Term 4 Curriculum Newsletters
Prep
Literacy
In Literacy this term, our Prep students are learning to write their own simple narratives using the sentence structures they have learned this year. We will explore the role that characters, settings, problems and solutions play in forming interesting stories, using these story elements to create our own simple tale. With an aim to expand our spoken and written vocabulary, we are learning about synonyms that help us reach up high for better or more specific words.
In preparation for Sounds-Write in Year 1, we have begun our bridging units, exploring how one sound can be spelt using different spellings. We will continue to read and spell words with four and five sounds using the single-letter, consonant digraphs and trigraph (tch) spellings we have learnt throughout the year. Partner reading is practised daily with an aim to grow our reading fluency and automaticity. This can be further developed by reading with your child at home every night to support their reading progress.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, through Daily Review, we are continually strengthening and revising learnt concepts such as counting forwards and backwards, writing number bonds, solving addition and subtraction equations, and telling time to the hour on digital and analogue clocks. This term, we will expand on our number and place value knowledge as we compare and order numbers up to 100 and beyond by identifying tens and ones and representing numbers using unifix, bundling sticks and base ten blocks. We will learn to add and subtract within 20 by using concrete materials and also investigate sharing collections into equal groups. We will collect and represent data through picture graphs and will be applying our learning to help us further our understanding of weather patterns. Students will also expand on their knowledge of different measurement areas such as volume and capacity and learn how to use the correct vocabulary to measure and compare these units informally.
Inquiry: Weather in my World
For our Earth and Space Science unit ‘Weather in my World’, we will observe and record characteristics of weather. We will also investigate how weather affects our daily lives, the role of weather forecasts, and the strategies we can use to predict changes in the weather. As students take on the role of Weather Reporters in the classroom, they will share their observations and how the weather influences our decisions about what to wear and the things we are able to do.
Supporting Learning at Home
We ask that you please continue to read with your child every night, practise handwriting and continue counting forwards and backwards to 100 and beyond.
Grade 1
Welcome to Term 4! We are excited for a wonderful final term of learning in Year One. Below is an overview of what we will be focusing on in Literacy, Mathematics, and Inquiry.
Literacy
In Term 4, students will continue to build on their knowledge of phonics through participating in the Sounds Write program daily. We will continue building our understanding that sounds can be represented by one, two, three, or four letters. A scope and sequence of the different spellings we will be focussing on will be sent home to families.
Alongside this, we will be working on fluent reading by developing pace and expression. Students will enjoy a wide variety of texts, including classic fairy tales such as The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Little Pigs, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Jack and the Beanstalk. Later in the term, we will study the picture story books The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name and Jetty Jumping. These stories will provide opportunities to deepen comprehension and develop new vocabulary in meaningful contexts.
In writing, students will focus on the structure of stories by working with beginnings, problems, solutions, and endings, and will use this formula to write their own innovation of The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Students will further develop their writing by expanding sentences with descriptive vocabulary, using adjectives and adverbs to make their work more engaging. They will also explore different sentence types, such as statements, questions, commands, and exclamations, and begin to use prefixes and suffixes like un-, mis-, anti-, and -able in their writing.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, students will continue to strengthen their number knowledge and problem-solving skills. They will focus on addition and subtraction using strategies such as vertical algorithms with and without regrouping, number lines, and mental strategies. We will begin to explore place value by representing numbers to 999 with base-10 blocks and partitioning them into hundreds, tens, and ones. Students will also work with fractions, learning to recognise halves and quarters of collections and shapes. In measurement and geometry, we will compare lengths, explore area using informal units, and give and follow directions to move between familiar locations. Students will also interpret simple picture graphs to develop their understanding of data.
Inquiry – Our Community in Altona Meadows
Our Inquiry focus this term is on exploring the idea of community and the different ways we connect to the places around us. Students will learn about important community services such as the post office, hospital, police, and fire brigade, and discuss why these are essential in our everyday lives. They will also investigate the difference between natural and man-made landmarks, as well as explore the Indigenous Seasonal Calendar by looking at how local plants and environments reflect seasonal changes. Later in the term, students will consider how communities can work together to care for and improve their local environment and will take part in a community action project.
We are looking forward to a term full of hands-on learning, creativity, and community connection as we celebrate all the achievements of our Year One students.
