Foundation News

This term, our Foundation students have been working incredibly hard to use their phonics knowledge to encode CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant) words and write simple sentences. As part of our writing lessons, students followed a "How to Draw" video, carefully listening to instructions to draw a character. They then used their picture to plan their writing, orally sharing their ideas with a partner before putting them onto paper. We are so proud of the effort, enthusiasm, and growing confidence our young writers have shown.

Check out the photos of our incredible writing below! 😊

Grade 1:

It has been another busy and exciting few weeks in Grade 1, with students engaging enthusiastically in a range of learning experiences across all curriculum areas.

Phonics

In Phonics, students have been revising the phonemes ch, sh and ng and applying this knowledge to read, spell and write words. They have also been introduced to high-frequency words to strengthen their reading and writing skills. Students continue to practise correct formation of upper- and lower-case letters, writing dictated sentences and building their reading fluency through regular practice with decodable texts.

Reading and Writing

In Reading and Writing, students are continuing their learning about fairy tales. They have been enjoying the story The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig while developing their comprehension and analytical skills. Students have been describing characters using simple adjectives, selecting evidence from the text to support their ideas, and making connections between characters' actions and the moral of the story. They have also been explaining how character traits support a fairy tale's moral and writing text responses based on character actions and the sequence of events.

In Mathematics, students have been learning about Time. They have been sequencing, comparing and ordering the duration of daily events, as well as exploring events that occur over weeks, months and years. Students have enjoyed making connections between time concepts and their everyday lives.

In Integrated Studies, students have continued their exploration of the continents of the world. They have been learning where each continent is located and discovering some of the unique features that make each one special.

In Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships, students have begun a unit called ‘Let’s Work Together’. Through a variety of games and activities, they have been developing their problem-solving skills and learning to identify the actions that help a team work effectively together.

We are proud of the enthusiasm and effort our Grade 1 students have shown this term, well done.

Grade 2:

Grade 2 students explored a range of text types, including narratives, biographies, and poems. Students have developed their understanding of different text structures and features specific to these different text In Mathematics, students are practising their place value skills and using their knowledge to compare and order numbers with increasing confidence. During Grade 2 sport, students have enthusiastically participated in team sport activities, where they demonstrated cooperation, communication, and teamwork skills.

Grade 3:

Our Grade 3 students have been busy, curious, and full of enthusiasm for learning!

In Literacy, students have been reading Strangers on Country, exploring the important themes of belonging, survival and cultural practices. They have engaged in thoughtful discussions about identity, respect and connection to place, while developing their comprehension skills and responding to the text through reflective writing activities.

In Numeracy, students have been revisiting and building on their addition and subtraction strategies, strengthening their understanding of place value and developing efficient mental and written methods. They have also been learning about data, using spreadsheets to enter, add, and sort data has helped them build confidence in organising information clearly and accurately while developing their digital skills.

In Integrated Studies, students have been working on their Integrated Project, researching and creating slides to share their learning about Indigenous Culture. They have demonstrated curiosity while developing their presentation and research skills.

Grade 4:

Year 4 has been working incredibly hard this term. Currently, we are finishing our unit on The Tale Of Despereaux. Before we watch the movie in the last week, the students are completing their assessment task. The task involves writing a persuasive text arguing why or why not Despereaux should be punished. Over the course of the term, the students have worked very hard and developing their literacy skills, using this rich piece of text.

Grade 5/6:

During Week 6, eighty-seven excited Year 5/6 students packed their bags, waved goodbye to home comforts, and headed off for three action-packed days and two unforgettable nights at Phillip Island Adventure Resort. After a quick stop at San Remo to enjoy morning tea and watch the pelicans put on their daily performance, we arrived ready for adventure.

Over the next three days, students bravely tackled the flying fox, giant swing, low ropes course, canoeing, and even cooked pancakes over an open fire. One of the highlights was experiencing the Circatron machine, originally developed by NASA, which gave students a taste of what it might be like to float around in space—much to the delight of those who enjoy spinning in circles! We also enjoyed a night walk, visited the Phillip Island Penguin Parade, and watched hundreds of little penguins waddle their way home from the ocean to their burrows.

As if that wasn't enough excitement, students also squeezed in the State of Origin, AFL football, and a movie night in the function room. The camp food proved extremely popular, with many students developing a remarkable talent for appearing first in line for seconds. By the end of camp, students returned home tired, slightly sleep-deprived, and carrying enough stories and memories to last a lifetime. A huge thank you to all PHPS staff who generously gave up time with their own families to make this wonderful experience possible. Without their support, enthusiasm, and seemingly endless supply of patience, the camp simply would not have been the success that it was.

Meanwhile, back at school, life has been just as busy—although with slightly fewer flying foxes and a lot more pens and pencils! Students have continued to work hard in the classroom, with plenty of assessment taking place in the lead-up to semester one reports. In Mathematics, we have been exploring the wonderful world of decimals and 3D shapes.

Our novel study of The Blue Cat is also drawing to a close. Students have enjoyed following Columba's adventures and learning about what life was like in Australia during World War II, including air raid precautions, rationing, and the uncertainty many families faced during the war years. The story provided a fascinating glimpse into a very different Australia and sparked some thoughtful discussions along the way.

The winter sports season has now wrapped up, with students enthusiastically representing the school in AFL, Soccer, T-ball and Netball. The season finished with a Lightning Premiership competition, where students demonstrated great teamwork and sportsmanship.

As if camp and sport weren't enough excitement for one term, our Year 5/6 students also enjoyed a fantastic excursion to the National Gallery of Victoria. Students participated in the two-hour App Artists – Digital Painter workshop, where they created their own digital artworks, and then explored the gallery on a guided tour.

After an action-packed term filled with camp adventures, sporting competitions, assessments, excursions and plenty of learning, I think it is fair to say that students, staff and perhaps even parents are all ready for a well-earned two-week break. We wish everyone a safe, relaxing and enjoyable holiday and look forward to seeing our students refreshed and ready for another exciting semester.