Classroom News

Foundation Curriculum News -Term 4, Week 8, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term. 

Important Dates to Remember:

Swimming Timetable

Reading

In Reading, students are introduced to Sounds-Write Unit 1 Extended Code which focuses on the /ae/ sound. We will continue to explore new sounds in our Sounds-Write lesson called Seek the Sound. They will explore how to keep safe in a storm through our core knowledge unit about Seasons.

Writing

In Writing, students will start learning about letter writing through the story ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, students will use hands-on materials and visual models to learn how to add collections of objects to 20. Through practical activities, they will combine groups, represent their thinking in different ways, and develop confidence working with numbers to build a strong foundation for future addition skills.

Biological Science

In Science, students are continuing to investigate the observable changes in the sky and landscape and how these influence our daily lives. They will learn more about weather patterns through our upcoming Inquisitive Kids incursion, where they will explore seasonal changes and how these patterns affect people and the environment. Students are also deepening their understanding of how different cultures, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, observe and describe the seasons and their connection to the environment.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students are learning to recognise and celebrate the diversity within our classroom and community. They are exploring ways to be respectful, inclusive, and kind to everyone, understanding that each person deserves to be treated with fairness and care. Through stories and discussions, students are developing strategies to manage stress and move from the red or yellow zone back into the blue zone. They are learning how to identify their feelings, calm their bodies, solve problems, seek help when needed, and “bounce back” from challenges, building confidence, empathy, and a strong sense of belonging for all.

Foundation Team

Tegan Cochran, Rebecca Gomes, Ashleigh Smith

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Year 1 Curriculum News-Term 4, Week 8, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term.

Important Dates to Remember:

Swimming Timetable

Reading 

In Reading, students have been reviewing the ‘a’ sound through their fluency texts. Each day, they practise reading aloud with a partner to build confidence, fluency, and expressive reading.

a-e (cake) ai (drain) ay (tray) a (apron) ei (vein) ey (they) ea (break) eigh (freight)

Writing 

In Writing, students have created their own Egyptian Traction Man adventure stories, incorporating adverbs, adjectives, and conjunctions to add greater detail and interest to their work.

Mathematics  

In Mathematics, students have been learning about money, adding up the total cost of different items, calculating change, and working out the difference when they do not have enough money to buy something.

Wellbeing

Students have built on their understanding of when and how to ask for help, learning which trusted adults they can approach in different situations.

1B saying farewell to Ms. Rechner

Year 1 Team

Caroline Morrison, James Thomas, Alison Sparks

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Year 2 Curriculum News-Term 4, Week 8, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term.

Important Dates to Remember:

Reading

In Reading, students will continue our reading unit “Taking Care of Our Earth,” exploring picture story books that highlight the importance of caring for our planet. They’ll engage with rich, thoughtful stories that show how everyday choices can help protect the environment and inspire young readers to make positive changes. Each lesson will include a familiar sequence: building vocabulary through focused word work, answering guided comprehension questions to deepen understanding, and practising well-structured sentences using because, but, and so. Students will further develop their fluency, strengthen their comprehension skills, and learn to identify key ideas, make connections, and reflect on how people—big and small—can look after the Earth.

Writing

In Writing, students have begun selecting their own text type and will plan, draft, edit, and publish a final piece based on their favourite style they have worked on this year—narrative, information, or persuasive. They will continue to apply the writing tools they have learned throughout the year, including using compound sentences, adjectives and adverbs, rhetorical questions, commas for lists, capitals for proper nouns, and vocabulary they have explored in both Reading and Writing. This process will help them reflect on their growth as writers while showcasing their developing skills.

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, students are moving on from Graphs to revising and strengthening their multiplication strategies. They will then begin our unit on Chance, where students will learn the language of chance through fun games and hands-on activities.

Geography

In Geography, students will learn to describe different Australian landscapes and their vegetation, explain how people live differently in cities, towns, and rural areas, and identify major natural landmarks such as rivers, the reef, deserts, mountains, islands, and forests. Students will explore why these landmarks are special and need to be cared for, think about Earth from another perspective to consider how we can protect our environment, and understand that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the first peoples of Australia with a special connection to Country and Place.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students are focusing on anti-racism through picture story books and guided discussions that help them understand inclusion, respect, and fairness. They will also be creating posters to spread positive messages about standing up for themselves and others.

Year 2 Team

Daniel Lewis, Natasha Williams, Lauren Ely

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Year 3 Curriculum News - Term 4, Week 8, 2025

Thank you for your support over the last few weeks, ensuring students have been on time, and with their laptops charged. Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks.

Reading

In Reading, students will begin reading our new story, “The Velveteen Rabbit”. Students will learn about the character's internal and external features, and how love can bring things to life.

Writing

In Writing, students have begun planning their narrative based on vikings, as well as the theme of love from The Velveteen Rabbit. Students stories will begin with their main character being an inanimate object, and love will bring their character to life.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, students will continue to learn about money. We will explore all the coins and notes of Australia, and do some addition, subtraction, multiplication and division using money.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students have explored the idea of racism, and what we can do to promote anti-racism throughout schools. We have discussed why some people are treated unfairly, what that can look like, how it can affect people and what we can do to stand up for those facing racism.

Year 3 Team

Cassie Wilson, Katie Smith, Harrison Yardney

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Year 4 Curriculum Newsletter - Term 4, Week 8 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with some important dates for this term. 

Important Dates to Remember:

Reading

In Reading, students will complete our novel, Boy Overboard. They will review and summarise some of their favourite parts. Students will also engage with a range of information texts to learn about Earth and Space Science. They will practise identifying key facts, summarising main ideas, and comparing information across different sources to deepen their understanding of our planet, the solar system, and beyond.

