Classroom News 

What's Happening in Specialist Classes Term 2

🎵 Music News – Term 2 🎶

Preps – Finding Our Voices! This term, our Prep students are discovering the different ways we can use our voices—singing, whispering, shouting, and talking! Through playful songs and activities, they'll experiment with their voices and build confidence in expressing themselves musically.

Year 1 – Moving, Grooving & Making Music! Year 1 students will be busy exploring rhythm, beat, tempo, and pitch through movement and listening games. This term, they’ll continue their musical adventure with call-and-response singing, echo clapping, and instrument fun! Get ready for lots of hands-on, toe-tapping music-making!

Year 2 – Singing, Playing & Performing! Year 2 students are strengthening their musical skills through solfège pitch matching, percussion exercises, and folk songs. This term, they'll take their music to the next level—building confidence in performing, playing instruments, and responding to different styles of music in creative ways!

Year 3 – Rocking the Recorder! Year 3 students are diving deeper into their recorder journey! This term is all about building on the basics—holding the recorder correctly, finger placement, and breath control to produce clear, beautiful sounds. They will be challenged with new music as they grow in skill, and they’ll start playing more exciting melodies and fun tunes! 🎶

Year 4 – Ukulele Superstars! Year 4 students are strumming their way to success! With a big focus on chord changes and smooth transitions, they’ll be playing songs in no time. Whether it’s a gentle island tune or a lively strum-along, our ukulele players are set for a fantastic term of music-making!

Year 5 – Keyboard Explorers! This term, Year 5 students are getting hands-on with the keyboard! They’ll be learning how to play simple melodies, mastering finger placement, and reading music. By the end of the term, they’ll be ready to play some familiar tunes—so get ready for some home concerts! 🎹

Year 6 – Band in the Making! Year 6 students are taking on the challenge of playing different band instruments! They’ll rotate between instruments, learn a new song, and work on playing together as a group. It’s all about teamwork, timing, and making some awesome music together! 🎺🥁🎷

We can't wait to see (and hear!) all the amazing music our students will create this term! Stay tuned! 🎵✨

Stem Term 2

Foundation 

Students will have the opportunity to experiment with very simple, step-by-step programmable devices called Blue Bots. Students will learn to code the Blue Bots so they move in an intended manner.

Year 1

Students will have the opportunity to program a device such as a Blue Bot following a sequence of steps to solve simple problems. Students will develop an understanding of their functionalities and will enhance students’ skills to troubleshoot and innovate.

Year 2

Students will have the opportunity to explore how to use Google Drive, Google Docs, and Google Classroom effectively for organising, creating, and managing their schoolwork. They will learn how to store, organise, share files and collaborate with their peers.. 

Year 3

Students will have the opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts through hands-on building and programming LEGO Education WeDO 2.0.

Year 4

Students will have the opportunity to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) concepts through hands-on building and programming LEGO Education Spike Essential. 

Year 5 

Students will design, develop and optimise solutions using BricQ Motion Prime Lego. They will learn about the fundamentals of physics, motion, and forces. Students will explore Newton’s Laws of Motion and apply scientific reasoning to real-world scenarios. 

Year 6

Students will have the opportunity to design and build a simple project using MicroBits or LittleBits, demonstrating knowledge of basic programming and circuit connections. LittleBits will allow students to create interactive projects, experimenting with circuits and inventions. MicroBits will allow students to code and build digital projects.

Premiers Reading Challenge

To all our bookworms, it’s that exciting time of the year when students will embark on the Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge. The 2025 theme is 20 years of Words and Wonder. The Challenge is all about discovery: helping our students to discover new books, and a love of reading. Your child may need your support to complete this challenge, especially our junior students and those who need to be encouraged to read. Reading together is one of the most powerful ways we can help our children build their literacy skills. 

Students will receive a printed letter explaining the VPRC, including their usernames and passwords, in Week 1 or 2. Please encourage your child to read books at home and participate in this personal reading challenge. Some children may need assistance to add read books to their online reading list.  As a school community, we hope all students will complete the challenge and read like never before!! 

To assist students and families, our school library is open on Tuesday-Friday mornings before school at 8:30 am and after school each day until 3:45 pm. All are welcome to return and borrow books during these times or to ask for assistance regarding the VPRC if needed. Computers are also available for students to add books to their challenge lists.

So, kids grab a book, curl up in a cozy corner, and let the adventures begin! The Hume Library also has a great selection of VPRC books for you to read. Happy reading, everyone!

ALL STUDENTS WILL BE REGISTERED THROUGH THE SCHOOL

The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 in recognition of the importance of reading for literacy development. 

 It is not a competition, but a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by 5th September 2025

CHILDREN FROM PREP TO YEAR 2 ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ 

OR ‘EXPERIENCE’ 30 BOOKS WITH THEIR PARENTS AND TEACHERS.  

CHILDREN FROM YEAR 3 TO YEAR 6 ARE CHALLENGED TO READ 15 BOOKS.

All children who meet the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former Premiers.

