Classroom News

Foundation: Miss Hart

We’re already over halfway through the first term in Foundation, and what an exciting journey it’s been! Our students have made fantastic progress as they explore new concepts, develop their literacy and numeracy skills, and build lasting friendships. It’s wonderful to see their confidence grow each day, and we’re looking forward to all the learning and fun that the rest of the term will bring!

In our Foundation class, students are excited to learn the sounds /m/ and /s/ through our new friends, Maggie Mouse and Sammy Seal. They are strengthening their understanding by using picture cards and sounding out words, as well as engaging in fun picture sort activities. To support their writing skills, students are also practicing how to form the letters 'm' and 's' while remembering the catchy phrases to guide them. It’s a wonderful way to make learning both interactive and memorable!

In Maths, our Foundation students are deepening their understanding of patterns and learning about the days of the week. They are exploring the difference between weekdays and weekends, and using keywords like before, after, first, last, and next to describe and sequence events. These activities are helping them develop important skills in both time concepts and logical thinking, laying a strong foundation for their future learning.

In Religion, our Foundation students recently participated in their first Godly Play, exploring the story of "Jesus Prays Alone" from Mark 1:35-39. Through this engaging storytelling method, the students were able to reflect on the significance of prayer and solitude. They were then asked to reflect on the experience by recreating the story through tools provided. It was a beautiful experience that encouraged them to think about how they can connect with God in their own quiet moments of reflection and prayer.

Foundation: Grade 1 Miss Emmett

We are just past the halfway point of the term, and our F/1 students have been busy learning and growing every day! This week was especially exciting as it marked the first Wednesday with our Foundation students attending. It has been wonderful to have them with us for the full school week!  

In Literacy, we have been learning the sounds /t/ and /a/. We have also been focusing on identifying the beginning and end sounds in words. To help us remember these sounds, we introduced Tommy Tiger for /t/ and Andy Ant for /a/. These fun characters have helped us link the sounds to the written letters ‘t’ and ‘a’, making learning more engaging and memorable. The students have been practising writing these letters and recognising them in words they see and hear around them.  

In Maths, we have been exploring sequencing events throughout the day. We have been discussing what happens in the morning, afternoon, and evening and using key vocabulary such as first, then, next, and last to describe the order of events. This helps students develop a strong understanding of time and how activities are structured throughout the day. Through hands-on activities and storytelling, they are learning how to put events in order and explain their thinking. We have also been working really hard to remember the days of the week in order and to identify the day before and after a particular day in the week. If you'd like to help your child practise the days of the week, there are many great songs on YouTube that make learning them fun and engaging.

A highlight of the week has been the arrival of our new class rug! The students were so excited to help roll it out and find their special spot. The rug is already making a big difference in helping us sit comfortably and focus during learning time.  

We’re looking forward to more fun and learning in the weeks ahead!  

 Grade 2: Miss Wooden

Busy Last Week!

Last week we had a lot going on! We loved having a four legged visit and the students learnt so much about being safe around dogs and how to look after a pet!!

Friday was a huge day and I was very proud of the Year 2 class! We had the swimming carnival at the Stanhope pool and the Year 2 students led the way for the junior school. They all demonstrated our values of kindness and respect as they supported the Foundation students at their first carnival. It was amazing to see everyone get in the water and give all the races a go! I know that you are all excited to get into the big pool next year!!

I loved seeing everyone get involved in Clean Up Australia Day on Friday afternoon as well! We were all hot and tired after so much swimming but the students were awesome, filling up the bag with rubbish found behind the buildings and around the oval. 

Literacy

The students have loved listening to and reading our new storybook ‘The Snail and The Whale’ this week. The students have been exploring verbs and thinking about how different animals move. We have also been learning about persuasive text so don’t be surprised if the students are extra convincing at home!

Numeracy

We have moved onto a new topic of Time during Maths. The students demonstrated a great ability to tell the time when it is O’clock or half past. We have started moving onto quarter past and quarter to times as well. We have enjoyed turning clocks, shapes and our bodies clockwise and anticlockwise in the room 

Also big HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Will for last week!!!

