The Nurlendi News

Literacy

Book Week

Get ready for a spellbinding adventure as Book Week approaches! This year's theme is Reading is Magic. 

 

 

We’re kicking off the festivities with our legendary Book Week Parade on Monday, 19th August. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to unleash their inner wizard, fairy tale hero, or mythical beast. We encourage families to brainstorm and create magical costumes together to make this Book Week truly enchanting.

 

But the magic doesn’t stop there! We are thrilled to announce that the fabulously talented Nicky Johnston will be joining us as our visiting author. She’s the creative genius behind the Coco series and other beloved stories like At the End of Holyrood Lane, The Fix-It Man, Grandma Forgets, and The Incredibly Busy Mind of Bowen Bartholomew Crisp. Nicky will be visiting us on Tuesday, 20th August.

 

 

Vermont Primary School Writing Competition

 

This term, Vermont Primary is excited to announce a school wide writing competition! Students from Grades 3 to 6 are challenged to write a 100-word story, while our writers in Prep to Grade 2 have the freedom to choose the length of their piece.

 

The theme of the competition is Friendship, reflecting the important lessons our students have been exploring in class through the Friendology program. 

 

Prizes will be awarded to outstanding entries at each level, and we encourage all students to participate. While we ask parents to be supportive, we request that the final work be entirely the student's own.

 

Please ensure that all entries are submitted to your child’s teacher by Wednesday, 4th September. We look forward to seeing the creativity and thoughtfulness of our students shine through their writing!

MS Readathon  

This year, Vermont Primary School will be participating in the MS Readathon, a fundraiser that has been supporting people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for 45 years. The MS Readathon combines the joy of reading with the mission of making a difference in the lives of those affected by MS. The event runs throughout the month of August.

 

If you would like your child to participate in the MS Readathon and represent Vermont Primary School, you can register by following these steps:

  1. Visit the Readathon website: https://www.msreadathon.org.au/join/VermontPrimarySchool
  2. Select ‘Register’
  3. Click ‘My children to read’
  4. Fill in the contact details of a parent/guardian
  5. Enter your child’s details and add Vermont Primary School
  6. Follow the prompts until registration is complete

Please remember not to include your child’s surname. Only their first name, or first name and surname initial, and their grade is required (e.g., Jimmy S 2JH).

 

If you have any questions regarding this year’s MS Readathon, please feel free to contact:

John Hoskin (john.hoskin@education.vic.gov.au)

 

6+1 Writing Traits

 

In the classrooms at Vermont Primary, you might have seen posters titled VOICES. This acronym represents the 6+1 Writing Traits we use to support our students in developing their writing skills. These traits are essential components of effective writing, and by focusing on them, we aim to help students become more confident and skilled writers.

What Are the 6+1 Writing Traits?

The 6+1 Writing Traits is a framework that breaks down the complex process of writing into manageable parts. Each trait represents a different aspect of writing that students can focus on to improve their overall writing ability. Here's a brief overview:

Ideas: The content of the writing. We encourage students to generate and organize their ideas clearly and creatively.

Organization: The structure of the writing. We work on helping students arrange their ideas in a logical order, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Voice: The personal tone and style of the writing. We emphasize the importance of letting the writer's personality come through in their work.

Word Choice: The use of precise and engaging language. We teach students to select words that best convey their message and evoke the right imagery or emotion.

Sentence Fluency: The rhythm and flow of sentences. We focus on helping students write sentences that are varied in structure and smooth to read.

Conventions: The correct use of grammar, punctuation, and spelling. We reinforce the importance of editing and revising to ensure writing is error-free.

Presentation: (The "+1" trait) The overall appearance of the writing. We also consider how the writing is formatted and presented, ensuring it looks polished and professional.

 

How We Incorporate the 6+1 Traits in Class

In class, we integrate these traits into our writing activities. Students engage in a variety of writing tasks where they can practice and apply these traits. We also use them as a basis for feedback, helping students identify their strengths and areas for improvement.

Fortnightly Segments 

Writing Challenge

 

If your child enjoys their writing and is keen to write for enjoyment at home, below is a prompt that you could ask your child to write about. 

 

You get to change the school uniform. What would you make everyone wear and why?

 

Comprehension Question 

 

This fortnight’s questions are:

  • What characters change in your book? How? 
  • Is the setting realistic? Could there be a real place like the setting described in your book?