Level 4: Connect

Important: Laptops need to be charged overnight. Assessment period has begun.

Well done to our District Cross Country runners last week who represented SEPS. Our level 4 students had a fun day at their first district competition. We are so proud!

We also welcome Liz Witherow who is taking Robyn's class 4A, while Robyn is on long service leave. Welcome!

Assessments

We have begun our assessment schedule in preparation for report writing. To minimise stress, our team has carefully planned the schedule to ensure students can complete their assessments without feeling overwhelmed. However, if a student misses a day, they may need to complete more than one assessment in a day, which could be stressful. Therefore, it is imperative that students have their laptops charged each day. Please encourage them to charge their laptops the night before. We look forward to showcasing your child's learning in their upcoming reports.

Literacy

In our literacy lessons, students are diving into persuasive writing with great enthusiasm. We have focused on understanding the structure of persuasive essays and how it enhances the clarity and impact of their writing. Emphasis has been placed on clearly stating their opinions and developing strong, convincing arguments. This approach not only helps students articulate their thoughts more effectively but also strengthens their overall communication skills. Next, students will work on writing their own persuasive pieces, incorporating various persuasive techniques to further enhance their writing.

In the next two weeks, we will continue our deep analysis of our mentor text 'Figgy.' Linking it to our persuasive writing unit, we will explore how we could convince Figgy to go or not go to America. Using the storyline for evidence, their own reasoning, and persuasive techniques, students will build and develop their strategies to support their writing.

We also began our 'Partnered Reading' exercise last week, which entails students reading aloud to each other with the goal of improving their reading fluency. Students then give each other positive feedback. This occurs for five minutes every day. With daily practice, we hope to see an improvement in their overall fluency, which is the foundation for comprehension. Enhanced fluency allows students to read more smoothly and with better expression, making it easier for them to understand and engage with the text. As their fluency improves, so does their ability to grasp complex ideas, make connections, and enjoy reading as a lifelong skill.

Numeracy

The Level 4 students are currently working hard to apply their strategies, skills and understandings as we work through our assessments period. During our assessments, students use a variety maths skills to solve problems in a variety of contexts. It has been pleasing so far to see students progress and making connections to how we use maths in the real world and our everyday lives.

During our Applied Maths sessions in the upcoming fortnight we will be looking at collecting, interpreting and analysing data which will help the students to understand mathematical concepts such as sorting, organising, counting, comparing, and analysing.

Data and information are all around us and children need to be able to read and make sense of it.

Inquiry

The students are underway with their History project. The assignment explores a commemoration or celebration the students would like to discover more about. The students will use their understandings of non-fiction texts to create an information booklet which will also demonstrate the history of their commemoration or celebration. The students have made a great start!

We look forward to sharing them with you at our three-way conferences in week 11.

History Box Incursion

Tuesday this week, students were very lucky to participate in an incursion as part of their Inquiry unit. Cynda and Barry hosted a wonderful history incursion where students were able to dive into Australian celebrations and commemorations as well as look into immigration.

Students were immersed in wonderful activities from learning an indigenous game (Ngaka Ngaka) to working with herbs and spices to looking and jewellery.