Last week as part of our theme 'Houses and Homes' we had a special visitor in to talk about Lighthouses. Syed's Dad Roger explained the purpose of lighthouses, how they are fixed and where we can find them. Roger showed us photos of lighthouses around Ireland and some children got the chance to make a sound with a foghorn. A few of us got to try on a sailor cap and look at old devices used for communicating. Massive thanks to Roger!

Play and Homework

There will be no homework until after the winter break. Could I ask all the children who have lines, especially the narrators, to practice them at home this week before Friday. It would be great if they knew the lines off by heart, projecting their voice while they're saying them. On Friday, could the children come in to school already wearing their clothes for the show. See below: Snowmen: Please wear black tights/ leggings/ trousers, a white long-sleeved t-shirt if possible, hat and scarf into school. We will provide face-paint and a felt white snowman costume with buttons as well as additional props if your child is the snow-mum/ snow-dad, snow-granny or snow- grandad. Narrators: Wear all black on top and bottom into school. We will provide tinsel for around their head/ shoulders. 'Children': Please come in to school wearing wellies/ boots, gloves, coat, hat, scarf. It would be great if your child was wearing a festive jumper, although any winter jumper will do if you don't have a festive one. The Sun: Please wear yellow/ orange/ gold/ red leggings/tights/trousers and long-sleeved t-shirt/ t-shirt. We will provide a sun costume and crown.

Winter Show

Children received a note today about the Winter Show. It is on Friday (16th) and not Thursday as mentioned on the note. We are on at 10:30 am.

Homework 5/12/16

Decodable graded reader: Team teachers (Paula/ Shane C/ Paul/ Joe/ Aiveen) are listening to and changing books while our 6 week session is on until the winter holidays. Please let me know if there's any issues regarding the swapping of books. 5 - 7 minutes reading per evening. Please sign when your child can fluently read the book and he/ she will receive a new book. We will be listening to all children read and changing books if they're signed on Wednesdays and Fridays so please ensure your child has his/ her homework folder in on those days. Thanks! Maths sheet: 2D shapes (two sided sheet) Handwriting pages: Vv and Yy Grammar sheet: Sentence writing. Look at the presented sentences and see what is wrong with them. Re-write each sentence correctly underneath in the space provided. (Missing capital letters/ full stops/ words.)

Homework 28th November - December 2nd

Class reader - Ella Goes to the Airport: Read pg. 21 - 24 and complete oral language talk and discussion activities (one page and one set of activities based on that page per night). Please sign this page each evening. Maths home-links book: We are doing the story of 7 this week, and exploring all the various ways to make the sum of 7. Please complete pages 12, 14, 15. (Extension homework for anyone interested: Pages 13 & 16. This is not necessary, however if your child is flying through the work and would like to do more pages they can complete these.) Handwriting pages: Zz and Ww *** This week each child has a toothbrush, toothpaste, teeth-brushing chart and parent information booklet in their homework folder. This is a HSE initiative. The children are encouraged to brush their teeth twice a day, and we've explored healthy/ unhealthy foods and the damage that sugar can do to your teeth. We would appreciate if you could take the time to ensure your child knows how to brush their teeth correctly. All information is in the parent guide. On Thursday, a dental nurse will be in to give each child a certificate for taking part in The Mighty Mouth programme.

Visit from Sam

Sam Maguire popped in to say hello.

Oral Health Visit

This week and next we are participating in the Mighty Mouth oral health initiative. The children are learning about oral hygiene and how to look after their teeth. As part of the initiative we are having a certificate ceremony in school next Thursday. The ceremony begins at 8:45 and all parents are welcome. The certificates will be presented by a member of the Oral Health Promotion Team.

E-mails

A note will be sent home tomorrow asking you to write your email on it as I am updating the database. If you would prefer you can send me an email with your child's name in the subject line. My email is belmayneetaiveen@gmail.com Thanks for your cooperation.

Homework 21-25 November

Decodable graded reader: 5 - 7 minutes reading per evening. Please sign when your child can fluently read the book and I will give your child a new book. We will be listening to all children read and changing books if they're signed on Wednesdays and Fridays so please ensure your child has his/ her homework folder in on those days. Class reader - Ella Goes to the Airport: Read pg. 17 - 20 and complete oral language talk and discussion activities (one page and one set of activities based on that page per night). Please sign this page each evening. If your child is missing their copy of Ella please let me know ASAP as we do not read it everyday in class. Maths: Maths sheet. We are focusing on addition. Please complete the side with the balloons and as an extension they can complete the back of the page. Handwriting pages: Bb and Jj. In class we have been focusing a lot lately on letter height, and where each letter sits in relation to the line. It would be great if you could take this into consideration during handwriting homework too. Are the letters tall letters (like d), small letters (like a) or fall letters (like g)?

