Grade 1 News

Hello Grade One families, we are well into Term 3. Here is an update of all the amazing things we have done so far! We have celebrated Book Week, held parent-teacher interviews, and enjoyed plenty of learning.

English

We have begun the term by revising our digraphs: /a_e/, /i_e/, /o_e/, /e_e/, /u_e/, /ea/, /ai/, /ie/. Students have been practising writing the sounds, learning words that include these sounds, and writing sentences using them.

Talk For Writing This term, we have continued learning the story Kevin’s Kangaroo Picnic. Students have been following along and retelling the story with actions. In this unit, students have been learning to apply tools to support writing a story. They have been learning about setting (where a story takes place).

Tool 1 – Name a setting (e.g. Unicorn Bush)
Tool 2 – Add time and weather (e.g. One freezing afternoon...)
Tool 3 – Include three adjectives to describe a setting (e.g. The bush was icy, mysterious, and quiet)

Students will soon be planning and creating their own writing pieces.

Core Knowledge

Earlier this term, we participated in Book Week. Students did an amazing job creating classroom posters based on the theme Book an Adventure. Throughout the week, students had the chance to share their creativity and wear costumes based on their favourite book characters. We also had the pleasure of a visit from the author of The Style Secrets of Gareth McGreen and asked purposeful questions about being a writer.

Currently, we are learning about the human body. So far, we have explored the skeletal system and skeletal muscles. We are unpacking their importance in helping us survive and understanding the role of nutrients in helping us grow.

Maths

We have continued learning about numbers to 40. We have been learning to break up numbers into tens and ones. For example, the number 35 is made up of 3 tens and 5 ones. Using place value, students are now practising how to solve addition and subtraction problems. We are exploring different strategies to solve these problems efficiently, including: using pictorial drawings, number lines, concrete materials, number tapes, partitioning, and the column method.

Things to work on at home:

English:

Reading every night and writing it in your child’s diary
Practising the sounds: listed above
Writing words with these sounds

Maths:

Practising number formation
Counting by 1s, 2s, 5s, and 10s
Understanding numbers up to 40 into tens and ones for example” 35 is 3 tens (30) and 5 ones
Solving addition and subtraction problems using concrete materials, pictures and numberlines

Reminders:

Students will be required to wear hats for play outside from September 1st
Check Compass regularly to keep updated with events

If you have any questions or would like to chat, feel free to reach out to your child’s classroom teacher

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Grade One Team.