Pre-School Team:
This term the children have settled back in nicely after what seems like a lengthy break and are coping very well with the new drop-off and pick-up routine at the preschool gate. So far this term, the children have been engaging in learning about community helpers, recapping hand-washing and hygiene, commenced learning about patterning and are also continuing their learning on identifying rhyming-word pairs and producing rhyming words of their own. To compliment children’s learning around community helpers, this week we have had the ‘preschool fire station’ set up. The children have enjoyed dressing up and roleplaying as fire fighters. Over the past two weeks children have also been learning about road safety. This week we took the children over to the children’s crossing at the front of the school to practise crossing the road safely. Children looked both ways and listened for cars before walking safely across the road while holding a teacher’s hand. We have just begun learning about the transformation of matter, for example when a solid substance transforms into a liquid substance or vice versa. To assist children with learning about this, they participated in a science experiment where they made jelly and observed how the jelly crystals dissolved and became a liquid substance when boiling water was added. In week 5 we will revisit our learning about matter transformation as children will participate in making bread.
Reception – Krystal Room 1 and Anita Room 2
Welcome back to Term 2! We are excited to have all students back at school to start a new term full of exciting and powerful learning experiences. In English we are continuing to consolidate and learn new phonemes and graphemes using the Speech Sound Pics (SSP) program. Students have continued to develop their writing skills, transferring their knowledge of high-frequency words and letter-sound relationships to support them in spelling unknown words We have been persisting with descriptive oral language and writing, particularly during our modelled and shared reading lessons, to describe objects and characters as we as identify the main events in a texts.
In maths we have been working in groups to learn different skills and strategies. The main areas we are focussing on are:
Number & Algebra:
• Counting to and from 20, from any starting point
• Counting backwards from 20, and beyond
• Connecting numerals, number names and quantities
• Recognise, model, read, write and order numbers to 20
• Sorting and classifying objects
Measurement & Geometry: Time
• 2D shapes
• Connecting the days of the week to familiar events
• Duration of months, weeks and days
• Seasons
We would like to thank all parents for supporting their child/children with their home learning towards the end of term one and the start of this term.
Year 1 – Katrina Room 3 & Christina Room 4:
Welcome back to term 2, it is great to see everyone back at school for an exciting term of learning! Well done to all the children in room 3 and 4 for settling back in and starting the term persisting with their learning and striving for accuracy. This term we have been continuing learning our sounds through SSP. We have been focusing on a sound each day and exploring the different ways that sound is represented and writing sentences with our focus sounds. We have been using the speech sounds in words and the sound clouds to edit words we write to improve our spelling.
During our modelled reading sessions we have been focusing on the text type Recount. We have been exploring the text structure and features of texts. Our grammar focus has been time connectives, verbs, pronouns, simple/compound sentences and punctuation. We have also begun writing recounts with a focus on the orientation of the text. Our success criteria is to include who, when and where.
In maths, we have been using number strategies to solve worded problems about one of our favourite book characters, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. We have used the Hungry Caterpillar to help us solve many problems such as how many things did the Hungry Caterpillar eat all together and how many different ways can the Hungry Caterpillar arrange 5 oranges.
We have continued gaining automaticity with numbers to 100 and are starting to partition numbers into tens and ones.
We would like take this opportunity to thank all families for supporting their children with their learning both at school and at home.
Year 1/2 – Mary Room 5 & Jess Room 6:
Welcome to Term 2! Whilst the end of last term and the beginning of this term looked a little different, we are delighted to now welcome all students back. What an absolute pleasure it is to have full classes again. We would like to express our gratitude for your patience and support in assisting your children with our online learning program. This term we are lucky enough to be joined by two pre service teachers, Claire who is working in room 6 and Charanpreet who is in Room 5. They will be working with us for a three week block beginning Week 2. The students have made them feel extremely welcome as they embark in their first school-based placement and are enjoying their lessons.
In Literacy, the students are continuing to enjoy their daily involvement in the SSP and Words Their Way spelling programs and are now word sort professionals. We picked up where we left off with modelled and guided reading last term and the students will be coming home with new reading goals shortly. In writing, we have started our unit on procedural texts, whilst reviewing our work in information reports from the end of Term 1. The students are currently working on an exciting research project with a partner which will also include an Arts component. The students are doing an excellent job of identifying the Macro a Micro Groups and writing clear paragraphs for each of their Micro Groups.
