Dear Parents and Students,
My family and I would like to extend a very big THANK YOU to all parents and children in Year 6G. We are very appreciative of the kindness you have shown us over the last week and months. So many of you have wished us well and blessed us with your thoughts and kindness and we are truly grateful.
We would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry and safe holiday season. We hope you travel safely and enjoy this time with family and friends.
I look forward to seeing you all once again in the New Year and hearing of your amazing adventures.
Best wishes,
Mr Gocentas and family (Annie, Ella and Luke)
Friday, December 19, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 15)
Dear Parents,
It´s a BIG week at SDIS this week. We have the Trade Fair for Year 6 on Monday and Tuesday, the Junior School Concert on Wednesday and Friday is the last day of term.
Reflections – 9th – 12th December
Students finished their plans for the Trade Fair last week. They made goods to sell, prepared a ledger to record their sales, made advertising signs, price lists and even information sheets about the items they are selling. They also planned how their stall will be organised. We also had the live performance of each group’s advertisement. Teachers were impressed with the scripts and the acting ability of the students. Students had to assess the quality of each group’s advertisement: was it convincing, did it show enthusiasm and emotion and was there evidence of good expression and body language?
Weekly News: 15th – 19th December
Unit of Inquiry
This week students will continue focus on the Trade Fair which will take place on Monday and Tuesday. Teachers will assess the success of each group’s stall: choice of products, satisfactory pricing, satisfactory publicity, good planning and record keeping. Students will also be assessed on their individual contribution to their group. After the Trade Fair the children will have a chance to reflect on the success of their business and their products. They will be asked to think critically about their businesses and whether or not they could have improved different aspects, eg. pricing, advertising, product quality, location of business, etc. Ultimately, they will need to refer back to the central idea of the unit and relate it to their business – was your company successful in trading things that people need and desire?
Mathematics
This week students will consolidate most of the money and mixed number concepts taught throughout our current unit. The children will keep ledgers for their business, including all sales and expenses of the business. This will require the children to add, subtract and multiply both whole and mixed numbers to determine whether or not their business made a profit or a loss. We will examine profit margin and see how changing certain inputs, eg. the price of a product, choice of materials, etc. can impact upon the overall profit margin.
English
This week students will be writing reflections about our current unit and the success of their businesses. They will need to be good thinkers and communicate the good and bad things about running a business and the various challenges they faced as a group, eg. teamwork, quality of products, demand for products, etc. In addition to offering their opinions, they will need to offer proof and evidence to support their views. As always, we will be encouraging the students to include good detail in their reflections as well as correct punctuation, grammar and spelling.
What can I do to help?
· Reflection is an important part of learning and refining knowledge. As this is the final week of our unit, ask your child about their business and what goods and/or services they are trading in. Have them tell you about the successes and difficulties of running a businesses and what ways they could improve their business and its performance.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 13:30 start. Parents should be early to find a safe car park space and to be seated on time in the Old Gym.
· Christmas card delivery box in Reception. Students may leave cards here for delivery to other students in the school. Students must write the full name and class of the student on the envelope.
· Free Dress – Thursday, 18 December
· Free Dress – Friday, 19 December (holiday theme)
· End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
It´s a BIG week at SDIS this week. We have the Trade Fair for Year 6 on Monday and Tuesday, the Junior School Concert on Wednesday and Friday is the last day of term.
Reflections – 9th – 12th December
Students finished their plans for the Trade Fair last week. They made goods to sell, prepared a ledger to record their sales, made advertising signs, price lists and even information sheets about the items they are selling. They also planned how their stall will be organised. We also had the live performance of each group’s advertisement. Teachers were impressed with the scripts and the acting ability of the students. Students had to assess the quality of each group’s advertisement: was it convincing, did it show enthusiasm and emotion and was there evidence of good expression and body language?
Weekly News: 15th – 19th December
Unit of Inquiry
This week students will continue focus on the Trade Fair which will take place on Monday and Tuesday. Teachers will assess the success of each group’s stall: choice of products, satisfactory pricing, satisfactory publicity, good planning and record keeping. Students will also be assessed on their individual contribution to their group. After the Trade Fair the children will have a chance to reflect on the success of their business and their products. They will be asked to think critically about their businesses and whether or not they could have improved different aspects, eg. pricing, advertising, product quality, location of business, etc. Ultimately, they will need to refer back to the central idea of the unit and relate it to their business – was your company successful in trading things that people need and desire?
Mathematics
This week students will consolidate most of the money and mixed number concepts taught throughout our current unit. The children will keep ledgers for their business, including all sales and expenses of the business. This will require the children to add, subtract and multiply both whole and mixed numbers to determine whether or not their business made a profit or a loss. We will examine profit margin and see how changing certain inputs, eg. the price of a product, choice of materials, etc. can impact upon the overall profit margin.
English
This week students will be writing reflections about our current unit and the success of their businesses. They will need to be good thinkers and communicate the good and bad things about running a business and the various challenges they faced as a group, eg. teamwork, quality of products, demand for products, etc. In addition to offering their opinions, they will need to offer proof and evidence to support their views. As always, we will be encouraging the students to include good detail in their reflections as well as correct punctuation, grammar and spelling.
What can I do to help?
· Reflection is an important part of learning and refining knowledge. As this is the final week of our unit, ask your child about their business and what goods and/or services they are trading in. Have them tell you about the successes and difficulties of running a businesses and what ways they could improve their business and its performance.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 13:30 start. Parents should be early to find a safe car park space and to be seated on time in the Old Gym.
· Christmas card delivery box in Reception. Students may leave cards here for delivery to other students in the school. Students must write the full name and class of the student on the envelope.
· Free Dress – Thursday, 18 December
· Free Dress – Friday, 19 December (holiday theme)
· End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 14)
Dear Parents,
This week Year 6 continue preparing the goods and services for each group for the Trade Fair next week. More details are below.
Reflections – 2nd – 5th December
Students started planning for the goods and services they may sell at the Trade Fair. We saw that some of the groups had similar ideas so they discussed what other goods or services they may provide. Students also read out to the class the advertisement they each had written to advertise their goods. They are obviously now very familiar with the art of persuasive speech!
Weekly News: 9th – 12th December
Unit of Inquiry
This week students will continue the preparations for the goods and services they will sell at the Trade Fair in the last week of term. Students will also continue work on the group advertisements (see English below). For the Trade Fair it is important to remember two things:
1. Each student can spend no more than €10 on buying goods for the fair. We would like students to keep spending as low as possible and use recycled materials etc or items they already have at home.
2. Students from years 3 to 6 will be buying goods at the fair using our year 6 currency (the Bargo). No real money will be used.
If you have any questions regarding the fair please send a message to Mr Barrett in the school diary or via email.
Mathematics
This week students will continue to focus on multiplication, including multiplication of decimals, in our number groups. We will continue our tables drill and use various games to become more familiar with decimals, fractions and percentages.
English
This week students will finish writing, editing, publishing and rehearsing their group advertisement for the goods and services on sale at the Trade Fair. Later in the week we will perform the advertisements to a live audience in the class and some advertisements may be filmed. Student groups will assess other groups on the various qualities of their performance. Students will be given a rubric (list of criteria) to judge each performance.
What can I do to help?
· Students this week will have a Trade Fair Diary in their homework book which details what they need to do at home. Please check their Trade Fair diary.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 2008
· End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
This week Year 6 continue preparing the goods and services for each group for the Trade Fair next week. More details are below.
Reflections – 2nd – 5th December
Students started planning for the goods and services they may sell at the Trade Fair. We saw that some of the groups had similar ideas so they discussed what other goods or services they may provide. Students also read out to the class the advertisement they each had written to advertise their goods. They are obviously now very familiar with the art of persuasive speech!
Weekly News: 9th – 12th December
Unit of Inquiry
This week students will continue the preparations for the goods and services they will sell at the Trade Fair in the last week of term. Students will also continue work on the group advertisements (see English below). For the Trade Fair it is important to remember two things:
1. Each student can spend no more than €10 on buying goods for the fair. We would like students to keep spending as low as possible and use recycled materials etc or items they already have at home.
2. Students from years 3 to 6 will be buying goods at the fair using our year 6 currency (the Bargo). No real money will be used.
If you have any questions regarding the fair please send a message to Mr Barrett in the school diary or via email.
Mathematics
This week students will continue to focus on multiplication, including multiplication of decimals, in our number groups. We will continue our tables drill and use various games to become more familiar with decimals, fractions and percentages.
English
This week students will finish writing, editing, publishing and rehearsing their group advertisement for the goods and services on sale at the Trade Fair. Later in the week we will perform the advertisements to a live audience in the class and some advertisements may be filmed. Student groups will assess other groups on the various qualities of their performance. Students will be given a rubric (list of criteria) to judge each performance.
What can I do to help?
· Students this week will have a Trade Fair Diary in their homework book which details what they need to do at home. Please check their Trade Fair diary.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 2008
· End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 13)
Dear Parents,
This week we start the really exciting part of the Unit of Inquiry “A World of Trade”. We will be preparing the goods and services for each group as well as planning an advertisement. More details are below.
