Saturday, June 29, 2013

Taking Action - Caring for the Environment!

Last year the 2012 Preps (with thanks to Mrs David) began an action to reduce the amount of plastic going into landfill. You can read about our action here and here. We have a bench seat that is made from all the plastic we collected.
This year we are continuing to encourage our school community to recycle their flexible plastic. 
On Friday RED came to collect our flexible plastic for the second time this term.
It is amazing that one community has stopped this amount of plastic going to landfill! 


Our flexible plastic collection
Thank you to all our families who recycle their flexible plastic and support our action to care for the environment.


How do you care for the environment?
Do you recycle?

Friday, June 28, 2013

We Love School!

glitter-graphics.com

Our first semester at school has been a very busy and exciting one. Listen to the Preps talk about what they have learnt and enjoyed about school. 



 
What do you enjoy about school?
What have you enjoyed learning this term?
 
Now we look forward to a restful holiday and a new exciting term! Have a great holiday everyone!


Friday, June 14, 2013

Preps Take Action!

Over the term we have learnt so much about caring for animals and what living things need to grow and change. We know that most living things need food, water, shelter, exercise, rest, and friends.

We discovered that there are people in our community who do not have enough to eat and sometimes do not have a warm bed to sleep in. So we talked about what we could do to help these people and we came up with lots of ideas. Here they are:

Give some food
Put our money in a box and give it to the people
Give up some of the things we have
Go to the bank and get money
Raise some money for the poor people
Plant some beans
Sing a song and people put in money
Have a fair with lots of stuff
Make a circus
Have a movie night
Bring food from home to sell – cakes, biscuits
Do chores to earn some money

We had to go through our list and work out something we could do together to help people in our community. We decided to choose collecting food to give to the St. Vincent De Paul Society who help many struggling families.

Mrs Kennedy invited Margaret who volunteers for St Vinnie's, to share some of the work she and her friends do to help out. Margaret was very happy to hear that we were collecting food to help others. This is what we learnt from Margaret.

St Vincent De Paul gives vouchers to poor people to buy food.

St. Vinnie's helps families, school children, young people, homeless people and children from overseas.

Some people in our community don't have food.

St. Vincent De Paul helps people pay some of their electricity and water and phone bills.

St Vinnie's have a shop in Ringwood where they sell clothes and household goods.

We collected non-perishable foods all this week. We made posters to put around the school to remind everyone about our action. Each afternoon a group of Preps make an announcement to ask everyone to bring some food items.






Preps in Action! on PhotoPeach

Why is it important to help others?

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Special Visitors from the Vet!

Today we had a visit from Erin, Alex and Erin's dog Kirri. They are nurses at the Blackburn Veterinary Clinic. We learnt all about pet care and what happens when you visit the Vet with your pet. 

Kirri likes carrots and so do I! Campbell

Dogs shouldn't have many treats because they might get sick. Hamish

All animals need food and water. Alexa

Let a dog sniff your hand before you pat it. Olivia

I learnt that if a dog comes near me and my mum and dad are not there I have to stand very still with my hands by my side and be very quiet until the dog is gone. James

Dogs have wet noses when they are healthy. Ebony

Always give a dog exercise. Simon

Dogs need friends or they will be sad. Declan

I learnt that dogs need water. Frances

Smaller dogs live longer than bigger dogs. Caitlin

I discovered dogs don't like to have noise because it makes them scared. Chantelle

When a dog is eating you should not touch it. Joshua

Dogs can't live to 100 years old. Cormac

You can't pat a dog when she is with her puppies. Sophie

If a dog is happy you can pat it if you ask the owner. Patrick

Don't pat a dog when it is sleeping. Joel

Dogs need brushing everyday. Eva

The Vets wear uniforms when they do an operation. Riley

When a dog is tied up with no owner you are not allowed to pat it. Stephanie

Dogs chew bones to keep their teeth clean. Elva

Ask your mum and dad before you pat a dog. Gracie

When you go to the Vet with your pet they give your pet a check up. Niamh

Erin, Alex and Kirri
Doctor Alexa checks Kirri's heart with a stethoscope


Vets wear a gown, a hair cap and gloves when they operate
Can you guess who?

Kirri was very friendly and calm
Thanks for coming Erin, Alex and Kirri!

Do you have a pet?
How do you care for your pet?

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Responsible Pet Ownership

Last week Melinda came to school with her beautiful dog Kato. She came to talk to us about being a responsible pet owner and all the things pets need to be happy and healthy. We learnt when we should not approach a dog and things that might scare a dog.
Melinda also taught us how to be safe if we meet a dog that is angry and its owner is not around. We must follow four steps:


Stand very still.
Hands down by your side

Be as quiet as a mouse.
Look at the ground.
When the dog goes away, walk slowly backwards and go on your way. 
If we see a dog and its owner, there are special steps we need to follow if we would like to pat the dog.


Walk up slowly and stop.
Ask the owner - "May I pat your dog?"

Hold your fist out to let the dog smell it.
Then gently stroke the dogs back.
Kato was such a lovely dog - she even gave some of the Preps kisses (licks) on their hands. 
It was wonderful to hear the Preps use the discoveries they had made at the RSPCA and all they had learnt from looking after the chicks to make connections with the learning Melinda presented.

Kato was very gentle

We had to be quiet and gentle too!
Thank you Melinda and Kato!

Preps tell your family something you discovered from meeting Melinda and Kato.