Grade 2/3
Welcome back to another exciting term of learning in Grades 2 and 3! We hope you all enjoyed a relaxing break and are ready for the exciting and engaging term ahead.
Literacy
This term in Literacy, students will be focusing on information texts. They will be learning to identify and use key features such as headings, subheadings, diagrams, captions and glossaries. Students will research a range of topics and practise taking effective notes to help them plan and write their own informative pieces.
In Writing, we will also continue to refine our understanding of sentence structure, with a particular focus on developing and using complex sentences to make our writing more detailed and engaging.
Numeracy
In Mathematics, students will be strengthening their problem-solving skills by learning to identify different problem types and choose suitable strategies to solve them. We will also be extending our understanding of multiplication and division, exploring how these operations are connected and how they can be used to solve real-world problems.
Other key numeracy focuses this term include:
Maps and location – using directional language and grid references
Money – calculating change in everyday contexts
Chance – conducting and interpreting simple chance experiments
Inquiry
Our Inquiry unit this term is “The Geography of Australia”. Students will investigate Australia’s unique landscapes, landmarks, climate and the countries and oceans that surround us. They will explore how geography influences the way people live and begin to develop map skills and geographical vocabulary.
Wellbeing
We continue to focus on building strong classroom communities where all students feel safe, supported and valued. Through our wellbeing sessions, students will practise skills in teamwork, empathy, resilience and self-regulation, guided by our school values of kindness, respect and responsibility.
Reminders
Hats are required for outdoor play this term.
Regular practice of reading and multiplication facts at home supports classroom learning.
We look forward to a wonderful term of learning together.
Grade 4/5
Welcome back for the last term of the year! As the end of the year creeps closer, we look forward to celebrating our achievements, embracing new challenges, and making the most of every moment together.
Literacy:
We begin a new term of Literacy learning with many exciting texts and genres to explore. First up we dive into explanation texts, investigating different structures such as bridges, dams, and foundations. Next up we will journey into the world of myths and legends, followed by a unit on poetry.
Numeracy:
During Term 4 we are learning a variety of topics, including fractions, percentages, translating 2D shapes, measuring angles using a protractor, collecting and displaying data, and decision trees. We have been practising worded problem tasks through our ‘Understand, Plan, Solve, Check’ method to confidently solve complex math problems.
Inquiry:
Inquiry in Term 4 focuses on geography, where we will develop skills in reading and creating different types of maps, deepening our understanding of the world around us.
Grade 6
An exciting term awaits our senior students as we head into the final part of 2025! This term marks an important milestone, our last one in primary school. We have a wonderful range of experiences planned to celebrate the end of the year, including a fun day at Adventure Park in Geelong and our much-anticipated graduation ceremony, which will be held at school.
Mathematics
In Mathematics this term, students will continue to work through the Maths Hero program, designed by Shaping Minds, which provides high-impact, interactive lessons focused on explicit instruction and strong student engagement. Each session will begin with a daily review to reinforce previously taught concepts and ensure key skills are embedded over time. Our main areas of focus this term include working with Cartesian planes, calculating the volume of rectangular prisms, and exploring and measuring angles.
Literacy
In Literacy this term, students will begin by exploring the features of effective letters and speeches. They will plan and write their own graduation speeches, focusing on topics such as memorable teachers, school highlights, and special moments from their primary years. Throughout these lessons, students will develop their use of inclusive and emotive language, transition words, and descriptive vocabulary, while refining their editing and revision skills using checklists.
Later in the term, students will take part in an exciting project creating their own smoothie business. The literacy component will involve developing advertisements, slogans, posters, social media content and brand materials, all with a strong economic and business focus. To finish the year, students will design and write a Buddy Book for our Prep students, celebrating their journey through primary school and passing on advice to our youngest learners.
Inquiry
This term’s Inquiry will explore Business and Economics, focusing on key concepts such as being a consumer, goods and services, employment, and what work might look like in the future. Midway through the term, students will launch into their hands-on project by creating and marketing their own smoothie. They will develop a brand name, design the product, plan and implement marketing strategies and gather customer feedback through surveys. A highlight of this project will be the opportunity to make their smoothies and share them with students in Years 4 and 5, who will take on the important role of taste testers and provide ratings for each creation.