Reflections – 17th – 21st November
Students continued keeping a ledger of the money they earned to spend at the trade fair. They also experienced the pain of being taxed for different offences (such as the noise pollution tax, the bad manners tax.) They all realise now that taxes and fines are a part of adult life! Students were organised into their trading groups and started to discuss the goods and services they may sell at the fair. Students also watched a video about fair trading and the specific case of the small banana growers in the Caribbean struggling to keep their businesses going because of the power of the multinational companies.
Weekly News: 2nd – 5th December
Unit of Inquiry
This week students will continue the preparations for the goods and services they will sell at the Trade Fair in the last week of term. For the Trade Fair it is important to remember two things:
1. Each student can spend no more than €10 on buying goods for the fair. We would like students to keep spending as low as possible and use recycled materials etc or items they already have at home
2. Students from years 3 to 6 will be buying goods at the fair using our year 6 currency (the Bargo). No real money will be used. If you have any questions regarding the fair please send a message to Mr Barrett in the school diary or via email.
Mathematics
This week we will continue to focus on multiplication, including multiplication of decimals in our number groups. We will practise multiplying various two and three-digit numbers using whole numbers (eg. 48 X 78) and start to multiply using decimals. It is important for students to develop a sound knowledge of decimals before they enter Year 7. And decimals, of course, is the basis of most systems of measurement and currency throughout the world.
It is very important that your child is fluent with all timestables. We will continue with regular tables practice. We will also do some revision testing of work covered so far this term.
English
Our major focus continues to be on persuasive texts, particularly the structure of such texts and the language companies use to convince consumers that they ‘need and/or desire’ certain products. Reading groups will continue to work hard at improving reading and comprehension skills in relation to non-fiction texts about trading.
What can I do to help?
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work. There are two new sites to help with spelling to make homework more fun.
· Look at the homework tasks for the week to make sure your child knows what to do. Please make sure all homework is neat and well set out. Remember, work that is not neat and signed by a parent or guardian will not be marked.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Holiday – 1st December
· Christmas Fair – 6th December, 2008 at SDIS. Don’t forget to bring in goods for the baskets. They can be left in Reception.
· Toys etc for the Student Council collection should be left in the classroom.
· Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 2008
· End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
This week we start the really exciting part of the Unit of Inquiry “A World of Trade”. We will be preparing the goods and services for each group as well as planning an advertisement. More details are below.
Reflections – 17th – 21st November
Students continued keeping a ledger of the money they earned to spend at the trade fair. They also experienced the pain of being taxed for different offences (such as the noise pollution tax, the bad manners tax.) They all realise now that taxes and fines are a part of adult life! Students were organised into their trading groups and started to discuss the goods and services they may sell at the fair. Students also watched a video about fair trading and the specific case of the small banana growers in the Caribbean struggling to keep their businesses going because of the power of the multinational companies.
Weekly News: 2nd – 5th December
Unit of Inquiry
This week students will continue the preparations for the goods and services they will sell at the Trade Fair in the last week of term. For the Trade Fair it is important to remember two things:
1. Each student can spend no more than €10 on buying goods for the fair. We would like students to keep spending as low as possible and use recycled materials etc or items they already have at home
2. Students from years 3 to 6 will be buying goods at the fair using our year 6 currency (the Bargo). No real money will be used. If you have any questions regarding the fair please send a message to Mr Barrett in the school diary or via email.
Mathematics
This week we will continue to focus on multiplication, including multiplication of decimals in our number groups. We will practise multiplying various two and three-digit numbers using whole numbers (eg. 48 X 78) and start to multiply using decimals. It is important for students to develop a sound knowledge of decimals before they enter Year 7. And decimals, of course, is the basis of most systems of measurement and currency throughout the world.
It is very important that your child is fluent with all timestables. We will continue with regular tables practice. We will also do some revision testing of work covered so far this term.
English
Our major focus continues to be on persuasive texts, particularly the structure of such texts and the language companies use to convince consumers that they ‘need and/or desire’ certain products. Reading groups will continue to work hard at improving reading and comprehension skills in relation to non-fiction texts about trading.
What can I do to help?
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work. There are two new sites to help with spelling to make homework more fun.
· Look at the homework tasks for the week to make sure your child knows what to do. Please make sure all homework is neat and well set out. Remember, work that is not neat and signed by a parent or guardian will not be marked.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Holiday – 1st December
· Christmas Fair – 6th December, 2008 at SDIS. Don’t forget to bring in goods for the baskets. They can be left in Reception.
· Toys etc for the Student Council collection should be left in the classroom.
· Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 2008
· End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Monday, November 24, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 12)
Dear Parents,
The Unit of Inquiry “A World of Trade” is going well and the students are excited with the arrival of the new Year 6 currency and the task of earning money for the trade fair.
Reflections – 17th – 21st November
The children completed the competition to design the Year 6 currency (ie. the BARGO) which will be used in our current unit of inquiry. The children’s high-quality designs caused the teachers to decide to have more than one winning design. In fact we chose several, and these will all be used for the new currency. Students began keeping a ledger of the money they earned to spend later at the trade fair. They also learned that we don’t only earn money, but we spend money. So each class has determined ways in which money can be taxed (such as a noise taxes for noisy students, bad manners tax etc). Students can earn money for working well, good behaviour etc. and their ledger keeps a record of their credits and debits.
Last week was disrupted due to sports events on Thursday and Friday and Mr Barrett’s absence at a conference. The students managed to complete a lot of quality work related to trading and also revised lots of maths skills.
Weekly News: 24th - 28th November
Unit of Inquiry
This week we will be investigating fair trading and how the world economy can affect different people and countries. Fair trading will be an important issue in our own trade fair. We will also select our groups for the trade fair. There will be 3 or 4 students in each group. For the Trade Fair it is important to note the following:
1. Each student can spend no more than €10 on materials for the fair. (This means each group will have €30-€40 altogether); and
2. Goods sold at the fair will be paid for by all students using our year 6 currency (the Bargo). No real money will be used. Students will not be paid back for the money they spend to buy the materials for the fair.
Mathematics
This week we will continue to focus on multiplication in our number groups. We will practise multiplying various two and three-digit numbers using whole numbers (eg. 48 X 78) and start to multiply using decimals. It is important for students to develop a sound knowledge of decimals before they enter Year 7. And decimals, of course, is the basis of most systems of measurement and currency throughout the world. It is very important that your child is fluent with all timestables. We will continue with regular tables practice. We will also do some revision testing of work covered so far this term.
English
Our major focus continues to be on persuasive texts, particularly the structure of such texts and the language companies use to convince consumers that they ‘need and/or desire’ certain products. Reading groups will continue to work hard at improving reading and comprehension skills in relation to non-fiction texts about trading.
What can I do to help?
• Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work. There are two new sites to help with spelling to make homework more fun.
• Look at the homework tasks for the week to make sure your child knows what to do. Please make sure all homework is neat and well set out. Remember, work that is not neat and signed by a parent or guardian will not be marked.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
• Holiday – 1st December
• Christmas Fair – 6th December, 2008 at SDIS. Don’t forget to bring in goods for the baskets (which can be left in in Reception)
• Toys etc. for the Student Council collection should be left in the classroom
• Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 2008
• End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
The Unit of Inquiry “A World of Trade” is going well and the students are excited with the arrival of the new Year 6 currency and the task of earning money for the trade fair.
Reflections – 17th – 21st November
The children completed the competition to design the Year 6 currency (ie. the BARGO) which will be used in our current unit of inquiry. The children’s high-quality designs caused the teachers to decide to have more than one winning design. In fact we chose several, and these will all be used for the new currency. Students began keeping a ledger of the money they earned to spend later at the trade fair. They also learned that we don’t only earn money, but we spend money. So each class has determined ways in which money can be taxed (such as a noise taxes for noisy students, bad manners tax etc). Students can earn money for working well, good behaviour etc. and their ledger keeps a record of their credits and debits.
Last week was disrupted due to sports events on Thursday and Friday and Mr Barrett’s absence at a conference. The students managed to complete a lot of quality work related to trading and also revised lots of maths skills.
Weekly News: 24th - 28th November
Unit of Inquiry
This week we will be investigating fair trading and how the world economy can affect different people and countries. Fair trading will be an important issue in our own trade fair. We will also select our groups for the trade fair. There will be 3 or 4 students in each group. For the Trade Fair it is important to note the following:
1. Each student can spend no more than €10 on materials for the fair. (This means each group will have €30-€40 altogether); and
2. Goods sold at the fair will be paid for by all students using our year 6 currency (the Bargo). No real money will be used. Students will not be paid back for the money they spend to buy the materials for the fair.
Mathematics
This week we will continue to focus on multiplication in our number groups. We will practise multiplying various two and three-digit numbers using whole numbers (eg. 48 X 78) and start to multiply using decimals. It is important for students to develop a sound knowledge of decimals before they enter Year 7. And decimals, of course, is the basis of most systems of measurement and currency throughout the world. It is very important that your child is fluent with all timestables. We will continue with regular tables practice. We will also do some revision testing of work covered so far this term.
