Level 1

In Week 2, we concluded our ‘Happy Me, Healthy Me, Safe Me’ unit with a visit from the Body Investigators drama group. This ridiculously fun incursion necessitated students dressing up as brain neurons, red and white blood cells, oxygen and even gastric juices! They gained a deeper understanding of how diet, physical activity and sleep can impact their body’s performance. They role-played the different body systems that keep us healthy.

As part of our ‘Dinosaurs and More’ unit, students participated in a fossil dig! This fostered lots of collaboration between students and involved problem solving skills to solve a T-Rex puzzle. Students have been learning that contrary to public perceptions, palaeontologists identify dinosaurs as prehistoric reptiles that all lived on land and had legs directly beneath their bodies. They did not fly, swim or have bent legs.

In Reading, students have been learning how to make connections between themselves and the text they are reading. They are beginning to make connections between the text they are reading and other texts previously read as well as comparing the events and characters in the text to those from the real world. In 1G, we read a brilliant picture book called ‘The Patchwork Bike’ about children who are not fortunate enough to have toys and a real bike and build their own bike out of recycled materials. Students were able to deepen their understanding of how children in other cultures may not have the same opportunities and resources as they have. We have also been teaching students the importance of creating mental images as they read. We read ‘The Shack That Dad Built’ and students had to draw pictures of the shack in it’s beachside location, as well as drawing the interior of the shack using key words found in the text combined with their own ideas.

In Writing, students have been continuing to practise using the many different skills they need in order to write a persuasive text. We read the Dr Seuss book, ‘What Pet Should I Get?’ and students created reasons for getting one of the four pets in the story and wrote a text in support of their opinion. Students have been practicing listing many ideas and picking the best to include as their reasons. We have been encouraging students to use strong vocabulary, sequence words (e.g. firstly, finally) and the language of opinion (I believe…).

In Maths, students have been learning all about fractions, in particular, half of a shape, a collection of objects as well as half of a number. Students have started to understand that if we need to find one quarter, we can half and half again. In addition and subtraction, we demonstrated and encouraged students to use a range of strategies to calculate including friends of 10, counting on, doubles, near doubles and bridging to the next 10. Students played a number of games, showed their thinking on number lines and solved word problems using these strategies.

We look forward to a wonderful final term with our Year 1 students. There is so much to look forward to in 2024!

Level 2

Term 4 is here, and it’s going to be a fantastic finish to the school year! We have lots of exciting activities planned, revisiting our favourite subjects and celebrating how much each student has grown.

Literacy

In Term 4, our Level 2 students have continued to work on literacy skills that build strong reading and writing foundations. We’ll focus on sequencing to help students understand the order of events in a story, improving their comprehension and storytelling abilities. We’ll also practice identifying the main idea of texts, which strengthens their ability to understand what a text is mainly about. In writing, students will learn the basics of persuasive writing, crafting short pieces where they share their opinions and try to convince others using reasons and examples. Through these activities, students will become more confident and thoughtful readers and writers!

Mathematics

In Term 4, our Level 2 mathematics classes are packed with exciting topics! Students will continue to learn about multiplication and division, discovering how to group and share numbers in new ways. We’ve also been exploring maps and basic graphing to help students understand directions and organize information visually. We’ll also spend time on revision, reinforcing the key concepts learned throughout the year. This term will be full of hands-on activities, helping students feel confident and ready for the next stage in math!

Public Speaking competition

Congratulations to all our Level 2 students who took part in the public speaking competition! We’re so proud of everyone for their hard work, courage, and fantastic presentations. A special congratulations goes to the students chosen to represent their class – what an amazing achievement!

Level 2 Sleepover

Our Level 2 students recently had an exciting experience at the annual Level 2 sleepover! It was a night filled with fun and laughter. For many, it was their first night camp, and they did an amazing job showing independence and teamwork. The sleepover was a wonderful opportunity to build friendships, create lasting memories, and celebrate how much they’ve grown this year.

As we wrap up Term 4, there’s so much to look forward to! Students can’t wait for the Dinosaur Diggers incursion to explore fossils, followed by our Dinosaur Stomp Disco for some fun dancing. We’ll also enjoy the festive cheer of the Carols event. And, of course, there’s the excitement of moving up to Level 3 – a big milestone ahead!

The Level 2 Team

Art