To read the Premier’s letter to parents, view the booklist and for more information 

about the Victoria Premiers’ Challenge (VPRC), visit: https://www.vic.gov.au/school-student-and-parents-taking-part-premiers-reading-challenge

Your child will come home with their own introduction letter 

PLEASE KEEP THIS LETTER IN A SAFE PLACE

 THIS IS YOUR CHILD’S INDIVIDUAL LOGIN DETAILS

Link to: VPRC Student Login Page 

Library Program Term 2

Reading focus

A variety of literature, including an introduction to some Book Week books, will be shared with students to foster a love for reading throughout the term. Students will be encouraged to read at home and add the book titles to their online VPRC reading lists as they go!

Prep and Year 1: to encourage students to be engaged with a chosen book from the library for a sustained period.

Year 2 & 3: to read books of interest independently for a sustained period.

Learning Focus

Prep:   Identify their favourite rhyme/story 

Year 1: Express preferences for specific books 

Year 2: Discuss what makes a book appealing

Year 3: Exploring the nonfiction section of the library

Welcome to Art Term 2

Prep

The Prep students will enjoy creating a range of artworks using a variety of different materials. They will be encouraged to be creative and explore different ideas while creating unique pieces. Students will be exposed to different patterns in nature, paintings and drawings. They will be provided with the opportunity to experiment with a chosen pattern to help with their art piece.

Year 1 & 2

The Year One and Two students will be encouraged to think and explore different topics through Art. For example, they will learn about ANZAC DAY and make poppies, they will explore and learn about insects and create their favourite 3D insect.

Year 3 & 4

The Year Three and Four Artists will be exploring Australian animals by drawing on wooden sculptures, which will be displayed in the Art Room to inspire the students to continue to use their imagination and creativity to create Art.

Year 5 & 6

The artistic Year Five and Six students will express their creativity by using a variety of materials to produce their Art pieces. They will be creating personalised artworks related to themselves and others.

We are super excited to see their imaginations come to life through Art!

Physical Education

Get ready for an action-packed Term 2 in PE! Our students will be developing their skills, teamwork, and sportsmanship through exciting activities and games. This term, we’ll also be focusing on encouragement—learning how to lift each other up, cheer on our teammates, and celebrate effort and improvement. Whether it’s a high five, a kind word, or a cheer from the sideline, every bit of encouragement makes a difference!

🏃‍♂️ Years Prep – 2 🎾 Our youngest athletes will be focusing on fundamental motor skills, starting with throwing and catching—perfect for improving coordination and confidence with a ball! Once they’ve mastered that, they’ll move on to ball bounce (dribbling), working on control and rhythm as they bounce their way through fun challenges and games. Throughout it all, they’ll be practising how to support and cheer on their classmates—because a great teammate makes everyone better!

🏑 Years 3 – 6 🏀 The older students will be diving into invasion games, learning the strategies and teamwork needed to outplay their opponents. This term, we’ll be focusing on netball and hockey, where students will develop their passing, movement, and defensive skills while putting their teamwork to the test. But true teamwork isn’t just about skills—it’s about encouraging each other! We’ll be working on using positive words and actions to build confidence and create a great team atmosphere.

It’s going to be another fantastic term in PE—let’s get moving, support each other, and have some fun!

LOTE 

Grade 4

This term in Japanese, we’re continuing to strengthen our understanding of hiragana. 

Our focus for the next two weeks will be to finish our hiragana recognition block, which will serve as our foundation for when we move on to hiragana writing later in the year. We’re using songs, games, and classroom activities to make the learning fun and memorable, helping students feel comfortable before moving into writing.

Later in the term, we’ll be shifting our focus back to numbers (kanji) – . As we explored kanji last year, students may remember some characters, and we’ll build on that foundation with new kanji and their meanings in context.

Culturally, we’re diving into the fascinating world of Japanese myths and folklore. Students will learn about the Shinto creation story, including Gods like Izanagi, Izanami, and Amaterasu, and explore traditional Japanese tales that have been passed down for generations.

Grade 5/6

This term in Japanese, we will continue to deepen our understanding of hiragana. Over the next two weeks, our primary focus will be to complete our hiragana recognition block, which will form a critical foundation for when we transition to hiragana writing later in the year. To make the learning both engaging and effective, we will incorporate a variety of interactive methods, including songs, games, and classroom activities. These strategies will ensure that students gain confidence in recognising hiragana characters before moving on to more advanced writing exercises.

Later in the term, we will shift our focus back to kanji, specifically exploring the kanji for numbers. As students were introduced to kanji last year, they may recall some of the characters, and we will build upon this foundation by introducing new kanji characters and exploring their meanings in context. This will enable students to recognise how kanji is used not only in numbers but in a wide range of everyday language contexts.

Culturally, we will immerse ourselves in Japanese mythology and folklore this term. Students will delve into the Shinto creation myth, learning about the roles of gods such as Izanagi, Izanami, and Amaterasu, and exploring how these stories have shaped traditional Japanese culture. These narratives offer valuable insights into both the spiritual beliefs and the historical worldview of Japan, which continue to influence the country’s customs and festivals today.