Spotlight on Learning

Dear Families,

Welcome back to Term 3! We hope everyone had a safe and relaxing holiday break. During our first week, students began Stage 8 of Little Learners Love Literacy, focusing on the suffixes -ful and -less.

 In Mathematics, we started exploring multiplication and division through practical activities and problem-solving. In Writing, students began to investigate The Lorax, explored Dr Seuss’s unique writing style and made predictions about the text. During Integrated Studies, we explored the concept of beat in Music.

 In Religious Education, we began investigating the inquiry question, “What do people remember, celebrate and pass on?” Students learned that traditions help people remember what matters. They identified family, school and Church traditions, explained why traditions are important and shared their questions and personal connections. 

For AUSLAN, Students explored how Auslan stories create pictures in the air. They watched a signed story, discussed the images they visualised and shared their own ideas about the story. In Social Emotional Learning, students revisited the school-wide expectations and discussed how to be safe, respectful and responsible in the classroom and playground.

Learning for the Week2/Term 3:

Religious Education:

Students will explore how Catholics gather as a Church community to pray, listen and celebrate. They will identify words, gestures and actions used during Mass and discuss how gathering helps Catholics remember God and Jesus. Students will also listen to Scripture and explore what it teaches about community and caring for others.

English:

Students will begin reading The Lorax and continue to explore how Dr Seuss used language, rhyme and figurative language to share ideas and messages. They also will make predictions and begin revisiting narrative writing. In reading we will continue Stage 8 of Little Learners Love Literacy, focusing on the suffixes -ness and -ment.

Mathematics:

Students will explore division through sharing objects equally into groups. They will use hands-on materials, drawings and number sentences to solve simple sharing problems and explain how they know each group has an equal amount.

Integrated Curriculum:

Students will explore how a steady beat helps people perform together. They will practise keeping the beat while changing body percussion movements and explain why staying together is important when performing as a group.

Auslan:

Students will learn how signs such as open and put on show the action of how something is done. They will practise translating these signs in different ways and begin creating and responding to simple Auslan phrases independently or with support.

Social & Emotional Learning:

Students will begin to explore gender norms and stereotypes and discuss how these can influence people’s interests, choices and behaviours. Students will learn that everyone should feel free to express themselves and be treated with respect.

What you can do at home

• Read together each night and talk about the message in a story. Ask your child what the author might want the reader to think, feel or learn.

   

• Practise maths in everyday life by noticing patterns at home or outside, such as patterns in tiles, clothes, blocks, counting, or nature. Ask your child to describe what repeats or what changes.

   

• Talk and share signs together by asking your child to teach you an Auslan sign or facial expression they have learned at school. Practising together helps build confidence and communication skills.

Important Reminders:

• Fidget Toys

  We kindly ask that students do not bring fidget toys to school unless their use is a planned adjustment in consultation with Allied Health Professionals. Students who bring fidget toys without an approved adjustment will be asked to place them in their school bag for the remainder of the day to take home. We appreciate your support in encouraging your child to leave fidget toys at home.

• Swimming lessons will begin in Week 4 and continue throughout Weeks 4 and 5. Please begin preparing your child’s swimming gear. Further information will be shared with families in the coming weeks.

• Please ensure that you are labelling your child's belongings.

• Please remind your child to change their reading books when they need to. 

• Wednesday 5th August - Photo Day - please use QR code in the flyer below

The Damascus Team

Contact Us @Damascus

damascus@cranbourneeast.catholic.edu.au  (all teachers) or