Year 3/4 Team News

Hello Year  3/4 families,   

Welcome back to Term One of Year 3/4 for 2025! The Year 3/4 teachers this year are Steven Puhar & Grace Pante (Grade 3/4P), Katja Morris (Grade 3/4M), Alison Standish (Grade 3/4S), Hayley Thibou (3/4T) and Rebecca Givogue & Mary Colangelo (3/4G). We have been so pleased by how the students have settled back into school. Over the past couple of weeks, we have begun setting up our classroom expectations and our students are demonstrating respect and responsibility in their new environment. 

Curriculum Focus: Weeks 3 - 4

Literacy: In Reading, we are learning to make and adjust predictions by using clues from the text and illustrations to make a prediction, explain our reasoning using evidence from the text and adjust our predictions as we gather more information. In Writing, we are using 6+1 traits and mentor texts to work through the writing process to write a narrative.

Numeracy:  Place Value: Recognise and identify numbers beyond 10,000.

• Model numbers beyond 10,000 using a range of manipulatives (eg. MAB) 
• Order numbers beyond 10,000. 
• Placing numbers in order on a number line with correct scaling. 
• Understand that numbers can be partitioned.

Inquiry: Our inquiry question is ‘What causes changes on Earth?’ We will begin exploring our understanding of Earth, night and day, and the impact on the planet.

Willy Kids: Through the pillar of Respect, we will be learning about gratitude and how Willy Kids can demonstrate gratitude and the importance it has in our lives.

Homework

Homework is a valuable tool in reinforcing what is being learnt at school. We want our students to think of homework as being an important activity that assists in preparation for life-long learning. All students will receive their homework at school on a Monday and it is due back at school on Friday of the same week. 

Homework tasks include:

• Reading – four nights per week for a minimum of 15 minutes. Students are to record the book titles for the week on the homework sheet.
• Maths – playing the number games learnt in class at home to continue building number sense and revising learnt skills. 
• Spelling – suggested activities to help practise the words that your child has chosen.
• Writing – a short writing task to be completed in your child’s Homework Book.

All students have a Homework Book in which they are encouraged to complete their tasks. 

Please contact your child’s teacher if there are any concerns or questions about the homework tasks.

Important Dates Coming Up: 

• Meet the Teacher Wednesday 12th of February (students to be dismissed at 12.30pm)
• School Photos: Tuesday 18th of February 

Cold Water Swimming

It's fantastic that we have the opportunity to go to the Williamstown Life Saving Club for the beach program again this year! Due to Williamstown’s proximity to the beach, it is important that students of Williamstown Primary are well educated in water safety and awareness. As part of the curriculum, students in grades 3-6 will participate in a single day water safety and awareness program at the Williamstown Surf Life Saving Club. The program aims to enhance students understanding of different open water environments. The course covers:

- Personal Safety and Environmental Awareness

- Survival Skills- Rescue Skills/ Emergency Response

- Open water swimming skills.

The program will run from 10:00am - 2:30pm. Students are to arrive at school at normal time and will walk to the Life Saving Club with their teacher. As the conclusion of the program, students will walk back to school with their teacher and will be dismissed from school at normal time. *(See below for the actual date that your student’s class will be attending).

Due to required adult to student ratios, we require an additional adult to walk with each class both to and from the Williamstown Surf Life Saving Club. If you can assist with walking either to or from the Club, please let your class teacher know. If you can help with both, you are also more than welcome to stay and watch the program, however, are not required to stay, as the adult to student ratio whilst we are at the Life Saving Club.

Dress Code:

It is recommended that students wear their swimming clothes underneath their school uniforms and to bring a plastic bag to place all wet clothes in at the conclusion of their session. - Rash vests must be worn at all times. If they do not have one, they can borrow one from the Life Saving Club. - Students must bring hat, sunscreen and a towel.

Dates for each class:

Week 3, Thursday 13th Feb – 3/4M

Week 4, Thursday 20th Feb – 3/4S & 3/4T

Week 6, Wednesday 5th March – 3/4P & 3/4G

Local Excursion, Digital Technology, and Photographing, Filming and Recording 

Students Consent Forms

Three consent forms were sent home towards the start of last week. Can you please ensure that these forms are returned to school as soon as possible. Thank you to everyone who has returned the forms so far.

iPads

Students who are bringing in an iPad from home may start bringing them in to be checked by David our technician. iPads need to be fully charged, and they will be placed in a locked cupboard in the classroom. It is the student’s responsibility to take them out of their bags at the start of each day.

There are enough school iPads available for students who are not bringing one in from home.

Junior School Council Class Representative

Students who are interested in nominating to represent their class on the Junior School Council can prepare for their speech over the next few days. Voting will take place by their classmates early next week. Each class will have a Year 3 and a Year 4 representative.

Art Smocks

Marcia Evans, our Art teacher, would appreciate it if students brought in a named Art smock from home. There is no need to purchase a new one as an old shirt will be okay.

Sun Safety

It has been excellent to see our Grade 3/4’s bringing their hats to school and wearing them during break times. In Terms One and Four, students are required to wear their hats during all outside play. Please ensure that your child’s hat is clearly labelled with their name so that it can be easily returned to them if it is misplaced. 

They will also require a drink bottle each day.

Warm regards, 

The Year 3/4 team – Rebecca Givogue & Mary Colangelo (3/4G), Katja Morris (3/4M), Grace Pante & Steven Puhar (3/4P), Alison Standish (3/4S) & Hay;ley Thibou (3/4T)