SACRED HEART COLLEGE 2017 EDUCATION WITH HEART THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDS A MARIST SCHOOL
Grade 4
Welcome to a magical journey! 2017
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GRADE 4 TEACHERS Ms Moodley
Class Teacher 4M English, Drama, Natural Science and Technology
Mrs Reisinger
Class Teacher 4A English, Natural Science and Technology, Social Science, Art
Mrs Raath
Class Teacher 4R
Mr Lindsay
Science and Technology, Afrikaans, Social Science
Mrs Dickson Mrs Van Wyk
Mathematics
Mr Masongo
isiZulu
Mrs Marais
Library
Mrs Lindsay-Smith
RE/LO
Mrs Basson
Computers
Mr van der Merwe
Physical Education
Mr Hutchinson
Music
Thank you in anticipation your support. We look forward to a wonderful year with you and your child.
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WHAT WE STAND FOR Sacred Heart College is a Catholic, Marist school with a caring community. The school aims to serve its children by providing an education of the highest quality, founded on Catholic ethos and the five Marist pillars.
Presence Simplicity Family spirit Love of work In the way of Mary
Sacred Heart College endeavours to serve its community by providing an excellent, well-rounded education. Every child is important, and we take pride in encouraging all children to do the best they can, academically, socially, emotionally, spiritually and physically. The College’s Vision and Mission Statement outlines the ethos that underpins all we do at the school, the core of which includes:
Being educators in partnership with the Church, we endeavor to witness the love of God by building a community based on mutual understanding, respect, tolerance, justice, reconciliation, love and peace. Having a child-centered approach, we believe in treating each child with respect and concern. Our authority and discipline are motivated by love for those in our care. Working in partnership with the family, we are committed to developing the closest cooperation with parents in the education of their children. Focusing on Pastoral Care, the College has Pastoral Care structures that respond to the pastoral needs of the learners, teachers and parents at the school. These include: a Pastoral Care Committee, counselling services, Buddy System and programmes which develop values and enrich social skills e.g. Kindness Week, the Caring Caterpillar, Bully-Busting Campaign and Safety Week. Having a pastoral approach to discipline means that we understand the child’s behaviour and encourage him/her to take responsibility, negotiate consequences, educate for resolution and restore broken relationships.
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WHAT IT MEANS TO BELONG TO THE MARIST FAMILY
Children attending Sacred Heart College belong to the Marist family. This family stretches to the furthest corners of the globe, including countries in the Far East, Australia, Europe, the USA, Canada, South America and Africa. In order to teach our children well, we teach them in the way St Marcellin Champagnat taught us. Children are loved equally and we expect them to treat each other with care and respect. Children are taught to be accountable for their actions.
The Caring Caterpillar When children display positive behavior, they are awarded stickers to reinforce positive behavior. Children’s acts of kindness and caring are recognized in the above areas. Once children have 5 stickers on a segment, they receive a badge for that segment. When all the segments have been collected, the children receive a butterfly badge.
THE RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM APPROACH – TUNING IN SESSION As we believe that education is all encompassing we follow this approach and set the tone for the day. We begin our day with an assembly and then we move onto the Tuning In Session. This session can include that are specific or general. An activity is given which helps to develop social and academic skills. Children are given turns to share important news and about two to three children do this at each meeting.
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HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY
Be happy when you get up, as children read your mood, and this can impact positively or negatively on their day. Develop consistency and stick to a routine. Breakfast is an incredibly important meal and children must have a protein and a portion of carbohydrates. Please try to avoid sugary cereals. Please ensure that your child arrives timeously in the mornings, as it becomes distressing for them if their routine is disrupted. It is also very disturbing for the rest of the class and can affect the tone of the day. Important notices are read out at assemblies, so children need to be present. Children need to be at school by 07:30 as our school day begins at 07:40 with an assembly and these are led by a different teacher each day. Children then go off to class for register and the Tuning In Session. Although this is an informal part of the day, it is critically important as it sets the tone for the day and important life lessons are dealt with during this time. Classes begin at 08:00 sharp. Classes end at 14;00 each day and children have a 15-minute break before commencing the co-curricular programme at 14;15.
