F-4 Community News

Foundation

What a lot of learning the Foundation students have been doing and enjoying in the last few weeks.

In Literacy, we are continuing to learn many letters and their most common sounds. We are working hard to remember our tricky words and are enjoying writing them on our mini whiteboards.

In writing we are now writing sentences and checking for three key things when complete: does the sentence say what I wanted it to say? do I have finger spaces between my words? and have I used a full stop?

In Mathematics we made colourful shape creatures and have been doing lots of learning about our numbers to 20.

Yesterday we had an exciting day out with an excursion to the Kyabram Fauna Park. We have been learning about animals, their features and their habitats in science lessons, so it was fantastic to look at the features of animals up close and see them in their habitats. Our information session in the Fauna Park classroom was a highlight as we were able to get up close and personal with some animals and use our five senses to explore them.

Just a reminder, we have swimming in the last week of term. Don't forget students will need to come in their sports uniform for this week. It is a good idea to have your child practicing dressing and undressing themselves at home before swimming week, so they can do things for themselves at the pool.

Thank you to families for your ongoing support with home reading and practise of tricky words - it really supports your child's in class learning.

Year 1

Over the past few weeks, our Year 1 students have continued to work hard and show great enthusiasm in their learning across all areas. 

In Literacy, students have continued developing their phonics knowledge by exploring new sound patterns such as ‘or’ and ‘ore’, while also reviewing previously learned sounds and tricky words. Through daily reading, handwriting and small group work, students are strengthening their fluency and comprehension skills. In writing, students have been completing their narrative “Our Frightened Furry Friend”, carefully including a beginning, middle, actions and a solution. They have also been learning how to use verbs and exclamation marks in sentences to make their writing more engaging. 

In Mathematics, we have been focusing on addition and subtraction within 20 and beyond. Students have been representing their thinking using number lines, number bonds, bar models and concrete materials. They have also been developing their understanding of the equals sign and how to create balanced number sentences. It has been wonderful to see students confidently explaining their thinking and tackling new challenges. 

Our Science learning has continued through the unit Needs of Living Things, where students have been exploring how living things survive and how our actions impact the environment.  

We were extremely fortunate to receive a visit from a real-life scientist who works locally to test the water quality of our channels, rivers and lakes. Students were highly engaged in a hands-on, interactive experience that brought our science learning to life. During the session, students worked collaboratively to create two different bodies of water. One represented positive (green) choices, while the other represented negative (red) choices. Using real-life scenarios, students added different substances to each ‘waterway’ and made predictions about what would happen. The most exciting part was using a real water testing device to investigate the results. Students were fascinated to discover which water was clean and safe and which had been impacted by poor choices. This powerful demonstration helped students clearly understand how everyday actions can affect the health of our waterways and environment. 

Swimming Week Reminder 

A reminder that Swimming Week is coming up in Week 10.  To help students feel confident and prepared, we encourage families to practise getting changed independently at home. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to build independence and we are looking forward to finishing the term with a fun and active week! 

Year 2

In Year 2 Literacy, students have been developing their comprehension skills by learning and practising a range of strategies, including visualising, predicting and asking questions. These strategies help students deepen their understanding of texts and make meaningful inferences about what they read. One of our favourite texts was Kids in Space, where students used their visualising skills to create vivid images in their minds as the story unfolded. It was wonderful to hear and see the different pictures students imagined and discuss how authors use descriptive language to help readers build understanding. 

Years 3 and 4

Year 3 students have been engaged in rich learning experiences across both Literacy and Science this fortnight.

In Literature, students have been reading Finding Our Heart by Thomas Mayo and learning about the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Through discussions and shared reading activities, students have explored how First Nations voices, cultures and traditions contribute to the story of Australia's past, present and future. They have also been developing their understanding of how illustrations add meaning to a text, helping readers make connections and deepen their comprehension. Students have enjoyed exploring the important message of the book, which encourages all Australians to recognise that our country's true heart comes from First Nations voices and traditions.

In Science, students participated in an engaging workshop with Clancy from Bees and Blossoms, where they learnt all about Australia's fascinating native bees. Students were amazed to discover that there are over 2,000 species of native bees in Australia, yet only 11 of these species produce honey. During the session, students explored the important role native bees play in our environment and created their own native bee hotels using natural materials. It was a wonderful hands-on learning experience that inspired curiosity and a greater appreciation for our local wildlife.

Year 4 students have been busy exploring a range of exciting learning experiences this term. In Mathematics, students have been investigating 2D shapes and composite shapes, developing their understanding of how smaller shapes can be combined to create more complex figures. In Religious Education, we have been learning about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and discussing how we can live like Jesus by showing kindness, compassion and service to others in our daily lives. In Literacy, students have been learning about Captain Cook, the Endeavour and the First Fleet. They have found this historical learning fascinating and will use their knowledge to write a factual recount, incorporating key historical events and information they have discovered throughout the unit.

Several Years 3 and 4 students have been busy preparing and presenting speeches as part of the Lions Club Public Speaking Competition. Students worked hard to research, write and practise their speeches before presenting them to a panel of Years 3 and 4 teachers. We were incredibly impressed by the confidence, effort and public speaking skills demonstrated by all participants. A number of students have now been selected to present their speeches to the Lions Club, with the opportunity to progress to the next stage of the competition. We wish all of our speakers the very best of luck and congratulate them on their outstanding efforts so far.