What's Happening
Foundation
It was wonderful to hear that the students had an enjoyable and relaxing long weekend. By now your child should be bringing home weekly readers. Thank you for supporting their reading at home by listening to them read each day. Please remember to return reading satchels to school daily, as they are checked at different times throughout the week. Books are also changed once a week. We ask that each book is read at least twice and recorded in the yellow reading log journal. When reading the same book again, simply add a new date next to the previous entry. Conferencing will begin in Week 8 and will take place in alignment with our fortnightly Show and Tell schedule. Your child’s conferencing day will be on the same day as their Show and Tell day.
Students have been continuing to develop their literacy skills and have recently been learning the sound codes v, b, h and n, while also reviewing previously learnt codes. Through engaging and interactive activities, students are strengthening their reading and writing skills each week.
In Mathematics, students have been learning about Time. This includes days of the week, duration of time, and parts of the day. We will continue to explore this next week before moving on to Pattern. On Fridays, we have begun our Problem-Solving lessons. Maths groups will commence in Term 2.
Within our Social Skills learning, we are continuing to explore our “Super Six” values. Over the next two weeks our focus will be on the values of Excellence and Cooperation. These values will also be highlighted during our assembly values awards.
Last week we began our Inquiry topic, “All About Me”. During this short two-week unit, students are learning more about themselves by exploring their likes and dislikes and sharing information about their families. Students also enjoyed spending time with their Buddies. Last week they created “All About Us” rainbows together and shared some of their favourite things. Please note that Buddy lessons will run fortnightly on Wednesday afternoons.
On Wednesday 18th March we will be celebrating “Breakfast at School”. This is always a fun day where students can come to school in their pyjamas and enjoy breakfast with their friends, including fruit, toast and pancakes. If your child has any dietary requirements, please let your classroom teacher know.
Thank you to all parents and carers for your ongoing support so far this term. We are looking forward to welcoming our special people and grandparents into the classroom on Friday 20th March to see the wonderful progress students have made.
Grade 1
How is it that we are already into Week 7 of Term 1? Time certainly flies when you are having fun. We have been very busy in Grade 1. Students have been delving into the structure of a recount. Focusing on writing well-structured orientations, that include who, what, when and where. Along with using time connectives and boundary punctuation. It was very enjoyable reading their exciting recounts about their long weekend adventures.
During Word Study we will be building our understanding about the ai and ay code. Students will be decoding and encoding words that use these codes. They will also apply their understandings through related sentence writing and application activities. When practising these codes we refer to ‘ai’ spelling as ‘never being at the end’ of a word and ‘ay’ will ‘usually be at the end’ of a word or syllable. Both combinations make the same long a sound, understanding the positioning of the codes within the word assists with spelling. We would like to thank everyone for the positive uptake of the Word Study Practice activities that have been sent home in the homework folders. These activities assist with consolidation of covered concepts. We appreciate the support.
We have recently begun our additional decoding activities in class, providing time to practise our learnt codes through reading tasks in class. Just a reminder to ensure that students are reading their take home readers each day. This provides greater opportunity to practise and consolidate skills.
As we move into our next Maths unit, Grade 1 learners will be diving into the exciting world of addition! This unit will focus on building strong foundations in key concepts such as part-part-whole, number bonds, tens friends, counting on and doubles, to name a few. Students will explore how numbers can be broken down into parts and combined to make a whole, helping them understand the process of addition. We are starting with addition stories. For example, Bob had 6 cakes and he bought 4 more, how many cakes does bob have all together? Discussing how to solve and what strategies might be used. Whilst refining our quick number facts.
Thank you, to all of those families that have sent in baby photos, classes are currently getting organised for the great baby photo puzzle. Cuteness overload. If you have yet to provide a baby photo, please remember they can be emailed to the class teacher.
We are very excited about the upcoming Grandparents/Special Friends Day next week. Students are looking forward to asking their visitors about some of their favourite things.
Grade 2
We’d like to congratulate our Grade 2 students on their terrific effort and behaviour during their swimming lessons. Thank you also to parents for your support with the program.
Literacy: This week we introduced Fluency Pairs, where students read to a partner for a set amount of time. As reading fluency becomes more automatic, students are able to focus less on decoding words and more on understanding the text.
In Writing, students recently completed their learning about the features and structure of Information Reports. After researching an animal last week, students have been busy writing their reports, including a title, subheadings, descriptive paragraphs and a conclusion.
