Apollo

WELCOME TO 2025!

The students and teachers in Apollo have had a wonderful start to the year! It has been so much fun for everyone having the first few weeks of school to get to know one another and settle into classroom routines. Some exciting things students have done so far include having the first Grade 4 cohort assembly where teachers celebrated some amazing work students have done so far, as well as meet our Grade Prep buddies!

Reading:

In Reading, students have been busy setting up expectations and routines they will practise throughout reading this year. Students have worked together to set up classroom libraries and sort books according to genre and features, as well as organise resources that belong in their independent reading boxes. They have also worked hard to understand their role during a reading lesson as well as the teacher’s and how they can best contribute their ideas while reading. Students have been given the opportunity to practise their skills while reading independently, and have worked towards improving their reading stamina while reading on their own. The teachers have enjoyed listening to students read to them and look forward to seeing them grow and learn as readers over the next year!

Writing:

In Writing, the students of Apollo have taken steps to settle into a positive writing routine. Each student has brought a Writer’s Notebook for their free choice writing time. The students have been investigating, writing and revising narratives. They have worked towards understanding the different pieces that make up a great narrative, those being the Introduction, Complication and Resolution. They have worked to include the details of who, what, where and when in their Introductions, what goes wrong in their Complications and how it is made okay in their Resolutions. The students will publish their amazing narratives, which will be included in our classroom libraries for everyone to read. 

Maths:

In Maths, students have been exploring place value, decimals and data representation. They have been learning to recognise place value up to thousands down to tenths, and hundredths, using materials such as MAB blocks and bar models to strengthen their understanding. Students have also developed strategies for reading, renaming, and expanding numbers to show their place value.

In addition, students have been learning to collect, represent, and interpret data using tally marks, tables, and different types of graphs, including bar and line graphs. They have practised creating survey questions and analysing data to draw meaningful conclusions.

We are excited to see their progress as they continue building confidence in these important mathematical concepts!

Student work samples - Place value

Student work samples - Statistics

Collecting Data

Representing data using different types of graphs

   Interpreting Data

SEL:

Our Apollo Year 4 students have been actively engaging in valuable Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons designed to foster growth, empathy, and responsibility. With a focus on Resilience, Rights, and Respectful Relationships, our students are becoming equipped with the necessary skills to thrive, both in the classroom and beyond. These learning experiences are supported by completing the eSmart online modules, an initiative of the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, which aims to ensure children and young people are safe, confident, and empowered in their digital and real-world environments.

Student work samples

Students created a First Aid Kit for their emotions

Inquiry:

Our Year 4 Junior Inquirers have been exploring Australia's states and territories, working collaboratively to discover significant landmarks and their importance to our country. They have also made connections to their own experiences in different states and territories, deepening their understanding. 

This term, our inquiry focus has included learning about the significant celebrations and commemorations in Australia, such as ANZAC Day, National Sorry Day and Australia Day. Students have also researched influential Australian figures and the first nations names for different areas within Australia.

We look forward to seeing what the students will continue to discover as they further discover and inquire about all things 'Australia' this term.

The images above depict the states and territories within Australia, and the students research of landmarks within them.