In Maths the children have been enthusiastic about learning different strategies for solving addition problems including rainbow facts, turn arounds, friendly numbers, doubles and chunking. We have also started weekly shape lessons. We are focussing on healthy eating as a part of our Health lessons and will move into Child Protection Curriculum lessons within the classroom as we await the return or Emmy and Friends. We would like to congratulate the students on all their hard work so far this term, keep up the great work!
Year 3/4 Jenna Room 9 & Sabrina Room 10:
We would like to congratulate Rooms 9 and 10 on successfully adapting to blended learning, Students have displayed the Habits of Mind of Persistence and Striving for Accuracy. They have tried their absolute best and we are very proud! It is great to have everyone back, as we move forward into to Term 2! We are continuing to ensure continuity across our daily guided, modelled and shared reading and guided writing to ensure our students receive a balanced literacy program. Our literacy block will look a little different this term with the introduction of Heggerty, a phonological awareness program and revision of SSP sounds. Children engage in oral practise of rhyme, segmenting and blending sounds in words. Within SSP, we have introduced a sound inquiry session, which involves explicit phonics instruction, designed to address common gaps in children’s spelling. This complements our current individualised spelling program ‘Words Their Way’.
Our focus for text-type writing this term is Information Reports. We are learning about the structure, purpose and language features of these texts. We practise daily grammar activities and answer questions related to modelled texts to support our comprehension. We are beginning to structure our paragraphs using proper nouns and pronouns. A writing strategy that we have thoroughly enjoyed is the ‘Say it, Lock it, Write it’. This allows us to brainstorm and verbalise sentences as a class before writing them. We have also focused on information reports within our HASS unit ‘Australiana.’ In this unit, History and Geography topics will be combined to teach the students about Australia’s states, territories and neighbouring countries. We plan to create 3D models of Australia’s natural and human-made landforms to incorporate STEM and the Arts.
In Maths, we have been developing our strategies for solving multiplication and division sums and are developing our fluency when solving worded problems. We have also revised concepts relating to Fractions, Time and Measurement. Similar to our guided reading groups and rotations, we have introduced Math Rotations as a ways to deliver and practise our skills in mixed ability groups. We begin our math lessons with whole class explicit teaching, which is then followed by activities based upon the four proficiency strands of Understanding, Fluency, Reasoning and Problem Solving.
Year 4/5 – Belinda Room 7 & Rachele Room 8:
We are so pleased to be back at school and returning to our normal lessons and planning! We are so proud of the way our students have embraced the changes over this unsettled time.
For Guided Reading this term we are having a focus on reading strategies to develop deeper understanding and comprehension of texts. The reading strategies we are focusing on are fact and opinion, main idea, identifying detail, compare and contrast, cause and effect and sequencing. We are continuing to set weekly reading goals focusing on fluency, decoding and comprehension. Students are expected to reflect on their reading goals weekly.
For Writing we will begin the term focusing on the text type of information reports. In modelled reading, we are developing our understanding of topic sentences, of using the describing wheel to create strong descriptions and of technical vocabulary. We are enjoying transferring this knowledge from modelled reading into our writing lessons throughout the day. We have constructed well thought out topic sentences and micro paragraphs and have constructed a text about Marsupials and the Amazon Rainforest. We are looking forward to creating our very own independent information reports before moving onto procedures.
In Maths, we have begun the term with some graphing. Our students have learnt how to construct, describe and interpret column graphs. We focused on using the correct features and developing their accuracy when displaying data visually. We have moved onto dot plots where students are learning how to collect and organise data to use when constructing a dot plot graph. Our next focus will be on learning how to read and construct line graphs. Later in the term, we will be revisiting addition and subtraction and then finishing our term with measurement concepts.
We are continuing to work on our mental maths in the mornings and enjoying the opportunities for students to practise a range of skills and practise their rapid recall.
Year 5/6 – Elliana Room 12:
We are so pleased to be back at school and returning to our normal lessons and planning! We are so proud of the way our students have embraced the changes over this unsettled time.
For Guided Reading this term we are having a focus on reading strategies to develop deeper understanding and comprehension of texts. The reading strategies we are focusing on are fact and opinion, main idea, identifying detail, compare and contrast, cause and effect and sequencing. Our focus text type for the beginning of this term is Information reports so we are learning lots about how to write them and how to identify the structure and text features. In modelled reading, we are developing our understanding of topic sentences, of using the describing wheel to create strong descriptions and of technical vocabulary. We are enjoying transferring this knowledge from modelled reading into our writing lessons throughout the day. We have constructed well thought out topic sentences and micro paragraphs and have constructed a text about Marsupials and the Amazon Rainforest. We are looking forward to creating our very own independent information reports before moving onto procedures.
