Year One
Dear Year One Community,
We have had a fantastic start to our more formal lessons, where students have been putting into practice the routines and relationships they developed during our First 20 Days lessons. With these strong foundations in place, learning is already in full swing! This week, we also launched our homework routine, which includes reading, spelling, and an additional learning task focusing on a specific learning area. We appreciate your support in helping students develop positive learning habits at home, and we look forward to an exciting term of growth and discovery!
Reading
In Reading, we have been practising making predictions before, during, and after reading to deepen our understanding of the stories we read. Before reading, we look at the title, pictures, and clues to predict what the book might be about. During reading, we pause to think about what might happen next based on what we have read so far. After reading, we reflect on our predictions and see if they are correct.
We have also been working on using our reading strategies to help us decode tricky words. Students have been sliding through words, looking for familiar letter patterns/chunks, using picture clues, looking for small words within words and rereading to make sense of the text. These strategies help build confidence and independence as readers. You can support your child at home by encouraging them to predict and use their decoding strategies while reading together!
Writing
Students have been exploring poetry by writing about emotions such as 'Happiness' and 'Anger.' They began by brainstorming a 'seed idea' in their Writers Notebook before crafting their poems based on these initial thoughts. Using a provided structure, they focused on expressing their emotions through vivid, descriptive language, aiming to evoke strong feelings or images in the reader. Additionally, the students have been expanding their vocabulary through the practice of Oxford words!
Mathematics
In Mathematics, students have explored the concept of location through engaging activities that deepened their knowledge of positional language. They drew pictures to showcase their understanding of terms such as above, under, next to, left, right, in front of, and behind. Additionally, they practised giving and following directions to familiar locations.
A highlight of the week was a fun-filled scavenger hunt around the Year One buildings, where students worked in groups to find different coloured stars. This hands-on activity encouraged teamwork, problem-solving, and the practical application of their learning, making the experience both educational and exciting!
Inquiry
In Inquiry, students were introduced to their first unit, exploring the Transdisciplinary Theme of "How We Express Ourselves." As a class, they worked together to unpack the Central Idea, ensuring they understood key vocabulary before beginning their investigation into recognizing and naming emotions.
To deepen their understanding, students engaged in a fun and interactive matching and memory game, where they paired different emotions with corresponding facial expressions. This activity helped them develop their emotional awareness while making learning engaging and enjoyable.
Reminders
Students are expected to bring their satchel to school every day filled with their take-home reading books, reading journal and homework book.
Students are also expected to bring their iPad to every day fully charged, as well as a water bottle.
We are a sunsmart school so students need to wear there hats in Term One and Four
Doors open at 8:20am and classes start at 8:30am. Any students arriving after 8:40am will require a late pass from the office. Dismissal is at 2:50pm.
If your child is absent, please ensure the reason is entered onto XUNO.
Kind regards,
The Year One Team