Round the classes 

Reception class: Katie 

Over the past two weeks the Reception class have been busy working on some new two-letter sounds in phonics. Also in literacy we have been working on how to write a basic information report about what it means to be a student at school. We have also been creating some syllable songs. 

In maths we have been working very hard learning the new skill of problem-solving in maths. We have been working on finding out the important information in a problem then representing it using concrete materials and drawing pictures. 

In HASS we have been learning about the Aboriginal culture through traditional dreaming stories. As part of our work with the Kimochis we met Hero. 

We have also been busy learning about habitats in science with Katie. 

Year 1 class: Kelly

We have been very busy the last two weeks and I know next week is going to be even busier with Book Week!

For literacy we worked on 'or' as in fork and 'oa' as in soap. This week we have been revising our sounds and then working on writing them - breaking up the word into their digraphs, individual sounds and trigraphs. 

For writing we have started working on our information reports. We are focusing on zebras. The children listened to some facts about zebras and what they ate. We drew a mind map and recorded all the information we knew about their diet, then we attempted to use the information and write it in a sentence.

For maths we finished off comparing addition and subtraction. Understanding how to read the question and what the question wants you to find out as well as understand what more and less means. It certainly has put a lot of children in the learning pit, but it has been great to see how resilient and persistent they are to complete the task. 

For HASS we started our topic about the history of toys. The last two weeks children have been sorting through old and new toys and discussing how the toys can be identified by the materials used to make the toy.

Year 2 class: Sam

In our maths lessons, we've been diving into the fascinating world of fractions. We've built upon our understanding of halves, quarters, and eighths, delving deeper into these concepts. Through engaging activities and games, we've taken on the challenge of beginning to understand equivalent fractions. With hands-on tasks, we've learned that fractions are like puzzle pieces that fit together in unique ways. Exploring fractions has been both fun and rewarding!

In literacy lessons, we've taken a closer look at the long vowel 'a' and its different graphemes (spelling choices) that bring words to life. By revisiting these graphemes, we're becoming even more confident in decoding and reading words. Our class novel, 'The BFG', continues to whisk us away into a world of imagination and wonder. Each chapter is a new adventure that sparks our curiosity and love for reading.

In design and technology, we've embarked on an exciting project that involves Australian birds. We've started by researching the unique features and characteristics of our chosen birds. Learning to search for key information has been an important skill, helping us lay the foundation for our upcoming model design. Our initial drafts have taken shape on paper, as we've sketched our bird models with care and creativity. The next step is to think about the materials that will best bring our feathered friends to life.

As we approach the week ahead, get ready to embrace the magic of Book Week! This year's dress-up theme is, 'What I Want to Be When I Grow Up'. We can't wait to see the wonderful costumes and ideas that our students will come up with. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone. 

Year 2/3 class: Stephen and Suzie

We have been learning about the importance of food security.  In particular, we are looking at certain things that can prevent food security from happening.  These include wars, unemployment, weather conditions (eg: cyclones), old technology and droughts.  We used our knowledge of these to write some basic information reports as per the pictures below.  Our next step is to look at different parts of the world to see how and why they have food security issues. 

With Mrs. Tume on her Fridays, the students have explored a range of tools that they can use to self-regulate throughout the day.  The tools are now placed in their “tool boxes” and these can be referred to throughout the school day as needed.  

Year 4/5 class: Alex

In writing, students have been selecting a topic to research for their information report on a living thing. They have been organising the information they are gathering under their chosen subheading categories. During this planning phase, students are practising their note-taking and paraphrasing skills by recording the information that they find in their own words onto their planning template. 

In mathematics students have been practising the problem-solving strategy of visualising. They have been using physical materials such as base ten blocks, counters and plastic money to show their thinking visually when solving problems involving decimals and fractions. They have also been using number lines and drawn representations. 

In HASS students have been unpacking the key concepts in our History unit. They have been working in groups to create posters to represent their understanding of the concepts of perspectives, continuity and change, cause and effect, empathy and significance. This fortnight students have had the opportunity to attend an exciting excursion to the SAHMRI health and medical institute. They enjoyed participating in a range of thought-provoking science experiments and investigations led by PhD students. 

Year 5/6 class: Sallie

Maths mentals are an important part of our maths work. It is where we cover all curriculum areas in small groups. Groups mark together and focus on sharing strategies and ideas on how they have solved different equations and problems. It is always interesting to hear different groups say "no, no I did it this way" or "you're wrong because..." or "I think it's this but I'm not sure". It's empowering for the students to share with each other without me (of course they come to me if they cannot agree on something). 

We are continuing our work on measurement and have measured the oval using a trundle wheel and compared our results and discussed what could cause the difference in results. We have measured out heights and are working through other activities on area and perimeter.  

In English we continue our journey on spelling, writing (distinguishing between simple, compound and complex sentences, and guided reading....(the group reading Hatchet are loving the "tension"  created by the obstacles that Brian has to overcome,  those reading Boy Overboard are feeling the pain of the family fleeing Afghanistan trying to find refuge in Australia, and those sharing Pankration are interested to see if Nik will find his family and friends after the plague in Greece).  

Our Readers Cup teams presented their plays on Thursday night (all were related to the book The Hats of Marvello) and we were lucky enough to have its author Amanda Graham view the performances and chat to the audience. There were 11 teams competing from a number of Hills schools. 

On Friday we went to the SAHMRI building to meet Agnes Arthur and her PHD students and enjoy the experiments they had set up for us. It was great working with Alex's class on this excursion. Everyone enjoyed learning out of the classroom and being part of such a "hands on project".  

Don't forget the year 4/5/6 students have their choir excursion to the Magic Millions Pavillion at the Morphettville Race Course  on Wednesday next week to rehearse with the group performing on 21st of September. Don't forget to purchase your tickets through ticketek (see below for details). 

Festival of Music Choir Tickets

SAHMRI Excursion

The 4/5 and 5/6 classes had a fantastic time at the SAHMRI building enjoying the hands-on experiments organised by Agnes Arthur and her team of PHD students. Who knows, we may have some budding scientists in our midst!  See photos below.

 SAHMRI generously supported this excursion, if you would like to support SAHMRI and the research happening in the building you are welcome to make a donation. 

Go to https://sahmri.org.au/donate

Indonesian: Ibu Susan

In Indonesian the Year 5/6 class read a short play about Indonesian history and how Indonesia achieved independence. They also learnt about the national emblem - the Garuda. The students enjoyed a traditional drink called “soda gembira” ( happy soda) which is very, very sweet! 

The younger classes have been busy drawing what they can see (melihat). 

Gardening: Jo

The year 2/3 students harvested spinach, thyme, potatoes and parsley to add to other vegetables and made veggie pasties to finish off their gardening sessions.  

The students have planted winter seedlings and seeds and also looked at the life cycle of a plant.