What's Happening
Foundation
Literacy
This week in Literacy, we have been focusing on CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) sentences. Students have also been introduced to more digraphs, including /ph/ and /ed/, and even some trigraphs, including /dge/ and /tch/. Over the next two weeks, we will be focusing on words with four sounds (e.g. tent). We have continued learning and reviewing our Weird Words. In Writing, we are continuing to build our understanding of recount writing. You may like to discuss with your child on Sunday night or Monday morning what they did over the weekend in preparation for their weekend recount. Students know to begin their recounts with an introduction (including who, what, where and why). They then follow with time connectives (first, next, then), before finishing with a personal comment (e.g. It was fun/great/fantastic).
Maths
We have finished our two-week unit on Shape and will now be starting a unit on Addition! Students will be learning to partition numbers (e.g. 3 and 2 make 5), subitise (recognise quantities without counting), and explore number bonds (pairs of numbers that add to a specific total). You can help at home by using household items such as Lego, blocks, or pasta to practise these skills.
Inquiry
In our Inquiry topic, Healthy Habits, students have learnt about balancing healthy eating with exercise and maintaining a positive mindset. This week, students had the opportunity to taste a variety of fruits and vegetables, making meaningful connections between the nutrients they provide and the ways they support different parts of the body. Students will also participate in an exciting dance incursion where they will learn a fun choreographed routine while exploring how movement supports physical and emotional wellbeing. This incursion will take place on Wednesday 3rd June.
Social
Throughout the term, we have been discussing the Zones of Regulation. This approach supports the development of self-regulation in children. Over the past few weeks, students have practised a range of coping strategies to support them when they are in the green, yellow, blue, or red zone.
Thank you for your continued support with corridor reading and for helping students prepare for their fortnightly Show and Tell presentation.
A friendly reminder that next Thursday the 28th of May, is a pupil-free day.
Have a wonderful week ahead!
The Foundation Team.
Grade 1
Numeracy
In Maths, we have moved into learning about capacity. Students have been having lots of fun measuring, ordering, and comparing the capacity of different containers through hands-on activities. Next week, we will begin our new focus on subtraction.
English
In English, we have started learning about Information Reports. Students have been discussing and sharing examples while identifying the key features of a WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like), including the title, introduction, body paragraphs, subheadings, and conclusion.
Next, students will plan and write their own Four Seasons Weather Information Report, combining their growing knowledge and writing skills.
Inquiry
In Inquiry, students have been observing and recording the weather each day while learning about the seasons, including seasonal dates and weather patterns. We are also learning about Indigenous seasons and connections to Country, exploring how First Nations Peoples observe and understand changes in nature and the environment.
This learning will connect closely with our Information Report writing, allowing students to showcase and apply their knowledge across subjects.
Grade 2
Literacy: This week, students completed our procedural writing unit. To support their learning, they watched their teacher demonstrate how to make a piece of toast before writing their own procedure explaining each step clearly and in order.
During our PhOrMeS/Word Study lessons, students focused on reading and spelling multisyllabic words and identifying the schwa sound. Students have also practised reading and spelling words that contain the ti spelling pattern.
Students have also been developing their sentence-writing skills by using the conjunctions before, after, when, and if to create more detailed and interesting sentences.
Inquiry/Core Knowledge: As part of our inquiry into the ‘states of matter’ (solids, liquids and gases), students are exploring and hypothesising what will happen when matter is heated or cooled. Some of the questions we are investigating include ‘How are containers matched to the stuff they contain?’ ‘How do we group different materials?’ and ‘How does temperature changes affect matter?’. Students are absolutely loving the hands-on nature of our Inquiry topic this term.
Maths: In Maths groups we finished up our Length topic then continued to revise and build upon student’s Addition and Subtraction knowledge. Practice at home is always beneficial, from ‘quick facts’ games using dice and playing cards, to explaining which strategy was used to solve a problem.
Wellbeing: As part of the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships program, students have been reflecting on their personal strengths and identifying qualities and achievements they are proud of. Students have also been exploring the concept of respect through Aboriginal perspectives, using a range of stories and books to deepen their understanding and appreciation of different cultures and experiences.
Homework: Thank you for your support with homework: Regular reading aloud and a weekly Word Study/PhOrMeS worksheet. A reminder that this homework sheet is handed out every Friday and due the following Friday. Optional online extras: ‘Nessy Reading and Spelling’ and ‘Sunset/Jetpack Maths’ (Essential Assessment).
Reminder:
Please check that your child’s school jackets/jumpers, drink bottles and lunchboxes have their name clearly written on them.
Grade 3
Core Knowledge: Over the last two weeks, as part of our unit ‘We Are One’, students have been learning about indigenous languages, as well as how First Nations peoples’ totems represent their connection to the land and each other. Each student chose an animal that they feel reflects their personality to be their personal totem. We are looking forward to our incursion on Monday!
Writing: Our focus last week with information reports was on writing conclusions that include a thesis/topic statement, specific statement, and a general statement (TSG), as well as drawing and labelling diagrams accurately. This week, students have been learning more about effective notetaking, in preparation for writing an information report next week on an animal of their choice. During our grammar and syntax lessons, students have been learning to combine and punctuate sentences using coordinating conjunctions.
Word Study: This fortnight, students have been learning about the Latin base ‘port’. They have been using morphology to help with spelling by applying prefixes and suffixes to the base ‘port’, while building their vocabulary with words such as import, export, portable, and portfolio.
Maths: We are currently working on addition and subtraction again, revising strategies for the hundred basic facts to build fluency, as well as partitioning, and the vertical algorithm for solving problems with larger numbers. Further practise at home with number games involving adding and subtracting, and building fluency with the hundred basic facts (practising learned strategies) will help consolidate and continue to build students’ knowledge and skills.
Wellbeing: Our wellbeing focus this fortnight has been on "friendship fires" and how students can use the "friend-o-meter" to recognise what a healthy friendship looks like. There have been collaborative classroom discussions where students have shared strategies to support and strengthen their friendships.
Homework: Thank you for your ongoing support with homework. We have reminded all students to ask a grown-up to check their homework with them and help fix any errors before submitting. We will continue collecting diaries every Friday to monitor and reward home reading. Please remember to check and sign your child's diary each week. Thank you!
Grade 4
We have had the most exciting time in Grade 4. After 2 weeks, we had to say goodbye to our chicks however, we had two families adopt a total of 7 chicks, so we look forward to hearing about how they are going throughout the term. It’s hard to believe that we are moving towards the halfway point of Term 2. The students have been completing a variety of mid-year assessments during the past two weeks. The Grade 4 teachers are so proud of our students for completing these and it’s been wonderful to see some great growth in their learning so far this year.
Reading: We have continued to delve deeper and read about how humans depend on plants for survival, the life cycle of trees and ants as well as how seeds are dispersed by these tiny yet strong insects. Students continue to build their reading fluency, vocabulary and comprehension skills from one lesson to the next. We include reviews and retrieval activities so the students can revisit previous learning and use this to continually build upon and develop their understandings which are linked to our science unit of study.
Morphology: In morphology lessons, Grade 4 students continue to learn Latin base words and how prefixes and suffixes can change the meaning of words. They practise identifying common word parts to help them decode unfamiliar vocabulary and deepen their understanding of how words are connected. This learning supports students in expanding their vocabulary, improving spelling, and developing stronger reading comprehension skills.
Writing: Students have completed some terrific research and note taking for a chosen life cycle of an animal or fungi. They have been learning about and practising writing engaging introductions for an explanation text as well as using sequencing words and adverbs of manner when writing the body paragraphs to explain the stages of their animal or fungi’s life cycle.
Numeracy: Length, area and perimeter is our focus in Maths. There has been plenty of ‘hands on’ work involving measuring, converting and comparing formal units of measurement. Students have also learnt how to measure the perimeter of regular and irregular shapes and have been practicing this using measuring tools such as their ruler.
Homework:
Reading 5 x week. Students should be recording their reading in their diary, and we ask if you could please sign these at the end of the week.
Mentor Text word study homework + morphology task.
Maths - Essential Assessment - My Numeracy task
Upcoming events:
Week 9 - Grade 4 incursion Star Time documentary making. Further information will soon be available on COMPASS.
Grade 4 Team
Grade 5
Reading
Year 5, students began reading the novel ‘Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence’. Throughout the novel study, students will be completing comprehension tasks that focus on identifying key ideas, analysing characters and events, making inferences, and exploring the themes and historical context connected to the story. Students have shown great engagement and curiosity as they begin learning about this important part of Australian history.
Writing
In Writing, students have been completing a response writing task based on an Indigenous story about Ruth and the Stolen Generations. Students focused on evaluating and reflecting on the article using emotive vocabulary to express their thoughts and feelings. They also worked on writing strong conclusions that included a recommendation explaining who the article would be suitable for and why.
Word Study
In Word Study, students explored the Latin roots CEED-CEDE-CESS, learning how these word parts relate to the meaning “to go” or “to move”. Students investigated a variety of words containing these roots, helping them build their vocabulary knowledge and understanding of word meanings and spelling patterns.
Maths
In Mathematics, students have been learning about fractions in line with the Victorian Curriculum. They have been comparing, ordering, and identifying equivalent fractions, as well as representing fractions in different ways, including on number lines and using visual models. Students have also been applying their understanding of fractions to solve a range of mathematical problems.
Inquiry
In Inquiry, students have explored the experiences of the Stolen Generations and developed their understanding of the emotional, cultural, and family impacts these events had on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Students also participated in the Positive Peer Relationships program run by Unleashing Personal Potential. Year 5 students thoroughly enjoyed these engaging sessions. They worked on growing their Social Skills’ where students explored empathy, active listening, kindness, and appreciating differences to strengthen communication and social connections. They also worked towards building stronger relationships, students learned strategies for assertive conflict resolution and discussed ways to move from being a bystander to an “upstander” who takes positive action to support others.
Grade 6
Literacy
Students have continued their work on information reports this week, researching, planning and writing a text based on the topic of ‘The Solar System’ as part of their post-unit assessment.
In Reading, we have continued working on our ‘Astronomy: Space Systems’ unit. This week, students have considered the question ‘What is the difference between a lunar and solar eclipse?’.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, we have been continuing our work on Fractions, Decimals and Percentages this week. Students will be completing their PAT Mathematics test on Friday afternoon.
Interschool Sport
Students will play their second round of interschool sports this week at home against St John Vianney's on Friday morning. Our next fixture will be on Friday 29th May at home against Parktone.
Grade 6 Camp
Information will be sent home in the coming weeks about the Grade 6 Log Cabin Camp in Term 3 from Wednesday 26th August to Friday 28th August. If your child/children will not be attending camp, please contact your child’s teacher as soon as possible.
Term 2 Dates
Please check Compass and Focus for further information regarding Term 2 dates relating to Grade 6 students.