Teaching Resources
The Year Programme
43 themed weeks across the four school terms. Today falls in Week 25 — Small Creatures - Insects and Bugs. Every week gives you the ring time, the words, one activity per learning area, a story, a song, an outdoor game, what to watch for, and a message to send parents.
SELECTED WEEK
Celebrations and Giving
30 Nov – 4 Dec 2026
Week 42
December traditions and the joy of giving something you made - plus concert preparation in earnest.
Well-being
Kindness week: draw secret kindness friends from a tin; catch friends being kind and peg their names on the kindness chart.
Identity & Belonging
My family's December: who visits, what special food is cooked, church or ceremony? Every tradition honoured on the sharing mat.
Communication
Dictate and decorate family cards; practise concert speaking parts - loud, slow, facing the audience.
Exploring Mathematics
Paper-chain maths: build chains in three-colour repeating patterns, measure whose is longest, and make a countdown chart to concert day.
Creativity
Handmade family gifts: decorated tin pen-holders, painted stone paperweights, bead hangings - wrapped in newspaper the children print with patterns.
Physical & the World
Concert dance rehearsals daily; pass-the-parcel games with action forfeits between practices.
⏰ Morning ring
- How does your family celebrate in December? Church, visitors, Christmas, weddings
- Giving feels as good as getting
- Gifts made with our own hands are the best gifts
- Concert countdown - practise, practise, practise!
📖 Story
'The Elves and the Shoemaker' (Grimm, public domain) - secret helpers who give without being seen. Children mime the elves' silent night work while the class 'sleeps'.
🎵 Song
'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' (traditional carol, public domain) - first line: 'We wish you a merry Christmas'.
🏃 Outdoor
Vote for the year's favourite outdoor games and play the winners all week - the voting count is maths too.
💬 Words this week
celebrate gift give share family feast happy together
pha (isiZulu - give)
nyika (Xitsonga - give)
jabula (isiZulu - be happy)
umndeni (isiZulu - family)
👁 Watch and record
Spontaneous generosity; concert readiness - quietly give anxious children smaller speaking roles now, not on the day; paper-folding fine motor.
🎓 Grade R stretch
Make and 'read' concert invitations with the date and time; count down the days; build three-colour repeating paper-chain patterns.
📱 Message home to parents
Theme: Celebrations and Giving. Your child is making you a surprise gift - act surprised! Please practise their concert song with them at home this week.
The whole year
14 January - 27 March 2026 (11 weeks, 53 school days; unified national calendar - no separate inland/coastal clusters in 2026)
Myself and My World: settling in, separation security, my body, senses, family and home. Colours red/blue/yellow/green, shapes circle/square/triangle, numbers 1-5.
8 April - 26 June 2026 (12 weeks, 54 school days; public holidays: Freedom Day Mon 27 Apr, Workers' Day Fri 1 May, special holiday Mon 15 Jun, Youth Day Tue 16 Jun)
My Community and the Working World: the people, places, helpers and transport around us, farm life, and winter. Numbers to 10, shape consolidation, positional language.
21 July - 23 September 2026 (10 weeks, 46 school days; National Women's Day observed Mon 10 Aug; Heritage Day 24 Sep falls in the holiday)
The Natural World and Our Heritage: wild animals, small creatures, water, plants, spring, birds, and Heritage Month. Numbers to 10 and beyond, patterns, measurement.
6 October - 9 December 2026 (10 weeks, 47 school days; learners close 9 Dec, educators 11 Dec)
The Wider World, Big Dreams and Celebration: life cycles, storms, sky, sea, money, aspirations, summer safety and the year-end concert. School readiness consolidation for Grade R.
