Year 1/2

Welcome

Dear Families,

Welcome to Term Three! We hope you had a restful and enjoyable break with your families. We look forward to working with your children and celebrating their achievements and progress throughout the third term.

Our Learning This Term

English  

Year 1

In Term Three, students will continue developing their Literacy skills through the InitiaLit program and Ochre Writing resources. This term, they will learn about short and long vowel sounds, how a Bossy 'e' changes the pronunciation and meaning of words (such as hop to hope), and how to use suffixes like -s, -ed and -ing. Students will also build their reading and spelling knowledge by learning common digraphs such as th, oo, ai and ay, helping them decode and write more complex words. Throughout the term, they will continue practising new Tricky Words to strengthen reading fluency, spelling, and vocabulary.

In Writing this term, students will use the mentor texts The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name, Dingo, Jetty Jumping, and Migaloo the White Whale to explore both imaginative and informative writing. Through these engaging texts, students will learn how authors use descriptive language, interesting vocabulary, and text structure to communicate ideas effectively. They will plan, draft, edit, and publish their own writing while developing their understanding of sentence structure, punctuation, and simple grammar to ensure their writing is clear, meaningful, and engaging. Students will also build their confidence in organising ideas and writing for different purposes and audiences.

Year 2 

This term in Year Two, we will continue to strengthen students’ Literacy skills through our structured Literacy program, with a focus on spelling, reading comprehension, fluency, grammar and writing.

As part of our spelling program, students will explore different spelling choices for the long /a/ sound, including ai, ay and a_e. They will learn how these letter patterns are used to spell words such as rain, play and place, and develop their understanding of when to use each spelling choice in different contexts. This knowledge will support students in both decoding unfamiliar words and improving their spelling accuracy.

During our comprehension and fluency lessons, students will investigate a range of text types and learn to identify their key features. They will explore informational texts by locating and using features such as headings, subheadings, maps, diagrams and text boxes to help them understand and gather information more effectively.

In grammar, students will learn to distinguish between common nouns and proper nouns. They will also practise using capital letters correctly for proper nouns, helping them develop greater accuracy and confidence in their writing.

Throughout the term, students will also be introduced to new Tricky Words. These high-frequency words often do not follow regular spelling patterns, so regular practice will help students build reading fluency, improve automatic word recognition and expand their vocabulary.

In writing, our Year Two students will focus on persuasive texts. They will explore a range of engaging topics while learning how to express a clear opinion, develop reasons to support their viewpoint and consider opposing ideas. Students will practise using persuasive language and evidence to convince their audience, strengthening both their oral and written communication skills.

Take-Home Reading

Take-home books continue to go home weekly. Please ensure your child’s Reading Log is filled in each night after reading. Nightly reading plays a vital role in Literacy development and has many benefits, including improving listening skills, spelling, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and overall confidence. We will continue with students’ reading days throughout Term Three. If you require a copy of this, please contact your child's teacher directly.

Parent Helpers

We look forward to welcoming Parent Helpers into the classrooms. Please ensure that you have a current Working with Children Check, as this is a legal requirement. If you are interested in assisting in the classroom, please contact your child's teacher. 

Mathematics

Topics covered throughout Term Three are as follows:

Weeks 1-2 Shape

Students were learning to make, compare and classify familiar shapes.  They also recognised familiar shapes and objects in the environment, identifying the similarities and differences between them.

Students recognised, compared and classified shapes, identifying the number of sides and used terms such as ‘opposite’, ‘parallel’, ‘curved’ and ‘straight’ to describe their features.

Weeks 3-6 Multiplication and Division

Students will learn to share items equally into a given number of groups.  They will then create arrays and describe their visual representation using the statement: — groups of — makes —. 

Students will then investigate repeated addition and record a number sentence that represents their array.

Weeks 7 & 9 - Time

Students begin to learn to sequence events over weeks, months and years. They will compare familiar events based on their duration. We will also investigate the features of an analog clock and record the following times: to the hour, to the half hour and quarter of an hour.

