Spotlight on Learning

Dear Families,

In Week 3, students explored the Good Samaritan and discussed ways to show kindness and care. In Mathematics, they used arrays, equal groups and sharing strategies to solve multiplication and division problems.

In English, students examined the Once-ler’s character change in The Lorax, identified the author’s message and practised statements, questions and conjunctions. In Reading, they explored the prefixes mis-, sub- and dis-.

Students also used music and movement to express feelings, practised Auslan time signs and simple phrases. In SEL we continued discussing gender stereotypes and respecting individual interests and choices.

Learning for the Week 4/Term 3:

Religious Education:

In week 4, students will learn about people of faith who used their gifts to help others and live according to Jesus’ teachings. They will identify a person of faith, describe their actions and make connections between these actions and the values of love, kindness, care and service.

English:

In Writing, students will develop a complete narrative with a clear beginning, middle and ending. They will introduce when or where the story takes place, include an interesting discovery and show how the problem grows before it is resolved. Students will describe characters’ feelings, use Tier 2 adverbs to explain how actions happen and practise writing statements, questions, commands and exclamations with correct punctuation. They will reread and edit their writing using CUPS and we will continue to read The Lorax.

In Reading, students will explore the suffixes -er and -or and learn how they can be added to base words to describe a person who performs an action. They will read, build, spell and use words containing these suffixes, including supervisor, protector and predator. Students will also develop their accuracy, expression and fluency through choral reading, small-group reading and paired fluency.

Mathematics:

Students will extend their understanding of multiplication and division by representing problems using arrays, equal groups and sharing strategies. They will use hands-on materials, drawings and number sentences to identify patterns, solve problems and explain the connection between multiplication and division.

Integrated Curriculum:

Students will explore how dancers use movement to communicate feelings, messages and ideas. They will create and perform movements using different body shapes, high and low levels, and a variety of pathways through space.

Auslan:

Students will review signs and phrases from Units 5A, 5B and 5C. They will practise communicating about classroom routines, clothing, weather, time, preferences and playing or working with others. Students will continue building their confidence in remembering and using complete Auslan phrases.

Social & Emotional Learning:

Students will continue exploring gender stereotypes and how they can influence people’s interests, choices and behaviours. 

What you can do at home

• Read together each night and talk about the message in a story. Ask your child what the author might want the reader to think, feel or learn.

   

• Practise maths in everyday life by noticing patterns at home or outside, such as patterns in tiles, clothes, blocks, counting, or nature. Ask your child to describe what repeats or what changes.

   

• Talk and share signs together by asking your child to teach you an Auslan sign or facial expression they have learned at school. Practising together helps build confidence and communication skills.

Important Reminders:

• Swimming lessons will begin in Week 4 and continue throughout Weeks 4 and 5. Please ensure students bring all required swimming gear each day, including bathers, a towel, goggles, a swimming cap and a change of clothes. All belongings should be clearly labelled with the student’s name to prevent items from being lost or mixed up.

• Fidget Toys

  We kindly ask that students do not bring fidget toys to school unless their use is a planned adjustment in consultation with Allied Health Professionals. Students who bring fidget toys without an approved adjustment will be asked to place them in their school bag for the remainder of the day to take home. We appreciate your support in encouraging your child to leave fidget toys at home.

• Please ensure that you are labelling your child's belongings.

• Please remind your child to change their reading books when they need to. 

• Tuesday 4th August - Funky Sock and Shoe Day

You may have noticed the beautiful new garden bed beside the Bethlehem Building.

A semicircle of murnong, also known as yam daisies, is beginning to grow. Murnong is an Indigenous plant that is native to our local area on Bunurong and Boon Wurrung Country. The FIRE Carrier Team will continue adding seeds and caring for the garden. As a school community, we will be able to watch these important plants grow and develop over time.Planting species that belong naturally in our local environment is one way we can care for and help heal Country. The plants we are beginning with grew across this area for thousands of years before European settlement.

• Wednesday 5th August - Photo Day - please use QR code in the flyer below

The Damascus Team

Contact Us @Damascus

damascus@cranbourneeast.catholic.edu.au  (all teachers) or