Grade 1 & 2
Term 3

Literacy

Grade 2 have been working hard during literacy. We have been practising contractions in spelling (two small words combined to make one word (e.g. isn't, haven't, can't), conjunctions in grammar (joining words such as and, but, or) and summarising the main idea of paragraphs to be able to write a short summary of a text. Students have been using their toolbox of comprehension strategies to strengthen their reading for understanding and are getting better each day at naming the strategies that we can use and putting them into practice.

When reading, we use the following strategies to help us understand what we read:

predicting
questioning
visualising
inferring
main idea
summarising

Our Grade 1 students are really enjoying their Research Friday sessions! Each week, they get the chance to explore a topic they’re curious about and create a mini passion project. It’s a great way for them to build their research and reading comprehension skills.

They especially love using Epic!, our online library for students, where they can discover fun facts and engaging texts about their chosen topics.

Numeracy

Grade 2 have been revising measurement this week. We had a great time measuring out dinosaur footprints, tracing them in the playground and working out stride lengths, before doing some multiplication and division to work out dinosaur hip heights, body lengths and walking or running pace.

Our Grade 1 students have been working with MONEY. They have been exploring addition and subtraction problems involving money and creating anchor charts that showcase facts and number sentences related to money. The children have been using plastic money to help solve these problems and explain how the different parts connect.

For example, the students have enjoyed setting up a pretend shop where they role-play buying and selling goods using play money. They have had fun using addition and subtraction to work out prices and solve practical problems. This hands-on learning helps the children understand money concepts in real-life situations.

Thank you for your support in reinforcing these skills at home.

Book week was amazing! Thanks for all your wonderful costumes and support to make our book parade and book day such a fabulous event.

The Grade 1 students have been learning about recognising emotions in others. This week they explored how empathy involves being kind and supportive to others to show that we care about how others feel. We know that empathy involves noticing and responding to the feelings and emotions of others and we also shared ways to offer support and companionship towards our peers. We also know that we can show empathy towards others who may be feeling lonely. The children were able to explain how empathy helps us to build positive and caring relationships with others, as well as sharing some empathetic thinking questions such as... I wonder what they’re feeling? What can I say or do to help? What would help fill their cup? We also enjoyed completing activities that emphasised the importance of reaching out to others who may be feeling lonely.

FUN FACT: When you show empathy, it helps others to feel understood and supported, which helps to make them feel better. It also helps you to feel better, as when you are kind, your brain releases that ‘happy magic’ (oxytocin).

Quote: 'Small acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone's day.' (Grade 1Z)

Inquiry

Understanding Communities: Grade 1 Learning Reflection

Our Grade 1 students have been exploring the important concept of “What it means to livein a community.” Through a variety of hands-on activities, stories, shared tasks, and lively classroom discussions, the children have developed a growing understanding of their local community and the roles and responsibilities of individuals and groups within it.

Students have discovered that a community is:

“A group of people who live together and share something in common, like a place or a hobby. A community can be as small as your family or neighbourhood, or as big as your town or city. People in communities share important places like schools, sports fields, shops, and they help each other.” (Grade 1Z)

They have learned that communities:

Help each other by working together
Offer important services such as doctors and police officers, which keep everyone safe and healthy
Have rules and laws that help people get along and live peacefully

Through these explorations, our students are beginning to understand the value of cooperation, respect, and shared responsibility in making their community a safe and happy place for everyone.

Reminders...

Please label all clothing and lunchboxes—it makes lost items easier to return.

Kindly let the front office know of any absences via phone or email.

If your contact details have changed, please notify the school office as soon as possible so you don’t miss important updates!

What musical instrument would you find in a bathroom?

A tuba toothpaste

What is a robot’s favorite snack?

Computer chips

Dates to Remember

5/9: Fathers Day Breakfast 7:30 - 8:45am