Students will also explore the features of a calendar and identify how many days, weeks and months from one given date to another.

Week 10 - Revision

PBL

The students are excited for the new PBL Leaders to be informed of their role at Assembly and be presented with their badges. They will be attending Student Voice Meetings this semester where they will represent their class and bring with them specific ideas and suggestions to be discussed as a team.

In our Respectful Relationships program we have been focusing on coping with challenging situations in a positive way including: Listening to upbeat music to cheer us up, positive self talk, taking some deep breaths and asking for help. 

The importance of seeking help becomes a main focus over the next couple of weeks including the revision of trusted adults that we can go to for help including our parents and teachers. This also focuses on the ways that students can help others and include them in games if they are feeling left out or assist them in their learning during lessons.

Students continue demonstrating Respect, Responsibility and Resilience in their actions and behaviour and have been awarded for this through weekly certificates from their class teachers.

Religion

This term in Religion, students will be exploring the themes of forgiveness and compassion, inspired by the teachings and actions of Jesus. Through key scripture stories, students will reflect on how they can follow Jesus’ example in their own lives.

We will read and discuss stories such as The Prodigal Son and Zacchaeus, focusing on how Jesus showed love, understanding, and mercy - even to those who had made mistakes. These stories help students recognise the importance of making positive choices, saying sorry, and showing kindness to others.

Students will also reflect on how their actions can impact those around them, both within the classroom and the wider community. These discussions encourage empathy, responsibility, and a deeper understanding of how we can live out our school values each day.

In August, we will join together as a school to celebrate Mary MacKillop in the form of a Liturgy – Honouring Australia’s first Saint and her legacy of service, compassion and education.

These celebrations provide rich opportunities for prayer, reflection, and community connection as we grow in faith together.

Inquiry  

Our topic for this term is Geography. Students explore the concepts of connection and scale in relation to Geography. They investigate the many ways that knowledge of geography and developments in navigation have allowed us to connect to people and places. 

Students will learn to describe ways people use places and environments, identify connections between people and places, represent data and location using maps and interpret geographical information using maps. 

Digitech skills will also be developed during our geography inquiry unit. This includes collecting information from digital sources and using devices to design and create a digital booklet. 

We will study the different states and territories of Australia, and identify where they are on a world map. Then, the students will work to identify the different continents and oceans that surround them. Lastly, we will be creating a digital booklet about Australia and its different states, territories and landmarks. 

SPECIALIST NEWS

Library News

Book Week is Coming in Week 7!

We are looking forward to celebrating Book Week in Week 7 of this term! The 2026 Children's Book Week theme, "Symphony of Stories," celebrates the way stories bring people together, with every book adding its own unique voice to the wonderful world of reading. 

Our Book Week celebrations begin the week before Book Week with a very special visit from one of Australia's much loved illustrators. On Tuesday 18th August, students in Prep to Grade 2 will have the exciting opportunity to meet Sarah Allen. During her visit, Sarah will share her journey as an illustrator, talk about the inspiration behind her stories and artwork, and give students an insight into the creative process behind her much-loved books. Students are welcome to bring a favourite book from home to have it signed by Sarah Allen. The book does not need to be one of hers—it can be any book they love.

Book Week festivities will continue throughout Week 7 with a variety of exciting Literacy activities, finishing with our much-loved Book Week Parade during Friday morning assembly on 28th August. We encourage all students to begin planning a costume based on a favourite book character or story. Costumes can be simple, and even sports clothing can be used if it connects to a book.

We can't wait to celebrate the joy of reading with our students and see all of their wonderful, creative costumes!

Library lessons will help students grow as readers through fun and engaging activities relating to the nominated Book Week texts such as:

• 📚 Talking about the characters, what they do, and how they feel.
• 💬 Sharing ideas about the story and talking about what they learned.
• ✍️ Drawing, writing, and responding to stories in different ways.
• 🎨 Creating artwork inspired by the characters, settings, or favourite parts of the book.
• 🌟 Sharing their favourite part of the story and explaining why they enjoyed it.

