Year 1/2

Year 1/2 Cluster News 

 Welcome back from the break. It has been lovely to see the students bounce back in with lots to share about what they did in the holidays.  

We celebrate with Archie and Zawir’s families who both had baby boys this week. We pray God’s blessings for you all at this special time. 

Home Inquiry   

How do authors bring characters to life? What describing words are used to express the character’s feelings? You could create a new character and write a story or poem which uses describing words for their actions as well as speech. 

You could enter your story into a writing competition such as:  

https://www.aate.org.au/saeta-content/writers/young-writers-award  

https://beyondwords.dymockstutoring.edu.au/   

or a poetry competition https://dorothea.com.au/entry-information/  

Only a few students have shared their home learning this year. Here is an encouragement to all students to stretch themselves and deepen their understanding of concepts taught at school (see photos). Please let us know when your child is ready to share their home learning or you are welcome to send in photos. If there is more than one photo, please send a powerpoint or format that can be opened rather than multiple separate photos. 

Read decodable/interest/library books etc every night for 10-15 minutes.  

Weekly Timetable – 1/2 Classes 

Learning for Week 2 and 3 

Word Study (previously Jolly Spelling):  

Week 2 

Year 1 double letters ‘ss and zz’ e.g. buzz, less 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G0G-CEVXis 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=036uprV52rE  

Year 2 ‘ph’ e.g. photo, phone 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXvp4Ybx0W4   

Week 3 Revision 

Year 1 ‘ff’e.g. cliff, stuffing 

https://youtu.be/YvunCTJ61ek?si=zgDJAtI_wZR7dVg6  

Year 2 ‘air’e.g. chair, hairbrush 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZHKK9jnfFQ 

Year 1 ‘ll’e.g. will, windmill  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KG1DVc8E1a8  

Year 2 ‘ch’ for /k/ e.g.character, Christmas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXV6ZZcuCGA 

Year 1 ‘short vowels’e.g. dog, bag, box https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUSCz41aDug 

Year 2 ‘ea’ e.g. bread, treasure 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJi0kan0mBs  

Year 1 ‘u_e’ e.g. cube, excuse 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdfBg1SMFzM 

Year 2 ‘ue, u_e and ew’ e.g. queue, ewe 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZojmFjUAGh4  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCeE3B_tAq8  

Grammar Focus  

Year 1: initial (at the beginning of words) blends e.g. cl, sl, bl  

Year 2: possessive adjectives e.g. I – my, he- his 

Writer’s Workshop: Students are inquiring into how to bring their characters to life. For example, giving them a name and characteristics. 

Reader’s Workshop: Students begin experimenting with Reader’s Theatre, with a focus on expression to evoke feelings and atmosphere. We will be using books by Mo Willems for this unit. 

Mathematics:  

Year 1 students are continuing to explore ordering of numbers. 

Year 2 students are inquiring into fractions – halves, quarters and eighths. 

Unit of Inquiry: How We Express Ourselves 

Central Idea: Stories can be told through the arts. 

Line of Inquiry 1: Forms of the Arts 

Line of Inquiry 2: Skills and elements of the arts 

Line of Inquiry 3: Presenting stories through the arts. 

Students continue to inquire into forms of the arts, which includes Indigenous cultures as they include song, dance, storytelling and visual art. An incursion is planned for this term. 

Christian Studies:  

Christian Beliefs: Christians believe God is one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Students discuss and describe Christian beliefs about God and the blessings God gives people. 

Other Reminders 

Shoelaces 

Please make sure your child can do up laces themselves if they have shoes with laces. Another option is shoes with Velcro until they learn this skill. 

Bag Tags 

It is useful for students to have a bag tag to identify their bag. Please only put one bag tag on and make sure it is not a special one that will be missed if it is lost as we are not able to monitor this. 

Each day students need to bring the following. Please label everything.  

• hats – these have been sent home for a wash as they are not a requirement for Terms 2 and 3. It is still a good idea to leave them in bags as some days can still have a high UV rating.  

• sunscreen is generally not applied at school during Terms 2 and 3. 

• Take Home Bags, which are also for Library borrowing. 

• a water bottle 

• a fruit snack 

• recess 

• lunch 

Lunch Boxes 

Please pack a substantial lunch rather than lots of recess snacks and put an ice pack in on hot days as the lunches remain in school bags outside. We also ask that you send in ‘nude food’ which does not include wrappers. 

Library Borrowing  

Both classes visit the Library on Tuesdays to borrow 2 books for 2 weeks. 

Take Home books 

Each week students take home 2-3 interest books to read at home. A letter has been sent home explaining the process. During the week, we listen to children and begin sending decodable books or other good fit books home to read.  

Toddle 

We post important information reminders, student learning, photos/videos and assessments on this platform.  Please contact the office if you are not connected. 

Volunteers 

During the year we have excursions, a Year 1 Sleepover and a Year 2 Camp.  

If you are interested in volunteering, there a few things you must have up to date to be able to come along or to help in the classroom. Please do not volunteer unless you have these already. Contact the office if you have any questions. 

• Working With Children Check (WWCC)  
• Responding to Abuse, Harm and Neglect training (RRHAN-EC)  
• Valuing Safe Communities (VSC) training 

https://www.goldengrove.sa.edu.au/parent-portal/volunteering/  

May God bless your week, 

Melanie Arnold and Ellen Zimmer 

Melanie Arnold: Arnold.melanie@goldengrove.sa.edu.au 

Tim Kriewaldt kriewaldt.tim@goldengrove.sa.edu.au 

Ellen Zimmer zimmer.ellen@goldengrove.sa.edu.au