Charity Christmas Cards: Playground Ideas

 

Playground Ideas is a charity to build playgrounds for struggling communities who have never had the chance to play before. We are selling fantastic Christmas cards beside the coffee cart after the assembly on Tuesday the 18th of December. Packs of 5 are $20. All the money raised goes to Playground Ideas. Thank you.

Imogen and Isabel Yr 5/6

On behalf of Marcus Veermon (Playground Ideas)

Whole School Picnic at Princes Park

On Wednesday the whole school will take a stroll to Princes Park for the Annual Whole School Picnic. Children can bring some healthy food to share with the neighbourhood. The children will have the opportunity to play on the equipment, share some food and run around. We will be positioned near the adventure playground on the corner of Princes Park Drive and Macpherson Street. We will head back when the children and teachers are ready. Parents are welcome to come and join us at the park.  

Transition Program

On Monday 10^thDecember the whole school transition program will begin to enable the children to become familiar with change.

On Monday and Tuesday the children will visit their 2013 neighbourhoods from 10 to 11am and they will have lunch in their new neighbourhoods.

On Wednesday 13^th December all children will go to their new neighbourhoods at 2.30 and will be dismissed or are to be picked up from the new neighbourhood at 3.30 by their parents or carers.

The more children can participate in managing change, the more they can anticipate it with excitement.

If your child is finishing school early this year can you please let us know so we are able to say a proper goodbye and wish you a safe and relaxing holiday. I think we all deserve it.

.

Learning Expo: Why Do I Write?

 

This morning the Year 1 Neighbourhood shared the learning that has been occuring in our Why Do I Write Inquiry. Parents and teachers alike enjoyed a morning coffee before the expo began. The children were extremely excited and a little nervous before the presentation. The children explained their projects beautifully and I think it is safe to say all the parents were very impressed and proud of all the learning that has taken place.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

 

Today children who are interested in Instrumental music enrolment for 2013 took home a pink information note. This is be returned by Friday 7th December with a $10 deposit if your child would like to take part in the program. 

Tabloid Sports Fun!

Fun in the Sun...

The Tabloid Sports program has one more week to run (sob sob!) What a fantastic time it has been for all the students in prep-year 2.  The "Tabloid Sports" team, Simon and Anthony, have brought along an astonishing array of sports equipment and games.  Each week has had a different focus; eye-hand co-ordination, team work and games.  This week, team work, provided lots of challenges and hilarity as the children attempted to walk together in threes, trap a ball and deliver it to a bucket, put a puzzle together, and bounce a plastic chook up in the air on a tablecloth, amongst other things!  Special thanks to all the parents who have turned out to help, and the wonderful year 5 students who have been the 'marshals' in charge of each activity.

Fractions 

 

Learning Intention: To understand that fractions must be divided into equal-sized parts

 

This term the children have been learning about fractions as part of the Monday and Wednesday morning maths workshops. The children have really enjoyed making a fraction wall with parent helpers and some great discussions have taken place about why some shapes and pictures are or are not considered fractions. Today a small group were given the challenge of looking at a pattern Jessica had made and making a whole.

 

Taylor, Katherine and Ava show one half next to one whole

 

Lila and Millie made one whole

Jessica gave the girls one half



Marnie and Daisy made one whole after looking at a quarter.

Learning Expo of Why do I Write Inquiry?  

On Friday 30th November (Week 8) the Year 1 Neighbourhood will be presenting their learning from 9:30am (for approx. 30 min.). 
We invite all families and friends to come and see what the children have been up to as part of our Why do I Write Inquiry. 
The coffee cart will be there so parents can have a coffee and a chat while the Inquiry Groups get ready for their presentations, from 9.00am. 
We hope to see you all there.

Susan Berran visits Princes Hill Primary School

Today the Narrative Inquiry Group were visited by Susan Berran. The children were very excited to meet Susan and she was very excited to meet our up and coming authors. In the morning session Susan read from two of her books, LICK'D & BONEZ. She discussed where she gets her ideas from and explained how she turned everyday events into hilarious stories that children love to read "you take one small idea and make it explode, let it get bigger and bigger". The children then had the opportunity to ask Susan some questions they had written last week. Susan told the children to "write about what you love". Susan's main advice was to describe things in an interesting way, if something is small, it can be .... Olivia suggested '... as small as an ant's tooth'.
After lunch each group had one on one time to show Susan their story and seek advice about to make the story more interesting and exciting. Susan was amazed at what the children had written and the detail of their illustrations, She could not believe the children were only 6 & 7 years old. 

