Year 1 Celebration 

Newsletter

Dear Families,

As we reach the end of Term 1, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful journey we've had in Year 1 so far. It has been a term filled with growth, learning, and memorable experiences, and we are so proud of all that our students have achieved.

Established Routines and Safe Learning Environments: From the outset of the term, our focus has been on establishing routines and structures that foster enjoyable and safe learning environments for all our students. We are pleased to report that these efforts have been successful, creating a supportive atmosphere where every child can thrive.

Literacy: In our reading sessions, students have made significant progress in decoding, fluency, vocabulary, phonological awareness, and phonics. Their newfound skills have opened doors to the magical world of literature, and we are thrilled to see their love for reading blossom. In Writing, our focus on recounts, retelling events, and creating procedural texts has allowed students to express themselves creatively while honing their language skills.

Mathematics: Our mathematical journey began with a strong focus on place value. Through engaging warm-ups, interactive games, and explicit teaching, students have demonstrated their understanding of how one, two, and three-digit numbers can be partitioned in different ways across hundreds, tens, and ones. Later in the term, we delved into the fascinating realms of 2D shapes and measurement.

Inquiry: Our inquiry unit on exploring the past has been both educational and exciting. Students thoroughly enjoyed a walking excursion, where they visited historical sites of significance in our local community. This hands-on experience brought history to life and sparked curiosity and wonder in our young learners.

Easter Bonnet Parade: The Easter bonnet parade was a highlight of the term, as students showcased their creativity and imagination with their amazing creations. It was a great occasion filled with laughter, fun, and community spirit, and we were truly amazed by the creativity and enthusiasm of our students.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

Warm regards,

Year 1 Team

Leah, Dannie and Jody

Performing Arts

Throughout Term One in Performing Arts, Grade One students enjoyed using masks to explore character development and had fun learning how their voice and body language can convey emotions. They practiced their conversational skills when introducing their masks to their peers and developed confidence when performing to a small audience. Through a variety of improvisations and role-plays, students experimented with changing their body language and voice to demonstrate character intention and motivation.

PE

In Term 1 Grade 1 PE classes, students continued to build on their fundamental movement skills through fun and interactive activities. They engaged in more structured games and sports, learning basic rules and teamwork. Students also explored concepts like spatial awareness and developed social skills through cooperative play.

Visual Arts

This term students investigated the tools of drawing, creating artworks using pencils, markers, crayons and oil pastels. Students continued to discover the elements of art – line, shape, and colour. Students used lines to create drawings and they identified different types of lines and patterns in their art works. When exploring colour, students named primary colours as red, yellow and blue. These colours were combined to make secondary colours: orange, green and purple. Students created works of art that are displayed for others to enjoy and appreciate.

Japanese

This term in Japanese, the Grade 1 students learned the importance of the Japanese New Year. They learnt that this year’s Japanese Zodiac animal is the dragon by making their own ‘Ema’ (a wooden plaque used in Japan to write goals or wishes on). They began a unit about body parts where they learnt to read and say a variety of body parts in Japanese. They also learnt to write some of the body parts in Hiragana and Kanji (Japanese alphabets). Students had the opportunity to apply the body part vocabulary into sentences. Students also continue to develop their vocabulary through various games and small group activities.