Year 1

Welcome back everyone! I can’t believe we are already 1/3 of the way through but what a fantastic start to Term 3 we have had! Students have returned calm, focused, and ready to learn after a holiday break! With swimming starting next week and our usual line-up of learning, cooking, and gardening, it’s safe to say the calendar is looking very full this term!

In our Knowledge Building unit, we’ve been diving deep into the rich and fascinating culture of First Nations Australians. We’ve explored their traditions, sacred places, Dreaming stories, and even added some rather impressive vocabulary to our word banks — including creation, ancestors, knowledge and traditions. Not bad for a bunch of six- and seven-year-olds!

Our ears have been treated to the sounds of First Nations bands and singers, where we’ve been tuning in to their languages and identifying traditional instruments. We now know a didgeridoo from a clapstick and a kulap. The stories we've read — How the Kangaroos Got Their Tails, When the Snake Bites the Sun, and The Porpoise and the Kangaroo — have sparked rich conversations and even richer writing. We’ve been working hard on expanding our sentences using conjunctions like because and but (but not writing never-ending run-on sentences — we know better than that!).

In Phonics, we’ve leapt into Level 6 sounds with enthusiasm, learning about the bossy -r controlled vowels! By the end of this week, we’ll have covered all the new sounds and will spend the rest of the term reviewing, revisiting, and reinforcing them through decodable texts, reading practice, spelling activities and writing!

In Maths, we've been identifying, creating, and extending repeating patterns using shapes, colours, objects. Not only are we making patterns, but we’re also identifying the rules behind them. Since learning about them, they have been popping up everywhere! We’ve been spotting number patterns on number lines, hundreds charts and all-around daily life! Next, we moved into the wonderful world of skip counting — by 2s, 5s, and 10s. This has not only helped us continue and create more complex patterns, but it's also laying the groundwork for multiplicative thinking (that’s teacher-speak for your child is on their way to understanding times tables). 

In Wellbeing, we’ve been focusing on the 5th Kimochi Key to Communication — using words that help solve tricky situations instead of turning them into even trickier moment. We’ve been rehearsing calm scripts and helpful phrases that help us say what we feel in ways that build bridges, not walls (unless the wall is made of LEGO — then it’s probably fine).

Next week, we’re taking a break from the kitchen and garden as we swap the whisk for the water wings and head to Kyneton Pool for swimming! Please make sure those towels, togs, and goggles are packed. 

Here’s to a busy, brilliant, and balanced Term 3!