English
Our major focus continues to be on persuasive texts, particularly the structure of such texts and the language companies use to convince consumers that they ‘need and/or desire’ certain products. Reading groups will continue to work hard at improving reading and comprehension skills in relation to non-fiction texts about trading.
What can I do to help?
• Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work. There are two new sites to help with spelling to make homework more fun.
• Look at the homework tasks for the week to make sure your child knows what to do. Please make sure all homework is neat and well set out. Remember, work that is not neat and signed by a parent or guardian will not be marked.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
• Holiday – 1st December
• Christmas Fair – 6th December, 2008 at SDIS. Don’t forget to bring in goods for the baskets (which can be left in in Reception)
• Toys etc. for the Student Council collection should be left in the classroom
• Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 2008
• End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Monday, November 17, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 11)
Dear Parents,
We are fast approaching Christmas break and we have many exciting events just around the corner, including the Christmas Fair and the Junior School Concert (see dates below). The next month promises to be a busy month, both in and out of the classroom. Help support your child by asking them about what they are doing in class and encourage them to share their learning with you.
Reflections – 10th – 14th November
Following on from our work on barter in previous weeks, the children learned more about money and how it has developed and progressed over time. The children also competed in a competition to design the Year 6 currency (ie. the BARGO) which will be used in our current unit of inquiry. The children had lots of fun and generally submitted high-quality designs, with the winners having their designs printed off and distributed to Years 3-6 for use at the end of our unit. The children also began work on creating a ‘country profile’ poster for a randomly assigned country, outlining certain facts about their country including its political system, currency, main exports, trading partners, etc. Using MS Excel, we also graphed the survey results of an earlier homework task where we found out which countries the majority of our clothing, food and electrical products come from.
Weekly News: 17th — 21st November
Unit of Inquiry
This week we will continue to investigate the trading relationship between various countries, namely what products these countries export and who their main trading partners are. The children will be presenting their findings in the form of a poster. We will also begin to use the BARGO in class as part of our miniature economy. Throughout the week and in the weeks ahead, the children will earn BARGOS to use during our final assessment. But BEWARE, as well as earning BARGOS, the children will also be taxed each week, ie. income tax, noise pollution tax, etc.
Mathematics
This week we continue to focus on multiplication in our number groups. We will practise multiplying various two and three-digit numbers using whole numbers (eg. 45 X 7) using a variety of methods (both mental and written). In order to support our multiplication work in class, the children have been told to practise their timestables up to 10 as part of their homework. It is very important that your child practise their timestables if they can’t recall these basic number facts. The children will also begin using a ‘Ledger’ to record various financial data, eg. debit, credit , balance, etc. in preparation for our summative assessment. These calculations will mainly involve the addition and subtraction of numbers up to 2-decimal points.
English
Our major focus continues to be on persuasive texts, particularly the structure of such texts and the language companies use to convince consumers that they ‘need and/or desire’ certain products. We will also use our research skills to complete our ‘country profile’ posters and to write about the major industries and exports of different countries from around the world. Meanwhile, our reading groups will continue to work hard at improving the children’s reading and comprehension skills in relation to non-fiction texts.
What can I do to help?
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work. Look for the A World of Trade link in the Unit of Inquiry menu box to find great websites and information for you and your child.
· Use the class blogs as part of your child’s reading homework. There are many great links to interesting websites and articles on our World of Trade page. Why not ask your child to read a particular article and report back to you the main facts from their reading!
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Holiday – 1st December
· Christmas Fair – 6th December, 2008 at SDIS
· Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 2008
· End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
· The first UOI reports were sent home last week. Could you please return the UOI reports to school as soon as possible (complete with your signature and any comments you have made). As indicated in the letter attached to the UOI report from Mr Thompson, this is one of the changes to our reporting procedures for 2008/09. We hope you found the new UOI report informative. Please feel free to pass on any feedback you may have.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
We are fast approaching Christmas break and we have many exciting events just around the corner, including the Christmas Fair and the Junior School Concert (see dates below). The next month promises to be a busy month, both in and out of the classroom. Help support your child by asking them about what they are doing in class and encourage them to share their learning with you.
Reflections – 10th – 14th November
Following on from our work on barter in previous weeks, the children learned more about money and how it has developed and progressed over time. The children also competed in a competition to design the Year 6 currency (ie. the BARGO) which will be used in our current unit of inquiry. The children had lots of fun and generally submitted high-quality designs, with the winners having their designs printed off and distributed to Years 3-6 for use at the end of our unit. The children also began work on creating a ‘country profile’ poster for a randomly assigned country, outlining certain facts about their country including its political system, currency, main exports, trading partners, etc. Using MS Excel, we also graphed the survey results of an earlier homework task where we found out which countries the majority of our clothing, food and electrical products come from.
Weekly News: 17th — 21st November
Unit of Inquiry
This week we will continue to investigate the trading relationship between various countries, namely what products these countries export and who their main trading partners are. The children will be presenting their findings in the form of a poster. We will also begin to use the BARGO in class as part of our miniature economy. Throughout the week and in the weeks ahead, the children will earn BARGOS to use during our final assessment. But BEWARE, as well as earning BARGOS, the children will also be taxed each week, ie. income tax, noise pollution tax, etc.
Mathematics
This week we continue to focus on multiplication in our number groups. We will practise multiplying various two and three-digit numbers using whole numbers (eg. 45 X 7) using a variety of methods (both mental and written). In order to support our multiplication work in class, the children have been told to practise their timestables up to 10 as part of their homework. It is very important that your child practise their timestables if they can’t recall these basic number facts. The children will also begin using a ‘Ledger’ to record various financial data, eg. debit, credit , balance, etc. in preparation for our summative assessment. These calculations will mainly involve the addition and subtraction of numbers up to 2-decimal points.
English
Our major focus continues to be on persuasive texts, particularly the structure of such texts and the language companies use to convince consumers that they ‘need and/or desire’ certain products. We will also use our research skills to complete our ‘country profile’ posters and to write about the major industries and exports of different countries from around the world. Meanwhile, our reading groups will continue to work hard at improving the children’s reading and comprehension skills in relation to non-fiction texts.
What can I do to help?
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work. Look for the A World of Trade link in the Unit of Inquiry menu box to find great websites and information for you and your child.
· Use the class blogs as part of your child’s reading homework. There are many great links to interesting websites and articles on our World of Trade page. Why not ask your child to read a particular article and report back to you the main facts from their reading!
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Holiday – 1st December
· Christmas Fair – 6th December, 2008 at SDIS
· Junior School Concert, Celebrations Around the World – 17th December, 2008
· End of Term 1 – 19th December (classes finish at 12:00pm)
· The first UOI reports were sent home last week. Could you please return the UOI reports to school as soon as possible (complete with your signature and any comments you have made). As indicated in the letter attached to the UOI report from Mr Thompson, this is one of the changes to our reporting procedures for 2008/09. We hope you found the new UOI report informative. Please feel free to pass on any feedback you may have.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 10)
Dear Parents,
The new Unit of Inquiry, “A World of Trade”, has started off at a great pace with the events of last week and will continue this week. This week students will be focussing on the history of money as part of the new Unit.
Reflections: 3rd – 7th November
Last week the children started work on the new Unit of Inquiry with an investigation of bartering. We looked at the Trobriand Islands (near Papua New Guinea) where the traditional communities still travel from island to island to barter goods. Interestingly, a major force behind bartering was to maintain a stable and friendly relationship between the communities through the practice of bartering as well as bartering goods. Students enjoyed their bartering immensely as we role-played being islanders with basic goods to trades, such as bags of vegetables, kula shells, knives etc. Last Friday we had an exciting afternoon with a small bartering fair where students traded items brought in from home. Some students traded services as well as goods and issued “credit notes” to their customers. Teachers will make sure students carry out the services promised on the credit notes.
Weekly News: 10th - 14th November
Unit of Inquiry
This week students will investigate the history of trading and money and design a new currency. The best currency design will be the one used for the currency at the trade fair to be held at the end of the unit. Students will also complete their evaluation of the bartering activities from last week.
Mathematics
Teachers have been impressed with the results of the addition and subtraction tests held last week. Students are progressing well in Maths. Let us all hope it continues. This week the students will start multiplication. We will continue doing “problems of the day/brain teasers” to challenge the students to look at different ways to solve all sorts of problems. Students will also start investigating decimals, as used in currency transactions and elsewhere.
English
Students will focus on the language of commerce. We will be reading texts, fiction and non-fiction, which relate to different aspects of trading. In reading groups we will continue our reading and comprehension skills.
What can I do to help?
The new Unit of Inquiry, “A World of Trade”, has started off at a great pace with the events of last week and will continue this week. This week students will be focussing on the history of money as part of the new Unit.
Reflections: 3rd – 7th November
Last week the children started work on the new Unit of Inquiry with an investigation of bartering. We looked at the Trobriand Islands (near Papua New Guinea) where the traditional communities still travel from island to island to barter goods. Interestingly, a major force behind bartering was to maintain a stable and friendly relationship between the communities through the practice of bartering as well as bartering goods. Students enjoyed their bartering immensely as we role-played being islanders with basic goods to trades, such as bags of vegetables, kula shells, knives etc. Last Friday we had an exciting afternoon with a small bartering fair where students traded items brought in from home. Some students traded services as well as goods and issued “credit notes” to their customers. Teachers will make sure students carry out the services promised on the credit notes.
