Start of Year Learning
Early Stage 1
Some Start of Year Activities are provided for this Stage to support students unable to return to school. You will be able to choose from the range of activities below, depending on student learning needs.
Religious Education
Welcome to the family!
Let us start with a prayer:
Dear Jesus,
I want to tell you about my family,
I love them very much
They are very special
I am starting school this year
and school is my new family
I love you Jesus
Amen!
Activity:
Draw a picture of your family.
Write down the name of each family member
Make sure each family member has a different colour
Draw a small picture of school - write the name of your new school family
Draw a picture of Jesus - Use bright colours
Resources:
Journal or an exercise book, pen, or pencil, colouring in pencils
Literacy
Welcome to School in 2022
We hope you enjoy watching and listening to the stories about starting school.
You will need
Paper
Colour Pencils
Slideshow (below)
Numeracy
Task 1
Mathematics Syllabus Outcome
Patterns and Algebra
MAe-8NA Recognises, describes and continues repeating patterns.
Learning Intention
I am learning to sort objects into groups in different ways.
You will need
Paper
Colour Pencils
Task 1.m4aClick play to have the task read to you.
Sorting
Go and get the clothes peg basket, or you can use any container of mixed items to sort. For example: toy cars, blocks, or kitchen utensils.
Tip out all of the clothes pegs in the basket.
Sort them into groups. How many ways can you sort them?
Can you describe why you put items together?
Draw and write about the different ways you sorted them.
Image source: Pixabay
Questions to support my thinking
Activity too hard?
Can you sort according to colour or shape?
Activity too easy?
Are there different types of pegs?
Can you match pairs of pegs? How many pairs are there? How many pegs are there altogether?
Task 2
Mathematics Syllabus Outcome
Whole Numbers
MAe-4NA Counts to 30, and orders, reads and represents numbers in the range 0 to 20.
Learning Intention
I am learning to count and write numbers.
You will need
Paper
Colour Pencils
Task 2.m4aClick play to have the task read to you.
Counting
Grab a handful of pasta each. Look at your handful and try to guess who has more.
Put the pasta on the table and count them.
How many did you have?
How many do I have?
Who has more? How do you know?
Draw how many you have on paper.
Grab a handful of gumnuts and repeat the task.
What do you notice about the pasta and the gumnuts?
Teacher/Parent note: You can use any small items instead of pasta. For example, buttons, coins, Lego blocks, pebbles, or gumnuts.
Image source: Pixabay
Questions to support my thinking
Activity too hard?
Ask someone at home to say a number between 1 and 10. Get that many pieces of pasta. Play again with a new number.
Task 3
Mathematics Syllabus Outcome
Patterns and Algebra
MAe-8NA Recognises, describes and continues repeating patterns.
Learning Intention
I am learning to match a number of objects and draw my ideas.
You will need
Paper
Colour Pencils
Task 3.m4aClick play to have the task read to you.
Matching
Set the table in your home for a meal or a “tea party”.
Make sure each person in your family has a place.
Draw a picture of the table setting.
Teacher/Parent note: Allow children to take the correct number from a larger collection. For example, let them select 5 forks from the drawer. Notice if they take one at a time, or count out five, or take a handful and put some back.
Image source: Pixabay
Questions to support my thinking
Can you put one fork next to each plate?
Can you put one cup for each person?
What else might you need to set out on the table for each person?
Activity too easy?
If there are 5 people in our family, how many plates will we need?
Task 4
Mathematics Syllabus Outcome
Whole Numbers
MAe-4NA Counts to 30, and orders, reads and represents numbers in the range 0 to 20.
Learning Intention
I am learning to see numbers in different ways and order from smallest to largest.
You will need
Paper
Colour Pencils
Task 4.m4aClick play to have the task read to you.
Dice Games
Roll two (or more) dice.
What numbers do you see?
Can you keep rolling until you get doubles?
Can you put your numbers in order?
Which is the smallest number? Which number is the largest?
Teacher/Parent note: Notice whether your child counts the dots each time, or starts to remember some of the numbers. You can help them do this by pointing out things like, “Two is like two eyes."
Image source: Pixabay
Task 5
Mathematics Syllabus Outcome
Patterns and Algebra
MAe-8NA Recognises, describes and continues repeating patterns.
Learning Intention
I am learning to make and describe a pattern.
You will need
Paper
Colour Pencils
Task 5.m4aClick play to have the task read to you.
Making Patterns
Use a collection of mixed items to make a pattern. These could be gumnuts and sticks and leaves.
Count your pattern.
Draw your pattern.
Now try and make a different pattern.
Teacher/Parent note: It is helpful to have mixed items, rather than just commercial blocks or counters which may restrict children to making colour patterns only.
Notice if they can make a repeating pattern. If not, make a pattern and ask them to copy it.
Notice if they use 2 items or more in the pattern.
Image source: Pixabay
Questions to support my thinking
How does your pattern go?
Can you make your pattern longer?
Activity too hard?
Have someone at home make a pattern. Copy their pattern.