Assistant Principal
Welcome to Term 4! I hope you and your family had an opportunity to take some time out and slow down over the recent holiday break.
Return to School
We have noticed that the connection with friends and classmates has been a challenge during remote learning. Classroom zooms have helped to reconnect students, but it isn't quite the same. Some students have spoken about their parents organising Zoom Playdates, which has provided a great opportunity for them to rekindle friendships. When the time comes for the children to come back to school, this important connection with friends and classmates will help alleviate any anxiety they may feel.
This week why not catch up with friends over zoom or telephone. Your child may need some help to start the conversation. Possibly, give them a theme so they have something that will spark the discussion. I am sure once they get started, the conversations will flow.
Thank you to all the families that have participated in the meditation activities. I hope it is helping your well-being. I have included the resources we have used this week.
K-2
Sesame Street: What is a Friend?
Meditation K-2
What Makes a Good Friend?
You've Got a Friend in Me
3-6
Meditation 3-6
Friendship Soup
The Greatest Friendships
UNSW/ICAS Assessments
Each year we provide the opportunity for students in Years 3-6 to participate in the University of New South Wales Competitions. These online competitions are for students who wish to experience extension and further challenge. Last week we had three students participate in the ICAS Writing Assessment. The other assessments will be conducted when the students return to school.
Math - Problem Solving
Problem-solving is a fundamental means of developing mathematical knowledge at any level. It allows students to develop the ability to make choices, interpret, formulate, model, and investigate problem situations, and communicate solutions effectively. They formulate and solve problems using mathematics to represent unfamiliar or meaningful situations, design investigations and plan their approaches, apply strategies to seek solutions, and verify that their answers are reasonable. Here are some open-ended Maths tasks that children can solve to help them develop problem-solving skills:
Look at the calendar. Draw a square around 9 of the numbers. What do you notice?
Prompts: If I tell you the top left number, can you tell me the bottom right number? If I tell you the middle number, what can you tell me?
Extension: What if the figure can be any rectangle? A cross? What if we replace the calendar with a number grid?
Problem 2:
Some people claim rolling a six is harder than rolling a two. Roll a die many times, collect and record your data. Make a convincing argument using your data and other ideas about the claim.
Extension: Extend the situation to a 10-sided die or rolling two dice and finding the sum. Think of some claims and investigate.
Thank you for your ongoing support and co-operation.
Together we can do this! Have a wonderful weekend, and remember to social distance wherever you go!
Mr Green
Assistant Principal