3/4 Mainstream 

Writing & Spelling

Our Grade 3/4 writers have been busy exploring a variety of genres, including recounts, descriptions, and our current focus: cause and effect. The students are becoming experts at navigating the full writing cycle—moving from "seeding" an initial idea to planning, drafting, editing, and finally publishing their polished pieces.

We have also successfully launched our new spelling groups. This targeted approach allows students to work in smaller teams focused on the specific rules and phonics skills they need most, helping everyone build a stronger foundation for their writing. Students will have a new list of words each fortnight and will have a copy they can take home for extra practice. 

Reading

In Reading, we are diving deep into Reciprocal Reading. This collaborative approach helps students take ownership of their comprehension by rotating through four key roles:

• Predicting what might happen next.
• Questioning the text to find deeper meaning.
• Clarifying tricky words or confusing parts.
• Summarising the main ideas.

The students are doing a fantastic job practicing these roles as a class and applying them to a wide range of interesting texts, ahead of forming their groups later in the term.

Maths

It’s been all about numbers in Maths! The 3/4s have been deepening their understanding of addition and subtraction, by building a "toolkit" of different mental and written strategies, including mastering the rules of the vertical algorithm. To put these skills to the test, students have been applying their knowledge to solve worded problems and engaging in some very competitive classroom maths games!

Integrated Unit

Our science unit is buzzing! We have been investigating the vital role of Eucalyptus trees, their unique flowers, and the incredible work of our local pollinators: bees. By exploring plants firsthand and researching how they interact, students are gaining a beautiful understanding of life cycles and the delicate balance of our ecosystems. All of this discovery is lead-up to our next big hands-on project: a germination investigation!

Positive Acknowledgement in 3/4B

In 3/4B, we celebrate our learning community through a special acknowledgement system. Students earn recognition whenever they demonstrate positive classroom behaviours, uphold our class agreement, or live out our TPS school values. When a student is spotted doing great work or being a kind classmate, they receive a verbal "thank you" and a pompom token. These tokens allow students to vote for one of three end-of-term rewards. It’s a wonderful way to promote positivity and ensure every student feels like a valued member of our cohesive learning team.

On Friday of Week 2, 3/4B enjoyed their hard-earned Term 1 reward: a Cubby and Fort Fun Day! It was a joy to see the classroom transformed into a space for building, playing and relaxing. This day gave students a chance to connect and show their creative sides.

Here is what some of our students had to say:

• “I liked building cubbies because we got to use different stuff and make things our own.”
• “I enjoyed being in the forts with my friends and playing.”
• “We liked playing video games, chilling and feasting on lollies with friends, because it was fun.”

The pompom jars are already starting to fill up again! We can’t wait to see what 3/4B chooses for their next celebration.

3/4 A 

3/4 A have had a lovely first 4 weeks back at school, working with Tasia, our pre-service teacher. 3/4A have made her a welcome member of the class and Tasia has had a great time getting to know the students and challenging them with their learning. 

Inspired by one of our students, Acer and Tasia codesigned a project where students could celebrate their class totem, the bulen bulen (lyrebird) by creating a unique mural. All class members participated in the collaboration and we have all been incredibly impressed with the final product. 

It will be sad to see Tasia leave, however we wish her all the best on her journey to becoming a teacher.