Prep
English
Reading
Students studied the author ‘Mem Fox’ as part of the Author study’. Students learnt about the author herself and also looked at the different characters, illustrations, words and themes that are found throughout her texts. Students learned about making predictions about a text. The students used text clues, such as pictures to help assist and prompt them with making a guess about what the story may be about or what might happen next. They discussed their prior knowledge about a topic before reading texts to help with making predictions. After reading each Mem Fox text as a class, students responded to the text by critiquing it and discussing what they liked or didn’t like about the book, and their favourite character and the reason why. Students continued to learn high-frequency and CVC words. Big books were used during read alouds for students to practice decoding words and identifying CVC words within the text as a class.
Writing
In Writing, the Prep students continued their work on writing about a recount of an experience that has happened, utilised the elements of who, what, when and where. The students also learned how to write a narrative, with a focus on retelling narratives that they have been exposed to during Reading. They used these skills to develop and write their own narratives, including a beginning, middle and end. Students also practiced decoding a sentence as a shared writing experience and then students wrote their own decodable sentence. For example: The bug can jump up on the log.
Mathematics
This term in mathematics, the students learnt that addition means combining two or more groups of objects or numbers. They used strategies such as counting teddies or unifix and drawing pictures to show the addition problem. Students learnt to take away some objects from a group to model subtraction and then record this by drawing it. Students also learnt about the concept of Capacity, which involved comparing objects that were heavier and lighter. In addition, students learned how to create data and interpret the data. They asked yes or no questions to make their own graphs and completed pictographs on various subjects.
Inquiry
This term prep students complete an inquiry unit called ‘My Place’. Through creative and critical thinking, students discovered that people care for places that are important to them. Through questioning and exploring the students answered questions such as: What makes a place special? And how can we look after our classroom/bedroom/home? The students explored places that are special to them, and discussed how they can take care of those places and why we should take care of them.
Science
During term 4, the Prep students have been exploring materials and their observable properties.
Students have identified and sorted a variety of objects and materials based on one or more of their properties, such as a book is smooth and flat, a texta is light and small and a chair is rough and heavy. Students carried out experiments to investigate the effects of water and sun on different materials to help them decide which material would be best for a rainy day, such as waterproof materials, and which materials offer shade for a sunny day, such as thick cotton materials. Students have investigated materials found around the school, such as brick, wood and metal and have investigated why certain materials are used for certain purposes, such as bricks are used for buildings as they are strong.
Well done Prep students on a wonderful first year of Science!
LOTE
During Term 4 in Prep Auslan. The focus was on the following topics: People, Sports, Mealtimes, Time, Occupations, Seasons, Handshapes #2, Storytelling and Celebrations. The final lesson involved seeing interviews with deaf people discussing their deafness, family and their early life (Deaf Culture). Games and lessons that the students enjoyed learning throughout the term were revisited. Other core elements of Auslan, such as Constructed Action (mime) and Depicting Signs (representing people, animals and vehicles), Handshapes, Fingerspelling and Facial Expression, were taught and modelled, showing how they are essential parts of Auslan communication.
This final term for the year built on previous skills and extended student communication
in Auslan, encouraging immersion, repetition and sequential learning. Topics were built on each other to expand the learner’s knowledge, confidence, and comfort with the new language. With young Primary School students, fun activities, practising new learning was a priority, as their interest in the Auslan language developed. Songs and poems supported the activities and learning.
On the 26th of November, students participated and engaged in a check in visit and were given the opportunity for each class to meet and interact with a Deaf person. The team that attended on the day was an Australian Education Services Team Leader, Deaf team member, and an Interpreter. The Deaf team member presented and spoke to the children about their life as a Deaf person, followed by Auslan signing with the students, and some question time. This provided students with a first-hand interaction with a Deaf person and gave them a look at Deaf culture. Sessions on the day ran for 30 minutes. It was also a good opportunity to provide support for students and staff.
Congratulations to students for a wonderful year of learning Auslan!
Art
What a great final term we have had in Prep Art. This term, the Preps explored the element of texture in their artworks. They combined this element with the other elements we have explored during the year. They also made mixed media artworks using a combination of different materials. These creations focused on using and refining a range of skills which have been covered in previous terms. Art activities involved lots of experimentation, discussion and play as we explored wonderful creative possibilities. It has been a joy to watch the growth and development in the knowledge and skills of the Preps. The creativity they have displayed has been amazing and truly inspiring. Thankyou Preps, for a wonderful year in Art!!
P.E
During this term the grade prep students have been learning about throwing, catching, and kicking. They have continued to develop their fundamental motor skills over the course of the year. Students developed their throwing and catching skills using different objects and worked on using the correct technique when throwing underarm and catching with two hands. They have done an incredible job! In conjunction with this, students have learnt how to kick a ball, how to strike it with their foot and have started to incorporate accuracy when doing so. When we completed this learning, we also continued to play class games that helped the students follow rules, listen to instructions, and begin to problem-solve. It has been a fantastic year for the grade prep students. Congratulations and enjoy the upcoming holidays.
Music
During Term 4, Music, Grade Preps continued to focus on composition and writing their own rhythmic patterns using the Kodaly counting system, ‘ta’ (crotchets), ‘ti ti’ (double crotchets) and ‘za’ (silent rest). Students continued counting a 4:4 beat using stick notation as symbols to write rhythmic patterns. Grade preps focused on writing with pitch using notes from the C major scale (all the white keys on the piano). They mainly used the first three notes C, D, E and became familiar with how they sound. From there, students composed short pieces using these notes and challenged themselves by extending further into the C major scale. Grade Preps explored playing melodies with simple rhythms such as four crotchets to begin with (4:4 beat) and gradually incorporated quavers into their compositions. Students had opportunities to work with more complex rhythms such as ‘ti ka ti ka’ which is a semi-quaver. Visual and audio representations were used to support students in their learning. Grade Preps learned to critique music based on musical elements and genres by expressing their likes and dislikes. Students continued to be exposed to a variety of songs including nursery rhymes, indigenous music, pop and classical music to support their knowledge of beat and rhythm. Congratulations Grade Prep on a wonderful year of music. All the best for Grade One in 2025!