We look forward to our Book Week Parade on Friday the 28th of August

Best wishes,

Mrs Milne

L.O.T.E.  Italian   

Ciao a tutti e bentornati a scuola.

Dear parents, welcome to Term 3.

This term the students in Years One and Two will be introduced to new language and grammar through an Italian picture story book entitled Mangia Mangia.

This unit of work is centred on the story of a pet cat in the context of an Italo-Australian family home. The story focuses on the relationship of a family and their pet at meal times and encourages the students to talk about their own experience of meal times and the order in which the food is served and the type of food served in their house. How does it compare to the one in the story? Are there similarities or differences? Students will complete a poster showing their findings.

The language of the story emphasizes and recycles previously-learnt language and the structured activities, tasks and new vocabulary are aimed at further developing the students’ writing, speaking and listening skills.

The students will also be working on their art activity for the Art Show and their poster for the Dante Alighieri Poster Competition- My perfect day.

During the lessons the students will continue to participate in singing songs, playing games and reciting chants.

Il Cibo  (Food)

Il minestrone - vegetable soup                         la frutta - fruit

La carne – meat                                            Il formaggio -cheese

Cordiali saluti,

Signora White

 Mangia Micio Mangia!

Cordiali saluti

Signora White

ART 

Welcome back to Term 3! I hope all of our Grade 1/2 families enjoyed a restful and refreshing holiday break.

Last term was filled with creativity as students explored the colourful world of Pop Art. They learnt about a variety of famous Pop Art artists and experimented with bold colours, patterns and creative techniques. It was wonderful to see their confidence and artistic skills continue to grow.

This term, our learning will focus on the elements of art, particularly line and colour. Students will discover how something as simple as a line can express different emotions and ideas, while also exploring how colour can influence mood and meaning in artwork. We are also looking forward to creating something special for Father's Day, giving students the opportunity to make a meaningful keepsake for someone special.

Excitement is building as we continue preparing for our School Art Show in September. We warmly invite all families to join us for Opening Night on Tuesday 1 September, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, where our students' wonderful artwork will be proudly displayed and celebrated. It promises to be a fantastic evening for our school community.

Finally, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who has generously donated newspapers and paper rolls to the Art Room. Your support is greatly appreciated and makes a real difference to our art program. If you have any spare newspapers at home, we would love for you to keep the donations coming throughout the term.

Thank you for your continued support. We look forward to another fun, creative and inspiring term in the Art Room!

Happy art and crafting,

Mrs. Milena Santoro 

Physical Education

Welcome to Term Three!

During this term in Physical Education, Year 1/2 students will engage in a variety of fitness activities, as well as cooperative games. Students are continuing to develop their understanding of positive teamwork and how to work together in groups. We will emphasise this throughout the term through different games - as well as an introduction unit into volleyball and basketball. Year 1/2 students will be completing their swimming program this term! Starting on 24th August until 4th September (excluding Fridays), students will have a 30-minute swim lesson at Aquastar Moorabbin. 

Year 1/2 students will also be preparing for the upcoming Athletics Day, they will be practising the various fun activities that will be played on the day including relay races and hurdles. Students will spend 10 minutes at each activity with their classroom teacher and rotate through all of them. We are excited for another fun term ahead! 

Mr Alex Heenan 

Performing Arts 

Welcome back 1/2 Students and families! I’m looking forward to another fun term of Performing Arts. 

This term, we’ll be looking at cultural dance, and students are exploring the style of dance that belongs to their own cultural background as well as that of other classmates.  We’ll be looking at the associated moves and styles with that culture and how they come about through cultural celebrations. Students will be learning the Sasa from Tuvalu, the Break Mixer from the US and Doudlebska Polka (also a game) from Czechia. 

Later in the term, students will be developing their understanding of creating a script.  We’ll build the characters, setting, problem and solution in our drama over a few lessons, and then students will have an opportunity to perform their story with others (and possibly be involved in a performance of someone else's story).  We’ll be talking about using our words, faces and bodies to communicate feelings and ideas in our stories.

