Junior School News
Prep
In MSL, our wonderful Preppies have been learning about open syllables. They are discovering that when a syllable ends in a vowel, the vowel is ‘open’ and can say its name, creating a long vowel sound. For example, in words like me and go, the vowel is not closed off by a consonant, so it is able to make its long sound. The students have been enjoying exploring and reading lots of simple words using this new understanding.
In Writing, the Prep students have been learning how to identify nouns within a sentence. Using a variety of engaging picture prompts, they have been challenged to compose their own sentences while carefully including the who, do, and where. It has been wonderful to see the students growing in confidence as they begin to build more detailed and complete sentences independently.
In Maths, the students have been exploring 2D shapes, with a focus on identifying, naming and creating circles, rectangles, squares and triangles. Through hands-on learning experiences in the classroom, they are building their understanding of each shape’s features and properties. In particular, students have been focusing on rectangles and triangles, learning to identify them and distinguish them from non-rectangles and triangles and other shapes. They have been creating their own shapes using a variety of classroom materials, strengthening their understanding through practical, hands-on learning. In addition, students are developing their ability to recognise rectangles and triangles in their everyday environment, helping them make meaningful connections between classroom learning and the world around them.
The Prep students have been having a fantastic time during STEM as they step into the shoes of young engineers! They have been exploring the different structures and materials used to build bridges and discovering how each design serves a special purpose. Their creativity truly shone as they designed and created colourful bridge collages inspired by truss, arch, and beam bridges. We loved seeing their imaginations and engineering skills come to life!
Year One
We have been so fortunate to welcome a student teacher into Year One over the past few weeks. What a wonderful opportunity it has been to observe best practice and explicit teaching in action while learning alongside the incredible Mrs Prosser!
She bravely jumped in at the deep end and enthusiastically took on teaching SoundPack and Heggerty lessons and wow, what a fantastic job she has done! The students have loved learning with her, and she has quickly become a valued member of our classroom community.
In MSL, the Year One students have been exploring the reading rule of Gentle Cindy. This rule helps them understand that when the letters c or g are followed by e, i, or y, they can make soft sounds, c says /s/ and g says /j/. It’s all about those gentle, soft letter sounds!
The children have especially enjoyed this concept, as it has given them the chance to get creative and design their own Gentle Cindy characters to help them remember the rule.
They’ve been regularly singing along to the catchy song below. I do warn you, if you're like me, it's going to live rent free in your head over the weekened!
In Writing, the Year One students have been building on their understanding of subordinating conjunctions such as if, when, before and after. They have been learning how to use these words at the beginning of a sentence to add detail and sequence to their ideas. For example, they might write sentences like 'Before I go to school, I eat breakfast' or 'When the bell rings, we line up.'
In Maths, the Year One students have been learning how to use the addition symbol (+) and the equals symbol (=) correctly in number sentences. They are developing their understanding of what these symbols mean and how they work together to show addition. Students are also learning to write complete number sentences based on visual prompts, helping them connect what they see with the mathematical symbols and numbers they use.
The Year One students have been diving into the exciting world of coding during STEM! They explored two commonly used coding systems , Braille and Morse code , and discovered how people can communicate messages in different ways. Students were then challenged to write their own names using these coding languages. There was lots of curiosity, problem-solving, and excitement as they cracked the code. How fun!
Year Two
We warmly welcome Dimitrije to our Sacred Heart family. Dimitrije has settled beautifully into 2O and has already begun forming wonderful friendships within the class. The Year Two students have shown such kindness and warmth in welcoming him, helping him feel included and part of our classroom community from the very beginning.
In MSL the Year Two students have been strengthening their understanding of syllables through the Rabbit Rule, which focuses on how to split words into correct syllables making it easier for children to read words. The Rabbit Rule teaches students that when a word has two consonants between two vowels, the word is usually split between the consonants. This helps children decode and read unfamiliar words more confidently. For example, the word rocket becomes roc-ket sunset becomes sun-set and market becomes mar-ket.
The Year Two students have been getting stuck into morphology, focusing on the suffix -ion. They have been exploring how adding -ion to a base word can transform a verb into a noun, such as celebrate becoming celebration and invent becoming invention. Through engaging games, word building activities and class discussions, students have been developing a deeper understanding of how words are formed and how morphology can support both spelling and vocabulary development.
In Writing, the students have been expanding their sentence structure by learning how to begin sentences with subordinating conjunctions such as although, even though, before and after. This has encouraged students to create more detailed and sophisticated sentences that clearly express contrasting ideas. For example, “Even though it was cold outside, I decided to wear shorts to school.” As teachers, we absolutely love teaching subordinating conjunctions because it is around this time that we begin to see a real shift in the quality of the students’ writing. Their sentences become more engaging, expressive and mature, allowing them to communicate their ideas with greater depth and creativity.
In Mathematics, students were learning how to add 2-digit and 3-digit numbers to a 3-digit number using place value strategies. They are developing their understanding of regrouping (also known as carrying) in the ones and tens columns, helping them build confidence and accuracy when solving larger addition problems.
The Year Two students have been learning about the different materials used to build our school playground and why certain materials are chosen for particular purposes. To put their learning into action, they were challenged to design and create their very own playgrounds using LEGO, wooden blocks, and paper. The classroom was filled with creativity and imagination as students constructed unique playground designs and confidently shared and explained their creations with their peers.
Knowledge Rich Curriculum
Our Year Two students have been exploring significant places within Topic and what an exciting couple of weeks it has been! They have been discovering fascinating facts about iconic landmarks such as Uluru, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Shrine of Remembrance and Flinders Street Station.
Taking their learning further, students worked in small groups to create informative posters showcasing what they had learned. They then proudly presented their work to the class, focusing on important presentation skills such as voice projection, eye contact and speaking clearly. It has been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they share their knowledge with enthusiasm and pride.
Louise Bohannon,
Junior Leader
hwood@shsandringham.catholic.edu.au
zporter@shsandringham.catholic.edu.au
sprosser@shsandringham.catholic.edu.au
kobrien@shsandringham.catholic.edu.au