Thank to Cormac's 4th class for inviting Junior Infants B to their classroom this week.  4th class had been learning lots about space as it had been space week.  4th class told Junior Infants B lots of interesting facts and information about outer space.

Junior Infants B got to participate in many space related activities too with 4th class.  Thank you so much Cormac and 4th class.  We had a great time!

Junior Infants B have been learning lots about home too in Aistear.  We are really enjoying all of the different activities!

The girls and boys in Junior Infants A were using all of their new vocabulary about the home during Aistear this week. We had lots of fun playing at the different stations. The boys and girls were building houses and furniture and were very busy cooking, cleaning and doing jobs around the house! Take a look at what we got up to.....

We had a visit from some new members of the school on Friday.  David and Darragh came to our classes to show us the brand new school wormery which will be used for the school garden.

The worms will be used to make compost to help the garden plants grow.  There 100 hundred worms in the wormery and they will be fed using leftover food from the staff room.  The worms were added to the soil on Friday and they came to visit us.  We also watched Darragh and David add some apples to the soil so they would be fed.

We really enjoyed meeting our new wriggly friends!

Over the next number of weeks Junior Infants will be undertaking GAA lessons with Brendan O'Driscoll from Carrigaline GAA.  

They have already began their classes and are really enjoying them. They will have a half hour class once a week and for the next month.

These classes will continue throughout their time in the school.

We are looking forward to the next class already.

A few weeks ago Junior Infants marked Rosh Hashanah which is the Jewish New Year.

Jewish people traditionally eat apple slices dipped honey for a sweet and hopeful new year.  

To mark this occasion Junior Infants also had some apple slices in honey to mark an exciting and happy new year in their new school.

​Shanah Tovah!

One of the greatest challenges that Junior Infants face is mastering pencil grip.  We spend a lot of time working on pencil grip throughout the year but particularly during the first term of school.

Children are encouraged to use their "froggy grip" when holding their pencil.  

Using a butterfly clip can be very helpful for children who are struggling to adapt to the froggy/tripod grip.

Fine motor activities can really benefit your child's pencil grip by strengthening small hand muscles.  The children really enjoy them too. Using the scissors is another excellent activity that can help improve muscle strength in the hand.

The following two articles offer fun fine motor activities that you can do at home with your child and other methods to help improve pencil grip.

Hope they are helpful!

happybrownhouse.com/6-tips-for-correcting-pencil-grip/#_a5y_p=4260506
​
www.growingajeweledrose.com/2013/04/fine-motor-activities-for-kids.html?m=1

Congratulations to all the boys and girls who completed their first full week of 'big school'!  Starting school and adjusting to a brand new routine is difficult for everyone-parents included!

'The Kissing Hand' is a particularly great story that many parents have used with their children when they first start school.  It helps children develop strength, courage and determination as they begin school whilst also being aware that their parents' love is still with them.  

​Hope you all enjoy it!