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Break is at least 2 hours after school begins, so please pack a healthy snack. Water should be included and try to avoid juices, fizzy drinks, sweets and sugary snacks. Try to make sure you include a fruit or veggie snack as these are good for children. You might even include yoghurt. A good substantial sandwich is always important. If your child is staying after 14:00, it is advisable to pack extra food for the afternoon session. Children should be in bed by 20:00 as sleepy children often begin the day on the wrong foot if they are tired.
Other Important Information: If you need to communicate with any of the teachers, please write a note in your child’s diary or alternatively leave a message with Mrs Peters or Mrs Naidoo in the Primary School Office. Children who are absent from school, need to be given a letter for the class teacher or a note must be written in the diary, addressed to the class teacher, on their return to school. If your child is going to buy food from the tuck shop, please ensure that his/her card is loaded with money. You may either do an EFT, or you or your child can load it in the Primary School Office.
Please remember that children may not have cell phones at school for various reasons including health issues. When found, cell phones will be confiscated and returned to parents at the end of term.
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Uniform must always be the correct official one and children must be clean and neat at all times. Please check the days on which your child has PE and ensure that they wear their PE uniforms on those days. It is very important that you LABEL YOUR CHILD’s UNIFORM and all belongings, as things are easily misplaced and we are able to return them if we know who the owner is. All items, including pens and pencils must be clearly labelled. Our newsletter is published and sent home every Thursday. You can opt to get an emailed version, or you can find all newsletters on the website. We look forward to working with you to help your child during his/her Grade 4 year in our Primary School. The team works closely together and we have devised a solid and interesting curriculum for the children. Grade 4 is a challenging year, as there are a number of new concepts, and we cover a lot of work. Please help your children and ask to see their work books regularly. We encourage you to sign the homework diary daily and it is necessary for you to sign their tests.
In this phase, we finish the school day at 14;00 and the co-curricular programme begins at 14:15. The co-curricular activities end at 15:00. This is followed by optional homework class from 15:00 to 16:00 and thereafter aftercare until 17:30.
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THE GRADE 4 CURRICULUM Grade 4 is the first year of a three-year phase and is quite different from what you have experienced in the Foundation Phase. We cover the following subjects:
English Afrikaans isiZulu Mathematics Science and Technology Social Science RELO Computers Library – Book Education Physical Education Performing Arts Visual Arts Hymns
We follow the CAPs documents and supplement this curriculum with the Singapore Science as well as weaving in aspects of education which we believe our children will need to be successful in life. Please help your children by checking their homework, and encouraging them to be prepared for each day. Children who succeed at school are those whose parents are involved in their learning. This means that you need to be actively involved in their school life by reading to and with them, helping them to prepare for tests and become involved in helping them plan projects and activities. Each child is different and has different needs. So support your child and help him/her to develop into independent, hard-working and motivated individuals.
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ASSESSMENT AND REPORTING
A variety of skills and content are covered in the first term through continuous and controlled assessment tasks. These marks are weighted and added to make up the first term mark which appears on the report. Formal assessments for English, Mathematics, isiZulu, Afrikaans, Science and Technology and Social Science will take place. These marks are added to all class work and tests, and weighted to make up the term mark which appears on the report. The third term mark is made up of term work and end of year tests in the previouslymentioned subjects. The final result on the report is a culmination of all three terms. Work for assessment is clearly stated and given timeously. Please check your child’s diary and books regularly as this will give you an indication of what tests are coming up and what they need to study. The diary/study and information book will provide details about tests.
