Students News

Foundation 

In Mathematics, we have been looking at: ordering numbers, representing and recording numbers and combinations of smaller numbers that form a larger number. We learned a lot through maths games too, we played the Numberline Game with a partner to see if we could order numbers from 0 - 10. We were also really excited to start practising our SATPIN sounds at home using our Reading Fluency sheets. We were excited to start using the iPads as a tool to support our letter-sound recognition.

Grades 1 & 2

In Grade 1 we have been learning to count a collection of objects by ‘grouping’. We used unifix blocks and grouped them in tens and ones to count the total number. 

Author’s Chair Spotlight!

What is the Author’s Chair you ask?

The Author’s Chair is where we celebrate our young writers as they bravely share their creative pieces with the class. From imaginative stories to thoughtful reflections, students have been working hard to develop their writing skills and build confidence in their voices. Listening to and celebrating each other's work fosters a love for storytelling and strengthens our classroom community.

Ask your child about what they shared (or heard) this week—we love seeing their enthusiasm for writing grow!

Grade 2

In Grade 2 we have been learning about trading ones for a whole ten in a race to 100. We have been using MAB blocks to explore the Addition Strategy of ‘counting on’ to reach 100. 

Grades 3 & 4

Solving worded problems can be tricky, but our Grade 3 and 4 students have been sharpening their skills using the CUBES strategy! This method helps break down problems into manageable steps, ensuring clear understanding before solving.

CUBES stands for:

• Circle key numbers
• Underline the question
• Box important words
• Evaluate and eliminate unnecessary information
• Solve and check your work

Students participated in vertical learning, working in groups to solve problems collaboratively on sheets. This hands-on approach encouraged discussion, reasoning, and teamwork.

By sharing their work, students explained their thought processes, learned from one another, and gained confidence. Teachers have been thrilled with their progress—CUBES is helping students become independent problem solvers!

Keep up the great work, Grade 3 and 4!" 

STEM

 We have been very busy learning all things Biology in STEM. The Foundation students have been learning how to classify Living and Non-Living things and what we need to care for our pets. The students used their prior knowledge to categorise each of the pet's needs and then shared their ideas with the class.

The Year 1 students have learnt the Dreaming Indigenous Story of the Life Cycle of the Yeperenye Caterpillar. The students created a Lifecycle diagram in their Science Journals. Over the past two weeks, the students are using a variety of repurposed materials to create a 3D model of the Life Cycle

 Year 2 students have focused on “What’s in our backyards?”, heading outside on a small creature hunt. We have discussed why Earthworms are an important member of our gardens helping our food to grow. The students used their design technology skills to fold and make a box with a lid that will cover their own mini worm farm.

 Year 3/4 students have worked in groups to germinate basil seeds in either cotton or soil, monitoring their growth each week in their Science Journal.  This week the students are using recycled 1.25 litre bottles to make a self-watering pot. The students used their prior knowledge of measurement to ensure they had enough string to support the self-watering system. Safety is always a priority in the STEM Laboratory. The student used safety goggles to protect their eyes while hammering and nailing their plastic bottle.

Un-like Burke and Wills, the Year 5/6 students have been learning Desert survival skills. The students watched our First Australians demonstrate how to find food and water, make fire and tools using what is available in the Desert environment. The students were provided with a challenge to determine which type of material was able to soak up the most amount of water with the least amount of loss. 

Visual Arts

Our Yayoi Kusama unit is underway with lots of dotty artwork beginning to fill the walls of our corridors. 

The donated bottles are becoming mushrooms with the first construction step completed, and a paper maché layer being added this week. 

The marbles were used to roll around in a box to create backgrounds for patterned paper mushroom and pumpkin collages.

All of our students and lots of visitors have added sticky dots to the “Obliteration Space” outside the Art Room. Feel free to stop by and add some dots if you haven’t already.

LOTE

 Foundations are enjoying counting in Japanese!

In Japanese grade 1 and 2 students have been learning to write dog, cat and snake in Japanese. We practised on a whiteboard as the hiragana is tricky to get right but students did a great job and kept trying and improving every time. After the whiteboard tried on a worksheet. 

Our new Japanese intern will be arriving just before term 2 starts. Please email White Sensei (Jessica.White@education.vic.gov.au) for more details if you are interested in hosting and learning more about Japanese culture and lifestyle.