We have now begun learning about the features and structure of Recounts. Students have been focusing on adding adjectives to make their writing more descriptive and engaging.
During our PhOrMeS/Word Study lessons, students have been learning about the rules for the Silent Final e (SFE). Last week we explored Job 1, where the silent e changes a short vowel to a long vowel (e.g. cap → cape). This week we have been learning Job 2, where the letters v and u do not appear at the end of a word, so the silent e is added (e.g. ve and ue). Students will also begin learning about Job 3, when the silent e appears after the second c or g sound.
Students have also been applying their knowledge from our Grammar Project lessons. They have been identifying the four sentence types (statements, questions, commands and exclamations), using sentence stems such as but, so, and, and because, and practising editing sentences for correct capitals and punctuation.
Maths: Over the last fortnight in Maths, students have been exploring our Data unit. They have been learning how to pose relevant questions, gather data using tally marks, and represent their findings using pictographs and bar graphs. Students have also been practising how to interpret data and make statements about what the information shows.
We have now begun our Addition unit, which will soon be followed by subtraction. Students are exploring different types of addition problems and developing efficient strategies to solve them.
Practising maths at home can be very helpful. This might include quick number fact games using dice or playing cards or asking your child to explain the strategy they used to solve a problem.
Inquiry: As part of our Inquiry topic, Animals and Their Habitats, students have been learning about animal adaptations and how different environments help animals survive.
For an upcoming project, students will need to bring in a cardboard box from home, along with any additional materials they would like to use. We will begin building in Week 9.
Wellbeing: Our wellbeing and social skills focus this fortnight is on Cooperation and Excellence.
Reminders: On Thursday 26th March, we will be heading on an excursion to Moonlit Sanctuary. Please ensure you have read the information notice sent via Compass and completed the consent and payment.
Thank you for your continued support with homework, including regular reading aloud, Word Study practice, and optional Sunset/Jetpack Maths (Essential Assessment).
Grade 3
Core Knowledge: Over the past few weeks, students have explored a range of texts about the effects and potential consequences of deforestation, fossil fuels, and renewable and non-renewable resources. Students put their knowledge of wind power to the test by creating their own pinwheels. This week, students have been creating informational pamphlets about the negative effects of overfishing. Alongside building their knowledge of these environmental topics, students are developing skills in locating key information within texts, linking information across tables and diagrams, and answering questions based on what they have learned.
Word Study: We have been reviewing the silent-final-e plus suffix rule; recognising when ‘o’ says /u/, and using ti, si or ci when adding a suffix. Students have also been investigating some ‘silent letters’, as well as reading and spelling a range of homophones and ‘weird words’.
Writing: This fortnight, students have been revising their understanding of narrative writing. We explored the key structure of a narrative, including the introduction (characters and setting), action, problem, resolution, and conclusion. We discussed how each part works together to make a story engaging and easy for the reader to follow. Students have been practising writing their own narrative texts, focusing on developing clear story ideas, interesting characters, and well-sequenced events. They have also been building their editing skills by proofreading and revising their writing, checking for spelling, punctuation, and clarity to improve their final pieces. In our grammar and syntax lessons, we have worked on verb tense within sentences and will move onto using apostrophes with contractions.
Maths: We have continued our ‘Fractions’ topic this week by exploring key language such as numerator and denominator, and drawing, dividing and shading shapes and collections to represent 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/10, along with non-unit fractions, and equivalent fractions. As always, we encourage students to continue exploring these concepts at home where possible, along with ongoing practice of addition and subtraction facts and strategies to support their overall number fluency.
Wellbeing/Values: Our whole school focus this fortnight has been on our Super Six Value of ‘Integrity’ and ‘Cooperation’.
Homework: Please encourage your child to read daily and help them to record this in their diary (parent to sign at the end of the week). Diaries are checked by their classroom teacher every Friday and house points are given.
NAPLAN: This week, students completed their first two NAPLAN assessments, with their final two assessments next week. Well done Grade 3s!
Grade 4
Well done to all students for successfully completing our swimming lessons! It was fantastic to see everyone giving their best effort in the water and building their confidence and skills throughout the program.