Weekly News: 10th - 14th November
Unit of Inquiry
This week students will investigate the history of trading and money and design a new currency. The best currency design will be the one used for the currency at the trade fair to be held at the end of the unit. Students will also complete their evaluation of the bartering activities from last week.
Mathematics
Teachers have been impressed with the results of the addition and subtraction tests held last week. Students are progressing well in Maths. Let us all hope it continues. This week the students will start multiplication. We will continue doing “problems of the day/brain teasers” to challenge the students to look at different ways to solve all sorts of problems. Students will also start investigating decimals, as used in currency transactions and elsewhere.
English
Students will focus on the language of commerce. We will be reading texts, fiction and non-fiction, which relate to different aspects of trading. In reading groups we will continue our reading and comprehension skills.
What can I do to help?
- Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. If for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, please write a note to the teacher in the class diary.
- The library has reported that some students are not borrowing many books. Please check that your child is doing regular reading at home. Students are allowed to borrow from the library any day, not only during special library lessons.
Upcoming Events, Reminders and Blog News:
- Keep checking the class blog for important information about our unit of inquiry and what’s happening at school. New stuff is always being added to the blog. Check out the new Library blog and Library Netvibes links. Netvibes will be used a lot by students during the Exhibition.
- PTA Meeting Tuesday November 11
- Public Holiday December 1
- Christmas Fair December 6
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Trobriand Islands Role Play Activity
On Tuesday, 4 November the children participated in a role-play activity in class. During the activity the children took on the role of a typical islander living in the Trobriand Islands (actual island communities in Papua New Guinea). Each student in the role-play had certain items they could barter with, eg. fish, hammocks, vegetables, etc. It was a fun activity that required the children to negotiate and make trades based upon their wants and needs. Some children were very tough at bargaining and were reluctant to part with their goods. Others found it very difficult to make trades as some of the goods they had to trade were not very popular, eg. brussel sprouts!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 9)
Dear Parents,
Welcome back after a well deserved rest. We hope you all had a great mid-term break and are ready to start where we left off, with lots of hard work and fun! We start our second unit of inquiry this week , A World of Trade, which promises to be another busy unit.
Reflections: 20th - 24th October
The children well and truly earned a week’s rest following the last week of our first unit of inquiry Vote for Me. Lots of children, parents and teachers assembled for the Year 6 Election Day on Thursday, 23rd October and were treated to a lot of persuasive and passionate speeches from the 10 party leaders, all vying for the votes of the electorate (photos of the day can be found on the class blog). Congratulations to all the children who worked so hard on their campaigns. Well done! Thank you also to the parents who attended the elections and supported the children throughout the unit. The hard work now begins for the winning political parties The Improvers and The Smartie Party who must now turn their attention to following through with their election promises. Stay tuned!
Weekly News: 3rd —7th November
Unit of Inquiry
We now begin work on our second unit of inquiry A World of Trade. The central idea to this unit is that people trade to gain what they need and desire.
The unit will see the children inquire into:
· the reasons why trade has evolve
· the ways in which trading makes people interdependent
· issues of fairness in trading.
The four teacher questions that will guide our inquiry are:
1. Why do people trade?
2. How does trade influence people’s lives?
3. How can we be responsible consumers?
4. What has value?
During the first week of our unit we will begin familiarising the students with the central idea and the main concepts of the unit. We will start with a role play activity based on a community in Papua New Guinea that still relies on barter as the main source of trade, examining the advantages and disadvantages of bartering as a form of trade. At the end of the week we will be asking the children to bring in any items from home that they would like to trade as part of our own Trading Day. It is important to note that whatever the children decide to bring in to school on this day must be something they (and their parents) are willing to part with permanently! Alternatively, children may decide to offer a service that they could use in trade negotiations.
Mathematics
This week the children will revise and complete work on mental and written strategies for subtraction. On Wednesday, during maths groups, the children will be tested on their knowledge and understanding of both mental and written strategies for addition and subtraction. We will also revise data handling concepts covered so far in the year, such as graphing, recording and interpreting data. As money will be a major focus throughout our current unit, we will also begin to revise and introduce basic money concepts this week and in the weeks ahead. A big focus will be on adding, subtracting and multiplying amounts of money (up to 2‑decimal points).
English
During our second unit we will continue to consolidate and develop persuasive writing and speaking skills. However, the main focus throughout the unit will be on convincing others to purchase particular products and services (from the point of view of advertisers and suppliers). We will once again resume our reading groups this week and will focus on the history of trading, particularly in early history where barter and more traditional forms of trade existed. We will continue to revise and focus on using correct grammar and punctuation in our written work this week, particularly in relation to full stops and capital letters (especially in the case of proper nouns).
What can I do to help?
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work. Look for the A World of Trade link in the Unit of Inquiry menu box to find great websites and information for you and your child.
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading - children do need time to rest and play. If your child is unable to do the required homework, please notify your child’s teacher in your child’s student diary. As was the case before mid-term break, those students who have clearly rushed their work and not completed their homework to an acceptable standard will not have their work marked.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Tomorrow (Tuesday, 4 November) is school photo day for Year 6. Please make sure that your child has their full school uniform on this day. For those students that have PE on Tuesday, children will need to make sure that they change into their full school uniform during break time. Year 6G will have their photos taken during period 6 while Year 6B will have their photos taken during period 7.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Welcome back after a well deserved rest. We hope you all had a great mid-term break and are ready to start where we left off, with lots of hard work and fun! We start our second unit of inquiry this week , A World of Trade, which promises to be another busy unit.
Reflections: 20th - 24th October
The children well and truly earned a week’s rest following the last week of our first unit of inquiry Vote for Me. Lots of children, parents and teachers assembled for the Year 6 Election Day on Thursday, 23rd October and were treated to a lot of persuasive and passionate speeches from the 10 party leaders, all vying for the votes of the electorate (photos of the day can be found on the class blog). Congratulations to all the children who worked so hard on their campaigns. Well done! Thank you also to the parents who attended the elections and supported the children throughout the unit. The hard work now begins for the winning political parties The Improvers and The Smartie Party who must now turn their attention to following through with their election promises. Stay tuned!
Weekly News: 3rd —7th November
Unit of Inquiry
We now begin work on our second unit of inquiry A World of Trade. The central idea to this unit is that people trade to gain what they need and desire.
The unit will see the children inquire into:
· the reasons why trade has evolve
· the ways in which trading makes people interdependent
· issues of fairness in trading.
The four teacher questions that will guide our inquiry are:
1. Why do people trade?
2. How does trade influence people’s lives?
3. How can we be responsible consumers?
4. What has value?
During the first week of our unit we will begin familiarising the students with the central idea and the main concepts of the unit. We will start with a role play activity based on a community in Papua New Guinea that still relies on barter as the main source of trade, examining the advantages and disadvantages of bartering as a form of trade. At the end of the week we will be asking the children to bring in any items from home that they would like to trade as part of our own Trading Day. It is important to note that whatever the children decide to bring in to school on this day must be something they (and their parents) are willing to part with permanently! Alternatively, children may decide to offer a service that they could use in trade negotiations.
Mathematics
This week the children will revise and complete work on mental and written strategies for subtraction. On Wednesday, during maths groups, the children will be tested on their knowledge and understanding of both mental and written strategies for addition and subtraction. We will also revise data handling concepts covered so far in the year, such as graphing, recording and interpreting data. As money will be a major focus throughout our current unit, we will also begin to revise and introduce basic money concepts this week and in the weeks ahead. A big focus will be on adding, subtracting and multiplying amounts of money (up to 2‑decimal points).
English
During our second unit we will continue to consolidate and develop persuasive writing and speaking skills. However, the main focus throughout the unit will be on convincing others to purchase particular products and services (from the point of view of advertisers and suppliers). We will once again resume our reading groups this week and will focus on the history of trading, particularly in early history where barter and more traditional forms of trade existed. We will continue to revise and focus on using correct grammar and punctuation in our written work this week, particularly in relation to full stops and capital letters (especially in the case of proper nouns).
What can I do to help?
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work. Look for the A World of Trade link in the Unit of Inquiry menu box to find great websites and information for you and your child.
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading - children do need time to rest and play. If your child is unable to do the required homework, please notify your child’s teacher in your child’s student diary. As was the case before mid-term break, those students who have clearly rushed their work and not completed their homework to an acceptable standard will not have their work marked.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Tomorrow (Tuesday, 4 November) is school photo day for Year 6. Please make sure that your child has their full school uniform on this day. For those students that have PE on Tuesday, children will need to make sure that they change into their full school uniform during break time. Year 6G will have their photos taken during period 6 while Year 6B will have their photos taken during period 7.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Friday, October 24, 2008
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 8)
Dear Parents,
This week students will finish the Unit of Inquiry “Vote for Me!”. The climax will be Thursday’s elections to find our Year 6 presidents. (More information below). Students will also complete other assessment tasks as part of the unit and will be given a report at the end of the unit to show how they went. We also have the Sports Day on Wednesday and the Halloween Disco on Thursday at 6pm.
