Year 1/2

Year 1/2 Cluster News 

GLOW Week 

This is an exciting whole school enrichment program run over the last week of Term 2.  

For Year 1/2 classes, the regular English and Mathematics learning will happen in the mornings. After lunch each day students will do an activity: Camping play and damper eating, Construction e.g. LEGO, cubbies, Clay model making and Nature Play mud kitchen. 

On Friday, the last day of term, from 2pm in the Worship Centre, some Years 3-6 students will have a short presentation of their learning to the school community, then parents are invited to come into classrooms to see what we have been doing. 

Home Inquiry   

It was fantastic to have more home inquiry sharing over the past few weeks, just like these below. 

In Reader’s Theatre, we are practising reading with a ‘teaching voice’ just like Mr Maker https://youtube.com/shorts/0Kt2lS9nNJ4?si=jdXjW2YaiKZngfrQ. You could read with similar expression to a family member, OR record a video of you making something in a similar style, OR bring in items and teach us in class!  

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

Weekly Timetable – 1/2 Classes 

Learning for Week 9 

Word Study (previously Jolly Spelling):  

Year 1 Revision: sh, qu, double vowels, ch 

Year 2 Revision: silent w, ou e.g. country, silent k, soft c for s 

Grammar Focus  

Year 1: past tense e.g. skipped 

Year 2: verb ‘to be’ e.g. is, was, will be 

Writer’s Workshop: We finish our crafting unit by setting goals for next term. 

Reader’s Workshop: Students finish the unit about reading non-fiction books and celebrate by sharing their findings with a peer or buddy. 

Mathematics:  

Year 1 and 2 students look at collecting and recording data e.g. a tally or graph. Year 2 students also draw conclusions based on the information. 

Unit of Inquiry: Sharing the Planet 

Central Idea: People make connections through observing their surroundings. 

Line of Inquiry 1: How the needs of living things are connected to their habitats (Year 1) 

Line if Inquiry 2: Earth is part of a solar system (Year 2) 

Line of Inquiry 3: God blesses people through creation. 

Year 1 students (with Mrs Zimmer) are inquiring into how the needs of Australian animals are met through their habitats.  

Year 2 students (with Mrs Arnold) are inquiring the patterns we notice with the sun, moon and stars e.g. gravity causing high/low tides, the sun’s position in the sky 

Christian Studies:  

Christian Beliefs: Christians believe God is one God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Students identify the wonders they see in creation and what Christians believe this tells them about God’s nature. A lovely book is The Boy and the Ocean https://youtu.be/mUhI_TzKO3k?si=oQ-hoPOUWRiqn8Zl  

Other Reminders 

Boots are needed for students who want to go into the Nature Play in the muddy winter months. 

Items from home/Canteen money 

We have reminded students to 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. 

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

• hats – these have been sent home for a wash as they are not a requirement for Terms 2 and 3. It is still a good idea to leave them in bags as some days can still have a high UV rating.  

• 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 

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 and begin sending decodable books or other good fit books home to read.  

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