Year 1/2

Year 1/2 Cluster News 

Sharing and Home Inquiry 

In Weeks 3-5, Term 4, students will present a 5 minute (maximum) talk about a celebration in your family (for example, birth or naming of a child, Baptism, Diwali, Christmas or birthday). We ask for one photograph to be emailed to us. If there is more than one photograph, they need to be put into a PowerPoint presentation or similar format, or printed and put on a poster. 

The focus is how people celebrate events e.g. cultural or religious celebrations. 

Some questions to consider:  

What is the purpose of the celebration? 

What traditions/activities are part of the celebration? 

Who is involved in the celebration? 

Anything else you would like to share about the origins of the celebration. 

We also welcome family members to come in and talk to the class about a celebration. 

Well done to those who have shared so far. We look forward to hearing the rest. 

Reading 

Decodable/interest/library books etc every night for 10-15 minutes.  

Weekly Timetable – 1/2 Classes 

Learning for Week 4 and 5 

Word Study (previously Jolly Spelling):  

Week 4 Year 2 o for /u/ e.g. gloves https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTpHoiSobjE 

Year 1 au for /or/ e.g. autumn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LT9Dkhsnr4 

Week 5  

Year 1 or e.g. fork https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TKWxjU0UgQ 

Year 2 or, au, aw e.g. awful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bN_lNIfLss 

Grammar Focus  

Year 1: alphabetical order, speech marks 

Year 2: finding the meaning, suffix ‘ing’ 

Writer’s Workshop: We finish our unit on information report writing and begin learning about Persuasive writing. 

Reader’s Workshop: Students continue making text to self, text to text, and text to world connections as we complete DIBELs testing.  

Mathematics:  

This term we will revisit many of the concepts we have covered throughout the year. 

Over the next couple of weeks we will inquire into patterns and 2D shapes. 

Patterns 

The focus for Year 1s is creating skip counting and repeating patterns using numbers, symbols and objects: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js45cR_7wFE 

The focus for Year 2s is describing and continuing patterns that increase or decrease by an amount. They also need to identify missing elements in a pattern.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAyqaMwn1DI 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3L5r9YzjKc 

Unit of Inquiry: Where we are in place and time  

Central idea: Communities and places have changed over time. 

Lines of inquiry: 

• Past and Present 

• How communities/places have changed over time 

• How technology has change over time 

We inquire into various things that have changed over time (for example, technology, transport, food) and compare now to when it was just the Kaurna people. We explore a little bit about the history of our school. 

Christian Studies:  

Christianity in the World: Religious beliefs and ideas shape people’s thinking and actions. 

Linking in with Christmas, students inquire into how the birth of a baby is celebrated in different religions.  

Other Reminders 

Each day students need to bring the following. Please label everything.  

• hats – these remain in the classroom for the term. 

• sunscreen is generally not applied at school during Terms 2 and 3. 

• Take Home Bags, which are also for Library borrowing. 

• a water bottle 

• a fruit snack 

• recess 

• lunch 

Items from home/Canteen money 

Students do not bring items from home unless this has been a discussion between parents and teachers.  

Students may bring one named ball to play with at break times, however, please ensure it is not a special item in case of loss or damage.  

We have also reminded students that the money they have for the canteen is for their own or sibling purchases and not to buy food for their friends. 

Shoelaces 

Please make sure your child can do up laces themselves if they have shoes with laces. Another option is shoes with Velcro until they learn this skill. 

Bag Tags 

It is useful for students to have a bag tag to identify their bag. Please only put one bag tag on and make sure it is not a special one that will be missed if it is lost as we are not able to monitor this. 

Lunch Boxes 

Please pack a substantial lunch rather than lots of recess snacks and put an ice pack in on hot days as the lunches remain in school bags outside. We also ask that you send in ‘nude food’ which does not include wrappers. 

Library Borrowing  

Both classes visit the Library on Tuesdays to borrow 2 books for 2 weeks. 

Take Home books 

Each week students take home 2-3 interest books to read at home. A letter has been sent home explaining the process. During the week, we listen to children who are reading decodable books and change these over. 

Toddle 

We post important information reminders, student learning, photos/videos and assessments on this platform.  Please contact the office if you are not connected. 

Volunteers 

During the year we have excursions, a Year 1 Sleepover and a Year 2 Camp.  

If you are interested in volunteering, there a few things you must have up to date to be able to come along or to help in the classroom. Please do not volunteer unless you have these already. Contact the office if you have any questions. 

• Working With Children Check (WWCC)  
• Responding to Abuse, Harm and Neglect training (RRHAN-EC)  
• Valuing Safe Communities (VSC) training 

https://www.goldengrove.sa.edu.au/parent-portal/volunteering/  

May God bless your week, 

Melanie Arnold and Ellen Zimmer 

Melanie Arnold: Arnold.melanie@goldengrove.sa.edu.au 

Tim Kriewaldt kriewaldt.tim@goldengrove.sa.edu.au 

Ellen Zimmer zimmer.ellen@goldengrove.sa.edu.au