Reflections: 6th October – 10th October
Last week the children continued work on the elections which take place this week. They prepared speeches, surveys, advertising posters and brochures and held meetings in their campaign groups. In reading groups students worked on their election tasks. Each student had to complete their task as the candidate, the publicity person, the campaign manager or the data collector. In maths we continued to focus on addition and subtraction problems. Year 6 also had the fun-filled pleasure of helping their Reading Buddy class find the Ginger Bread Man (photos are in the Photo Gallery link). They had to search the junior school and found him hiding in their buddy’s classroom. He tasted delicious!
Weekly News: 20th - 24th October
Unit of Inquiry
The children will finish their Unit of Inquiry this week with the elections on Thursday. The elections will be held in the old gym from 14:00 – 15:15. Parents are invited to attend and vote. This week homework and class work will focus on preparations for the elections. Posters, brochures and data from surveys will all play a part in the election process. Teachers will use a rubric for the final assessment of various features of the unit including persuasive writing, data collection, group work skills and personal reflections of the unit.
Mathematics
This week the children will continue to focus on addition and subtraction problem solving. We will be doing “problems of the day” to challenge the students to look at different ways to solve all sorts of problems. They will also be doing further assessment tasks involving surveys and graphs.
English
Students will be assessed on their writing of persuasive texts which has been a major part of their political campaigns. In reading groups this week they will finalise all speeches and other work that is to be assessed as part of the unit.
What can I do to help?
Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. This is especially important this week with the elections on Thursday. If for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, please write a note to the teacher in the class diary.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
Keep checking the class blog for important information about our unit of inquiry and what’s happening at school. New stuff is always being added to the blog.
Sports Day
Sports Day will be held for Years 4-6 and will begin at 9am and finish around 12:20pm on Wednesday, October 22nd. Students will be competing in a variety of activities they have signed up for. The weather could be warm or cool so we are asking every student to bring a sun hat, a water bottle, sun screen and sweatshirt in case it is cool. Parents and guardians are more than welcome to come along and support during the day.If you are aware that your son/daughter will be absent on this day could you please let their teacher know as soon as possible as it could affect some of the events.Thanks in anticipation of your support. If you have any questions feel free to contact Erica Thompson (P.E. Teacher).
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
This week students will finish the Unit of Inquiry “Vote for Me!”. The climax will be Thursday’s elections to find our Year 6 presidents. (More information below). Students will also complete other assessment tasks as part of the unit and will be given a report at the end of the unit to show how they went. We also have the Sports Day on Wednesday and the Halloween Disco on Thursday at 6pm.
Reflections: 6th October – 10th October
Last week the children continued work on the elections which take place this week. They prepared speeches, surveys, advertising posters and brochures and held meetings in their campaign groups. In reading groups students worked on their election tasks. Each student had to complete their task as the candidate, the publicity person, the campaign manager or the data collector. In maths we continued to focus on addition and subtraction problems. Year 6 also had the fun-filled pleasure of helping their Reading Buddy class find the Ginger Bread Man (photos are in the Photo Gallery link). They had to search the junior school and found him hiding in their buddy’s classroom. He tasted delicious!
Weekly News: 20th - 24th October
Unit of Inquiry
The children will finish their Unit of Inquiry this week with the elections on Thursday. The elections will be held in the old gym from 14:00 – 15:15. Parents are invited to attend and vote. This week homework and class work will focus on preparations for the elections. Posters, brochures and data from surveys will all play a part in the election process. Teachers will use a rubric for the final assessment of various features of the unit including persuasive writing, data collection, group work skills and personal reflections of the unit.
Mathematics
This week the children will continue to focus on addition and subtraction problem solving. We will be doing “problems of the day” to challenge the students to look at different ways to solve all sorts of problems. They will also be doing further assessment tasks involving surveys and graphs.
English
Students will be assessed on their writing of persuasive texts which has been a major part of their political campaigns. In reading groups this week they will finalise all speeches and other work that is to be assessed as part of the unit.
What can I do to help?
Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. This is especially important this week with the elections on Thursday. If for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, please write a note to the teacher in the class diary.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
- Wednesday 22nd October - Sports Day, 9:00 – 12:20. Years 4-6.
- Thursday 23rd October - Year 6 student elections in the old gym, 14:00 – 15:15. Parents are invited to attend and vote.
- Thursday 23rd October - Halloween Disco. 6:00 – 7:30 in the old gym. Cost is €5,00. Snacks and drinks can also be bought. The disco is being organised by senior students and is part of a Community Service fund-raising activity.
- Saturday 25th October – Monday 3rd November. Mid-term break. School photos will be taken first week after the break.
Keep checking the class blog for important information about our unit of inquiry and what’s happening at school. New stuff is always being added to the blog.
Sports Day
Sports Day will be held for Years 4-6 and will begin at 9am and finish around 12:20pm on Wednesday, October 22nd. Students will be competing in a variety of activities they have signed up for. The weather could be warm or cool so we are asking every student to bring a sun hat, a water bottle, sun screen and sweatshirt in case it is cool. Parents and guardians are more than welcome to come along and support during the day.If you are aware that your son/daughter will be absent on this day could you please let their teacher know as soon as possible as it could affect some of the events.Thanks in anticipation of your support. If you have any questions feel free to contact Erica Thompson (P.E. Teacher).
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 7)
Dear Parents,
As we approach mid-term break the students are busy working on their summative assessment task. They all seem to be focussed and engaged in the task and are improving their knowledge and understanding of democracy and how it works. We hope you are enjoying hearing about the students’ learning and are having some interesting conversations at home! Just a reminder to keep checking the class blog for important information about our unit of inquiry and what’s happening at school.
Reflections: 6th October – 10th October
Last week the children started work on our summative assessment. The children applied for one of four jobs (leader, campaign manager, public relations officer and a data collection officer) as they prepare to be put into political parties in preparation for the upcoming Year 6 Presidential Election. In our reading groups we spent some time learning about ‘how to organise an election campaign’ as well as learning how to identify key words in a text and how to answer questions in complete sentences. In maths we continued to focus on addition and subtraction strategies and began to apply these operations in problem-solving situations. Our role-play scenarios continue to engage the children in conversations about various types of governance and how different forms of governance affect those living in the country.
Weekly News: 13th – 17th October
Unit of Inquiry
The children will begin identifying issues and conduct surveys this week as part of their political campaigns. They are going to need to focus on those issues that the voters care most about in order attract the most votes! The children will be given the rubric for the final assessment this week which will help guide them through the assessment task and what is expected of them and their teams. Stay tuned for the announcement of SDIS Election Day 2008 where you will be invited to hear the political parties speak as well as exercise your democratic right to vote for the most convincing and persuasive party.
Mathematics
This week the children will continue to focus on mental and written strategies for addition and subtraction. Particular focus will be on applying these skills to problem-solving situations. They will also continue to work on concepts from the Data Handling strand and will conduct surveys and analyse tables and graphs as part of their political campaigns. Students will continue to use Microsoft Excel as a means for recording and presenting data.
English
Students will continue to work on persuasive texts as part of their political campaigns. They will use the persuasive language skills taught in the last few weeks and apply them to their speeches, political posters, political brochures and surveys. In our reading groups this week we will continue to practise basic comprehension skills, particularly in recognising and highlighting key information and words in non-fiction texts and responding to questions.
What can I do to help?
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember, those students who have clearly rushed their work and not completed their homework to an acceptable standard will not have their work marked. As a reminder, if for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, please write a note to your child’s teacher in their class diary.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Friday 17th October. Classes finish at 12:00pm. Teachers’ Maths In-service
· Wednesday 22nd October. Years 4-6 Athletics Day (see below).
· Saturday 25th October – 3rd November. Mid-term break
Sports Day
Elementary ´Sports Day´ for years 4-6 will begin at 9 am and finish around 12:20 on Wednesday, October 22nd. Students will be competing in a variety of activities they have signed up for. The weather could be warm or cool so we are asking every student to bring a sun hat, a water bottle, sun screen and sweatshirt in case it is cool. Parents and guardians are more than welcome to come along and support during this day.
If you are aware that you son/daughter will be absent on this day could you please let their teacher know as soon as possible as it could affect some of the events.
Thanks in anticipation of your support. If you have any questions feel free to contact me (Erica Thompson).
With thanks,David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
As we approach mid-term break the students are busy working on their summative assessment task. They all seem to be focussed and engaged in the task and are improving their knowledge and understanding of democracy and how it works. We hope you are enjoying hearing about the students’ learning and are having some interesting conversations at home! Just a reminder to keep checking the class blog for important information about our unit of inquiry and what’s happening at school.
Reflections: 6th October – 10th October
Last week the children started work on our summative assessment. The children applied for one of four jobs (leader, campaign manager, public relations officer and a data collection officer) as they prepare to be put into political parties in preparation for the upcoming Year 6 Presidential Election. In our reading groups we spent some time learning about ‘how to organise an election campaign’ as well as learning how to identify key words in a text and how to answer questions in complete sentences. In maths we continued to focus on addition and subtraction strategies and began to apply these operations in problem-solving situations. Our role-play scenarios continue to engage the children in conversations about various types of governance and how different forms of governance affect those living in the country.
