Level 4: Connect

Welcome: 

Level 4 students have made an amazing start to the term over the past few weeks. Teachers have been very proud seeing the levels of enthusiasm, engagement and diligence of our lovely students thus far!

This week we began some assessment tasks to assist teachers with reporting. Students have approached these tasks with confidence and maturity- very impressive indeed! Assessment tasks will continue over the next few weeks.

One highlight of our week is our weekly Level 4 assembly that is held with all three classes each Friday just before lunch. It's a time where teachers and students give 'shout-outs' to students who have been doing all the right things. It's a great opportunity to recognise students who are caring, kind, helpful, respectful etc. 

Please remember that your child needs to bring a school hat to school every day. We encourage our students to be 'Sun Smart' and protect their skin from our harsh sun. When the UV index is 3 or above, a hat is required; if a student does not have a hat, they will need to play under the shade sails of the SLC.

• Level 4 Excursion to Melbourne Museum and IMAX Thursday on the 14th November. We still require a few extra volunteers for this particular excursion, so if you are available to assist us please let us know via COMPASS or alternatively, feel free to pop in to see your child's teacher.
• Our SEPS Colour Run is on Friday, 15th November. Hopefully your child has brought home their sponsorship form so they can start getting some sponsorship dollars!

Assessment:

As we enter Weeks 5, 6, and 7—our assessment and reporting period—we kindly ask families to ensure that students’ laptops are fully charged each night, ready for school the next day. An assessment schedule has been carefully planned each day to help minimise stress for students, so missing a session may add unnecessary pressure. Having a charged laptop helps students stay organised and focused, allowing them to get the most from their assessment sessions. Thank you for your support in helping our students succeed!

Literacy:

The level 4 students have been practising applying a range of reading comprehension skills when analysing a text. Particularly, they have been working with a Literacy Circle Group, which requires them to share their thoughts and ideas about the novels they are reading. The roles the students have been practising include questioning, inferring, summarising and synthesising, meaning we have had a lot of practice at identifying the authors intentions and unpacking key information to help us understand a text. 

In writing, the Level 4 students have been exploring persuasive writing techniques. We have been unpacking persuasive speeches and texts in class to analyse how specific persuasive devices can convince the readers. This week, students worked in teams to start drafting a persuasive speech based on some exciting topics, such as "Student's should design their own school uniforms". 

Next week, we will be revisiting narrative writing and how we can strengthen our fictional story telling!  We'll be looking at the text "Cicada", leading towards our exciting upcoming excursion based on our Inquiry focus this term "Biological Science."

Numeracy:

Over the past fortnight we have been working on all manner of tasks involving area and perimeter. We have had lots of opportunities to discover various perimeters of regular and irregular shapes as well as calculating the area of quadrilaterals and other exciting 2D shapes.

We even headed onto the asphalt outside to measure (and create) areas and perimeters in metres!

Next week we move onto 3D and 2D shapes. Have you ever heard of a nonagon or a decagon? Well, students will be investigating lots of weird and wonderful shapes with different properties over the coming week.

The following website is a good one to have a play with at home: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/Search.aspx?q=3D+shapes 

Inquiry: 

Over the next fortnight, students will dive into the life cycles, ecosystems, and environmental challenges facing Australian wildlife as part of our inquiry unit. They’ll begin by studying the unique life cycles of native animals like the platypus, kangaroo, and frog, learning how environmental factors, such as drought, affect these stages. Following this, students will explore various Australian ecosystems, including deserts, rainforests, and coastal areas, identifying the distinct plant and animal life that thrive in these environments and the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem health.

In the later lessons, students will investigate what happens when food chains are disrupted and how imbalances affect ecosystem health. Through group research and creative role-play activities, they’ll gain insight into real-world issues like overpopulation, invasive species, and habitat destruction. Finally, we’ll discuss the impact of environmental changes, including climate shifts, on ecosystems, focusing on how animals adapt or migrate to survive.

By engaging in these hands-on activities, students will deepen their understanding of Australian animals and the importance of protecting our unique ecosystems. We’re looking forward to seeing their curiosity and critical thinking shine in this unit!

Home learning

Reading 

Regular reading for 15-20 minutes each night has a powerful impact on your child’s literacy development. This daily habit strengthens their comprehension, expands vocabulary, and builds confidence in their reading skills. Consistent reading also helps children develop a love for stories and learning, setting them up for success across all areas of the curriculum.

Numeracy 

Please encourage your child to complete their set Mathletics tasks as there are many students with outstanding activities that have yet to be completed. Thank you for your support with this.

Have a wondeful fortnight and we look forward to seeing you all soon. Thank you for your support with your child's home learning.

Level 4 Teachers.