Pre - Kindy Unit Newsletter

Newsletter July 2016

Buin Batu School

Welcome to Pre Kindy

We welcome you to our Pre-Kindy class. Our Pre-Kindy teachers are Ms Rosa, Ibu Tuti and Ms
Cara. We are very excited to be your childs teacher and look forward to an enriching and
rewarding school year. So many great things will happen in our class! Our objectives this year
are to help better prepare your child for kindergarten emotionally, socially, and academically in
a positive and nurturing environment. We are looking forward to working with all the children
and are excited to be a part of their growth and development. Please feel free to contact us
with any questions or concerns you may have throughout the school year. Lets work together to
make this year full of fun, learning, and personal growth for your child!

General information
1. School hours
Please note that school begins at 8.00am and finishes at 12.30pm. If your child is not arriving by bus
please make sure you walk them all the way to the classroom. The ECE classes are open from 7.45am.
It is so important to develop a routine that works for you and your child. Please make sure that your
child has had enough sleep and breakfast before coming to school.
2. Healthy food and Safety
Fruit and vegetable are the preferred morning snack for school. We ask that you not send strong
smelling fruit like durian to school (fruit, vegetables, plus small cheese or bread are ok). We will be
learning about healthy eating habits in class during the year and perhaps it is a good time now to talk
to your child about the best foods to send for snack time. Please send enough water in an appropriate
water bottle with your childs name on it every day to help them be independent. Children need their
hat every day for sun safety when they have outdoor activities. NO HAT, NO PLAY.
3. Independence
Please talk with your helper about the importance of letting your child do things for themselves, such
as putting their hat, school bag and drink bottles in the correct place and preparing for their day.
4. Spare clothes and PSPE uniform
It is important for your child to have a spare set of clothes in a named Ziploc bag to keep in the
classroom for emergencies. PSPE is on Wednesdays please ensure your child wears their sneakers
and that the girls wear shorts/pants instead of a skirt.
5. Communication Books
We will use the communication book as one of our tools to communicate any concerns about your childs
progress and any other issues/information about the class or school. We will send it home every day.
Please ensure you sign the communication book to acknowledge that you have read it.
6. Library Folders
Children will have library every Thursday. They may borrow two books each week and need to return
them the following Thursday. Please allocate some time every day to read the books with your child at
home. Rereading the story is an important way for your child to learn new vocabulary and to
understand the story.

Page 2 of 4

Pre K newsletter

Unit of Inquiry
During this term we will cover the following unit of inquiry,
Friends. Developmentally, children at this age are still selfcentered and are learning to build relationships with others.

Our unit of inquiry for this term is

Who we are

Our first unit, Our friends is geared to help them ease the

Central idea: Good friendships can enrich our lives.

transition from playgroup to pre kindy and move their

Unit title: Our friends.

attention from focusing on themselves to others, especially

with the children around them. We will inquire into why

Lines of inquiries:

friends are needed, how we can make friends and what we

*How we make friends.

can do to keep friendships. Through this inquiry the children

will learn how to be caring and principled. We will also foster
cooperation and respect. The assessment will be on going for
a full academic year: works and plays cooperatively with
peers and groups, listens to others while in large and small

*Why we need friends.

*What develops good friendships.
Key concepts: Causation & Responsibility

groups, shows actions when friends and teachers need help

(e.g. give tissue to the one who cries),

Language
Language alongside the unit
Oral
language
(Speaking
and
listening):
Communicate their
needs and sharing stories, show and
tell. Listen to rhymes and stories.
Listening to and follow directions.
Visual
language
(viewing
and
presenting):
attend to visual
information, showing understanding
through play, gestures, facial
expression.
Recognize
familiar
signs, labels and logo.
Written language (Reading &
writing): Shared reading and prereading activities. Left to right
progression when reading, letter
identification and letter sounds;
Pre-writing activities, left to right
progression when writing, write
their own name independently.
Correct pencil grip.

Bahasa for national student

Menyimak

Bahasa for expatriate student

perkataan orang lain

Greet and respond greeting from

(bahasa ibu atau bahasa lainnya).

others : apa kabar, selamat pagi,

Mengerti

terima kasih, maaf, permisi.

dua

perintah

yang

diberikan bersamaan

Expresses likes and dislikes.

Memahami cerita yang dibacakan.

Mengulang kalimat sederhana dan
menjawab kalimat sederhana.
Menceritakan kembali cerita atau
dongeng yang pernah diidengar.
Meniru
dicontohkan.

huruf-huruf

yang

Page 3 of 4

Pre K newsletter

Math
Mathematic within the unit
Data handling: We will collect and interpret information throughout our units on Friends and we will find out
different ways of organizing information. Introducing bar graph pictograph, living graph
Numbers :
We will identify and talk about the numbers they see around them. They will discover how numbers are used in
everyday life. (counting friends at school and at home)
Counting and writing numerals 0 - 5
Measurement:
We will measure using non-standard unit to focus the student on the concept of heavier, lighter, longer, and
shorter.
Shape and space:
We will review 2 D shapes (circle, square, rectangle, oval, and triangle)
Pattern and function:
We will begin to find out what patterns are and utilize them in our everyday experiences. (pattern of sounds,
songs, pattern on the shirt)
Introducing ABAB pattern.

Trans-disciplinary skills
Trans-disciplinary skills children are going to acquire and apply during this unit are:
Social skills:
Cooperating: Cooperating with others by playing fairly and being nice to friends.
Resolving conflict: Resolving conflict with friends by listening to each other and coming up with
solutions to problems.
Communication skills:
Listening: Show and tell, singing, dancing and rhymes, engaging within the shared stories
Speaking: Show and tell, begin to ask questions, role play

Learner Profiles
Learner profiles we develop during this theme are:
Caring: helping friends at all times,
Principled: follow class routines and class agreements and doing the right things showing respect and
caring for their friends.

Essential Agreement
The children have made
their class agreements
and are now learning to
follow them. You are
welcome
these

to

Specialist Classes
Tuesday

Religion

Wednesday

PSPE

Friday

Music

extend

agreements

Supporting Activities

at

home.

18 August 2016

It is a pleasure to be
your childs teacher this

Visiting another school in

year. We are looking

Sekongkang.

forward to having lots

14 September 2016

of fun together with

Assembly

the children!

What you can do at home

It would be very helpful if your child knew the following skills and information. Please work on any of the skills
and/or information below with your child that he may need help with.
1. His/her full name, parents names, and phone number.
2. How to wash his/her hands with soap and water as well as how to dry them
without assistance.
3. How to put away playthings and materials after using them.
4. How to use a tissue when blowing his/her nose. How to cover his/her mouth
with his/her arm while coughing or sneezing.
5. How to take off and put on clothing including jackets, hats, shoes etc.
without assistance.
6. How to unfasten and fasten clothing including zippers, snaps and buttons.
PLEASE make sure that your child knows how to take care of ALL his/her
bathroom needs including wiping him/herself without assistance.
We realize many students may not have mastered all of the above, but working together, were sure, it can soon
be accomplished.
Reading and re-reading books to your child is an important way you can help with their development. It helps
them to develop their listening skills as well as their memory. Both of these skills will greatly benefit your child
during the learning process.
Keep building your childs inquiry by asking questions all the time.