Classroom News

Foundation Curriculum News -Term 4, Week 6, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term. 

Important Dates to Remember:

Reading

In Reading, students are introduced to Sounds-Write Unit 1 Extended Code which focuses on the /ee/ sound. We will continue to explore new sounds in our Sounds-Write lesson called Seek the Sound. They will continue exploring our Seasons and Weather core knowledge unit, where they will listen to texts, discuss ideas as a class, and answer comprehension questions to build understanding and vocabulary.

Writing

In Writing, students will be editing and finalising their information text about an animal of their choice.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, students will use hands-on materials and visual models to explore the concepts of sharing and grouping objects into equal collections. Through practical activities, they will develop an understanding of how numbers can be divided or arranged equally, building a foundation for future learning in multiplication and division.

Biological Science

In Science, students are continuing to investigate the observable changes in the sky and landscape and how these influence our daily lives. They will continue to learn about weather patterns through our upcoming hands-on incursion, exploring how these patterns and seasonal changes affect people and the environment. Students are also deepening their understanding of how different cultures, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, observe and describe the seasons and their connection to the environment.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students are learning to recognise and celebrate the diversity within our classroom and community. They are exploring ways to be respectful, inclusive, and kind to everyone, understanding that each person deserves to be treated with fairness and care. Through stories and discussions, students are developing strategies to solve problems, seek help when needed, and “bounce back” from challenges - building confidence, empathy, and a strong sense of belonging for all.

Foundation Team

Tegan Cochran, Rebecca Gomes, Ashleigh Smith

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Year 1 Curriculum News-Term 4, Week 6, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term.

Important Dates to Remember:

Reading 

In Reading, students have been exploring the ‘a’ sound through their fluency texts. Each day, they practise reading aloud with a partner to build confidence, fluency, and expressive reading.

a-e (cake) ai (rain) ay (day) a (apron) ei (vein) ey (they) ea (break) eigh (eight)

Writing 

In Writing, students have created their own stories, incorporating adverbs, adjectives, and conjunctions to add greater detail and interest to their work.

Mathematics  

In Mathematics, students have focused on learning about money, including Australian coins and notes. They have practised recognising, matching, and sorting coins and notes according to their value, and are developing an understanding of the relationship between dollars and cents.

Wellbeing

Students have been learning how to seek help in different scenarios and which trusted adults to turn to, building their confidence to ask for support when needed.

Year 1 Team

Caroline Morrison, James Thomas, Josephine Rechner

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Year 2 Curriculum News-Term 4, Week 6, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term.

Reading

In Reading, students will continue our reading unit “Taking Care of Our Earth,” focusing on making responsible choices to protect the planet. Students will read texts such as Energy and Saving Power, Keeping Our Oceans Clean, Caring for the Air, and Food and Not Wasting. These mentor texts will show how small actions can make a big difference for the environment. Each lesson will follow a consistent routine: word work to build vocabulary, comprehension questions to check understanding, and sentence practice using because, but, so structures and complete sentences. Across these weeks, students will strengthen their fluency, comprehension, and ability to identify key ideas, make connections, and think critically about how people can care for the Earth.

Writing

In Writing, students will finish drafting their persuasive texts on the topic "Should We Care for the Earth?" They will then move on to editing their work, focusing on the writing tools we have been practising, including rhetorical questions, time connectives, commas for lists, adjectives, adverbs, and writing a strong call to action to conclude their persuasive pieces. Students will publish their final texts and then begin learning public speaking skills to confidently present them to their classmates.

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, students will be moving on from Volume and Capacity to exploring Graphs. They will learn how to gather data, interpret their findings, and present information using simple graphs. We will also begin our unit on Chance, where students will learn the language of chance through fun games and hands-on activities.

Geography

In Geography, students will learn to describe different Australian landscapes and their vegetation, explain how people live differently in cities, towns, and rural areas, and identify major natural landmarks such as rivers, the reef, deserts, mountains, islands, and forests. Students will explore why these landmarks are special and need to be cared for, think about Earth from another perspective to consider how we can protect our environment, and understand that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia with a special connection to Country and Place.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students are learning about cyber safety through the eSafety education program, focusing on how to stay safe, respectful, and kind when using technology. They are also participating in anti-racism lessons that help them understand inclusion, respect, and fairness, and how to stand up for themselves and others. 