Homework 14th-17th November

Decodable graded reader: 5 - 7 minutes reading per evening. Please sign when your child can fluently read the book and I will give your child a new book. We will be listening to all children read and changing books if they're signed on Wednesdays and Fridays so please ensure your child has his/ her homework folder in on those days. Class reader - Ella Goes to the Airport: Read pg. 13 - 16 and complete oral language talk and discussion activities (one page and one set of activities based on that page per night). Please sign this page each evening. Maths worksheet: This week we will be revising over prepositions (above, below, behind, in front of, on, over, under, between, beside, down, up, in etc.) We'll also be doing some work on right and left. This week's homework focuses on prepositions. The second half of the sheet is an extension activity - do not complete if you child finds it too difficult. Handwriting pages: Ll and Ff. In class we have been focusing a lot lately on letter height, and where each letter sits in relation to the line. It would be great if you could take this into consideration during handwriting homework too. Are the letters tall letters (like d), small letters (like a) or fall letters (like g)?

Aistear Resources

This week we are making sock puppets based on the theme of Friendship. If each child could please bring in an old sock that would be fantastic. Also we will be making collages next week and we need old magazines for this. Thanks.

Homework 7th November

Decodable graded reader: 5 - 7 minutes reading per evening. Class reader - Ella Goes to the Airport: Read pg. 9 - 12 and complete oral language talk and discussion activities (one page and one set of activities based on that page per night). Please sign this page each evening. Maths: Worksheet on first, second and third. When the children are tracing the words please remind them to take their time. Handwriting pages: Oo and Uu. Please ask if the letters are tall letters (like d), small letters (like a) or fall letters (like g)?

Homework

Decodable graded reader: 5 - 7 minutes reading per evening. Please sign when your child can fluently read the book and I will give your child a new book. We will be listening to all children read and changing books if they're signed on Wednesdays and Fridays so please ensure your child has his/ her homework folder in on those days. Class reader - Ella Goes to the Airport: Read pg. 5 - 8 and complete oral language talk and discussion activities (one page and one set of activities based on that page per night). Please sign this page each evening. If possible do not read the whole book in one go. Busy at Maths home links book: Pg 10. Handwriting pages: Dd and Gg. In class we have been focusing a lot lately on letter height, and where each letter sits in relation to the line. It would be great if you could take this into consideration during handwriting homework too. Are the letters tall letters (like d), small letters (like a) or fall letters (like g)?

Homework 17th October

The format of homework has changed this week. The children will not be doing the dictation tasks or reading the Ella words. Instead they will read one page of their ‘Ella Reader’ and you will ask them questions based on the page they are reading. Please sign this page each evening. If possible do not read the whole book in one go. Reading: Please read the Jolly Phonic book enclosed and sign if the child is fully fluent. We will change these books on Wednesday. Maths: Page 9 Handwriting: Mm and Rr. The children who sit on the Green Table have a homework pass for one evening this week as they won table of the week.

Kidstalk

Yesterday the class were featured on KidsTalk (Q102 Morning Show). To listen copy the link, go to part two and fast forward to 42:30. They sound great! https://www.q102.ie/on-air/shows/dave-harrington-in-the-morning/listen-back/

Reading Homework

Please remember to sign the reading log if you think your child is ready to move onto the next book. I will be checking the logs this Friday. If your child is not fluent please leave it blank. Thanks.

Cooking with Couscous

After much excitement today finally arrived -Couscous Day. Everyone had a great time cooking in their groups. We squeezed lemons, drizzled on olive oil and waited patiently for the couscous to cook and cool down. A substantial amount ended up on the floor but I think most children have enough for an after school snack. If your child brought home a mysterious lunchbox please return to school when you get the chance. Thanks for sending in the vegetables!

Homework 10/9/16

Please see a new book and a note about how to use the book in the homework folder. Reading vocabulary prep for class novel 'Ella Goes to the Airport': 3 words EACH night. Please sign every night to show your child knows the words. Busy at Maths Home Links book: Page 8 Handwriting pages: Ee and Hh. Please ensure your child develops the habit of forming their letters correctly. Also check your child's pencil grip. (Refer to sheets in folder.) CVC word family 'A': Read one list EACH night.Turn over the page and write one dictation sentence EACH night. Instructions below. If children are finding this difficult one word will suffice. Please read the following simple sentences aloud to your child. They will write what they hear. Don't forget the full stops! Please read the sentences slowly, clearly and as many times as needed. The children can use their sound chart to aid with blending of sounds. They can also use Dolch lists to copy any tricky words that the sentence contains. (Dolch words are words that cannot usually be blended using sounds, eg 'we'). 1. Monday: "The cat sat on the mat." 2. Tuesday: "I tap the cap." 3. Wednesday: "Dan is a man." 4. Thursday: "The cab is full."

Cooking Next Week

As a treat for all of the hard work we have been doing we will have a cooking class next week. The children will be making couscous. Could you please send the children in with some chopped vegetables? It would be great if you could chop the food with the children. Peppers, spring onions, tomatoes and cucumbers will go well with the couscous but send in what you think the child will like. We will be cooking on Tuesday. Children will also need a lunch box to bring home the food. I haven't told the class yet so please keep it as a surprise! Thanks for the help.

