Exploring movement and rhythms expressed in the Music of different cultures. Learning to use percussion in a variety of ways. Keeping in time.

NZ Curriculum Key Concepts:

1: Practical Knowledge: Repeating rhythmic patterns.

2: Developing ideas: Adding our ideas to well known songs from around the world.

3: Communicating and Interpreting: Performing songs in our own way

4: Understanding context for different purposes and cultures. Sharing celebration songs from home with others

Art (Monday) -

Focus:Extending their knowledge of the art element, line, looking at shape and form (2D and 3D). Building on their knowledge of colour in art and introducing value (lights and darks).

NZ Curriculum Key Concepts:

• Practical knowledge through exploring wet and dry media techniques

• Developing ideas through creating their own individual artworks