Weekly News: 13th – 17th October
Unit of Inquiry
The children will begin identifying issues and conduct surveys this week as part of their political campaigns. They are going to need to focus on those issues that the voters care most about in order attract the most votes! The children will be given the rubric for the final assessment this week which will help guide them through the assessment task and what is expected of them and their teams. Stay tuned for the announcement of SDIS Election Day 2008 where you will be invited to hear the political parties speak as well as exercise your democratic right to vote for the most convincing and persuasive party.
Mathematics
This week the children will continue to focus on mental and written strategies for addition and subtraction. Particular focus will be on applying these skills to problem-solving situations. They will also continue to work on concepts from the Data Handling strand and will conduct surveys and analyse tables and graphs as part of their political campaigns. Students will continue to use Microsoft Excel as a means for recording and presenting data.
English
Students will continue to work on persuasive texts as part of their political campaigns. They will use the persuasive language skills taught in the last few weeks and apply them to their speeches, political posters, political brochures and surveys. In our reading groups this week we will continue to practise basic comprehension skills, particularly in recognising and highlighting key information and words in non-fiction texts and responding to questions.
What can I do to help?
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember, those students who have clearly rushed their work and not completed their homework to an acceptable standard will not have their work marked. As a reminder, if for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, please write a note to your child’s teacher in their class diary.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Friday 17th October. Classes finish at 12:00pm. Teachers’ Maths In-service
· Wednesday 22nd October. Years 4-6 Athletics Day (see below).
· Saturday 25th October – 3rd November. Mid-term break
Sports Day
Elementary ´Sports Day´ for years 4-6 will begin at 9 am and finish around 12:20 on Wednesday, October 22nd. Students will be competing in a variety of activities they have signed up for. The weather could be warm or cool so we are asking every student to bring a sun hat, a water bottle, sun screen and sweatshirt in case it is cool. Parents and guardians are more than welcome to come along and support during this day.
If you are aware that you son/daughter will be absent on this day could you please let their teacher know as soon as possible as it could affect some of the events.
Thanks in anticipation of your support. If you have any questions feel free to contact me (Erica Thompson).
With thanks,David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Monday, October 6, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 6)
Dear Parents,
Another busy week for Year 6 at SDIS. We started our Maths groups with the assistance of Mr Costello and Ms Costa Pereira. Reading groups on Thursdays are progressing well with students working at a variety of skills each week, including comprehension, reading, research and grammar. The Unit of Inquiry is now approaching the final stages.
Reflections: 29th September – 3rd October
Last week the children continued their study and role play of political systems and the economics of political systems. We saw some students playing the part of dictators and all students saw from the role plays that dictatorships do not succeed very well and that the life of a dictator can be difficult, unpleasant and dangerous! During reading groups the children read about and discussed the strengths and weaknesses of democracy, read a passage for comprehension about fascism and practised punctuation. In the library with Ms Costa Pereira the students undertook a research challenge about Melvil Dewey, the man who created the library cataloguing system.
Weekly News: 6th – 10th October
Unit of Inquiry
The children have further developed a good understanding of different types of governance and will this week begin to focus on basic features of organising an election campaign. Students will be put into groups, each with an election candidate, and start planning for an election.
Mathematics
This week the children will continue to focus on mental strategies for addition and subtraction and will use these skills in problem solving. They will also continue to work on concepts from the Data Handling strand and will conduct surveys and analyse tables and graph. Students will use computer software for the recording and presentation of data.
English
Students will continue to work on persuasive texts in preparation for the Year 6 Presidential Elections as part of their summative assessment. In our reading groups this week we will continue to practise basic comprehension, reading and grammar skills and use the library computers for further research.
What can I do to help?
- Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember, those students who have clearly rushed their work and not completed their homework to an acceptable standard will not have their work marked. As a reminder, if for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, please write a note to your child’s teacher in their class diary.
- There is always something new on the class blog. Look for the link to Mrs Balazs’ Music blog http://sdismusicnews.blogspot.com/.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Monday, September 29, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 5)
Dear Parents,
It has been a busy start to the year already with two major events last week - the first being Let’s Discuss Our Class last Tuesday and Thursday. It was great to meet with so many parents last week and to share our first impressions and thoughts about your child. There are still some parents who were unable to make this event and we are trying to organise meetings this week. Please be patient as we finalise appointment times over the coming days. The second major event was of course the Welcome Back BBQ last Saturday afternoon. It was fantastic to see so many families at the BBQ and to share some food, fun and sun! Thank you for your support and participation in this event.
Reflections 22nd – 26th September
The children are well and truly in the midst of our first unit of inquiry. Last week saw the children work in small groups to help create a timeline of important political events and leaders who helped to shape and influence recent history. During reading groups the children read about important leaders and viewed political posters, discussing the effectiveness of these posters as well as the message conveyed in the posters. The children also did quite a bit of work on constructing good sentences and editing their work for correct punctuation and grammar. Each class also continued working and discussing different political scenarios as part of their role play activities in class.
Weekly News: 29th September —3rd October
Unit of Inquiry
The children have generally developed a good understanding of different types of governance studied in class, particularly democracy, communism and socialism. They have also improved their knowledge of key political leaders over the last 100 years and discovered how such leaders have helped to shape history and society generally. This week will see the children continue to consolidate their understanding of important leaders in history as well as study the impact of fascism and dictatorships on society. The children will also participate in their class role-plays as a way to experience these issues first hand. Ask your child about these role plays and their learning.
Mathematics
This week the children will continue to focus on mental strategies for addition while consolidating the students’ understanding of basic place value and numeration concepts. We also anticipate that Maths Groups will start this week with the support of Mr. Costello and our very talented Year 6 assistant, Ms Isabel. In addition, the children will continue to work on concepts from the Data Handling strand, particularly in conducting surveys and analysing tables and graphs, as they get ready to poll the Year 4 and Year 5 electorate on various issues that will determine their political campaigns in the coming weeks.
English
Students will continue to consolidate their understanding of persuasive texts. We will develop the children’s persuasive speaking and writing skills as they prepare for the upcoming Year 6 Presidential Elections as part of their summative assessment. In particular, we will focus on how to deliver a persuasive and emotive speech to potential voters and how to write convincing and persuasive political texts to influence and convince readers. In our reading groups this week we will continue to practise basic comprehension and reading skills, particularly when it comes to identifying key words in questions and scanning texts for key words and clues.
What can I do to help?
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading - children do need time to rest and play.
· Congratulations to all those children who have been working so hard over the last few weeks to complete their homework on time. Many of the children have clearly been spending a lot of their time doing their best work at home. WELL DONE! We would like to encourage all students to put in their best effort when doing their homework. Beginning this week, those students who have clearly rushed their work and not completed their homework to an acceptable standard will not have their homework marked. As a reminder, if for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, please write a note to your child’s teacher in their class diary.
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Please let the school know in advance if you wish your child to have a school lunch on a particular day. This helps in organising the lunch for your child.
Library News
Congratulations to all students who are bringing their library bags for borrowing. We do have some overdue books from the summer holidays and would appreciate if those books are returned as soon as possible before costs are charged for the books.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
It has been a busy start to the year already with two major events last week - the first being Let’s Discuss Our Class last Tuesday and Thursday. It was great to meet with so many parents last week and to share our first impressions and thoughts about your child. There are still some parents who were unable to make this event and we are trying to organise meetings this week. Please be patient as we finalise appointment times over the coming days. The second major event was of course the Welcome Back BBQ last Saturday afternoon. It was fantastic to see so many families at the BBQ and to share some food, fun and sun! Thank you for your support and participation in this event.
Reflections 22nd – 26th September
The children are well and truly in the midst of our first unit of inquiry. Last week saw the children work in small groups to help create a timeline of important political events and leaders who helped to shape and influence recent history. During reading groups the children read about important leaders and viewed political posters, discussing the effectiveness of these posters as well as the message conveyed in the posters. The children also did quite a bit of work on constructing good sentences and editing their work for correct punctuation and grammar. Each class also continued working and discussing different political scenarios as part of their role play activities in class.
Weekly News: 29th September —3rd October
Unit of Inquiry
The children have generally developed a good understanding of different types of governance studied in class, particularly democracy, communism and socialism. They have also improved their knowledge of key political leaders over the last 100 years and discovered how such leaders have helped to shape history and society generally. This week will see the children continue to consolidate their understanding of important leaders in history as well as study the impact of fascism and dictatorships on society. The children will also participate in their class role-plays as a way to experience these issues first hand. Ask your child about these role plays and their learning.
Mathematics
This week the children will continue to focus on mental strategies for addition while consolidating the students’ understanding of basic place value and numeration concepts. We also anticipate that Maths Groups will start this week with the support of Mr. Costello and our very talented Year 6 assistant, Ms Isabel. In addition, the children will continue to work on concepts from the Data Handling strand, particularly in conducting surveys and analysing tables and graphs, as they get ready to poll the Year 4 and Year 5 electorate on various issues that will determine their political campaigns in the coming weeks.
