Faith Life & Learning and Teaching News
Curriculum Updates in English, Mathematics, Faith, Discovery & Inquiry
MATHEMATICS
Measurement in the Classroom
This week the students in Prep have been learning about mass. They have been doing some hefting and comparing. Students are required to compare objects directly, by placing one object against another to determine which is heavier.
Here students are taking it a step further and testing their predictions by using the balance scales to determine if they are correct and which item is heavier.
Reporting & Assessment
Student reports will be available soon. If you are looking for more information about student learning outcomes and expectations these can be found at; https://victoriancurriculum.vcaa.vic.edu.au/mathematics/mathematics/curriculum/f-10
The information provides the learning outcomes that students need to achieve at each year level in mathematics and will give you a guide to the learning requirements of each year level.
Kim Dalmau
Mathematics Leader
kdalmau@shnewport.catholic.edu.au
ENGLISH
SPELLING
This past semester we have been further developing our approaches to teaching spelling to incorporate a sequence of learning that explicitly and systematically targets phonic skills at each level. Each week a new phonics focus is identified and includes words that have a particular pattern. Target words that fit this pattern are then organised at differentiated levels, ranging from simple to more complex to meet the needs of all students. Students are then guided to choose from the list and then analyse these words in a variety of ways to support developing capabilities. (See example from Year 2 below).
One of the pivotal focuses on analysing these words is orthographic mapping. This is a cognitive process where students learn to read words by sight and to spell words from memory. A priority each week is for students to segment the words into their individual phonemes (sounds) and to then match these phonemes with the corresponding grapheme representations (letter/letter combinations).
Students are also given the opportunity to explore morphology and the meaning of unfamiliar words. Morphology is the study of words and their parts. Morphemes, like prefixes, suffixes and base words, are defined as the smallest meaningful units of meaning. Morphemes are important for phonics in both reading and spelling, as well as in vocabulary and comprehension.
As part of their homework , students may bring home spelling tas and it would be great to engage in discussions with your child to encourage them to articulate their understanding. Please do not hesitate to speak to your child’s teacher or email me should you require additional information.
Sue Burke
English Leader
sburke@shnewport.catholic.edu.au
FAITH LIFE INQUIRY
Advent
We head towards the season of Advent which begins on Sunday 3rd December. For Catholics, the new Liturgical Year commences with the first Sunday of Advent. In this new liturgical year, the Church not only wishes to indicate the beginning of a period, but the beginning of a renewed commitment to the faith by all those who follow Christ, the Lord. The season of Advent is therefore a season of vigilant waiting, as we wait for the Lord.
The word Advent comes from the Latin 'adventus', which means a coming, approach, or arrival. Advent is a time of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Each Advent Wreath contains four candles, one for every week of Advent. The candles provide a strong contrast between dark and light. Jesus is the light of the world that came down to dispel the darkness. Each week, a new candle is lighted gradually dispelling more and more of the darkness as we draw ever closer to the coming of Christ at Christmas. By the final week of Advent, all four candles are lit reminding us that the time to rejoice has finally arrived!The candles on the Advent Wreath are three violet ones and one rose one – exactly the same as the colours of the four weeks of Advent. Some Advent Wreaths also contain a fifth white candle symbolising purity – the Christ Candle – that can be lit during the Christmas Season.
This Advent I pray for us all that we can prepare a place in our hearts for Jesus our Lord to bring love and peace to our world.
Cath Palmer
Faith Life Leader