Year 1/2

Year 1/2 Cluster News 

Take Home Books 

We listen to reading and change decodable books throughout the week. Please remind your child to return take home and decodable books to the clear pouch when they have finished reading. We encourage re-reading the book a number of times at home to increase fluency and expression. 

Year 1 Vision Screening:  

If you would like to have your child’s eyes tested, please return this form as soon as possible so Mr K can undertake the screening. If this is something that you already do regularly, there is no need to have the testing done. 

Home Inquiry   

Draw a picture and write about the following questions. You could also write your own questions and research to find the answers. 

Year 1s: What living things are in your backyard?  

Year 2s: What objects in space can you see in the night sky? 

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

Weekly Timetable – 1/2 Classes 

Learning for Week 4 and 5 

Word Study (previously Jolly Spelling):  

Week 4 

Year 1 ‘sh’ e.g. ship, sheep 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gBsGxhdt2E 

Year 2 ‘silent w’ e.g. wrist, wrap, answer, sword 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zIpBW5Ullc 

Week 5  

Year 1 ‘qu’ e.g. quick, quiz, queen 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCr7VPh7ym4 

Year 2 ‘ou’ for/u/ e.g. tough, country 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_Oj6O0OHeA  

Grammar Focus  

Year 1: alphabetical order, verbs 

Year 2: alphabetical order, sentences and verbs 

Writer’s Workshop: Students are inquiring into how to bring their characters to life. This includes giving them meaningful names, creating events that happen to them and how they show emotions e.g. through speech or facial expressions. 

Reader’s Workshop: Students continue to practise using expression to read out loud to evoke feelings and atmosphere. 

Mathematics:  

Year 1 students are continuing to explore ordering of numbers. 

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

Unit of Inquiry: How We Express Ourselves 

We conclude this unit with a self, peer and teacher reflection on how students have demonstrated being a communicator and risk taker as well as their social skills and communication skills. 

Unit of Inquiry: Sharing the Planet 

Central Idea: People make connections through observing their surroundings. 

Line of Inquiry 1: How the needs of living things are connected to their habitats (Year 1) 

Line if Inquiry 2: Earth is part of a solar system (Year 2) 

Line of Inquiry 3: God blesses people through creation. 

We begin this unit by inquiring into the needs of living things (Year 1) and celestial objects (Year 2) 

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. We look at the order of events such as Creation e.g. land was created, then animals. 

Other Reminders 

Items from home/Canteen money 

We have reminded students to not bring items from home unless this has been a discussion between parents and teachers.  

Students may bring one named ball to play with at break times, however, please ensure it is not a special item in case of loss or damage.  

We have also reminded students that the money they have for the canteen is for their own or sibling purchases and not to buy food for their friends. 

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