Year Four

Dear Year Four families,

Welcome back to Term Three! We hope you had a wonderful and rejuvenating break. 

The beginning of this term has been abuzz with activity, and we are excited to share the fantastic learning opportunities that await your children! Our students have already shown great enthusiasm by participating in the Premier's Reading Challenge and diving into the world of books. This challenge motivates them to read a set number of books throughout the year and document their progress online. The theme for this year's challenge is 'Wild About Reading.' 

Unit of Inquiry 

Students have delved into the fourth Unit of Inquiry under the transdisciplinary theme of 'How We Organise Ourselves' with the central idea for this unit, 'Urban planning reflects community values and aspirations for future growth.' As part of our engaging provocation activity, students went on a local excursion to the Tribeca Village. During this visit, the students enthusiastically mapped out everything they saw, creating a visual representation of their experience. 

Literacy

In Reading, students have been exploring the captivating world of Australian author Jeannie Baker and her remarkable works. Throughout this journey, they immersed themselves in books like Circle, Window, Where the Forest Meets the Sea, and Desert Jungle.

Using these texts as mentor examples, students developed their skills in unpacking and analysing the content while thinking critically and searching within a text to build a better understanding of what they are reading. By using the question-answer relationship (QAR) comprehension strategy, they have been learning how to find answers to comprehension questions effectively.

In Writing, students started this term by writing a recount of their holidays. They took a small moment and brought it to life by using descriptive language, engaging all five senses, and expressing the emotions they experienced during that particular time.

Our current writing focus for this inquiry is all about journalistic texts where students dive into the world of reporting and news. They have been exploring the essential elements of a journalistic text, such as catchy headlines, differentiating between facts and opinions, and understanding the nuances of direct and reported speech. 

To enhance their understanding of journalistic writing, students worked collaboratively in groups, to actively identify the features and purposes of different texts while determining whether the information presented is based on facts or opinions.

SMART Spelling 

The Year Four students have begun a new and innovative spelling program called the 'SMART Spelling' program. This program is currently being trialed, and we believe it will greatly benefit young learners in their spelling journey.

The 'SMART Spelling' program is designed to provide a systematic approach to teaching spelling, focusing on essential elements such as segmenting, phonemes, graphemes, and various types of graphs. By familiarising students with these terms and concepts, they will gain a deeper understanding of how words are formed and improve their overall spelling skills.

Numeracy

In Numeracy, students are embarking on an exciting exploration of location and map interpretation. They are currently learning how to use simple scales and legends to make sense of the valuable information presented on maps.

As part of this engaging learning experience, students created their own maps following a unique design brief. The challenge was to design a map of a new suburb that caters to the needs of a growing population, particularly young families. Their imaginations soared as they planned a community that would provide the perfect blend of recreation facilities, serene surroundings, safe spaces, and charming shops. 

 Reminders for Term Three:

• Absences - If your child is away, please be sure to log this on XUNO or call the school office to let us know.
• Devices - As part of the school ICT agreement, students are to bring their devices everyday fully charged.
• Uniform - It is school policy that students wear the correct school uniform and present themselves in a neat and clean manner. On days when students have PE classes, they have the option to wear their sport uniform or a house colour top.
• Waste Free Wednesday- As an initiative to reduce waste, students are encourage to bring a lunch box with nude food. This is to eliminate all unnecessary packaging and plastics in their lunch box. 

As we begin another term filled with endless possibilities, we are thrilled to embark on a journey of growth and learning together. To stay updated on all the important events and activities happening at our school, please make sure to check the 'Important Dates' tab.

Kind regards,

The Year 4 teaching team