Curriculum Newsletter

3/4GT & 3/4HT

Teachers

Georgina Hession   ghession@tcs.catholic.edu.au

Sylvia Holroyd    sholroyd@tcs.catholic.edu.au

Antonella Tsakmakis    atsakmakis@tcs.catholic.edu.au

Literacy

Reading

Students will learn how to navigate online and hardcopy texts to locate relevant information. They will identify features of different texts to assist with navigation including: titles, subtitles, contents, index, menu (online), sidebar, and page numbers. Students will become familiar with the text processing strategy of skimming and scanning. They will be able to define the strategy as a method to quickly find specific information or ideas within a text. Students will review their knowledge of the different comprehension strategies They will be able to identify and use the correct strategies to answer comprehension questions.

Writing

Students will continue to plan, write and publish narrative texts with a focus on developing strong settings and characterisation.  Students will revise and compose persuasive texts that focus on supporting their arguments. They will be encouraged to use strong adjectives, figurative language  and conform to the structure of the genre. Handwriting skills will be developed, in preparation for beginning joined writing.

Speaking and Listening

Students will listen attentively to others’ views and respond appropriately. They will provide feedback to peers on an oral presentation to the class.

Maths

Number and Algebra

Students will revise and extend their knowledge of division.  They will also explore the concept of fractions and their application.

Measurement and Geometry

Students will explore location by looking at  simple maps and investigate transformations.

Statistics and Probability

Students will further develop their understanding of chance.

Inquiry

In the unit “Our Island Home” students will learn how interpret maps by using geographical vocabulary including latitude, longitude, coordinates and compass directions. Students will explore the main climates of the world. The will compare the similarities and differences between the climates of different places. Students will find the geographical location of Australia and its neighbouring countries. They will investigate the diverse climate, environmental and cultural differences between these countries. Students will make connections between the natural vegetation of an environmental and sustainability.

Religious Education

By exploring Church and Community, students will investigate the meaning of discipleship and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus today.  Using scripture, they will look at the role and importance of Mary of Nazareth - Mother of God, within the Catholic Tradition. Students will also deepen their understanding of the season of Advent and how it is a time of preparation for the events of Christmas.

Digital Technology

Students will recognise information as ‘data’ and explore different ways of representing it. They will use the web application ‘Book Creator’ to create an Ebook version of their own narrative.  Students will use the web application ‘Canva’ to develop a Mind Map that communicates the connection between their lives, and information they learn in Inquiry.

Students will work in groups to use the ipad application ‘iMovie’ to create a short film of their learning in Inquiry and Religious Education. They will create a sequence of steps (algorithm) using colour, for their Ozobot to follow.

Student Wellbeing

We will continue to develop aspects of the  Berry Street Education program into each day. Students will also demonstrate skills for effective participation in group tasks and use the criteria provided to reflect on the effectiveness of the teams in which they participate. 

As part of  the Child Safety program at Trinity, students will participate in an incursion on protective behaviours in week one and on Friday 25 October be involved in class activities to support the  “Day for Daniel” Students will participate in an excursion to the Kew Traffic School and during the month of October will participate in “Walk Ride and Scoot” to school to develop healthy habits for life.

All students will participate in the swimming program at Xavier College towards the end of term.

Physical Education

This term students will develop more complex skills such as dribbling in hockey, overarm throw, underarm bowl, forehand strike and two-hand strike using a variety of balls and bats. These skills will be used in various modified striking and fielding games where the importance of teamwork and good sporting behaviours are emphasised. The school Swimming program will also take place this term.

Visual Arts

In term three, Year Three and Year Four students will continue their exploration of contemporary Australian artists and examine the artwork of Ken Done. Students will choose an iconic Australian landmark, such as the MCG or Sydney Harbour Bridge to depict in their mixed media artwork. Students will use oil pastel and watercolour paint to mimic the bold colour and line of Ken Done’s artwork. 

Music

In Term 4, Year 3/4 students will take turns practising playing rhythm and beat in small groups. They will arrange notation patterns and play these using tuned and untuned percussion instruments. Students will practise keeping steady beat, through using body percussion. They will practise reading and placing the notes F, A, C, and E on the treble stave and practise playing these on tuned percussion.  Students will learn Christmas Carols and practise matching pitch and tempo.

Mandarin

In Term four, the students in year three and four are listening to and viewing simple conversational exchanges, recognizing tone-syllables and experiencing the differences between Chinese and English intonation. They learn how to express information when talking about self and organise the Chinese sentences into a paragraph when they are doing the self-introduction.