Grade 1/2

Dear Families,

Welcome to our latest news update!

LITERACY

During phonics, students have been learning the sound /ooh/ sound and different ways to spell this sound. In our explicit teaching we explore the times when each spelling choice could be used and any generalisations for this.

Our reading focus continues to be text purpose and structure, alongside exploring literal and inferential comprehension. Students have engaged with a variety of Indigenous texts and are enjoying seeing the different ways stories have been told across different parts of Australia. It has been fun to examine the illustrations and look at how traditional illustrations represent land features, people, and animals. 

The writing focus has shifted from persuasive writing to narrative writing. We have introduced a linear planner to help students structure their writing in a more sequential fashion, ensuring that a problem is introduced early and that the next sections relate to the characters trying to solve the problem before they finally do. We have used the same topic to assist with building structure knowledge, but it is wonderful to see that even with the same topic the writing is widely varied with use of humour, mystery, and vocabulary choices.

The narrative focus has been explored from the perspective of oral story telling. Indigenous people mapped country through song and story telling. Oral story telling has been an integral part of preservation of culture across the world. You might like to continue this discussion at home with your family sharing how story telling has been used within your culture. There are some wonderful traditional tales that have now been recorded in books that came from oral story telling.

NUMERACY

Our mathematics studies have taken us into the field of measurement. Students are exploring how we use length, capacity and mass to compare objects. Understanding these ways of measuring as a relative concept is often difficult to understand - yes an elephant is something we perceive to be heavy, but it might not be heavier than another object you are comparing to. You might feel tall standing next to your baby brother or sister, but next to Mrs O'Reilly you are definitely shorter! 

This topic is a great one to engage with at home as you use measurement every day in a multitude of ways!

SEL/INQUIRY

InSEL, students continued to engage with 'The Resilience Project' through a lesson per week to focus on gratitude, mindfulness, and empathy. Students have been learning about understanding their strengths, and the strengths of others. We have explored the importance of listening as a life skill to ensure effective communication with others.

Our inquiry unit this term is all about dinosaurs - who they were and what we know about them. Thinking like scientists to make informed predictions using fossils and skeletons has been lots of fun. We have also looked at the special adaptations the dinosaurs had that would protect them from predators, or help them to be successful predators. 

REMINDERS

• Term 4 means HATS! No hat no play. Please check your child's name is on their hat. 
• School start at 8.35 am every day and finishes at 3 pm.
• Homework/Readers will be sent home each Monday and due on Friday.
• If your child is sick or absent, please notify the school as soon as possible on the day of absence by phone or via compass.

Dates to Remember

Thursday 27th November: Pupil Free Day

Monday 8th December: F-2 showcase in the morning

Wednesday 10th December: School fete

Monday 15th December: Reports released to parents

Wednesday 17th December:  Step-Up Day

Friday 20th of December: Last day of Term 4

School Values Award Certificate

This week the recipients of the School Values Award are:

1/2 A- Kayesh R

1/2 B- Melike C

1/2 C- Pakeeza A