Cooper

Dear Cooper families,

This week we have been very busy at our new woodwork station in the Cooper room. A range of materials such as bottle caps, plastic lids, wood cuttings and glue was set out for the children to explore and create with. For many, it was a new experience to use a hammer, so we spent much time at the station the skill and technique of using the tools.

Our curiosity and engagement with our woodwork table was extended with a visit to the senior school tech rooms with Lewis’ dad, Mr Jackson. We were all very excited to go see the different machines that they used in the “big boys school” and find out what each of them do. 

Mr Jackson showed us how to use a hand saw and a band saw to cut pieces of wood. We compared which machine was easier to use, with the majority thinking that the band saw was much quicker and easier. We were lucky enough to take some small souvenirs (wood cuttings and shavings) from the tech room, which the children were very excited about.

Today was our student teacher Jana’s last day in the Cooper room. We have loved having Miss Jana in our classroom over the last 4 weeks. Good luck with the rest of your studies, we will all miss you!

We hope you have a lovely weekend.

Love Miss Gilbert and Miss C

Angwin

Dear Angwin Families,

This week in Angwin we were excising all of our social and mathematical skills to develop our own board games using grids. We look forward to finishing them next week and sharing them with you. 

We have also created another hair dressing salon and have busied ourselves creating new hairstyles. 

Clay has continued to be a focal point in the classroom with even more ideas flourishing after the addition of wire. 

We also gave the scissor tub a work out as we snipped away to create lanterns for the Mid Autumn festival. Don’t forget to join the Oz Asia Lantern festival by the Torrens in the coming weeks. 

We are looking forward to seeing some of you during parent teacher interviews next week. If you would like to make a time to speak with us please see Mrs Hooper at the front desk.

Kind Regards

The Angwin Team

Mead

Dear Mead Families 

Our little bean seeds have finally been planted into the vegie patch!  We decided to measure them first to compare their growth and found some amazing differences between the seeds that germinated.  It gave us the opportunity to discuss our seedlings mathematically eg longest and shortest and then organise the planting.  

The children prepared the bed, then we created something for them to climb and planted them just before the huge downpour on Wednesday…. they were well watered in!

We have tried our hand at observational drawings and paintings and kept on looking for the ‘clues of spring.’

Have a great weekend,

Melissa and Jain

Mattingley

Dear Mattingley families and friends,

What a wonderful storm we had on Wednesday afternoon. The children had a wonderful time catching the hail. On Thursday morning when we went outside they were excited to find a wonderful mud puddle which grew and grew into a muddy wonderland of canals and swamps. The children took off their and had hours of fun enjoying the sensation of mud between their toes. Their creativity came out as they built themselves a bridge to pass over the canals. 

It concrete- Seb

We can already walk on it coz it dry- Harry BB

Us! We done it- Teddy

We make a road. Cars go on it- Dominic

We also had a wonderful afternoon celebrating Sebastian's birthday. We hope you have had a wonderful day celebrating with your friends at school and at home enjoying your 'chippies' with your family Seb.

  

"I'm four. I got lots of presents. I got a big lego."

Next weeks show and tell is: free choice

We hope you have a lovely weekend,

Kimberley Mason

Early Learning Centre Teacher

Sports Day

Don’t forget Thursday 24^th February is Sports Day.

Children are encouraged to wear their House colours on the day.

The Health Hustle starts in the Prep School Gym at 9.00am. 

The 2 year olds will have their own events at the ELC. 

Further details are on the board in the foyer.

Chapple

Dear Chapple families

Our chickens have started to lay eggs. Unfortunately we are unable to eat them in class, but we would love you to take them home and try them. They are definitely free range! Harry has taken some of the first ones and he says they are great.

The Great Storm of 2015 turned into an adventure for the Chapple Room and fitted in beautifully with our book- “There is a hippopotamus on the roof eating cake.” We made our own scene and acted out a play.