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SUBJECT INFORMATION ENGLISH The Grade 4s experience Roald Dahl at his finest as they delve into the world of Fantastic Mr Fox in the first term, followed by the story of a most unusual friendship in Charlottes’s Web in the second term. We also introduce a new reader in the third term, Balaclava Boy. These books form the major part of the work covered in English this year. The four outcomes: Listening and Speaking, Reading and Viewing, Writing and Language are covered throughout the year. Homework will consist of daily Phonographix(spelling) and reading. As English is the language of teaching and learning, it is essential that your child develop the necessary skills to use and understand the language confidently.
MATHEMATICS We follow the CAPS curriculum, building on the knowledge gained in the previous year and expanding the children’s understanding of concepts. We learn about numbers, operations and relationships: focusing on whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages. We look at patterns, play around with shapes and learn about 2D and 3D shapes. In the section on measurement we do conversions of length, mass and capacity. We also use formula to work out perimeter and area. In data handling we read graphs and pie charts and create tally tables. We write weekly mental mathematics tests and also do assessments after each concept is completed.
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ISIZULU This term, we focus on revising last year’s work. The theme “Ngingubani?” helps the children to introduce themselves/ speak about themselves, e.g My name is Sarah. I am 10 years old. I live in Observatory etc. This theme will be followed by ‘Umndeni Wami’/ My family, in the second term, where we cover plural greetings, terms of address for extended members of family. We round off an exciting year with the theme ‘Izibongo’/ Surnames, where comprehension skills are covered thoroughly. The four outcomes of Listening and Speaking, Reading and Viewing, Writing and Language are covered throughout the year. Tests are done every second week. Reading homework is also given.
AFRIKAANS This term, most of the Afrikaans curriculum work will be completed in class, where children are assisted by the teacher. Afrikaans work will only be sent home to be completed on occasion. Please note there is no daily Afrikaans homework. Themes •
My gesin
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By die Huis
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By die Skool
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Op die Sportveld
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Die Dieretuin
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Die Winkels
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Vakansietyd
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Grammar Singular and plurals
Comprehension
Past tense
Question words
Opposites
Word order
Conjunction words
Reported speech
Pronouns
Compound words
Degrees of comparison
Intensive Form
Prepositions
Negative Form
Pronouns, nouns
Abbreviations
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
We look at different aspects of Science, Technology and Biology in all three grades. The curriculum is a progressive one which means that what is learnt each year is built on what was covered in the previous year. Tasks are either carried out in class or at home after a discussion around the topic and an explanation of the required task. We also do group and individual projects. Please note each child working in a group is accountable for his/her own content and production.
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RELIGION AND LIFE ORIENTATION
The RE Department follows the curriculum as set out by the Catholic Schools Office. This is the Life Bound curriculum. We also follow the new CAPS documents.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION As always, our focus is on strengthening children’s gross motor skills and giving them the opportunity to explore a variety of sports
VISUAL ARTS Our budding artists continue to explore their 2D and 3D skills in a variety of media and spanning a range of topics. Please send along a large T shirt to protect clothing.
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CREATIVE ARTS
In Music and Drama learners have much fun discovering and developing their creative and musical talents, social skills and emotional intelligence. Various activities such as movement, poetry interpretation, improvisation etc are used to facilitate the teaching of the 5 c’s of drama which are described below: Commitment: Being there, on time, and prepared. Strive for your own excellence. Courage: Risk-taking, trusting your peers and your instincts for what is possible. Caring: Be encouraging, supportive, and respectful of others’ work and the creative process. Cooperation: Accept ideas with grace. Participate in your group with constructive ideas and enthusiasm. Concentration: Focus on your part of the task, communication of needs, listening to your teacher and the class
COMPUTERS AND IPADS
Computers 4 kids is a technology top 100 winning educational ICT company that was formed in 1995 by Russell Pengelly, a qualified special needs educator. computers 4 kids provides a unique integrated ICT curriculum, teacher training and ongoing support to primary and high schools in South Africa as well as 24 countries across the globe. Resource disks, templates, website links and educational games form a core element to the curriculum which goes hand in hand with our unique teaching approach – this culminates in effective teaching and learning in the classroom. computers 4 kids have trained 6000 000 learners, as well as 18 000 educators
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LIBRARY
All children visit the library once a week and are able to take out books as well as learn vital book skills such as writing a blurb, referencing work accurately and so on. The library is also available for children in the afternoons.