Writing In Writing, students have been conducting research on an early Australian explorer. They gathered information and organised their ideas into clear subtopics to help structure their reports. Students have also begun learning how to write engaging introductions using a strong writer’s voice and correct structure. Next, we will be focusing on constructing detailed body paragraphs to expand on the information they have researched.
Reading We have continued our reading unit, Into the Unknown. This week, students learned about George Bass and Matthew Flinders, who were the first explorers to map around the entire Australian coastline. We also explored the reasons why the British first colonised Australia and discussed the historical context surrounding these events.
Maths In Maths, we have continued our multiplication unit. Students have been practising their multiplication facts, with a focus on the 4s, 6s, 8s and 9s. We have also been learning how to multiply numbers by 10, 100 and 1000, and using a range of strategies to multiply larger numbers together.
Reminders A reminder that Cross Country will be held next Friday. We are also looking forward to welcoming grandparents and special friends next Friday as well.
Grade 5
It has been a jam-packed couple of weeks for Grade 5 with science experiments, the beach program and NAPLAN beginning. The Grade 5 teachers would like to congratulate our wonderful students for their enthusiasm, growth mindset, and organisation throughout this busy period.
Reading – A Long Walk to Water
Students are now past the halfway point of our mentor text, a dual narrative telling the story of Nya and Salva, two children facing a range of challenges growing up in South Sudan. Students have continued improving their ability to write detailed responses using evidence from the text, while also developing their ability to listen to and appreciate the varying perspectives of their peers.
Writing – Persuasive Writing
Students have been exploring powerful ways to persuade their readers to agree with their point of view. Whether discussing the benefits of EVs or debating public transport versus driving your own car, students have explored the structure and features of persuasive writing, including DAFOREST techniques, to construct meaningful arguments. We’ve loved the passion and creative thinking behind many of their ideas.
Maths – Multiplication and Division
Maths groups have been exploring factors, multiples, written strategies and problem solving related to multiplication. Over the coming weeks, groups will complete a post-test on multiplication before moving on to division.
Inquiry – Why is it so? (Science)
Students have been conducting a range of experiments exploring heat conduction, diffusion and chemical reactions. As a class and in small groups, students have practised completing the scientific method. Soon, students will begin small group projects where they will select an experiment, conduct it and present their findings using the scientific method.
Homework
Please support your child in completing the following homework tasks each week:
Seesaw Task – Literacy (Due the following Monday)
My Numeracy Task – Numeracy (Due the following Monday)
Reading – 4 x 20 minute sessions per week, with the diary signed by a parent before submitting to the teacher (Due each Friday)
Reminders
A compass event has been posted regarding our excursion to TwistedEd Science of the 24th March. If families could consent and pay at their earliest convenience that would be fantastic. Parent helpers will be required for this event, more information will be provided via a Compass notification soon.
Grade 6
Literacy
The Grade 6 students continued their novel study of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. They have been working on summarising the significant events that transpire during the book. Students have also been challenged to use a TEEC format in order to provide detailed responses to comprehension questions.
Writing
The Grade 6 students kickstarted their writing block by looking at a persuasive text based on Scotland. The aim of this text was to persuade the reader to visit Scotland. The students then had to choose their own country to research and write a persuasive text on. A challenge was set for the students to include verbs of high modality and persuasive devices throughout their writing.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, the students are wrapping up their Properties of Number topic. Next week, they will begin their area and volume topic.
Inquiry
The Grade 6 classes have been working on their ‘Government’ inquiry unit covering our nation’s system of government, democracy and the constitution. Over the next few weeks, the students will apply their knowledge to a group project which will involve them acting out a debate within a House of Representatives setting.
Buddies
Last week, the Grade 6 students participated in their first “official” Buddy session. They spent this session working with their buddies to create a Rainbow craft. Each colour of rainbow representing a “Getting to Know You” question. Next week, the students will be taking part in the highly anticipated ‘Treasure Map’ activity.
Interschool Sport
Our students have continued to compete enthusiastically across all sports this term, sharpening their skills in volleyball, softball, cricket, tennis, and even our exciting new addition, Volleybounce. It has been fantastic to see their steady improvement, but even more impressive has been the way they support one another. Their teamwork, encouragement, and genuine sportsmanship shine through in every game. Well done to all students for their positive attitude and commitment and a special shout out to the girls softball and cricket teams who remain undefeated.
Term Dates and Events
Please check Compass for further information regarding Term 1 dates and events relating to Grade 6 students.