Grade 3: Mrs Stock

Last week, our students had a fantastic time participating in the swimming carnival at Stanhope! Everyone gave their best effort, cheering on their classmates and competing in various events. It was wonderful to see their enthusiasm and team spirit on full display. Well done to all our swimmers for their hard work and sportsmanship!

We also enjoyed another heartwarming visit to Tongala Aged Care, where the students played a telling-the-time board game with the residents. It was a lovely opportunity to engage with the community, and the students loved hearing stories and sharing smiles with the residents.

In the classroom, we’ve begun a new maths topic focusing on time. The students are learning how to read both analogue and digital clocks and developing their time-telling skills.

For English, we’ve started an exciting new topic: persuasive writing. The students are learning how to express their opinions clearly and back them up with convincing arguments. We’re also getting close to finishing our class novel, Matilda by Roald Dahl. The students have really enjoyed following Matilda’s journey, and we can’t wait to see how the story concludes!

In religion, the students have been reflecting deeply and creating their own prayers of sorrow, blessing, and gratitude. It has been a wonderful way for them to express their thoughts and feelings in a spiritual way.

A special Happy Birthday to AJ, who is celebrating his birthday this weekend, and Tully, who will be celebrating next week!

Finally, congratulations to our table point winners, George, Tully, and Will, who won with an impressive 930 points! Fantastic teamwork!

Grade 4: Miss Dove & Mrs McKiernan

This fortnight has been lots of fun with the Responsible Pet Ownership Incursion, Opening School Mass, Welcome BBQ and of course the Swimming Sports were a real highlight!!!

In the classroom, we have continued on with our work around Kensuke’s Kingdom. Most recently, it has raised some really interesting themes such as deforestation, erosion and global warming, all of which tie in nicely with our Inquiry unit work. Our writing focus for the novel is persuasive text so the students have been learning all about how to form an opinion, structure solid arguments and draw a convincing conclusion.   

In Maths, we have been working on Fractions. Students have learnt how to identify and represent fractions as well as explore the relationship between whole numbers and fractional parts. We have used visual models such as drawings and number lines to help support our learning.

Last week, Gr 4 presented their class liturgy focusing on Lent in the church Thursday afternoon. It was great to see all students carrying out their role in the liturgy with confidence and respect. With Lent now upon us, we have begun our RE Unit on Lent and Easter. We will focus on how the community prepares for Easter through prayer, penance and good work. 

We are all looking forward to the coming weeks as we know preparations are well underway for our school camp and we have lots of exciting learning experiences and opportunities in the meantime.

Grade 5-6: Miss Rasmussen

The term is flying by, and our Grade 5/6 students have been busy with a wide range of exciting learning experiences!

Our class has been absolutely captivated by War Horse. We are at a crucial stage in the story, and students are anxiously waiting to see if Joey will ever be reunited with Albert. The anticipation is keeping everyone engaged, and it's wonderful to see students so invested in their reading.

In writing, students have recently completed their narratives based on an animal’s perspective. They are incredibly proud of their creative stories, and it has been fantastic to see their enthusiasm for writing grow. Now, we are shifting our focus to persuasive writing, exploring the question: Should horses have been used in wars? Through this unit, students are developing their skills in rhetorical questions, emotive language, and word modality – all powerful techniques that will strengthen their persuasive arguments.

In maths, we have wrapped up our unit on factors and multiples and are now diving into the four operations. We have already begun exploring new strategies for multiplication, helping students build confidence in their problem-solving abilities.

Our Grade 6 boys have completed their five-week Boys to the Bush program. This was an invaluable experience, and they gained so much from the opportunity. The Grade 6 students were also incredibly proud to receive their leadership badges at the Beginning Year Mass, marking a special milestone in their final year of primary school.

There have been some real highlights over the past fortnight. The Swimming Sports were a standout, with students giving their all in the pool. We also took part in Clean Up Australia Day, demonstrating our commitment to looking after our environment. And, of course, Shrove Tuesday was a delicious celebration, with students enjoying pancakes to mark the beginning of Lent.

With so much happening, it’s hard to believe how quickly the term is going – but there’s still plenty more to come!