Writing

In Writing, students will complete their portal narrative. They will write their resolution and ending and will aim to include sensory language to bring settings and characters to life, use rhetorical questions to draw readers in, and include lists of descriptions for vivid imagery. 

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, students will learn how to measure areas in informal units, and compare them. Through activities, they will learn that the area of a figure can be found by counting the number of unit squares (or half-squares) that are needed to cover the surface of the figure completely. Students will also be taught square centimetre and square metre as two common units of measurement of area, and learn to visualise their relative sizes.

Earth and Space Science

In Science, students will investigate Earth’s movement, its relationship with the Moon, and the processes that shape our planet, such as shifting tectonic pieces, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, erosion, and landslides. Students are also working on a Planets in our Solar System project, where they will showcase their learning about the variety of worlds that orbit our Sun.

Wellbeing

In Wellbeing, students will build on their knowledge of inclusion, diversity and respect through a range of picture story books and activities. They will also be exploring how to make informed choices on how to stay safe online. Students will continue to identify and learn how to show expected behaviours through our School Wide Positive Behaviour Matrix. 

Kind Regards,

Year 4 Team

Sam Pallas, Luke Fletcher and Jessica De Angelis

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Year 5 Curriculum News - Term 4, Week 8, 2025

Below is an outline of our curriculum program for the next two weeks, along with an important date for this term.

Reading

In Reading, students have been exploring Heroes of the Secret Underground by Susanne Gervay. They have been analysing the hidden meanings within the text and writing short answers to explain their thinking. Students have also expanded kernel sentences, written complex and compound sentences, and responded thoughtfully to comprehension questions.

Writing

In Writing, students have been researching and drafting their historical recounts. Throughout this process, students have been learning to use complex sentences effectively and have continued to edit and improve their historical recount writing pieces.

Mathematics 

In Mathematics, students have learned how to identify, measure and find angles within quadrilateral shapes. 

Extra-Curricular:

Grade 5 students began to transition and prepare for their Grade 6 roles, where they met with next year's preps and began practicing their work with the preps for 2026.

Vanessa Martelli, Josh Bretherton, Vanessa Stimar

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Year 6 Curriculum News -Term 4, Week 8, 2025

Welcome to Week 8 of Term 4. Our Year Six students have been working hard during their assessments and we are seeing great progress. As the days and weeks quickly tick by, everyone is looking forward to all the festive activities to come. 

Important Dates to Remember:

5/6 Water Safety Life Saving Program

Our Year 6 students participated in the Water Safety Life Saving Program, provided by Life Saving Victoria (LSV). In the lessons, instructors covered water safety, CPR, first aid, and lifesaving skills. Despite the cold, choppy conditions, every student gave the activities a go, showing resilience, determination, and support for one another while developing important water safety skills.

Student Thoughts:

It was a really fun experience, and the boogie boarding was really fun. (Rylee 6A)

Even though it was cold I enjoyed spending time with my friends and learning about life saving. (Harriet 6B)

I learnt how to swim out of a rip and enjoyed how to perform CPR and boogie boarding.  (Rupsy 6B)

Though it was very cold, I enjoyed learning the protocols for life saving. (Faith 6A)

Literacy

As we come to the end of our Reading unit, Year 6 students have been exploring Black Cockatoo and Dirrarn, analysing how the authors use language to convey themes of identity, resilience, and connection to Country. Having read up to Chapter 11, they are deepening their understanding of the characters’ growth, emotional journeys, and the ways cultural values are expressed through imagery and symbolism. Students continue to discuss how these stories share important cultural perspectives and promote respect for Country and community.

Writing

Students are focusing on biographies, studying the structure and features of this text type. Most students have completed writing a biography on an Australian Indigenous person and will soon begin writing a biography on a famous person of their choice. These biographies highlight the achievements, resilience, and contributions of inspiring individuals. This is a great opportunity for parents and guardians to ask students who they researched and any interesting facts they discovered.

Maths 

After our recent Maths assessment period and as we approach the end of the year, Year 6 students will cover a range of units across data, ratios, problem solving, and 3D geometry.

Data: Students will organise, display, analyse, and interpret data through practical and problem-solving activities.

Ratios: Students will explore ratios, including using ratios to compare two or three quantities, understanding equivalent ratios, and solving related word problems.

Problem Solving: Dedicated lessons will provide further practice and “Mind Stretcher” challenges to extend reasoning and application skills.

3D Geometry: Students will develop their understanding of cross sections of prisms and pyramids, and construct models of 3D objects to explore shapes and their properties.

These lessons build on prior learning and aim to strengthen problem-solving, analytical thinking, and spatial reasoning as students consolidate their Year 6 Maths knowledge.

Health and Development 

We are starting our Health unit, students will be learning about healthy eating and overall wellbeing, developing an understanding of how nutrition influences physical, social, and mental health. They will learn about macronutrients and micronutrients, exploring how each supports the body and contributes to a balanced diet. Students will also identify practical strategies to promote health in all areas, encouraging positive lifestyle choices and personal responsibility for wellbeing.

2026 Secondary Step Up/Transition Days

We know there will be several 2026 Secondary Step Up/Transition Days coming up for the different secondary schools our Year 6 students will be attending next year. Please inform the school if your child will be absent for one of these transition days so we can record it accurately on Compass.

Kind Regards,

Year 6 Team

Renee Kociski and Ryan Bolger 

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Specialist  Curriculum Newsletter - Term 4 , 2025

Dear Parents/ Caregivers,

Below are some snapshots of what has been happening in the specialist classrooms this term.

Music

Visual Arts

Physical Education

French