Prep/1 Mainstream
F/1
We’re off to an exciting start to the term with our new Discovery Learning program. This is a student-led directed approach to learning that factors in student interests and curiosities. During the last week of Term 1, students brainstormed their ideas with us and this has helped to inform the learning focus for the beginning of Term 2. So far, we have been learning all about different types of weather. We have been exploring the activities we can do in different types of weather, and how to dress appropriately for the weather. Students made paper dolls that they could practise dressing up, and they have just started recording the weather in their own weather journals! We may also practise giving daily weather forecasts in class!
In addition, we continue to practise the school and classroom values. At the moment our focus continues to be being brave and having a go. We are also exploring how to be a good friend and classmate!
Literacy
In Reading, we have settled into our daily phonics routine. In Foundation, the focus is on learning the sounds of the letters of the alphabet. We have been working through the stage 1 and 2 sounds which includes a character for each sound.
Stage 1 sounds are m - Milo Monkey, S - Sally Snake, f - Felix Frog, a - Ally Alligator, p - Peter Penguin, t - Tim Turtle, c - Cooper Caterpillar and i - izzy insect.
Stage 2 sounds covered so far are b - Ben Bear, N - Nelly Numbat, H - Harry Hippo, O - Oscar Octopus and D - Daisy Dog.
Foundation students should be bringing home their take home reading folders to practise reading at home.
In Year 1, the focus has been revising stage 5 and 6 including plural s and es, ck - black duck, sh, - shed shop, ch - chicken and chips, th - thud, thump, thunk. Year one students can still practise their reading at home.
In Writing, students are continuing to practise retelling events from their personal world and from stories they have listened to. For Foundation students, the focus is on participating in discussion and teacher modelling of recounts. They are also being encouraged to identify familiar sounds in words and record these sounds in their writing. For Year One students, the focus is on writing sentences using finger spaces, capital letters and full stops, and correct letter formation. We are also integrating writing into our discovery learning. This week students have been recording a weather journal and looking at events that happen on different days of the week.
Maths
In Mathematics, students have been exploring different ways of recording and displaying data. They used tally marks to record their wins when playing a game of Kolap, which is a First Nation’s game originating from the Torres Strait Islands. They then represented the data using picture graphs, which made it easier to read the data and form judgements. By asking questions like “What’s your favourite…”, students have also collected data about their classmates, and this has been a great way for them to get to know each other better.
This week, we have moved into exploring the structure and value of two-digit numbers by building up the understanding of “10 ones is 1 ten”. Students have been practising efficient ways of counting larger numbers by using bundles of ten and representing numbers in different ways.
Here are some photos of our students and their work:
