Learning Community 2

     It has been a great fortnight of learning, and we are starting to see the students truly settle into their new classes and routines. The classrooms in the 2/3 learning community are feeling and looking like exciting spaces to learn and develop for students, strengthened by the school/home partnership that so many of our parents have fostered since the start of the year. Thank you. 

     We are looking for volunteers to read with students until 9:15am each morning (excluding Monday), from Tuesday the 18th of March. Please note that if you are interested in supporting the 2/3 learning community, it is required that you attend the induction held on the 12th of March at 9:30am in the library and hold a current working with Children check. Please see 'Principals Reports' for further information. 

     We hope to have an increasing sense of connection in the 2/3 learning community and invite everyone to engaged in our classrooms where they can! Our doors are always open. 

     As grade 2/3 students start to become more independent, and are given appropriate new responsibilities, sometimes less than ideal choices are made. We have had several students, who walk to school, stop in at the IGA and buy bags of lollies to have during the school day. As significant amounts of sugar can be detrimental to the learning of young people and has an impact on their ability to regulate and interact with peers, we ask that parents/guardians of children walking to school, have a discussion regarding healthy food and stopping at IGA in the morning. We are also keen to maintain a positive image of our students in the wider community. Please be aware that students that bring lollies to school in such large quantities will be asked to have only a small portion and take the rest home.

     As outlined in the previous issue of the newsletter, grade 2/3 are exploring Narrative writing this term. We'd love to have parents support our writing by discussing our upcoming writing prompt. The idea is to assist your child in developing vocabulary regarding the topic, strengthening their own associations with the ideas and concepts in the prompt and hopefully increase the richness of their writing. Please be assured that we will also be discussing writing prompts in class.

     Our writing prompt for the end of term 1 is, 'Trouble in paradise'.

If your child has been to the beach, or on holiday, please help them to recall those facts and images. Discussing things such as rock pools, cliffs, tides, fishing, would all be helpful, especially if your child has previously engaged with these features. A conversation during a car ride or at the dinner table would be plenty. 

Some parents/guardians have mentioned supporting their child's learning and are enquiring what they can do at home. Firstly, it is wonderful to see this in our parent community, thank you. Reading is the most important skill to establish in children at this age. A love of literature and books is closely linked with a love of learning. Creating positivity and excitement regarding what your child is reading is very important at this stage. Your child should have access to the mobile Library each Monday and the school library each week on Thursdays. Reading books with your child at home will have significant dividends. Reading their leveled readers each night, as well as reading books that are of interest to your child is really important. Developing shared interests with your child, that you can read together is also very valuable for creating excitement about reading. Please remember to send your child with their diary and reader each day even when there hasn't been an opportunity to read with them. 

     For any parents that are looking for additional things to do at home, students can access their online learning platforms from home. The programs that all students have access to include the following.

Mathletics:                        www.mathletics.com/au/

Essential Assessment:  app.essentialassessment.com.au/student/

Typing Edclub:              bunyipps.edclub.com/

Selected students also have access to Reading Eggs at readingeggs.com.au/login/

     Your child's login details are the same as previous years and should also be in their diaries. If you cannot find them, please email Mr. Rennie or Ms. McAsey, or write a note in your child's diary.

     2/3 have been busy learning and exploring new skills in the last few weeks! We are currently finishing off exciting narratives about getting sucked into another dimension through a video game, using descriptive language to bring our stories to life. We have also established reading rotations, building comprehension and fluency with different activities targeting point of need. Students have been supported in guided teacher reading groups and also been creating various crafts from procedural instructions known as "Read Make Do"! In mathematics, we have been working on place value and regrouping, breaking numbers apart in different ways. Our Humanities lessons have focused on where we are in the world, learning about continents, oceans, and our place on the map.

Performing Arts & ICT:

     Mr. Rennie is taking ICT and Ms. McAsey is taking Performing arts for both classes.

     In ICT we are focusing on typing and maintaining 'home position' when typing. Students may like to do additional practice by logging into their profile at home, but please make sure that we maintain home position!

     In Performing Art, we have been developing our balance and flexibility in dance, improving our movement skills. Students were excited and a little nervous at times but overall had lots of fun in their first session!

It has been a fun and engaging two weeks in 2/3 learning community!

2/3 Student Achievers

     George (2/3M):

For showing respect in the classroom.

     Finn (2/3R): 

Being available to his classmates, displaying leadership and responsibility whenever it was needed. 

     Yarinda (Yaya):

Showing kindness and respect to her peers.

     Jett (2/3R): 

Showing respectful interactions with his teacher, peers and friends, responding quickly to redirection prompts.

Thanks for all the support from our parent/guardian community, you're amazing!