Curriculum News

English

Reading and Viewing

This term we will continue with our weekly reading foci. In reading groups, the students will use Fountas and Pinnell leveled texts to work on comprehension strategies about, within and beyond the text. 

Writing

This term students will focus on writing to persuade and writing to explain/inform. They will create annotated diagrams in support of the literacy component of our science unit. For each text type we will look at the different structures and language features specific to text type. 

Speaking and Listening

The students will be given opportunities to listen and contribute to conversations and discussions to share information and ideas. In collaborative groups students will also plan and deliver short presentations on given topics.  Students will be required to be  active listeners and respectful speakers when working in small groups.

Maths

Number and Algebra

This term we will be focussing on multiplication and division. We will develop efficient mental and written strategies and use appropriate digital technologies for multiplication and division where there is no remainder.

We will revise and extend our understanding of fractions and decimals. We will be partitioning areas, lengths and collections to create halves, thirds, quarters and fifths. We will also explore the relationship between families of fractions (halves, quarters and eighths or thirds and sixths), creating equivalence. Students will also explore the relationship between fractions and decimals. Connecting different  areas of mathematics  students will discover that when a shape has two matching halves it is called symmetrical, they will then collect symmetrical shapes in nature (related to topic).

In money and financial matters students will investigate and create a shopping list of produce and money required to create a celebration menu from our Airgarden produce.

In Measurement and Geometry students will measure, order and compare objects using familiar metric units of length and capacity.

The unit ‘Two Dimensional Shapes - Lines and Angles’ will first focus on identifying and understanding the geometric language of lines and angles that are essential  when describing the properties of shapes. Students will create two-dimensional shapes from verbal or written instructions They will then compare and describe two dimensional shapes that result from combining and splitting common  shapes.

Statistics and Probability

Students will also revisit  Data  where they  will pose questions, collect data, organise it into categories and create simple column graphs to demonstrate this information. Where students conduct experiments, they will identify and describe possible outcomes and recognise variations in the results.

Inquiry - Biological Science

Plants in Action - The Air Garden curriculum will involve the students immersed into  the growing life cycle of an Air Garden – from planting seeds in week 1, to harvesting the plants we've grown for a celebration feast in week 9. Each session will give the students opportunities for hands-on learning, and has a specific curriculum focus, as well as cross curriculum learning. 

Inquiry Vocabulary

garden, plants, growing, airgarden, germination, photosynthesis, water, sunshine, living, oxygen, carbon dioxide, fertilizer, organic, sustainability,  seeds, seedlings, planting, harvesting, snow peas, lifecycle, planting, vegetables, roots, leaves, stem, flowers, planting.

Religion

Eucharist/Sustainability

Students will begin  learning about the Eucharist in preparation for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. We will then work with the concept of sustainability within Religious Education and interwoven with other learning areas through the sustainability lense.

Social & Emotional Wellbeing

The Wellbeing focus for this term is  ‘Personal Strengths’ . Students need  a vocabulary to help them recognise and understand strengths and positive qualities in themselves and others. The students will be involved in  learning activities  to build a vocabulary to use it when discussing personal, social and ethical challenges.