Level 2 

Level 2 continues to work positively across all areas of the curriculum. They are showing ready to learn behaviours by lining up respectfully and organising what they need for each lesson. They are also showing school pride and making sure that their learning spaces are organised and clean and tidy. This includes not taking rubbish outside into the playground. 

Literacy

Level Two have been steadily building upon our writing skills by forming 'Really Good Sentences', that include a capital letter, a subject, a verb and a full stop. We have even bumped up our writing by adding descriptive words, like adjectives and adverbs. In Spelling and Phonics students have been using mini whiteboards to revise sounds, tricky words and include their words in sentences. 

Grades have started Guided Reading groups, allowing small groups to focus more deeply on a different text each lesson. This is where we teach students to comprehend what they are reading on a deeper level. We are also learning about visualising and teachers and students read the passage below.  Little did they know that 'nogard' is dragon spelt backwards. The way they visualised the 'Nogard' was amazing, and students loved it when they finally realised it was a dragon. There was lots of laughter all around. 

Maths 

Students have been learning about Place Value in Maths. They have been learning about digits and their value with numbers to 1,000 and beyond. They have been using number lines and MAB to understand and apply their knowledge of numbers. Place-value games such as knockout and beat-the-teacher have also been fun. Students created their own MAB name and calculated how much their name is worth in hundreds, tens and ones. 

Ways to help at home - 

Roll 3 or 4 dice. Make the biggest number you can. Make the smallest. 

What is 1 more than your number? What is 1 less? What is 10 more? 10 less? 100 more, 100 less? Discuss and work it out together. 

Inquiry 

Our topic in Term 1 is all about changing times and how transport, communication, technology, school and many other things have changed over time. So far, students have looked at how communication and transport has changed from 100 years ago to now. They have loved seeing the old ways that people communicated, including through the post, through old radios, and the first telephones. Students in 2KH have enjoyed typing on an old typewriter and using old dial phones. They can't believe that when their teachers were young, they didn't even have mobile phones or the Internet. 

Students completed a See Think Wonder thinking routine about the image from the past using the above image.  Some of the thinking was incredible - 

I see....

“I see all the desks in straight lines.” (Noah)

“They’re all sitting up really straight and drinking milk.” (AJ)

"So many kids in one classroom." (Evie)

“No posters or colourful walls.” (Brandon)

I think....

“I think they had to be really quiet.” (Ella J)

“I think school was stricter back then.” (Ashton)

“I think the teacher did most of the talking.” (Oscar)

“I think they had to write everything by hand.” (Amelia)

“Maybe they all learned the same thing at the same time.” (Oscar)

“I think they didn’t get to move around much.” (Zoe)

I wonder....

“Did they have recess and lunch like us?” (Charlie)

"Why are they all drinking milk?" (Liam)

“What happened if they got an answer wrong?” (Leon)

“Were they allowed to talk to each other?” (Ellie)

“Did they have homework?” (Edie)

“Did all children get to go to school?” (Mrs Darling)

“What did they use instead of iPads?” (Morgan)

“Were the lessons fun?” (Isabelle)

“How long was their school day?” (Emma B)

“Did they play games at school?” (Emma B)

Reminders

If you need to speak to your child's teacher, please email them to make an appointment. We want to make sure that we give you our full attention. As classrooms are very busy places, we are often very busy in the mornings as students are arriving. Having said that, if you need to tell us something important, we welcome this as needed. 

Please let your child's teacher know if you have a grandparent that would like to speak with the level 2's about the past. 

• Hats – All students need a hat! Please pack one in their bag
• Labour day public holiday - Monday the 9th of March 
• Grandparents talk about the past - Tuesday the 10th of March
• Assembly - 13th March 2KH and 2YS are performing at assembly 
• Homework - continuing every week. Spelling, Maths and a take home reader.
• Rubbish free yard - no rubbish to go outside 
• Compass - keep an eye on Compass for excursions and important updates. Cut off dates are final. 
• Level 2 late stay – Term 4
• Excursions - TBC 
• End of Term (MAD Easter Day) - Thursday 2nd April
• Parent helpers - If you would like to be a parent helper you must have completed the parent helper training and have a current WWCC. Please email your class teacher via compass if you would like to help in the classroom. 

Warm regards, 

Level 2 teachers

Kim Holmes, Yasi Shayesteh, Elizabeth Seymour.