English
Students will continue to consolidate their understanding of persuasive texts. We will develop the children’s persuasive speaking and writing skills as they prepare for the upcoming Year 6 Presidential Elections as part of their summative assessment. In particular, we will focus on how to deliver a persuasive and emotive speech to potential voters and how to write convincing and persuasive political texts to influence and convince readers. In our reading groups this week we will continue to practise basic comprehension and reading skills, particularly when it comes to identifying key words in questions and scanning texts for key words and clues.
What can I do to help?
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading - children do need time to rest and play.
· Congratulations to all those children who have been working so hard over the last few weeks to complete their homework on time. Many of the children have clearly been spending a lot of their time doing their best work at home. WELL DONE! We would like to encourage all students to put in their best effort when doing their homework. Beginning this week, those students who have clearly rushed their work and not completed their homework to an acceptable standard will not have their homework marked. As a reminder, if for any reason your child is unable to complete their homework, please write a note to your child’s teacher in their class diary.
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· Please let the school know in advance if you wish your child to have a school lunch on a particular day. This helps in organising the lunch for your child.
Library News
Congratulations to all students who are bringing their library bags for borrowing. We do have some overdue books from the summer holidays and would appreciate if those books are returned as soon as possible before costs are charged for the books.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Monday, September 22, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 4)
Thank you to all the parents who are now reading the Newsletter on the blog. We have been receiving good comments from parents on the blog. I am sure you are happy to see so much information and activities for your children! It can make their research and homework much more interesting and a lot easier. If you have any ideas or feedback to improve your child’s class blog, please pass on your suggestions to your child’s class teacher and don´t forget you can leave comments on the blog at the bottom of each article.
Reflections 15th—19th September
It was a busy week involving lots of discussions and activities as we investigated political leaders and political systems. We continued our investigation of several famous leaders in history, discussing what they are best known for and what impact their actions had on society. At the end of last week class 6G gave a presentation at the weekly assembly at which the students dressed up and told us about some of the more famous political and public leaders. During the week 6G role played the political and economic events of an imaginary country “Graceland” and 6B role played a democratic government with political debates.
Weekly News: 22nd—26th September
Unit of Inquiry
This week we will continue with the role plays in the classroom with debates and discussions changing according to changes in political events. We will continue to look at different political systems, including the Kibbutzim of Israel. We will also continue our discussion of famous political speeches and look at the qualities that made the speeches so effective.
Mathematics
Students will continue to focus on basic number concepts, particularly place value concepts (up to millions) and addition strategies and problem solving. Following some pre-testing last week, we will be starting begin our maths groups this week with the assistance of Mr. Costello and Ms Costa Pereira. In the Data Handling strand the children will continue to apply their thinking skills to analyse political surveys.
English
Students will continue to work this week on persuasive text types. We will look closely at texts from famous speeches in history and the persuasive nature of the language to incite large groups of people into action. In our reading groups this week, we will continue to practise basic comprehension and grammar skills in reading and interpreting texts, particularly when it comes to identifying key words in questions and scanning texts for key words and clues.
What can I do to help?
Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading. Children need to do the nightly Maths, Spelling and UOI work. All work should be neatly presented. But remember, children do need time to rest and play.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
September 23 and 25 – Let’s Discuss Our Class parent meeting. Meetings start at 3pm.
September 24 – Introduction to the PYP for new parents.
September 27 – PTA Welcome BBQ (12 noon - 4pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Reflections 15th—19th September
It was a busy week involving lots of discussions and activities as we investigated political leaders and political systems. We continued our investigation of several famous leaders in history, discussing what they are best known for and what impact their actions had on society. At the end of last week class 6G gave a presentation at the weekly assembly at which the students dressed up and told us about some of the more famous political and public leaders. During the week 6G role played the political and economic events of an imaginary country “Graceland” and 6B role played a democratic government with political debates.
Weekly News: 22nd—26th September
Unit of Inquiry
This week we will continue with the role plays in the classroom with debates and discussions changing according to changes in political events. We will continue to look at different political systems, including the Kibbutzim of Israel. We will also continue our discussion of famous political speeches and look at the qualities that made the speeches so effective.
Mathematics
Students will continue to focus on basic number concepts, particularly place value concepts (up to millions) and addition strategies and problem solving. Following some pre-testing last week, we will be starting begin our maths groups this week with the assistance of Mr. Costello and Ms Costa Pereira. In the Data Handling strand the children will continue to apply their thinking skills to analyse political surveys.
English
Students will continue to work this week on persuasive text types. We will look closely at texts from famous speeches in history and the persuasive nature of the language to incite large groups of people into action. In our reading groups this week, we will continue to practise basic comprehension and grammar skills in reading and interpreting texts, particularly when it comes to identifying key words in questions and scanning texts for key words and clues.
What can I do to help?
Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading. Children need to do the nightly Maths, Spelling and UOI work. All work should be neatly presented. But remember, children do need time to rest and play.
Upcoming Events and Reminders
September 23 and 25 – Let’s Discuss Our Class parent meeting. Meetings start at 3pm.
September 24 – Introduction to the PYP for new parents.
September 27 – PTA Welcome BBQ (12 noon - 4pm)
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Monday, September 15, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 3)
Dear Parents,
This is the second newsletter for the year. This will be the last hardcopy sent home to parents. After this week the newsletter will only be published on the Year 6 blogs, unless a family specifically requests a hardcopy be sent home. We hope you find the Year 6 blogs useful and informative. If you have any ideas or feedback to improve your child’s class blog, please pass on your suggestions to your child’s class teacher.
Reflections 8th – 12th September
The children began our first unit of the year in earnest last week. It was a busy week involving lots of discussions and activities designed to introduce the children to the central idea of our first unit. The main focus was on discussing the function of government and the need for organisations to have some kind of hierarchy. The children also participated in a bus stop activity where they moved around various stations (bus stops) in the classroom to look at several images of famous leaders in history, discussing what they are best known for and what impact their actions had on society. At the end of last week the whole school was treated to 6B hosting the first class assembly of the year and their rendition of ‘Yellow Submarine’.
Weekly News: 15th—19th September
Unit of Inquiry: following discussions in planning meetings early last week, our unit of inquiry has changed slightly from its original title, central idea and inquiry points. We have changed our first unit of inquiry to ‘Vote For Me’ and the central idea now reads ‘unlike other forms of government, democratic governments are elected by the people.’
Students will inquire into:
· the need for government and leadership in society;
· exploring events that lead to political change; and
· the effects of different forms of governance on society.
We have already discussed the main function and role of government in class and will now shift our attention to different forms of government and leadership. We felt that these changes to the original unit plan would allow us to incorporate topical political issues at the moment, particularly the upcoming US Federal Election. In addition, focussing on democracy allows us to compare different democratic governments with alternative forms of government (past and present). It should make for interesting discussions in class! This week we will begin to look at major political groups in history and prominent leaders.
Mathematics
Students will continue to focus on basic number concepts, particularly place value concepts (up to millions). Following some pre-testing last week, we will also be looking to begin our maths groups this week (pending the availability of Mr. Costello who will also be supporting the Year 6 students this year). In addition, the children will begin revising and extending their understanding of mental strategies taught last year for the operation of addition. In the Data Handling strand, the children will also be applying their thinking skills to analyse political surveys.
English
Students will begin work this week on persuasive text types. We will look closely at texts from famous speeches in history from major political leaders and the persuasive nature of the language to incite large groups of people into action. In our reading groups this week, we will continue to practise basic comprehension skills in reading and interpreting texts, particularly when it comes to identifying key words in questions and scanning texts for key words and clues.
What can I do to help?
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading. Children do need time to rest and play.
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work.
· Please remind your child of the need to use English in class. There have been some students in Year 6 who were sent to detention last week because of their frequent use of Portuguese in class.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· September 17 – PTA coffee morning to meet new parents (8:45am).
· September 23 and 25 – Let’s Discuss Our Class parent meeting. Meetings start at 3pm.
· September 24 – Introduction to the PYP for new parents.
· September 27 – PTA Welcome BBQ (time to be advised)
· Please let the school know in advance if you wish your child to have a school lunch on a particular day. This helps in organising the lunch for your child.
· Class 6G will be performing at the school assembly this Friday 19th at 8.30am. You are welcome to come and watch.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Junior School Library Newsletter
We have started borrowing this week. Congratulations to those children who have been bringing library bags to borrow books! The policy is that all primary children will need waterproof bags in order to borrow books. Waterproof library bags are available at the uniform shop. It is very important that we have the support of parents in this matter. Children who forget to bring their library bags on their scheduled library session will be able to reserve books, and to collect the books with their library bags on the following day.
You can check St. Dominic’s library catalog from home! Go to http://heritage.dominics-into.org/. You can check which books are available and which books your child has at home. Students from Years 2 – 6 can log in with their library number.
Brochures are coming home for the Baker Books School Book Club. Closing date for the orders to be returned is Wednesday 24th September to the Junior School Library. Please make sure that your child´s details (name and class) are written on both envelope and the order form. Both cheque, payable to Saint Dominic’s, or cash are acceptable. Postage charges are included in the cost of the book.