Parent's Evening

Sh Sound and Measuring

During phonics our friend Polly Pirate came to visit in her ship. We are revising the 'sh' sound and Polly asked us to build her a sail. We wrote 'sh' words for the sail so she can safely return to the high seas!

Today we measured the length of different items in the classroom using cubes. Some children measured the tables, the chairs, each other and the length of the classroom. We found it difficult to count past 100...but we think the class is approximately 850 cubes long!

Homework 3/9/16

The Jolly Phonics decodable readers have not arrived yet! We are putting a Sails reader into each homework folder. Some of these words are not decodable so some children will find these difficult.

Reading vocabulary prep for class novel 'Ella Goes to the Airport': 3 words EACH night. Please sign every night to show your child knows the words.
Busy at Maths Home Links book: Page 7
Handwriting pages: Kk and Cc. Please ensure your child develops the habit of forming their letters correctly. Also check your child's pencil grip. (Refer to sheets in folder.)
CVC word family 'U': Read one list EACH night.Turn over the page and write one dictation sentence EACH night. Instructions below. If children are finding this difficult one word will suffice.

Please read the following simple sentences aloud to your child. They will write what they hear. Don't forget the full stops! Please read the sentences slowly, clearly and as many times as needed. The children can use their sound chart to aid with blending of sounds. They can also use Dolch lists to copy any tricky words that the sentence contains. (Dolch words are words that cannot usually be blended using sounds, eg 'we').

1. Monday: "We sat in the sun."
2. Tuesday: "I cut the nut."
3. Wednesday: "I have a mug."
4. Thursday: "The cat is full." 

Thanks for working so hard with the children - the standard of homework is excellent!

Shoe Boxes

If anyone has any shoe boxes they could donate to our class for Aistear we would really appreciate it. Please send them in with your children.
Thanks for the help.

Apologies the homework is only being posted now. The internet was down in the school today. 

You have probably noticed that there is not yet a book in the folders. Sorry for the inconsistency. Myself, Julie and Fiona have discussed the need for graded decodable storybooks for Senior Infants. We ordered a complete set of Jolly Phonics decodable readers for each Senior Infants class. They are due to arrive in the next day or two. We're going to set up a system where the children can swap the books regularly. We'll fill you in on our plans at the parents meeting. 

Reading vocabulary prep for class novel 'Ella Goes to the Airport': 3 words EACH night. Please sign every night to show your child knows the words.

Busy at Maths Home Links book: Pages 4, 5, 6. 

Handwriting pages: nN and pP. Please ensure your child develops the habit of forming their letters correctly. Also check your child's pencil grip. (Refer to sheets in folder.)

CVC word family 'o': Read one list EACH night.Turn over the page and write one dictation sentence EACH night. Instructions below.

Please read the following simple sentences aloud to your child. They will write what they hear. Don't forget the full stops! Please read the sentences slowly, clearly and as many times as needed. The children can use their sound chart to aid with blending of sounds. They can also use Dolch lists to copy any tricky words that the sentence contains. (Dolch words are words that cannot usually be blended using sounds, eg 'we').

1. Monday: "The tot got a cot."
2. Tuesday: "That pot is not hot." 
3. Wednesday: "The cop had a mop."
4. Thursday: "Look at the dog and hog in the bog." 

This week in maths we are working on the story of 5. On Tuesday we made sets of five using different objects. We have also being using the number line to help with our counting.

On Monday the children had a gymnastics session with Julie. They worked on balance. Have a look at what we did!

Homework 19/09/16

Dictation Sentences

Monday - The bin is tin.

Tuesday - We have to sit in the pit.

Wednesday - There is a big pig.

Thursday - I have a pip and a bib.

PE and GAA

We will have GAA on Wednesdays. This will start next week. Please make sure the children are wearing suitable clothing. We will be doing PE this Friday but this day is likely to change once the PE timetable has been finalised.

Homework 12th - 16th September

Reading vocabulary prep for class novel 'Ella Goes to the Airport': 3 words EACH night

Busy at Maths Home Links book: Please do the first page of the book this week. (You can choose whatever night suits you to complete.)

Handwriting pages: Ss and Aa. (You choose whatever night suits you to complete.)

CVC word family 'e': Read one list EACH night. Turn over the page and write one dictation sentence EACH night. Instructions below.)

Please read the following simple sentences aloud to your child. They will write what they hear. Please read the sentences slowly, clearly and as many times as needed. The children can use their sound chart to aid with blending of sounds. They can also use Dolch lists to copy any tricky words that the sentence contains. (Dolch words are words that cannot usually be blended using sounds, eg 'she').

1. Monday: "Len had a hen in a den."

2. Tuesday: "I let the pet get wet."

3. Wednesday: "She has a peg leg."

4. Thursday: Ned went to the little red bed.

Aistear

Over the last few weeks we have been busy with our Holidays theme. During Aistear the children have turned the role play area into a plane and created an airport in the Construction Zone. Keep up the good work everyone!