In Maths, we have begun the term with graphing. The Year 5 students have learnt how to construct, describe and interpret column graphs and our Year 6’s have learnt how to do the same with side by side column graphs. They focused on using the correct features and developing their accuracy when displaying data visually. We have moved onto dot plots where students are learning how to collect and organise data to use when constructing a dot plot graph. Our next focus will be on learning how to read and construct line graphs. Later in the term, we will be revisiting addition and subtraction and then finishing our term with measurement concepts.
We are continuing to work on our mental maths in the mornings and enjoying the opportunities for students to practise a range of skills and practise their rapid recall.
Year 6/7 – Georgina Room 13 & Cathy Room 14:
Year 6/7 have settled back into school quite well. Most students are back to school for face to face teaching.
English – In English we have completed Exposition genre writing with a summative assessment and have now moved into teaching Information Reports. We are focusing on the purpose, structure and language features.
Modelled and Guided Reading – during Modelled Reading we have been focusing on the language features of a text and this is working well. We are continuing to use Stephen Graham’s.
Maths – We have been working on Measurement this term and students have been learning how to convert units of measurement. They have also been learning how to work out the perimeter, area and volume of composite shapes. They are now completing an investigation where they have to apply these skills, called Happy Hippos.
HASS – We have started are unit on Ancient Egypt. We have looked at how the geography of Egypt supported the development of their civilisation. We are looking at daily life of Ancient Egyptians.
Science – This term we are doing biology and student will construct information reports on animals from Egypt. We have been watching David Attenborough videos on the ecosystems of Africa.
Health – We are looking at peer pressure and following this we will be looking at the effects of drugs and alcohol on the developing brain.
Junior Primary / Primary Art – Sue Graham:
Junior Primary students are drawing from observation. They are observing aspects of nature such as leaves and snails and creating artworks using pencil and a paint wash.
Middle Primary students are creating chalk pastel portraits based on the work of artist Pablo Picasso.
Year 6/7 students are looking at the work involved in being an Art professional. They are examining the issues that architects face when dealing with designing sustainable housing.
David Viant, parent of Ruby and Fury is painting a stunning mural on the shipping container in the Kitchen Garden. Our students love seeing the progress each week. We thank him for his wonderful contribution to our school environment.
Junior Primary / Primary Science – James Yates:
We have been continuing our work on the Primary Connections units in the learning area of Physical sciences.
Junior primary students have been learning about how objects move via a push or pull force. We are currently exploring push and pull forces in the air and water.
Middle primary classes have been investigating heat and how heat sources work through either burning, friction or electricity to produce heat. They are able to successfully identify a variety of heat producers and heat absorbers.
Upper primary students have been exploring electrical circuits, using the Primary Connections unit called It’s Electrifying. The students have been engaged in building a variety of electrical circuits through online games. We are now moving into our final assessment piece for the term on famous electrical scientists.
Junior Primary / Primary Language- Thi Hien Danh:
This term, we are learning about our family. Children are being introduced to new vocabulary about family members. They will be engaged in different types of learning activities to explore this new topic. Oral language will be the main focus for this term so children can practice talking in Vietnamese.
Primary PE – James Yates & JP- Marie Lionello:
Students have started off the term exceptionally well. We have been participating in a Soccer unit of work. Throughout this unit students have been practicing essential skills for the sport including dribbling, passing, shooting, defending and gameplay positioning. Students have recently started using these skills in games.
EALD / Student Support – Robyn Lewis and Thuy Tran:
The support programs returned to normal last week with most children returning to school. It has been fantastic working face to face again with strict hygiene measures in place, after quite a long break for some. We have just begun another reading group after school which is great and we appreciate parents’ support in allowing their children to participate in both before and after school LLI sessions (Levelled Literacy intervention).
During writing support with years 4, 5, 6 and 7, our focus has been on the structure and features of information reports by reading various examples, discussing texts and then writing together before writing independently. The professional development our staff participated in with Stephen Graham has been a great help in improving students’ writing. The research required for putting together an information report using reliable sources and the issue of plagiarism is also an important part of students’ learning about factual texts.
