Prep News

What a busy term the Prep’s have had! So many celebrations and so much wonderful learning has been happening. The Prep students have enthusiastically engaged in the Little Learners Love Literacy program that has recently been introduced and they were very excited to present their second and third Assembly for this term. They loved having the opportunity to share their learning with the school community.

Probably the highlight was dressing up for Book Week. There was great excitement on arrival at school, entering the classroom as their favourite book character. They enjoyed the parade and all the fun activities that took place throughout the day. Reading with their buddies in the library was also another special moment.

As the Term drew to a close, Prep J enjoyed dressing up in their footy colours and now it is time for holiday. I hope everyone enjoys a well deserved rest and relaxation!

Our Learning Journey in Year 1/2

Over the past few weeks, our Year 1/2 students have been busy learning, exploring, and growing together. They have enjoyed hands-on science experiments, celebrated Book Week with special visitors and family, strengthened their skills in multiplication and division, and developed important abilities in wellbeing and faith. It has been wonderful to see their curiosity, creativity, and teamwork shine across all areas of learning.

Inquiry

In Inquiry, students have been exploring forces and learning about Isaac Newton’s laws of motion. They conducted hands-on experiments, including making pom pom poppers, and reflected on questions such as: how did you make the pom pom move? What happened with heavier or lighter objects and what pushed the pom pom forward? It was exciting to see science come to life through play and discovery!

Religious Education

In Religious Education, students have been learning about Caring for God’s Creation and what it means to be good stewards of the world. They discussed ways to care for the environment, such as reducing waste, looking after animals, and being mindful of resources. Our ‘Nude Food’ initiative ties in beautifully, helping students see how litter-free lunches contribute to protecting creation. Together, we are discovering how small actions can make a big difference.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, students have been exploring multiplication and division through a variety of strategies. They represented problems using pictures, arrays, repeated addition, and groups, and used think boards to model and connect multiplication and division. These activities are helping students build confidence and flexibility in solving a wide range of mathematical problems.

Literacy

Literacy has been a highlight as we celebrated Book Week. Illustrator Karen Erasmus visited, sharing her books and guiding students through a drawing activity using Procreate, which the children loved. We also welcomed author Penny O’Loughlin, who gave students a first reading of a story to be published next year…a story so new that even her own children hadn’t read it! To cap off the celebrations, parents joined the classroom for a literacy response activity, sharing memories of their childhood reading experiences. This created a lovely connection between home and school and reinforced the joy of reading across generations.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students have been learning to understand and manage their emotions and work well with others. They explored experiences that can make them feel angry and practised strategies to respond in healthy ways. Team-based games helped them develop problem-solving skills and understand how collaboration can support everyone. Students also explored calming and cheering strategies, learning when each approach might help them manage feelings and maintain positive interactions. These activities are helping students build resilience, empathy, and cooperation in daily life.

Erica Cremer and Fiona Clifford

ecremer@olgcdeepdene.catholic.edu.au

fclifford@olgcdeepdene.catholic.edu.au

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