Year 2 Team

Daniel Lewis, Natasha Williams, Lauren Ely

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Year 3 Curriculum News - Term 4, Week 6, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term.

Important Dates to Remember:

The students have made sensational presentations about their time at Portsea camp, please ask your children to present their Google Slides to you!

As we have a lot of testing coming up, please try to ensure students are at school on time everyday, with a charged laptop.

Reading

In Reading, students will continue to learn about The Vikings. We will be doing a range of activities and reading to learn about the history of Vikings, where they came from and what they are famous for. Students will dive deeper into where vikings explored and how they took land. We will also be doing word study on particular words. Feel free to ask the students about which words they have studied and the meaning of the words.

Writing

In Writing, students have been drafting their persuasive piece on the topic of, “Should students do after school activities.” So far the students have drafted their first two paragraphs. We will continue with the draft before students publish their piece. After persuasive writing we will be going back to writing a narrative.

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, students will continue to learn about chance for the rest of the week. Discussing the probability of events occurring, using words such as, likely, unlikely, certain, possible, impossible as well as others. After we have completed our chance unit, the next unit is on Money. We will explore all the coins and notes of Australia, and do some addition, subtraction, multiplication and division using money.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students have explored the idea of racism, and what we can do to promote anti-racism throughout schools. We have discussed why some people are treated unfairly, what that can look like, how it can affect people and what we can do to stand up for those facing racism.

Year 3 Team

Cassie Wilson, Katie Smith, Harrison Yardney

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Year 4 Curriculum Newsletter - Term 4, Week 6 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term.

Important Dates to Remember:

Reading

In Reading, students will complete our novel study of Boy Overboard by Morris Gleitzman. They will write a book review and reflect on their favourite moments and key themes from the text. Students will also continue exploring information texts linked to our Earth and Space Science unit. They will investigate the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun, including how each rotates and orbits to create day, night and the seasons.

Writing

In Writing, students will continue to write their portal narrative.They will write the build up and problem of their story and will use fronted adverbials to create suspense and tension. We will also be focusing on punctuating dialogue and adding sensory language to our stories. 

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, students will explore mental addition and subtraction of money amounts, addition and subtraction using place value strategies with dollars and cents, estimating sums and differences to check reasonableness. 

Earth and Space Science

In Earth and Space Science, students will learn about the relationship between the Earth, Moon and Sun. They will explore how the Moon orbits the Earth and how the Earth orbits the Sun. Students will also investigate the phases of the Moon and discover what causes a solar eclipse. They will learn that during a solar eclipse, the Sun, Moon and Earth line up, and the Moon blocks sunlight, briefly darkening the sky and revealing a glowing ring of light called a corona.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students are learning about the importance of caring for our school environment. They will explore the School Wide Positive Behaviour Matrix and discuss what it looks like to show care and respect for the spaces around us. Students will also consider what might happen if we don’t take care of our environment and brainstorm ways they can make a positive difference in our school grounds.

Year 4 Team

Sam Pallas, Luke Fletcher and Jessica De Angelis

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Year 5 Curriculum News - Term 4, Week 6, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term.

Reading

In Reading, students have been exploring Heroes of the Secret Underground by Susanne Gervay. They have been analysing the hidden meanings within the text and writing short answers to explain their thinking. Students have also expanded kernel sentences, written complex and compound sentences, and responded thoughtfully to comprehension questions.

Writing

In Writing, students have completed and submitted their leadership applications. They are now researching and beginning to plan their own historical recounts. Throughout this process, students have been learning to use complex sentences effectively and have continued to edit and improve their persuasive writing pieces.

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, students have learned how to identify and measure different types of angles, such as acute, obtuse, right, and reflex angles. They have also practised using protractors accurately to measure and draw angles.

Year 5 Team

Vanessa Martelli, Josh Bretherton, Vanessa Stimar

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Year 6 Curriculum News -Term 4, Week 6, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term.

The weeks are flying by! Our Year Six students have been diligently working away enjoying their last term. 

Important Dates to Remember:

Graduation Dance 

Our Year 6 students have kicked off their graduation dance rehearsals to the song Golden and are already looking absolutely incredible! Every student is taking the practice seriously, showing great focus and enthusiasm as they pick up the choreography, a lot faster and more impressive than the teachers! A huge thank you to Kinect2Dance, the same talented troupe who choreographed our school musical, for their wonderful guidance and support in helping our students shine on stage.

