Year 1 News

From Yolanda Andrews, Year 1A teacher

The Year 1 students have settled smoothly back into Term 3. Sporting fresh haircuts and clear minds, they are eager to discover everything the new term has in store. From Parent-Teacher Interviews and Book Week to longer days and warmer weather, the children are ready to meet new challenges and experiences head-on!

Word Study

We have been exploring the ‘ou’ and ‘ow’ digraphs, as well as the ‘un-’ prefix. The students learned that ‘un-’ means 'not' or 'the opposite of'. They discovered that placing it in front of a base word flips the meaning like a light switch: kind becomes unkind, happy becomes unhappy, and safe becomes unsafe. We also discussed how ‘un’ can reverse an action. For example, tie your shoes becomes untie your shoes, and pack your bag becomes unpack your bag.

Literacy

 Students have been exploring non-fiction texts centered around a much-loved topic: pets! The children were introduced to Epic, a fantastic digital library, and have thoroughly enjoyed reading a wide range of animal texts on our iPads. We compared how factual information is presented in print versus digital formats, learning how to use navigation buttons, links, and swipe controls.

With their heads full of fun pet facts, the students then set to work writing their own information report booklets. We focused closely on core structural features, including the introduction, appearance (featuring a labeled diagram), habitat, diet, and interesting facts. The children also discussed the difference between headings and subheadings, alongside the importance of writing an engaging introduction to hook their readers.

Maths

 We have been focusing on place value. Number expanders have been used to help the students understand place value and how numbers are broken down. They are simple, hands-on paper tools that fold and unfold to show different ways to read and write a number. 

We hope you enjoyed hearing about our wonderful learning experiences and we look forward to seeing you all at the Parent Teacher Interviews. Stay tuned for the next edition, which will feature magical potions!