HOMEWORK
When homework is given … Certainly help your child but do not do their homework for them! Create a space for your child to do their homework. Avoid any distractions such as TV, music, noisy siblings where your child is working.
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Sign your child’s diary daily – even if your child attends homework class. When preparing for tests, use study notes, concept maps etc. to help your child succeed. Help your child pack his/her homework away and prepare his/her bag for the next day.
Daily (Monday to Thursday) What you can expect: •
Spelling and Dictation daily
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Reading, usually a library book (we produce a review / report of the books we read) Parents should listen to their child read for at least ten minutes every day.
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Relevant Maths activity
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Revising day’s skills
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Other homework will be subject and teacher dependent and will vary weekly
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Theme and section tests
Please sign all tests. Your child will receive a sticker the following day if your signature appears on the test!
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STATIONERY AND TEXT BOOKS Please ensure that your child has the necessary stationery and text books, as per the lists (if you are not sure, look for these on the website). Any school text books must be well looked after and if these are damaged or lost a fee of R120 is charged.
AFTERNOON STRUCTURE All children are encouraged to take part in the Co-Curricular Programme which is designed to develop children’s sporting and cultural skills and interests. Lists are sent out at the beginning of each season and children make their choices then return their lists to school. The co-curricular activities are followed at 15:00 by homework classes and then aftercare.
Homework Class 15:00-16:00 Grade 4 in Room 4 (Ms Moodley’s classroom) and Mrs Reisinger’s classroom Grade 5 – 5L in Room 7 (Mrs Lindsay Smith’s classroom) 5V in Room 8 (Mrs van Wyk’s classroom) 5 K in Room 6 (Ms Kither’s classroom) Grade 6 in Room 2 (Mr Masongo classroom) 16:00-17:30 In the Orchard Rainy Day Venues Grade 4 in Room 4 Grade 5 in Room 8 Grade 6 in Room 2 After Care Cell Number:
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CAMP The Grade 4 camp, (17-19October) is one of the major highlights of the year. It is an experience that aims to make a positive difference to children’s lives and to touch their lives in some way. Camp allows learners to experience self-growth; selfawareness; an appreciation and respect for the environment; and equips children with skills to improve the quality of their lives and those of their respective communities. Learners follow a carefully-structured programme which is designed to achieve these aims.
EXTERNAL TESTS Each year, our children in Grades 3, 4, 5 and 6 write the International Bench Mark Tests in Maths, Science and English. We use the findings from these test results to enhance our learning and teaching at the College.
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BIRTHDAYS
Birthdays are always special occasions which we all love to celebrate. Please only send cupcakes or pre-sliced cakes for these special occasions. Serviettes and/or plates are also nice to have!
PROCEDURES
Do you have a query ? Please remember that your child’s class teacher should be your first port of call. If it is a subject-related issue, communicate with the specific teacher. Remember that the best way to do this is to use your child’s diary. If you need further assistance you should contact the HOD for this phase via Mrs Peters, who can set up a telephonic conversation or meeting with Mrs Cross. Following this, you need to make an appointment to meet the Deputy Principal, Ms Dickson and lastly, with the Principal, Ms Picas. Again these appointments are to be set up by Mrs Peters or Mrs Naidoo.
WHAT IS COMING UP…
Parent Association Events Text Book and Stationery payments are to be made in the second and third terms respectively Camp payments in the third term
Please support our charity fundraisers Swim-a-thon Red and White Day and the Rollerblade Disco Sweet and Savoury Sales – each month a grade is responsible for organizing, bringing treats and selling eats in order to raise funds for various curricular resources Big Walk Class Charity and Environmental Enjoy the year !
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