Banksmeadow Preschool
Belonging, Learning and Growing Together.
The Pelican Brief
General Information and Upcoming Events
- Banksmeadow Preschool enrolments are happening now. If you know someone looking for an early childhood preschool placement, please let them know.
Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity
- Children have a strong sense of identity.
- Children feel safe, secure, and supported
- Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency
- Children develop knowledgeable and confident self- identities
- Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect
"The Little Red Hen"
At group time this week we read and re-enacted the big book, "The Little Red Hen". There is much to be gained from sharing literature with children. This story provided many opportunities for learning. Initially the class was introduced to the book as a way of understanding the relationship between the bread we eat and the farmers we are supporting. We talked about the how the Little Red Hen planted the seeds, grew the wheat, milled the grain into flour and then finally baked a loaf of bread all the while embarking on this task alone after her farmyard friends refused to help. We were able to use this story to talk about how friends can be very important and how a simple behaviour like "helping" can make a friend's life so much easier - just as they are trying to help the farmers. By following the Little Red Hen's journey in this story, the children have gained an awareness of how someone might feel if others help them or if they in turn help others. The Preschool year is an age where children move from parallel play (playing alongside others) to co-operative play. Learning to ask for help and also give help when needed are behaviours which contribute to children's ability to care for, respect and show empathy towards others. The story was followed by a game of "The Farmer In the Dell" which the children loved and squealed with delight at the end when "they all ate the cheese".
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world
Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary for active community participation
Children respond to diversity with respect
Children become aware of fairness
Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment
Time to Water
A focus this week has been on learning about "Droughts." Many discussions were had regarding our Australian farmers and the dire situation they are in because of the extreme water shortage in the country. The children all knew that plants and animals must have water to survive and that all of our nutritious food comes from plants and animals. We talked about different types of farms and what they might produce, such as wheat, eggs and milk. During outside play the children took the opportunity to look after the newly planted frangipani trees and they were very careful to keep the water in the watering can making sure it was poured onto the base of the tree trunk.
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing
Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing
Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing
Where did your food come from?
Did it come from a vine? Off a tree? Was it made from wheat? Was it from a dairy cow? From which sort of farm did the food come?
Some food/snacks could be easily identified but some of the packaged snacks provided a bit more of a challenge. Was the food from Australia or from further away?
Children knowing about the food they are eating contributes to children developing a greater understanding of what can keep them healthy and strong.
Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners
Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity
Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, enquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating
Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one setting to another
Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place, technologies and natural and processed materials
What is This?
Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators
Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts
Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
Children use information and communication technologies to access information. Investigate ideas and represent their thinking
Grain Collage
Banksmeadow Public School Preschool
Email: banksmeado-p.school@det.net
Website: banksmeado-p.school.nsw.edu.au
Location: Corner Herford and Wilson Street Botany
Phone: 9316 7661