Year 1/2

Year 1/2 Cluster News 

We would love to receive a family photo put up in the classroom, including pets if you have any. An electronic copy is fine and we will print it. The children love to look at these during the day. 

Home Inquiry   

Identify 3 strategies you can use to calm down when you are feeling upset or overwhelmed. What could you use? Where might you go? Share them with us so we can encourage you to use them.  

Read every night for 10-15 minutes.  

Weekly Timetable – 1/2 Classes 

Learning for Week 2  

Word Study (previously Jolly Spelling):  

Year 1: ‘a_e’ for the /ai/ sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp_iuG2uHY4 

Year 2: 'ai, ay, a-e' long vowel /ai/ sound https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-uLFJp5ZtI 

Grammar Focus 

Year 1: Capital letters 

Year 2: Alphabetical order 

Writer’s Workshop: we will continue exploring what writers do and record our own ideas.  

Readers Workshop: We will begin listening to students and conferencing with them. 

Mathematics:  

we will continue looking at number skills and learning some mental computation games this week. We will also discuss what mathematicians do and what characteristics they have.   

Unit of Inquiry: Who We Are 

 Central Idea: People’s attitudes and actions impact wellbeing and relationships. 

Line of Inquiry 1: Personal wellbeing. 

Line of Inquiry 2: Actions that build a safe and healthy community. 

Line of Inquiry 3: My connections/relationships with others. 

We continue our learning about Kimochis and how the Kimochi characters help us to identify our feelings and regulate our emotions. 

Other Reminders 

Shoelaces 

Please make sure your child can do up laces themselves if they have shoes with laces. Another option is shoes with Velcro until they learn this skill. 

Bag Tags 

It is useful for students to have a bag tag to identify their bag. Please only put one bag tag on and make sure it is not a special one that will be missed if it is lost as we are not able to monitor this. 

Each day students need to bring the following. Please label everything.  

• hats – these will remain at school for the term. GGOSH is aware and they have spare hats if needed. 

• Take Home Bags which are also for Library borrowing. 

• water bottles  

• a fruit snack 

• recess 

• lunch 

Lunch Boxes 

Please pack a substantial lunch rather than lots of recess snacks and put an ice pack in on hot days as the lunches remain in school bags outside. We also ask that you send in ‘nude food’ which does not include wrappers. 

Library Borrowing  

Both classes visit the Library on Tuesdays to borrow 2 books for 2 weeks. 

Take Home books 

Children have begun to take home 2-3 interest books to read at home. A letter has been sent home explaining the process. During the week, we will listen to children and begin sending decodable books or other good fit books home to read.  

Sunscreen 

Please apply sunscreen in the mornings before school. We will encourage reapplication during the day. If your child requires their own sunscreen, please label it and they can keep it in their bag. 

Toddle 

We post important information reminders, student learning, photos/videos and assessments on this platform.  Please contact the office if you are not connected. 

Volunteers 

During the year we have excursions, a Year 1 Sleepover and a Year 2 Camp.  

If you are interested in volunteering, there a few things you must have up to date to be able to come along or to help in the classroom. Please do not volunteer unless you have these already. Contact the office if you have any questions. 

• Working With Children Check (WWCC)  
• Responding to Abuse, Harm and Neglect training (RRHAN-EC)  
• Valuing Safe Communities (VSC) training 

https://www.goldengrove.sa.edu.au/parent-portal/volunteering/  

May God bless your week, 

Melanie Arnold and Ellen Zimmer 

Melanie Arnold: Arnold.melanie@goldengrove.sa.edu.au 

Tim Kriewaldt kriewaldt.tim@goldengrove.sa.edu.au 

Ellen Zimmer zimmer.ellen@goldengrove.sa.edu.au