Don’t forget Thursday 24^th February is Sports Day- Children are encouraged to wear their House colours on the day. The Health Hustle starts in the Prep School Gym at 9.00am.

Parent Teacher Interviews are in week 10 Tuesday 22^nd September and Wednesday 23^rd September. Please book with Mandy at the front desk or see a member of the Chapple room staff.

Just a reminder that a school hat is now required for outside play.

Regards 

Martin, Louise & Kelly

Langley

Dear Langley families and friends,

During our Morning Meetings this week,  we have been discussing  how we can keep our bodies healthy by eating healthy foods and drinking water to make us grow big and strong. We spoke about healthy foods, in particular the different types of breakfast children have before they come to school.

Eloise – Toast and butter

Teddy – Porridge

Amelia – Weet-bix, cranberries and milk.

Daniel – Banana 

On Thursday we had a special visit from Kim (Angus’ mum) who is a dentist. She came to talk to us about dentists and how we can keep our teeth healthy by brushing them. She brought along some friends, Dino and Rabbit who let us practice brushing their teeth. They were very friendly and even squirted us with water from their mouths! The children thought this was hilarious and laughed hysterically! 

Angus, Marcel and Chloe helped Kim to brush Dino and Rabbit’s teeth.

Who helps you brush your teeth?

Edward – Mummy, Daddy.

Ashton – I brush my teeth every time! 

Have a great weekend!

Sarah, Renee, Brooke and Emily J

Wilkins

Dear Wilkins families and friends

This week in the Wilkins room we have continued with our love for craft. We have been making some great art pieces which we are in process of displaying in the classroom. We also made kites to fly in the garden.

We have also had a party set up at the play dough table where we have had candles and sung happy birthday and enjoyed making cakes.

On Wednesday some of the children were lucky enough to see a storm hit the ELC. We went outside to watch and collect the hailstones (after the storm had passed!!)

Look rain- Xavier

A torm (storm) is coming. It sounds like a big truck- Stirling

It very loud, it wake me up- Danica

We have also enjoyed sweeping the sand with our new brooms, chasing bubbles and building sand castles.

Please remember next Thursday is Sports Day. Please check the board in the Café area for what team your child is in and dress them in that colour for the day.

We will be doing some fun activities in the ELC play space.

Have a great weekend

Nicole, Sarah, Karla and Ellen

Langley

Hello Langley families and friends, 

As the weather has been getting warmer, children have loved being outside in the sunshine! Some activities which we have enjoyed this week while being outside are throwing and kicking balls, pushing and racing our cars and trucks and building with the waffle blocks. 

During the week Oliver, Billy, Leo, Teddy, Marcel, Jason and Roy turned the waffle blocks into a train track and pretended to ride on….

“The Langley train, the Langley train is coming, everybody get on board!”

Oliver – “We walk on the train track”

Leo – “Train on track”

Edward – “Brum, brum”

Billy – “Me Deddy (Teddy) do dat” 

We have also enjoyed playing on the computers this week. The children and Miss Emily played an interactive game where each child had the opportunity to guess a shape, colour or count.

 Enjoy the sunshine this weekend!

Emily, Brooke, Renee and Sarah J   

Edgerley

Dear Edgerley families,

Within our program this fortnight we are having a particular focus on Relationship skills, with an emphasis on dealing positively with relationship-based problems and social conflicts. We read 'When I'm Feeling Kind' by Trace Moroney and the children brainstormed ideas of how they can be kind to each other. Following this the children have noticed their, and others, behaviours that are modeling kindness and we have all noticed and reflected on these as they appear. They have shared during their play, helped others through their jobs and used kind and supportive words to each other.