Voting for our Graduation invitation has now closed, and we can announce the winning designer Aaradhya Chaudry from 6A, chosen by her peers! You will see Aaradhya’s winning design at the end of this week when the Graduation invitation goes out to families. Below are also all the fantastic entries from our competition, let’s celebrate everyone’s creativity! It was a close race. 

Assessment Season

Weeks 6, 7 and 8 are shaping up to be a busy and exciting time as students dive into end-of-semester assessments. They’ll be working hard to demonstrate their growth in Literacy and Numeracy, showcasing all the effort they’ve put in throughout the semester. Alongside this, students will enjoy some well-deserved breaks with our 5/6 Life Saving Education Program, supporting 2026 Prep Orientation, and taking part in the Beach Volleyball Gala Day.

2026 Secondary Step Up/Transition Days

We know there will be several 2026 Secondary Step Up/Transition Days coming up for the different secondary schools our Year 6 students will be attending next year. Please inform the school if your child will be absent for one of these transition days so we can record it accurately on Compass.

Kind Regards,

Year 6 Team

Renee Kociski and Ryan Bolger 

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Specialist  Curriculum Newsletter - Term 4 , 2025

Dear Parents/ Caregivers,

Below is an outline of our specialist curriculum program for Term 4.

Performing Arts-Music

CHOIR: This is held each Friday during lunch.The Choir is open to all students in Year 2 and above.

This term in Music, Foundation students will continue to explore the elements of beat, tempo, and dynamics through hands-on experiences with both tuned and untuned percussion instruments. They will take part in singing, dancing, and body percussion activities designed to nurture their rhythmic awareness in playful and engaging ways. They will learn to explore new musical instruments and will continue to expand their knowledge of elements of music.

Year 1 students will extend their learning about instrument families while exploring a variety of musical instruments. They will practise recognising and performing rhythmic patterns, with a continued focus on tempo and dynamics. On the xylophone, students will work with the notes C, D, E, F,G,A B C (C scale)  building confidence in pitch recognition through singing and performing a range of songs. Lessons will also introduce students to body percussion, movement, and the music of well-known composers. 

Year 2 students will develop greater confidence in reading and performing rhythms, strengthening their understanding of beat and notation through movement, body percussion, untuned percussion, and xylophones. Recorder studies will continue with new notes and an introduction to playing in harmony, giving students opportunities to perform short pieces together.

Year 3 students will continue their instrumental learning on violin, viola, or cello, as well as the xylophone, ukulele, and percussion. They will deepen their pitch awareness through singing and begin to develop skills in reading and writing basic musical notation. Movement and body percussion activities will complement their instrumental learning.

Year 4 students will refine their musical technique and expression through singing, string studies, and percussion work. Body percussion and movement will remain an important part of lessons, supporting rhythm and coordination. Students will also focus on building confidence in ensemble playing and performance.

Year 5 students will broaden their instrumental skills by learning more advanced ukulele chords and being introduced to the guitar. They will continue working with tuned and untuned percussion while developing their ability to read and write notation, compose rhythms and melodies, and perform pieces from a range of musical styles and cultures

Year 6 students will explore music technology by composing and arranging their own music using GarageBand. They will also learn to play the guitar, focusing on basic chords, strumming patterns, and simple melodies. Performance skills will be developed both individually and in groups. 

We’re excited for a vibrant and creative term ahead, full of musical discovery, joyful learning, and dynamic performances!

Visual Arts

Drawing Club: This is held each Monday during lunch. Students from any year level can attend.                                                                                                                                                         

Foundation students will experience the fundamentals of directed drawing, and be prompted to use their imagination to create a wobbly eye funny face. The students will express their understanding of colour, shape, line and pattern to create a robot artwork. They will  be exposed to the different indigenous art symbols and their meaning and respond to Jimmy Pike's artwork, the Rainbow Serpent to create an artwork that represents themselves on the scraper paper they have made. The students will take inspiration from Henri Mattise to create a collage.

Year 1 students will take inspiration from Henri Matisse and study organic shapes. They will create their own wax resist and printed paper using bubble wrap to construct a fish artwork. The students will experience blending chalk pastel and using a template to make a cat themed  artwork. They will take inspiration from Claude Monet and paint a waterlily artwork that uses short brush stokes as the impressionist himself did.

