F-4 Community News

Foundation

Foundation students have had a fabulous start to Term 3! It was wonderful to see lots of smiling faces (even with some missing teeth!) and how much we had all grown over the two week break.

In Literacy we are continuing to introduce new tricky words each week. Thank you to families who are practicing these when completing nightly readers. We continue to introduce new letter names and corresponding sounds each week so please talk with your child about their literacy learning. During writing we have been writing three-part sentences, including a who, an event and a where.

In Numeracy we are focusing on addition and subtraction. We are learning how to count on from a given number to find the total. 

Our new Science topic this term is 'Movement'. Students are involved in lots of fun investigations to explore how their bodies and other objects move.

In RE we have enjoyed sharing special books from home. This has been a great introduction to our topic of 'The Bible'. We have shared a favourite book from home and also an 'older' book from home. Thank you to families for sending these in with your children.

We had a lovely visit to Fenaughty St Kindergarten on Wednesday this week. Students enjoyed having a play, reading to a kinder friend and of course riding on the school bus!

We are having fun at our first Athletics Carnival today, dressing up in our house colours and cheering and supporting each other. 

A reminder that students change their readers every Monday, Wednesday and Friday so students need reader folders on these days. Don't forget to sign your child's reading log to add to their tally of how many nights read. 

We are looking forward to seeing everyone dressed up ready for our 100 days of school in Week 4!

Year 1

The start of this term in our 4R's subject (Resilience Rights & Respectful Relationships) lessons, the Year 1 students have been exploring what it means to be a good friend. Through stories, discussions, role-playing and class activities, students have been learning the importance of showing kindness, respect and empathy and including others. They have also been practising positive communication, sharing, taking turns and resolving small problems in respectful ways. Students were able to practise these skills by building an object with their partner. 

This week in Science, our Year 1 students have been exploring the properties of different materials. They investigated everyday materials such as plastic, metal and sponge, learning to identify their features and describe how they feel, look and behave. Through hands-on investigations, students tested whether materials were hard or soft, strong or flexible, waterproof or absorbent, and discussed why certain materials are used to make different objects.

Important Reminder about Home Reading

Home reading is a vital part of your child's learning in Year 1. Reading regularly at home helps children develop fluency, confidence, vocabulary and comprehension skills, while reinforcing the strategies they are learning at school. Just 10–15 minutes of reading each day can make a significant difference to your child's progress. Home reading also provides a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy books together, talk about stories, ask questions and foster a lifelong love of reading. We encourage all students to read with an adult each evening and return their reading folder to school each day so they can continue to build their skills and confidence as successful readers.

Year 2

On Friday 17th July, the Year 2 students travelled to Echuca to enjoy an exciting day at Twisted Science. After arriving, we listened carefully to a safety presentation before splitting into two groups. Ms Hausler's class participated in the Chemical Science workshop while Mrs Daldy's class explored the interactive exhibits, testing out the many hands-on science activities. After the workshop, the groups swapped over so everyone had the opportunity to enjoy both experiences. 

Following our visit to Twisted Science, we headed down to the Port of Echuca to enjoy lunch at Hopwood Gardens. Students had a wonderful time playing on the playground, spending time with their friends and reflecting on the exciting scientific discoveries they had made throughout the day. It was a fantastic excursion filled with curiosity, learning and fun!

Years 3 

What a fabulous start to Term 3! Our Year 3 students have settled back into the school routine seamlessly. 

In Literature, we have begun our new novel study, The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. Students have enjoyed listening to Mrs Corso demonstrate expression, pacing, clear enunciation and active engagement as she reads aloud. We have practiced making predictions, summarising paragraphs and expanding our vocabulary with new words such as 'clattering', 'darted' and 'scurried'.  Students have drawn their own interpretations of what the Iron Man could look like, using our clues from the text. 

In Maths, we have focused on applying multiplication and division facts to solve word problems. Students are encouraged to learn and have quick recall of 2, 3, 5 and 10 multiplication facts and the related division facts. We have been practicing these skills with the multiplication fact chart and songs. 

Year 4

In Literacy this term, our Year 4 students have started exploring the unique landscape of the Coorong in South Australia. Through our class novel, Storm Boy, students are developing their comprehension skills while learning about the region's wildlife, environment and cultural significance. They have enjoyed making connections between the story and their learning, deepening their understanding of this special Australian place.