Apollo Community Report 

Reading

In Reading, Apollo students have been focusing on the skill of analysing. We have had the opportunity to read a range of fiction and non-fiction texts. We have learnt about the differences between fiction and non-fiction and the genres within fiction. One challenge has been determining the features of a realistic fiction text. Each Reading session also consists of guided-reading groups and activities to support the comprehension skills.

Each week we can also visit the library to choose books to read. Apollo Community members are reminded to change their reader each morning in their classroom.

Writing

During Writing the last few weeks students in Apollo have been working on Poems. Students have Planned, Drafted, Edited, Revised and Published their Poems into a Zine, which is like a paper booklet. Examples of poems that students have written are colour poems, acrostic poems, haikus and free writing poems. The structure and vocabulary have been the main points that we have taught the last few weeks with students using their artistic ability to create and publish their poems. Students in Apollo have worked very hard on their poems and we look forward to them being taken home to be looked at my parents.

Maths

The Apollo community have been learning about Measurement and Geometry in the last couple of weeks. Students used objects around them to measure, such as a door, whiteboard and table when working out the surface area and perimeter.  We then moved onto volume and capacity, again, using everyday objects such as milk bottles, yoghurt containers and pasta bottles to represent the capacity from smallest to largest and explored the volume of other 3D objects. In both areas, students used informal ways of measuring and then moved onto using metric units. Students have enjoyed the hands-on learning as well as applying how we would use measurement in real life situations. 

Inquiry

Students have continued to work on the topic: "How does the way we live affect all living things?" Our classes have enthusiastically embraced the topic and have thinking about how we can better help our Earth by the way that we live. Students have worked on different projects such as posters, dioramas, biomes on Minecraft Education and we have embedded a lot of cross curriculum activities into Reading, Writing and Maths. We have been impressed with how engaged students have been this Term in Inquiry and have learned a wealth of knowledge they will have their whole lives.

SEL

Students in Apollo have been working hard on their problem solving abilities and how to make decisions in and outside of the classroom. Using role plays, online resources and class discussions we have continued to learn how to be safe in our day to day lives. Continuing from our Berry St Training students have been learning how to come into class Ready to Learn and using Ready to Learn charts, plans and communication we are ensuring that our students have the best opportunity to learn every day.

We would like to thank families of Apollo students for the ongoing support they have given us this Term. We have loved having the students in the classroom for another successful Term and look forward to continuing to achieve excellence next in Term 4. 

-Apollo Teachers