Year 1 News

From Yolanda Andrews, Year 1A teacher

Proudly Presenting......

Another wonderful few weeks of learning with our Year 1 students! 

A big shout-out to all of the students for their hard work and continued effort as we move steadily toward the end of their first term in Year 1. The transition from Prep to Year 1 is a significant step, and our students have truly impressed us with their perseverance and willingness to take on feedback.

From listening to outstanding JSRC speeches to watching students support one another and thoughtfully discuss ways to overcome minor challenges independently, it has been fantastic to see their growth. These students continue to demonstrate enthusiasm, resilience, and a strong sense of community. They have been nothing short of sensational! 

 We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to all the students who bravely delivered such impressive speeches. Well done to everyone for giving it their very best!

Word Study

We have been focusing on a range of letter–sound combinations, including digraphs that produce the long ‘e’ sound and digraphs and trigraphs that produce the long ‘i’ sound. They have also enjoyed exploring compound words, such as sunset and backpack. Students have used a variety of resources- including mini whiteboards, magnetic letters, and interactive games- to practise and consolidate their understanding.

Literacy

Year 1 students have also been exploring narrative texts using the CSPACE framework, which supports them in identifying key story elements: Character, Setting, Problem, Action, Conclusion, and Emotion (how the character changes throughout the story).

We have also been using the magnificent text Where the Wild Things Are to explore character development and setting. Below are some wonderful examples of students engaging with their learning in a fun and creative way.

A special thank-you to all families for supporting their child in establishing a positive home reading routine. We have greatly enjoyed reading the students’ reflections in their Reading Logs each week. A friendly reminder to please send a pair of labelled plug-in headphones to school, if you have not already done so, for your child to use during our online interactive reading program, Nessy.

Maths

We have been learning about place value. Students have enjoyed engaging with a range of resources, including tens frames, bundling sticks, Unifix blocks, and interactive games such as Tumbling Towers, to develop their understanding of how the position of a digit determines its value within a number.

A new problem-solving poster has been introduced and shared with the Year 1 students to support them in resolving minor issues independently. It has been wonderful to see and hear the mature discussions students are having with one another as they work through challenges that may arise throughout the day.

Finally, the students have enthusiastically embraced the beginning of Harmony Week and have enjoyed sharing celebrations and daily practices from their own families. They truly uphold our RISE values and are wonderful examples of how a diverse community can come together in unity. We look forward to sharing some food with you all at the Harmony Picnic on Friday, 27 March.