Grade 1 Community News

Dear Grade 1 Families, 

It’s hard to believe we have reached the final week of Term 3! What a wonderful term it has been, filled with learning, growth, excursions and fun school events. We are incredibly proud of all they have achieved and are looking forward to finishing the term on a high and celebrating their successes together.

We have also included a few activities to enjoy over the holidays, so be sure to read ahead and have a look at what’s coming up. These activities are a great way to keep skills fresh while having some fun during the break!

InitiaLit

This week, students focused on the ‘oi’ and ‘oy’ sounds, learning to recognise and use these sounds when reading and writing words. They explored how ‘oi’ is commonly found in the middle of words, such as coin and point, while ‘oy’ is often found at the end of words, such as boy and enjoy. Students also explored how adding ‘-ly’ to adjectives can change them into adverbs, helping to describe how an action is performed. 

InitiaLit - Tricky Words: only, great, their

How you can support at home:

• Read for a few minutes each night and ask your child to spot words with our focus sounds oi and oy
• Practise tricky words by writing them on paper, saying them aloud, or using them in a sentence.

Storybook & Vocabulary

This fortnight we have been reading the text A Library Book for Bear by Bonnie Becker.

Bear is convinced he has all the books he could ever need and doesn’t want to visit the library. His cheerful friend Mouse persuades him to go, but Bear struggles to find a book he likes. However, Bear is tempted by story time and finds out that afterall, there are many more books for him to read!

We have been focusing on 3 vocabulary words from our story below and have been using them in our writing and daily language. 

If you are looking for a holiday activity join your local library and spend the day searching for new books you could read together!

Writing

This week, students revised three different types of sentences: statements, questions and exclamations. We explored how each type of sentence had a different purpose and how punctuation helped the reader understand what the writer meant. We also discussed how choosing different sentence types could make our writing more interesting and engaging.

We practised:

Statements – sentences that told us something. They ended with a full stop (.)The bear is reading a book.

Questions – sentences that asked something. They ended with a question mark (?)What book is the bear reading?

Exclamations – sentences that showed strong feelings or excitement. They ended with an exclamation mark (!)Wow, that is an amazing book!

Students also continued to develop their Super Sentence Writing, using interesting words and adding detail to make their sentences more exciting. They worked hard to apply their punctuation knowledge and give their writing a little extra sparkle! 

How you can support at home over the holidays:

Sentence Hunt Read a favourite book together and see if your child can find a statement, question and exclamation. Ask them to explain which punctuation mark was used and why.

Super Sentence Challenge During the holidays, look out for interesting things happening on a day out, at the park, on a family trip or even at home. Encourage your child to write one statement, one question and one exclamation about their holiday adventures.

Maths

In Maths, students have been learning about halves and quarters. We have been exploring how to divide shapes and objects into equal parts and recognise when something has been split into halves or quarters.

Students have been practising:

• Dividing shapes into 2 equal parts (halves).
• Dividing shapes into 4 equal parts (quarters).
• Drawing lines to show equal parts.
• Shading 1 out of 2 equal parts (½).
• Shading 1 out of 4 equal parts (¼).
• Recognising that each part must be equal in size.

Students have also been learning about measuring areas using informal units. They practised covering a shape with equal-sized blocks, making sure there were no gaps or overlaps, and then counting and recording the number of units used.

We also explored how the size of the measuring unit affects the count. Students discovered that using smaller units results in a larger count, while using larger units results in a smaller count, even though they were measuring the same area. This helped students understand the importance of including the unit of measurement when recording area.

How you can support at home over the holidays:

Baking

Encourage your child to look for opportunities to practise halves and quarters. Ask them to help divide ingredients, shapes or baked treats into 2 equal parts (halves) or 4 equal parts (quarters). For example, “Can we cut the brownie into 4 equal pieces?” or “Can you show me one half of the cookie?” This is a fun, hands-on way to reinforce the idea that halves and quarters must be equal parts.

Holiday Time Checkin

During the holidays, encourage your child to practise reading an analogue clock. Ask them to identify times to the hour and half past. You could ask questions such as, “What time is it?” or “What time will we leave for the park?” Encourage them to explain where the hour and minute hands are pointing. 

Humanities

In Humanities, students continued exploring the deep and ongoing connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have with water, Country and Place. We explored the Aboriginal Dreaming story of Tiddalick the Frog, which provided an opportunity for students to consider the important role water plays in the environment and in Aboriginal cultures and stories.

Through the story, students learnt how Tiddalick drank all the water in the land, causing the other animals and plants to suffer. The animals worked together to make Tiddalick laugh, causing the water to flow from him and return to the land. Students discussed how the story highlights the importance of water as a precious resource and the need to care for and share it.

We also explored how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have passed knowledge about Country, water and the environment through generations, including through stories and cultural practices. Students developed a greater understanding that water is not simply something we use, but can hold deep cultural, spiritual and environmental significance.

Holiday activity:

Exploring Waterways

During the holidays, visit a local river, creek, lake or beach and talk about why water is important to people, plants and animals. Ask your child to share one way we can care for and protect our waterways.

Nearby bodies of water you could visit:

• Werribee river
• Davis Creek
• Skelton Waterholes Creek
• Yarra River
• Maribyrnong River
• Williamstown/Alton Beach

Respectful Relationships

In Respectful Relationships, Grade 1 has been learning about ourselves and what makes each of us unique. Through a collection of activities, students have been exploring different personalities, interests, likes, dislikes and strengths. They have also been developing an appreciation that everyone comes from different backgrounds, families and experiences, and that these differences help make our classroom community special. 

Digital Technology

In Digital Technologies, Grade 1 has been learning to recognise emotions they may experience when using digital devices and online environments, and developing strategies to help regulate these emotions. As we head into the holidays, students are encouraged to remember the importance of balancing screen time with other activities, logging off when needed, and taking time to enjoy the fresh air, play outdoors and connect with family and friends. 

Reminders 

• End of term is Friday 18th September at 2:30pm. Term 4 begins on Monday 5th October. 
• Please label uniform items with your child’s name clearly. Hats are compulsory in Term 4. 

• Please continue to read every night and ensure your child swaps their take-home readers on their allocated day. 

•  Please watch until 5:18 to view and practice the words we have learnt so far. 

We want to thank you for a fantastic Term 3 and we are wishing all our families a wonderful, relaxing and safe holiday break! We hope you enjoy some special time together, have plenty of fun and return refreshed and ready for another exciting term of learning. 

See you in Term 4!

Ms. Santos, Ms. Duncan, Ms. Laura, Ms. Marsden, Ms. Newman, Ms. T, Ms. Hannah, 

Ms. Stafford, Ms. Chandler, Mrs. Mill, Ms. Fetolofai and Ms. Doris of PLC1 😊