Year 1/2 News 

LITERACY

This term in Literacy, students have been busy developing a wide range of reading and writing skills, with the emphasis being on engaging in their daily Phonics lessons. 

In addition to daily phonics instruction, students explored the genre of fairytales. They applied a range of reading comprehension strategies including visualising, predicting, making connections, summarising, and questioning before, during, and after reading. Students also learned to infer meaning by using context clues and drawing on their prior knowledge.

As a part of this unit, students read traditional fairytales alongside fractured versions of these stories. They compared and contrasted the two texts, identifying similarities and differences in plot, characters, setting, and language features.

Once students had developed a strong understanding of the narrative and language structures of fairy tales, they planned, drafted, revised, and edited their own original fairy tale. They followed the writing process from initial planning through to publishing with a focus on developing well structured narratives that included clear characters, settings, problems, and resolutions.

MATHEMATICS

This term in Numeracy, students participated in a range of learning experiences designed to strengthen their understanding of number concepts, spatial reasoning, and measurement through hands-on exploration, visual representations, and real-world problem-solving. 

Students explored multiplication and division using visual tools like arrays, diagrams, and number sentences to understand the connection between the operations and select effective problem-solving strategies. Students represented values, created number sentences, and communicated solutions. They also consolidated multiplication facts for 3, 4, 5, and 10, developed related division facts, and explored number patterns through doubling and halving.

Alongside this unit, students practised interpreting and giving directions using positional and directional language such as “left,” “right,” “forwards,” and “backwards,” as well as ordinal terms like “first” and “last.” They also used simple maps to locate objects, enhancing their spatial awareness.

In the Mass unit, students compared and measured mass using informal methods like hefting and balance scales. They used terms such as “heavier” and “lighter” to describe and order objects, and explain their reasoning using appropriate mathematical language.

INQUIRY

This term in Inquiry, students explored the unit ‘Time Traveller’. They focused on aspects of daily life to identify how some had changed over recent time while others had remained the same. They described personal and family life, a person, site, or event of significance in the local community. Students sequenced events in order, using a range of terms relating to time. They also used sources (physical, visual, oral), including the perspectives of others (parents, grandparents), to describe changes to daily life and the significance of people, places, or events. Students compared objects from the past and present and created a narrative about the past using terms and a range of sources.

SCIENCE

During Term 3 students have focused on the Physical Science strand where they learnt that light and sound are produced by a range of sources. 

Students have learnt about natural and artificial light sources, and have taken part in experiments which show that objects need to be illuminated by light in order to be seen. The Grades 1 and 2s have investigated sounds by making predictions on sounds that can be heard inside and outside of the classroom and have enjoyed exploring different ways to produce sound using familiar objects and actions.

Students are able to identify that the Sun is the main source of energy along with other sources like stars. Students are able to explain and demonstrate how their senses are used to investigate the world around them, such as eyes to detect light, ears to detect sound, touch to feel vibrations. Students also spent time outside their classrooms observing and experimenting different sounds they could hear inside and outside the room.

LOTE-AUSLAN

During Term 3 Auslan, students learnt about: – Food/Dinner, School Signs, Nature Walk, Auslan Structure, Conversation, Holiday – Planning & Packing, On Holidays, HOLM + NMF –Minimal Pairs (Orientation) and Modern Technology. These new lessons showed signs that are relevant to our daily lives and the things that we do as families. We also built on our previous learning, with ‘old’ and ‘new’ signs coming together in lessons. Deaf Culture (conversation elements) and Auslan Structure (sign order) provided information related to the theory and purpose of Auslan. Another focus this term for the 1/2 students, was to practice building Auslan phrases with known and newly taught signs, e.g. Food like .... . Food don’t like .... This required fingerspelling when a sign is not known.

Using many signs learnt this term, provided experience and ongoing exposure to sign and understand the content. Hence, the students began to gain confidence, in both signing (Expressive) and understanding others’ signs (Receptive), which can take time to develop.

ART

What a great Term 3 we’ve had in Art!  This term, Grade 1 and 2 have explored the elements of shape and form. Art activities involved lots of discussion and experimentation. The students worked with a variety of 2D and 3D shapes to create their own individual artworks. They also looked at the work of professional artists (e.g. Picasso) as a reference and guide to help them to understand some of the concepts they have used. Indigenous artworks were incorporated into some sessions and a variety of materials were used to create mixed media art artworks. Congratulations Grade 1 and 2 on another wonderful term!

P.E

This term our Year 1/2 students have worked hard and had a lot of fun developing their skills in a range of sports. We started with basketball, where students practised dribbling with control, passing to teammates, and shooting towards a target. It was fantastic to see their teamwork and understanding of the game grow through small-sided activities. Later in the term, we moved into striking sports, focusing on tennis and badminton. Students learnt how to strike a ball or shuttle with rackets, building their control, timing, and power, as well as learning how to move into position during simple game play. It has been great to watch their confidence grow each week, and I am so proud of the progress they have made throughout Term 3!

MUSIC

During term 3 in music grade 1 and 2 students learnt about melodies from folk songs. Students learnt to sing and play and perform folk songs on the keyboard. Some examples of songs they learnt to play include ‘If you’re happy and you know it’, ‘Happy Birthday’, ‘Twinkle, twinkle, little star’ ‘Bingo’ and ‘Frere Jaques’.  Students learnt about how to coordinate their hands on the keyboard. Students learnt the letter names of notes on the keyboard and where to place their hands. Students learnt to use five fingers of their hands to play the keyboard. Students also sang ‘The Lion Sleeps tonight’.