Dear Parents, Carers and Community Members,
We have had another busy fortnight as we move towards the midpoint of Term 2. We have certainly been fortunate to enjoy some unseasonably warm weather, which has been lovely for this time of year. Our students have been making the most of the sunshine, enjoying the opportunity to play freely outside without the usual late autumn/early winter chill.
We have well and truly settled back into learning for Term 2. In Reading this week we have been reading the Japanese folktale ‘Momotaro Peach boy’ and “The story of the jumping mouse”. We have been understanding fiction stories, and folktales through the understanding of characters and their actions. In Writing we have completed an independent stamina write and are continuing our learning about expanding sentences from a kernel – this week writing the ‘what’ (what doing).
In Maths we have been learning about the equals symbol, completed an independent assessment task and learned about ‘length’. We have been enjoying learning about fairytales and stories in our knowledge lessons, linking this to our 3 story parts – beginning, middle and ending.
Another busy week in the Grade One classroom!
In our Wellbeing sessions this week, students explored ways to navigate strong emotions. We discussed how difficult situations can happen and the importance of practising the skill of using words to express our feelings when experiencing big emotions.
In Sounds-Write, we have moved onto the /oe/ sound and explored the different ways this sound can be spelled. Students have enjoyed learning and identifying these new spelling patterns. In Maths, we are continuing to build our understanding of 2-digit numbers by learning how to order numbers from smallest to largest.
In Writing this week students have had a large focus on including transition words in their writing. Transition words can help to tell a reader about time and sequence, for example using first, next, then, lastly and finally. Conclusion words can help to finish off a writing piece by including a strong thought or feeling. In class students used these words to write a short paragraph on the topics 'How to make a sandwich' and 'Getting ready for school.' All students successfully wrote their own versions of how to make a sandwich.
Some students even extended themselves by including illustration words in their writing such as; for example and for instance. This helps writers to give examples to the reader. Excellent effort this week in writing, Grade 2's!
In the 3/4 room, our maths learning is based around the Explicit Mathematics Program (EMP). This program is a highly structured, evidence-informed maths program designed to improve student proficiency and performance in mathematics.
The daily routine is based around slides, giving the students a visual representation of each concept and enabling them to respond both verbally and on their whiteboards. Over the course of a week, the students will participate in reviews, lessons with new concepts as well as fact fluency (across various operations).
In recent times, we’ve been ordering large numbers, finding missing numbers using particular strategies and duration (time).
It has been a very busy and exciting couple of weeks in the Grade 5/6 area, with students taking part in events such as Cross Country and our special Mother’s Day celebration. Throughout these activities, students have represented themselves and the school wonderfully, showing resilience, teamwork and a positive attitude. We are very proud of the way they have taken everything in their stride while continuing to remain focused and hardworking in the classroom.
In Literacy, students have been deeply engaged in exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and perspectives through our class novel, Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence. This has led to many thoughtful discussions and learning opportunities surrounding significant topics such as the Stolen Generations, the importance of Reconciliation Week, and the ongoing journey towards understanding and respect. Students have shown maturity, empathy and curiosity as they continue to build their knowledge and reflect on Australia’s history and culture.
It has been great to see the Grade 5/6 students continuing to challenge themselves, support each other and stay engaged in their learning. Well done, all!
Happy Birthday to all students who will celebrate their birthday in the coming days/ week.