Students have access to the Ebsco Research databases. Of special interest to our primary students is the Searchasaurus section http://search.ebscohost.com/ .
User name: sd Password: main
This is the second newsletter for the year. This will be the last hardcopy sent home to parents. After this week the newsletter will only be published on the Year 6 blogs, unless a family specifically requests a hardcopy be sent home. We hope you find the Year 6 blogs useful and informative. If you have any ideas or feedback to improve your child’s class blog, please pass on your suggestions to your child’s class teacher.
Reflections 8th – 12th September
The children began our first unit of the year in earnest last week. It was a busy week involving lots of discussions and activities designed to introduce the children to the central idea of our first unit. The main focus was on discussing the function of government and the need for organisations to have some kind of hierarchy. The children also participated in a bus stop activity where they moved around various stations (bus stops) in the classroom to look at several images of famous leaders in history, discussing what they are best known for and what impact their actions had on society. At the end of last week the whole school was treated to 6B hosting the first class assembly of the year and their rendition of ‘Yellow Submarine’.
Weekly News: 15th—19th September
Unit of Inquiry: following discussions in planning meetings early last week, our unit of inquiry has changed slightly from its original title, central idea and inquiry points. We have changed our first unit of inquiry to ‘Vote For Me’ and the central idea now reads ‘unlike other forms of government, democratic governments are elected by the people.’
Students will inquire into:
· the need for government and leadership in society;
· exploring events that lead to political change; and
· the effects of different forms of governance on society.
We have already discussed the main function and role of government in class and will now shift our attention to different forms of government and leadership. We felt that these changes to the original unit plan would allow us to incorporate topical political issues at the moment, particularly the upcoming US Federal Election. In addition, focussing on democracy allows us to compare different democratic governments with alternative forms of government (past and present). It should make for interesting discussions in class! This week we will begin to look at major political groups in history and prominent leaders.
Mathematics
Students will continue to focus on basic number concepts, particularly place value concepts (up to millions). Following some pre-testing last week, we will also be looking to begin our maths groups this week (pending the availability of Mr. Costello who will also be supporting the Year 6 students this year). In addition, the children will begin revising and extending their understanding of mental strategies taught last year for the operation of addition. In the Data Handling strand, the children will also be applying their thinking skills to analyse political surveys.
English
Students will begin work this week on persuasive text types. We will look closely at texts from famous speeches in history from major political leaders and the persuasive nature of the language to incite large groups of people into action. In our reading groups this week, we will continue to practise basic comprehension skills in reading and interpreting texts, particularly when it comes to identifying key words in questions and scanning texts for key words and clues.
What can I do to help?
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading. Children do need time to rest and play.
· Don’t forget to check the class blogs to find links to sites that will support your child in their class work.
· Please remind your child of the need to use English in class. There have been some students in Year 6 who were sent to detention last week because of their frequent use of Portuguese in class.
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
· September 17 – PTA coffee morning to meet new parents (8:45am).
· September 23 and 25 – Let’s Discuss Our Class parent meeting. Meetings start at 3pm.
· September 24 – Introduction to the PYP for new parents.
· September 27 – PTA Welcome BBQ (time to be advised)
· Please let the school know in advance if you wish your child to have a school lunch on a particular day. This helps in organising the lunch for your child.
· Class 6G will be performing at the school assembly this Friday 19th at 8.30am. You are welcome to come and watch.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Junior School Library Newsletter
We have started borrowing this week. Congratulations to those children who have been bringing library bags to borrow books! The policy is that all primary children will need waterproof bags in order to borrow books. Waterproof library bags are available at the uniform shop. It is very important that we have the support of parents in this matter. Children who forget to bring their library bags on their scheduled library session will be able to reserve books, and to collect the books with their library bags on the following day.
You can check St. Dominic’s library catalog from home! Go to http://heritage.dominics-into.org/. You can check which books are available and which books your child has at home. Students from Years 2 – 6 can log in with their library number.
Brochures are coming home for the Baker Books School Book Club. Closing date for the orders to be returned is Wednesday 24th September to the Junior School Library. Please make sure that your child´s details (name and class) are written on both envelope and the order form. Both cheque, payable to Saint Dominic’s, or cash are acceptable. Postage charges are included in the cost of the book.
Students have access to the Ebsco Research databases. Of special interest to our primary students is the Searchasaurus section http://search.ebscohost.com/ .
User name: sd Password: main
Monday, September 8, 2008
Newsletter - Term 1 (Week 2)
Dear Parents,
Welcome to week 2 of the new academic year! Students have all settled in well in the new classes and we have welcomed some new students to the school. Teachers have been impressed with the great start to the year. We are now in the process of organising new class blogs where you will see the latest Year 6 news and information for each class, website links for Maths, English and Units of Inquiry and other useful internet tools. The blog addresses are:
6B http://year6news.blogspot.com/
6G http://sdis6g.blogspot.com/
Reflections 3rd – 5th September
Last week students began by discussing class routines, visiting the newly renovated refectory where they were shown the new lunch procedures, drawing a self-portrait, setting goals, and designing the title page of their portfolio folder. We also started revision of times tables with games.
Weekly News: 8th—12th September
Unit of Inquiry: students will start their inquiry into “Legacies”. The Central Idea is civilisations past and present have followed different systems of governance that affect our lives.
Students will inquire into:
· the governance of past and present civilisations
· the effects of different forms of governance on society
This will include discussion of:
· the role of government and what are the different political systems and ideologies
· the hierarchy of the school and the functions of the staff
· Brainstorming famous political figures
Mathematics: students will do lots of revision of number skills and problem solving in order to reinforce skills already learned last year. This will include practice of times tables. We will also revise other areas of Maths.
English: we will focus on revision of basic language skills and comprehension. This work will relate to the Unit of Inquiry.
What can I do to help?
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading. Children do need time to rest and play.
Reminders:
· Please let the school know in advance if you wish your child to have a school lunch on a particular day. This helps in organising the lunch for your child.
· Senior School students are collecting unwanted school items that can be given to needy students outside the school. This includes unwanted back packs, books, pens, pencils, pencil cases etc. These can be bought to school until Wednesday this week. The class which brings in the most items will receive a surprise.
· Class 6B will be performing at the school assembly this Friday 12th at 8.30am. You are welcome to come and watch.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Welcome to week 2 of the new academic year! Students have all settled in well in the new classes and we have welcomed some new students to the school. Teachers have been impressed with the great start to the year. We are now in the process of organising new class blogs where you will see the latest Year 6 news and information for each class, website links for Maths, English and Units of Inquiry and other useful internet tools. The blog addresses are:
6B http://year6news.blogspot.com/
6G http://sdis6g.blogspot.com/
Reflections 3rd – 5th September
Last week students began by discussing class routines, visiting the newly renovated refectory where they were shown the new lunch procedures, drawing a self-portrait, setting goals, and designing the title page of their portfolio folder. We also started revision of times tables with games.
Weekly News: 8th—12th September
Unit of Inquiry: students will start their inquiry into “Legacies”. The Central Idea is civilisations past and present have followed different systems of governance that affect our lives.
Students will inquire into:
· the governance of past and present civilisations
· the effects of different forms of governance on society
This will include discussion of:
· the role of government and what are the different political systems and ideologies
· the hierarchy of the school and the functions of the staff
· Brainstorming famous political figures
Mathematics: students will do lots of revision of number skills and problem solving in order to reinforce skills already learned last year. This will include practice of times tables. We will also revise other areas of Maths.
English: we will focus on revision of basic language skills and comprehension. This work will relate to the Unit of Inquiry.
What can I do to help?
· Make sure your child is doing the required homework each night. Remember the recommended amount of homework is 40 minutes plus leisure reading. Children do need time to rest and play.
Reminders:
· Please let the school know in advance if you wish your child to have a school lunch on a particular day. This helps in organising the lunch for your child.
· Senior School students are collecting unwanted school items that can be given to needy students outside the school. This includes unwanted back packs, books, pens, pencils, pencil cases etc. These can be bought to school until Wednesday this week. The class which brings in the most items will receive a surprise.
· Class 6B will be performing at the school assembly this Friday 12th at 8.30am. You are welcome to come and watch.
With thanks,
David Barrett, David Gocentas and Ms Isabel Costa Pereira
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Welcome Back!
Welcome to another school year at SDIS!
After a very hectic 2007/08 school year I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable summer holiday. This year promises to be another very important year for all students, parents and teachers alike. As this is the last year of the Primary Years Programme for students in Year 6 it is going to be a very busy and emotional year for everyone. I feel very excited about the year ahead and honoured to be working alongside the students in 6G.
I look forward to working with you all to make this a memorable and rewarding year for everyone. Work hard, have fun and enjoy this very special year!
After a very hectic 2007/08 school year I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable summer holiday. This year promises to be another very important year for all students, parents and teachers alike. As this is the last year of the Primary Years Programme for students in Year 6 it is going to be a very busy and emotional year for everyone. I feel very excited about the year ahead and honoured to be working alongside the students in 6G.
I look forward to working with you all to make this a memorable and rewarding year for everyone. Work hard, have fun and enjoy this very special year!
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