Year 2 students will take inspiration from French fauvist painter Raoul Dufy and  experimented with watercolour paints and oil pastels to create a seascape. The students will experience the technique of straw blowing watercolour paint to make a parrot artwork. They will take inspiration from American painter Wayne Tiebaud to construct a cake and dessert creation.

Year 3 students will continue to experience painting with plasticine to create some bird artwork. They will take inspiration from American painter Wayne Tiebaud to construct a cake and dessert creation. The students will experience the technique of straw blowing watercolour paint to make a parrot artwork. 

Year 4 students will take inspiration from John Behnke and create a cityscape. They will explore their ability to blend watercolour, combine cut paper and coloured markers. The students will study still life and draw images in proportion. They will experiment with different grades of lead pencil to shade their images and experience blending charcoal and chalk pastel to add dimension to their works.

Year 5 students will continue to explore the technique of adding value to their still life picture using watercolour paint. They will experiment with printing foam and using acrylic paint to construct a three colour animal print.

Year 6 students will continue to take inspiration from famous fashion illustrators and brainstorm ideas for a fashion range. The students will experiment with different drawing mediums to present their finished designs and fashion illustration on a croquis. They will experience using watercolour paper and blending watercolour paint to create a bird artwork.

Physical Education

Foundation students will be learning new movement activities and games that incorporate the fundamental movement skills of an overhand throw and ball bounce. They will enjoy a range of activities from obstacle courses to team games. 

Year 1 and 2 students will be learning new minor games, focusing on demonstrating fair play and inclusion. Students will be developing their fundamental skills through a variety of individual and group tasks, including modified basketball activities. All Foundation to Year 2 students will begin preparing their skills for the upcoming Junior Sports Day. 

Year 3 and 4 students are busy preparing for their upcoming Ultimate Frisbee gala day. Students will develop frisbee specific skills, team strategies and an understanding of the rules. Students will have the opportunity to referee their own activities. This term, Year 3 and 4 students will participate in a cricket unit to develop their striking and fielding skills and strategies. 

Year 5 and 6 students have started developing their cricket skills in a variety of small group and whole class games. This term, students will participate in a netball round robin. The focus of these lessons will be to work cooperatively in teams, learn the rules and practice new strategies to be successful in games. Students will then start preparing for their Beach Volleyball gala day. Students will practice the skills of a dig, set, spike, block and serve in games of Volleyball. They will learn the rules required to play a game and practice different team strategies. 

French

This year marked our school’s very first participation in the Berthe Mouchette Competition, organised by the Alliance Française de Melbourne. Open to students across Melbourne, the competition had an incredible 9,900 participants this year!

Students from Grades 3 to 6 were invited to take part voluntarily, memorising and reciting a French poem by heart — a wonderful challenge that showcased their pronunciation, confidence, and love of language. We were truly impressed by the many excellent performances from our students.

A huge bravo to Juliet Prassanah-Brady (Year 3) and Penelope Eichler (Grade 5), who both achieved outstanding results and were awarded prizes in this prestigious competition!

Our students are continuing their exciting French learning journey this term! Here’s what each year level will be exploring in class:

Foundation

Students will learn how to say “J’aime” (I like) and “Je n’aime pas” (I do not like) when talking about different foods. They will also learn classroom action words such as “Asseyez-vous” (Sit down) and “Levez-vous” (Stand up).

Grades 1–3

Students will build on their knowledge by expressing their likes and dislikes about both foods and activities. They will create a fun booklet about their own preferences and continue practising action words such as “Asseyez-vous” and “Levez-vous.”

Grade 4

Students will consolidate vocabulary related to taking turns, including “À mon tour” (My turn) and “À ton tour” (Your turn). They will also revise numbers from 1–20 and extend their learning to numbers up to 100.

Grades 5–6

Students will consolidate their ability to hold conversations about the weather and how they are feeling, while also practising how to express likes and dislikes in French.

Key Phrases We’re Learning

• J’aime … – I like / I love …
• Je n’aime pas … – I don’t like / I do not love …
• Le chocolat – Chocolate
• Les œufs – Eggs
• Le riz – Rice
• Les gâteaux – Cakes
• La laitue – Lettuce

Song of the Term

This term, we’ll also be singing “A E I O U” by Paky Saura Garcia, which you can find on YouTube if your child would like to sing along at home. The song helps students practise expressing likes and dislikes in French, while also exploring how French vowels sound different from English vowels.