Junior School News

As we reached the half way point of our final term, we have jam packed many beautiful events and new experiences for our students.

Campfire Fun Under the Classroom Stars

Our Year One and Two students kicked off their camp program with an evening full of excitement and laughter right here at school! The night was filled with colourful chalk drawings, lively dance parties, skipping frenzies, and plenty of classic camp games and songs. After a fun-filled evening and a delicious dinner, our Year Ones headed home, while the Year Twos continued the adventure, settling in to sleep under the cosy glow of Christmas lights in the STEM room.

It was a wonderful opportunity for students to build friendships, show independence, and enjoy the magic of camp together as a cohort. A huge thank-you goes to our amazing Junior School teachers and staff who made this special experience possible. We are so lucky to have such a dedicated and caring team!

Exploring Writing Genres in the Junior School

This term, our Junior School students have been building upon their strong foundation of sentence structure and essential writing skills to explore a range of writing genres, including persuasive and narrative texts. Through engaging book studies, our Year 1 students have connected their learning to the stories Migaloo the White Whale and Looking After Country With Fire, while our Year 2 students have been inspired by The Little Refugee.

Across all classes, students have also been using “Narrative Hill” to deepen their understanding of the features and structure of imaginative writing. It has been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they apply their knowledge to create thoughtful, expressive, and purposeful pieces of writing.

Prep

In Prep, students have been learning the Sail Away spelling rule, discovering that “ai” is used at the beginning and middle of words, while “ay” appears at the end (as in play).

In Maths, the Preps have been representing and sequencing ordinal numbers, building a clear understanding of position and order. They have also been using number tracks to strengthen their understanding of place value, as well as ten-frames to explore how numbers are made, including making multiples of ten. Students have been developing their skills in building and identifying tens and ones using ten-frames, base-10 blocks, and bundles, for example, recognizing that a number like 53 is made up of 5 tens and 3 ones.

The past weeks have been full of curiosity, hands-on discovery, and growing independence in students’ learning.

Year One

In Year One, students have been learning the Turtle Rule, exploring how a consonant followed by -le forms the final syllable in words such as table, candle, and jungle. They have also been investigating the “igh” sound, recognising how igh makes a long vowel sound in words like night and light.

In Maths, students have been exploring 3D shapes, identifying their features and recognising them in real-life objects. They have also been building their addition and subtraction skills using number lines, applying different strategies such as counting on and counting back to solve problems with increasing accuracy.

It has been wonderful to see the Year Ones approach their learning with confidence and excitement.

Year Two

In Year Two, students have been learning the Seize the Rein rule, exploring the two sounds of ei, which can make the long e and long a sounds in words such as ceiling, neighbour, and vein. They have also been revisiting the Turtle Rule and developing an understanding of the “cei” pattern in words like receive and receipt.

In Maths, students have been exploring fractions, recognising and representing ½, ¼, and ⅛ in both collections and shapes. They have also been investigating data, using tally marks, picture graphs, and bar graphs to collect, organise, and present information, as well as creating their own graphs to show what they have learned.

The Year Twos have been engaging thoughtfully with these new concepts, showing growing confidence and maturity in their learning each day.

Junior School IMAX Excursion

Our Junior School students recently embarked on an exciting excursion to IMAX, where they experienced a breathtaking 3D presentation showcasing Australia’s unique landscapes and incredible wildlife. The students were absolutely mesmerised by the stunning visuals and immersive experience, sparking many wonderful discussions about our country’s natural wonders.

We were so proud of how exceptionally well-behaved and respectful they were throughout the day, their outstanding conduct was even recognised by IMAX staff and bus drivers.

The weather kindly held off, allowing everyone to enjoy some time exploring and playing together in the beautiful Carlton Children’s Garden. It was wonderful to see all year levels mixing together, with students looking out for and supporting one another. It truly was a day filled with learning, curiosity, and joyful connection!

Year One and Two Swimming Program

Our Year One and Two students have enjoyed starting their swimming program this week. There has been lots of excitement as they developed their confidence in the water, practised their kicking and floating skills, and learnt about water safety.

It has been wonderful to see students encouraging one another and showing persistence as they build their swimming abilities. We are so proud of their positive attitudes and enthusiasm as they take on this important part of their learning.