Year 1 News
Reading
This week in Year 1, our reading lessons have been about building confidence and comprehension. Students are focusing on two key strategies that help them become more independent and thoughtful readers; chunking and making connections. When they come across longer and more complex words, they have been learning to break them into smaller chunks. This makes the parts of the word easierto read and understand. Chunking helps children decode new words by recognising familiar sounds and patterns. Try practising this at home by pointing out compound words or syllables when reading together.
Students are also exploring how they can make connections to what they are reading to deepen understanding. They have been making connections in the story to their own life and linking the story to other books they've read before. We looked at the book ‘I’m Australian Too’.
“I made a connection with the book. My family are from France, Australia and Ireland.”- Darcie 1A
“I made a connection. I was born in India.”- Mokshitha 1A
Writing
This week, our Year 1 students have been learning how to follow and write a procedure! Using step-by-step instructions, students explored how to explain a task clearly and in order. From making fairy bread to brushing teeth, they practised using words like first, next, then, and finally to guide their readers. They have also created step-by-step instructions for the CPS writing process, focusing on narratives. It’s been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they turn everyday tasks into well-structured pieces of writing.
Maths
This week in Year 1, students have been exploring different strategies to build strong foundations in addition. By investigating with a variety of hands-on materials, they have learned to visualise numbers and understand how addition works, not just memorise it. The students have been working with ten frames, number lines and bundling sticks to deepen their knowledge. They have been doing so well this week working with partners to come up with different calculations and representing them in different ways. The students have also been learning how to skip count in 2s, 5s and 10s to develop their pattern spotting and number fluency.
“I like using the ten frames.”-Himmat 1A
“I remember using the bundle sticks when we did place value. It helps me with addition.”-Nayat 1A
Inquiry
This week in Inquiry, the Year 1 Cohort took their learning outdoors with a walk to our local creek! The students were very excited as we investigated the features of places in our environment.
They looked closely at both natural features and made features. Throughout the walk the students had the task of recording all of these features on their scavenger hunt and drawing what they had seen. The walk was a wonderful opportunity to ask questions, make observations, and build vocabulary about the world around us. Students asked some important questions when they returned to class; How do people change the environment? Why have we made features in natural places? Why is it so important to look after our environment?
“My favourite parts were seeing the creek and looking at the ducks.”-Aleyna 1A
“My favourite parts were seeing all the trees.”- Pita 1A
SEL
In SEL students have been learning about personal strengths. They participated in identifying their own personal strengths and also identifying personal strengths of other people.
They explored the book “I am Me” and used this to be successful with their identification of strengths in themselves and in their peers and families. This story explored the themes of individuality and authenticity.