Susan has donated the first 4 books of Freaky series to the school. The children in the narrative group each have an order form to purchase signed copy of her books if they would like to do so.

Susan showing the children her illustrations

The children were captivated when Susan read her books

Susan showed us her drawing skills first hand

The children had so many ideas for our co-constructed character

How would you describe our character

Working with one of publishing groups

Readers' and Writers' Notebooks

Every Friday home groups meet with their teachers to discuss their R&W Notebook. Please look for teachers' comments. Ask your child if their teacher has given them a challenge, eg., 

to read a non-fiction book rather than a fiction title, or 

to respond to a book by making a comment, or 

to make written descriptions to elaborate on their drawings.

Teachers are seeking to extend students engagement in reading and writing through the use of the R&W Notebook. You can help reinforce this by encouraging your child to follow up on their challenges and to read regularly or to be read to regularly.

The Bazaar is this Sunday (18th November)

The Bazaar kicks off at 10am on Sunday and the prep-2 Talent show begins at midday. Thank you to all those families who have already volunteered their time and/or donated goods. We look forward to seeing you all on the day. The weather is forcasted to be 19 with possible showers, fingers crossed the showers stay away.

Movie: Narrative Inquiry

 

View the movie that was made by the Narrative group for the assembly in week 3 by clicking on the Movie: Narrative Inquiry tab above.

History Inquiry Group are off to the Immigration Museum

We are visiting the Immigration Museum on Thursday 22 November as a concluding activity. Formal notices will be sent soon. If you can accompany us from 12.15 approx. on Thursday 22/11 please let Mark know. 

Premier's Reading Challenge

 

The Premier's Reading Challenge Honour Roll will be published in The Age this Sunday (11th November).

Narrative Inquiry Group

Questions for Susan Berran

 

On Tuesday 20th November, the Narrative Inquiry group will be taking part in series of workshops with Susan Berran, an author and illustrator of children's books. The children have been asked to think and write down any questions they would like to ask Susan. If your child is in the narrative inquiry group could you please talk to them about the questions they would like to ask Susan.

 

Here is a link to Susan's website

http://www.susanberran.com/

Photos or Images from the Yr 1 N'hood Assembly

If you have any images from the assembly (a couple of weeks ago) could you please drop them in on a USB or disk (otherwise we'd need to take a few minutes to download from your device).

Please see Mark, Jessica, Maddy or Janette. Thanks In Anticipation.

Tabloid Sports

 

The first tabloid sports session will be Thursday, 8th November (Week 5). Thank you to all the parents who have alraedy volunteered to help out. If you are able to assist please sign up on the roster at the front of the neighbourhood. Simon will be organising the first session and it will go from 9:15 - 10am. The following 3 weeks will be run by Tabloid Sports and will be longer sessions, 9:15-11am. We ask that all children wear appropriate footwear, hats and sunscreen. If you have any questions please speak to Jessica. 

Establishment of a Parents Gardening Club

School Council Facilities committee has recommended that a gardening group be officially formed in order to more effectively coordinate the gardening plots in the school. Members of the Facilities Committee and school staff will be in attendance. We wish to invite all interested parents to attend this meeting on Wednesday 7th November at 5.00pm in the meeting room opposite the school office. Let a teacher know if you are interested, we could discuss some possible connections for the Yr 1 N'hood. Thanks!

Parent Helpers Wanted – for Library tasks

Parent Helpers Wanted – for Library tasks.

The PHPS Library needs parents/friends to help cover our new library books. We are considering holding a weekend afternoon working bee in November. We also need regular helpers to join the team re-shelving and tidying or ordering the resources on shelves. 

To find out more please speak to Mark. Or, sign onto the sheet in your child's Neighbourhood. 

Thank You.