Damascus Community

Dear Families,

As we come to the end of a wonderful Term 3, we are very proud of the learning, growth and effort students have shown across all areas. In Week 9, students explored how Catholics can care for creation and their community, strengthened their reading fluency, vocabulary, comprehension and informative writing skills, and investigated three-dimensional objects using mathematical language such as faces, edges and vertices. Students also reflected on their learning in Music, Dance and Drama, continued building confidence using Auslan, and explored respectful communication, peaceful problem-solving and ways to help others feel safe, supported and included. We look forward to finishing Week 10 positively and celebrating all that students have achieved this term.

Monday, 5th October – First Day of Term 4: We look forward to welcoming all students back for another exciting term of learning, growth and new opportunities. We hope everyone enjoys a safe, relaxing and well-deserved break!

Learning for the Week 10/Term 4:

Religious Education:

In Religion, students will learn about Mission Month and explore how they can live like Jesus in their everyday lives. After celebrating Mass, they will reflect on what happens during Mass and think about ways they can show Jesus’ love through kindness, care and helping others. Students will also learn about how different religions celebrate special events and practise showing respect for the beliefs and traditions of others.

English:

In Week 1 Reading, students will revise and consolidate the sounds, spelling patterns and spelling rules taught throughout the term. Using information from their recent reading and spelling assessments, students will revisit areas that need further practice to strengthen their accuracy, fluency and confidence.

For Writing in Week 1, students will use The Boy and the Elephant as inspiration to develop their ideas and responses. They will make predictions using clues from the title and illustrations, describe what is happening in a wordless text, infer characters’ feelings using visual evidence, and explore how colour, setting and space can create mood. Students will practise explaining their thinking clearly and supporting their ideas with evidence from the illustrations.

Mathematics:

In Mathematics, students will begin exploring multiplication and division as part of their learning about number operations. They will make connections between addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, revisiting the strategies and understandings developed throughout the year. Students will use practical materials, drawings and number sentences to solve problems, explore equal groups and sharing, and build their confidence in choosing appropriate strategies for different number problems.

Integrated Curriculum:

In Integrated Studies, students will learn about the important role of drama in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. They will explore how stories, traditions and cultural knowledge can be represented respectfully through performance and use this understanding to further develop their puppet performances.

Auslan:

In Auslan, students will learn how to describe objects by signing the object first and then its colour. They will practise using the correct sign order with a variety of familiar objects and colours and take part in a “What Colour Do You Like?” activity to build their confidence and fluency when communicating in Auslan.

Social & Emotional Learning:

For Social and Emotional Learning in Week 1, students will revisit and reinforce St Thomas’ Way expectations. They will revise what respectful, safe and responsible behaviour looks like across different school settings and practise making positive choices. This will support students to finish the term strongly and prepare for a positive start to Term 4.

What you can do at home

• Read together each night and talk about the message in a story. Ask your child what the author might want the reader to think, feel or learn.

   

• Practise maths in everyday life by noticing patterns at home or outside, such as patterns in tiles, clothes, blocks, counting, or nature. Ask your child to describe what repeats or what changes.

   

• Talk and share signs together by asking your child to teach you an Auslan sign or facial expression they have learned at school. Practising together helps build confidence and communication skills.

Important Classroom Reminders:

• Fidget Toys

  We kindly ask that students do not bring fidget toys to school unless their use is a planned adjustment in consultation with Allied Health Professionals. Students who bring fidget toys without an approved adjustment will be asked to place them in their school bag for the remainder of the day to take home. We appreciate your support in encouraging your child to leave fidget toys at home.

• Spare clothes/change of clothes

  Please pack spare clothes with a pair of socks and underwear to be placed in the front zip pocket of your child's school bag in case of a toileting accident or if they get muddy during recess and play time. 

• Please ensure that you are labelling all your child's belongings.
• Please remind your child to change their reading books when they need to. 

Important Dates to Remember:

• Monday, 5th October - First Day of Term 4

Enjoy your weekend,

The Damascus Team

Contact us @Damascus

damascus@cranbourneeast.catholic.edu.au  (all teachers) or