Grade 1

Reading:

This fortnight, our early primary students have been strengthening their phonics and reading skills through a range of engaging activities. Students have been learning to recognise, read, and spell words containing split digraphs, including e_e (eve) and u_e (tube). They have been practising identifying these spelling patterns in words, using them in sentences and applying their knowledge when reading and writing.

Students have also been revising and reinforcing their understanding of the digraphs /ir/, /er/, and /ur/, exploring how these sounds can be represented in different words. In addition, students have been developing their ability to read and spell words containing the digraphs /ow/ and /ou/, including recognising tricky words with these sounds.

As part of our reading comprehension learning, students have been answering questions about texts, locating information, and sharing their ideas using evidence from their reading. We have also been exploring the suffix -ed and how it is used to show that something happened in the past.

Writing:

Over the past fortnight in Writing, students have been developing their understanding of how to make their writing clear, detailed, and engaging. We have been learning about precise and vague verbs, identifying them in texts and practising how to choose strong, specific verbs to improve our own writing. Students have also been exploring how to use before and after to show the order of events, as well as using time connectives such as first, next, then, after that and finally to organise their ideas clearly.

As part of our procedure writing focus, students have been learning how to write clear step-by-step instructions. They have been practising how to explain a process, include important details, and sequence their ideas so their procedures are easy for others to follow. We are proud of the effort students have shown as they continue to develop their writing skills and confidence.

Maths:

This fortnight, students have been developing their understanding of measurement through engaging, hands-on learning experiences focused on length. We have been exploring how to measure and compare the length of a variety of objects and shapes using informal units such as blocks, counters, paper clips and other classroom materials. They have been learning that accurate measurement involves placing units carefully end-to-end with no gaps or overlaps and using the same unit repeatedly to find the length of an object.

Throughout our lessons, the students have been practising how to select suitable informal units, measure and record findings and explain their thinking using mathematical language. They have been identifying horizontal and vertical lengths, comparing objects using words such as longer, shorter, taller and the same length. As well as making predictions before checking their ideas through measurement. Students have enjoyed working collaboratively, sharing their strategies and building confidence in using measurement skills to solve everyday problems.

Home Learning

Reading:

Read together and look for words containing the spelling patterns e_e (eve) and u_e (tube).
Find and practise words with the sounds /ir/, /er/, and /ur/.
Create a word list of words with the focus sounds and practise reading and spelling them.
Write simple sentences using words with split digraphs and the focus sounds.
Look for words with the digraphs /ou/ and /ow/ while reading books or environmental print.
Practise reading and writing tricky words containing the focus sounds.
Find words ending in -ed and talk about how the suffix shows something happened in the past.
After reading a story, discuss and answer questions such as:
“Who were the characters?”
“What happened in the story?”
“How do you know?”
Encourage your child to explain their thinking and share new words they have discovered.

Writing:

Find examples of precise verbs in books, magazines, or online texts and discuss how they make writing more interesting.
Replace vague verbs with stronger, more specific verbs when speaking or writing.
Practise using before and after in sentences to show the order of actions.
Write a simple procedure for a familiar task, such as making a snack, completing a chore, or playing a game.
Use time connectives such as first, next, then, after that, and finally to organise steps in the correct order.
Encourage your child to explain a process clearly by including all important steps and details.

Maths:

Measure everyday objects around the home using informal units such as Lego pieces, blocks, pencils, spoons, or paper clips.
Practise placing units end-to-end with no gaps or overlaps to make accurate measurements.
Predict which objects will be longer or shorter before measuring them.
Compare the lengths of different objects using words such as longer, shorter, taller, and the same length.
Find objects that are the same length and explain how you know.
Order three or more objects from shortest to longest.
Discuss which informal unit would be the best choice for measuring different objects and explain why.
Encourage children to record their measurements and share their thinking.