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?

We Love School!

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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!



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.

listen to ‘Prep Announcement ’ on Audioboo

Preps in Action! on PhotoPeach

Why is it important to help others?

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?

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.

Our Chickens!

We got to hold our chickens yesterday. They felt so warm and fluffy. The chicks are growing so quickly we know they will be very happy going back to live on their farm in the country tomorrow. We will miss their cheerful chirping in the classroom.

Congratulations to the Preps for their wonderful work and taking great care of the chickens. We have learnt so much about living things by watching them hatch, grow and change right before our eyes! Having pets is a BIG responsibility.

Here we are holding onto our chicks!

 

Our Chickens from marieck

Preps talk to your families and tell them some of the things you enjoyed the most about having the chickens and something that you learnt that you didn't know before!
You can leave a comment - ask Mum and Dad to help you.

A Special Visitor!

Today we were very lucky to have Joel's Nonna come to school to tell us about her chickens. Nonna has five hens at home and she told us about all the things she needs to do to look after them. She has to clean the coop everyday and make sure it is nice and dry - because hens don't like to be wet. Nonna gives them food and fresh water each day. 
Mrs Kennedy was very proud of the great questions the Preps asked and we learnt a lot about what will happen to our chicks once they grow up.
Here are some of the questions we asked and Nonna's answers:

What is the coop made from?
The coop is made from wood and wire mesh. At night they go into the coop where they are safe from foxes and cats.

Are the chickens friendly?
Yes Joel can go into the coop and take an egg and the hen doesn't peck him.

What do you do with the eggs?
Nonna makes a special omelette for Joel - she makes a circle omelette and puts a smiley face on it with tomato sauce. Lucky Joel! 

What do the chickens eat?
They eat pasta, bread crusts, lettuce and any food scraps.

Do the chickens like their food?
Yes!

When do the hens lay their eggs?
They usually lay their eggs in the morning and sometimes after lunch. They lay eggs everyday - they lay more in the summer when the weather is warmer.

When do they go to bed?
As soon as it starts to get dark they go to their coop and jump up onto their perch and go to sleep. During winter they go at 6.00pm and during summer at 7.00pm.

What do they play with?
They don't have toys but they love to scratch the ground and walk around the garden eating bugs and snails. 

Here is Fluffy in the coop laying and egg

What a great coop - it keep the hens safe and warm!

Thanks Nonna!

Thank you to Joel's Nonna for coming to help us learn all about how to care for chickens!

What do you notice?

Hi Preps,
When I was at school checking the chicks I noticed something. Have a look at the photos below. What do you notice? Ask Mum or Dad to help you write a comment!

What do you notice?

We went to the RSPCA!

On Wednesday we went to the RSPCA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) to learn about how they care for animals. Thanks Emily for helping us to learn so much.

The animals don't like too much noise because they might get scared. Campbell
I learnt that the guinea pigs and the rabbits need dried grass for one of their foods. Caitlin
I learnt that guinea pigs can only have a little bit of carrot or they will get a stomach ache. Sophie
I learnt that all pets need shelter so they can keep warm. Olivia
I learnt that animals need exercise so they can be fit. Simon
Animals need toys to play with so they don't get sad and they need a fence to keep them safe. Declan
I learnt that all animals need a Vet so they don't get sick. James
Animals don't like noise because they get a little bit scared. Cormac
All animals need to have food to be alive. Chantelle
All cows need to have a baby before they can make milk. Hamish
I learnt that all living things need water. Eva
I learnt that some cows are meat cows. Niamh
I learnt that cows only have teeth down the bottom of their mouth. Alexa
I learnt that cows have syrup on bouncy balls so they can lick it all off. Ebony
I learnt that cows give you milk. Riley
I learnt that cows can eat dried grass and hay. Gracie
I learnt that rabbits can have red eyes. Frances
I learnt that rabbits are not allowed to have too much carrot because it can hurt their stomachs. Joshua
I learnt that animals when they are scared they hide. Patrick
I learnt that animals need water, food, shelter, friends, Vet care and exercise. Joel
Guinea pigs need hiding places because they might be scared. Stephanie

Thanks Chrissy and Mrs David for coming with us!

We went to the RSPCA! on PhotoPeach

Our VERY Hairy Harrys need a haircut!

We have had so much fun being scientists and watching our Hairy Harrys grow. 

We have also learnt that living things need water, food and light to grow. 

We had one Hairy Harry in the cupboard with no light. We discovered that the Hairy Harry grew yellow hair - so we think that light helps to make grass green.

The Hairy Harry with no soil still grew - we are going to keep watching to see if it continues to grow.

The Hairy Harry with no water did not grow at all. We learnt that all living things need water!

Today we gave our very Hairy Harrys a haircut. Preps are amazing hairdressers!

Hairy Harry Haircuts! - slideshow

Why does light make grass green?
What do you think will happen to the Hairy Harry with no soil? Will it continue to grow?