We can share - Oscar

Yes, because sharing is caring - Johnny

You can ask them if they want to play with something - Andrei

Be kind and sweet by saying nice words - David

Let them draw with you - Jasper

Share toys - Jake

Just let them play with you - Sylas

You should say you can be my best friend forever - Regan

By listening to them when they talk to you - Zoe

We also have introduced the children to Lenny the Lamb, a hand puppet (although many of them talk to him as if he is a real person). Through Lenny we address problems that we have noticed arise for the children within the indoor or outdoor environment and use Lenny to address these through a discussion with the children. Through Lenny we explore how he feels and the children offer him various solutions to his problems.

Best wishes,

Emma, Emma and Ty

Mead

Dear Mead Families

There has been a ‘Spring Buzz’ in the Mead Room this week!  We have noticed many clues in the past few weeks to tell us that Spring was on its way and is now finally here!

Addison – its not too cold anymore

Charlie L – Blossoms

Benjamim G – and the flowers turn into fruit

Ned – flowers are growing

Louis – leaves grow back on trees

Lucas – vegetables grow

Maxime – I noticed flowers growing and all the green

Lachlan – my broccoli was growing

Wilbur – our seeds are growing

We have also been observing exciting changes in our outdoor environment, most importantly the chickens have begun to lay eggs and the minibeasts are on the move!  We discovered a colony of ‘stink bugs’ on one of our beautiful eucalypts.  Fascinating to observe and many conversations arose concerning ‘camouflage’ and predators… stay tuned!

A big Happy Birthday to Louis who has turned 4!

Just to advise, we are offering Parent/ Teacher Interviews in Week 10 – 22^nd+ 23^rd September.  We will leave a sheet with Mrs Mandy at the front desk if you wish to book in.

Have a great weekend,

Melissa and Jain

Angwin

Dear Angwin Families

It was all about books this week in Angwin. Our interest in creating books was ignited during Book Week and we have begun to author and illustrate our own stories. We have been learning about the parts of books and thinking about how they are constructed. 

After our interest in Pamela Allen books and then our obsession with Cressida Cowell's Emily Brown stories, Mrs Rocca has now found us a new author to explore. We have been looking at the stories of Julia Donaldson… does she sound familiar? You may have read her story The Gruffalo.  

To top it off we even had a real author come and visit us. Sam’s Grandmother, Elizabeth Hutchins, the author of Brat Cat, joined us to tell us about how she wrote her book. She shared photos of the real Brat Cat with us and told us funny stories about his antics. She told us about how the book was about her cat but she used her imagination to add to the story.

“I am an author, I have ideas for stories, I have lots of stories in my head” Elizabeth told us.

“A author is a parent who writes books but if it is two people its’ an author and a illustrator” explained Samuel

“What’s an illustrator?” asked Mrs Bishop

“They write the photos” said Arwyn

“They make the pictures” said Autumn

“They make a picture so there’s a cover to show what happens in the book” said Leon

After the story of cheeky Brat Cat we shared some stories about our own cats. Elliot explained about how when Chester gets up on the table they spray him with water! William told us about Feedle and Moo Moo and how he sneaks about in the morning and scares his cats… I wonder who the cheeky one is in that household! Scarlett told us about her cousin’s cat Putty, she’s a little bit scared of her!

Our buddies were also in the book mood this week and brought some stories down to read to us. We also enjoyed talking about what we have seen at the Royal Adelaide Show. We are going to make a map so that we can remember how to get around, the show is big!

“PS: I love the show!” said Joe M

“I like the pig races, they black and yellow ones were the winner” said Samuel

We went micro at our clay table this week. Led by Harvey and Joe M we moved away from big creations, instead working on tiny models of our family members as well as making snails and other bugs. Finally this week we kept our eyes peeled for hexagons in our classroom, you would be surprised how many we found, even the end of our pastels were hexagons!

Please don’t forget that we are holding Parent Teacher interviews on Tuesday (with Mrs Schmidt) and Wednesday (with Mrs Bishop) of week 10 (22^nd and 23^rd of September). If you would like to make an appointment to see your child’s teacher please add your name to a slot on the interview sheet with Mrs Mandy at the front desk.

Have a wonderful weekend

The Angwin Team