Finally, the 1/2‘s will also be practising the song “Sing a Rainbow” with the hope of performing it at the Art Show in a few weeks. We’ll also start learning about notes on the staff beginning with songs Bee Bee Bumble Bee, Sarasponda and Peas Porridge Hot.

Happy singing and dancing! 

Mrs Emma Cooper

Positive Behaviour for Learning

This term the students continue to focus on Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) and its three school wide expectations: Respect, Responsibility and Resilience.

We have started teaching Respectful Relationships lessons and this term we are focusing on the first two topics: Emotional Literacy and Personal Strengths. 

In Emotional Literacy, students will review different emotions including anger, excitement, fear and happiness and how we might look and act when feeling these ways. They will also investigate situations that trigger these emotions and ways that we can respond when experiencing certain emotions . 

The students will learn about acts of kindness and ways in which we can have positive relationships with our friends and family members through choosing our words and actions. 

Students will learn about a wide range of personal strengths that assist us in feeling positive, having good experiences and forming friendships. These personal strengths include being honest, fair, forgiving, patient and kind.

Class Meetings are held on a weekly basis where everyone is given a voice to share their thoughts and feelings about any issues that they would like to raise. This is also an opportunity to celebrate all of the positive things that are happening in the school. The PBL Captains have been doing a wonderful job taking class responses to PBL Meetings and sharing suggestions with other PBL Leaders.

Classroom Organisation

The students in Year 1/2 need to continue to develop independence. Students are encouraged to develop this at school through such things as being responsible for:

• Unpacking bags at school

• Organising their personal belongings

• Handing in any notes

• Bringing back library books and bags on their assigned day

• Being punctual to class and ready for learning

Gates are now open from 8.25 a.m and students can drop their bags off in their designated area and play on the playground between 8.25 and 8.40 a.m. At 8.40 a.m the classroom doors open and music begins to play. Student classroom settling is between 8.40 and 8.45 a.m and parents are welcome during these times.

From 8.45 - 8.55 a.m there are the school and class prayers and the attendance roll is taken during this time.

Teaching and learning commences at 8.55 a.m.

After 8:55 am, students must report to the office to be registered as late for the day.

If your child is absent from school, we must receive notification of this in writing, either via the Audiri app, an email to the classroom teacher, or a note handed to the teacher.

All 1/2 students will participate in the Specialist Program on Wednesday: Italian, Art, Performing Arts, and PE. Please remember that every Wednesday, the students are expected to wear their runners and P.E. uniforms to school for Physical Education. 

On all other days of the week, students should wear their school shoes and full school uniform.

Library Sessions have commenced this term and will take place every two weeks. Please return all Library books and bring a Library bag before your child’s lesson. Books are to be returned on the second Wednesday after your child’s lesson and placed in the library tub in your child’s room. 

Class lesson days and times:

1/2L, 1/2K - Tuesdays

1/2G, 1/2C - Thursdays

Key Dates

July

• Friday 31st - Sports Day

August

• Wednesday 5th - SAC Meeting from 7.00 - 8.30 a.m.

• Friday 7th - St Mary of the Cross Liturgy

                      - School Assembly @ 9.00 a.m.

• Saturday 8th - Prep - 2 Working Bee @ 8.30 - 10.30 a.m.

• Friday 14th - School Closure Day

• Tuesday 18th - Sarah Allen Illustrator - Visits Prep - 2

• Friday 21st  - School Assembly @ 9.00 a.m.

•                         -  Australian Girls’ Choir visit @ 10.30 - 11.00 a.m.

• Monday 24th - Thursday 27th (Inclusive) - Year 1/2 Swimming @ Aquastar Moorabbin

• Friday 28th - School Assembly @ 9.00 a.m.

                        - Sacrament of Confirmation @ 5.00 p.m.

• Monday 31st - Year 1/2 Swimming @ Aquastar Moorabbin

September

• Tuesday 1st - Thursday 3rd (Inclusive) - Year 1/2 Swimming @ Aquastar Moorabbin

                                                                         - Art Show Opening Night @ 6.00 - 8.00 p.m.

• Thursday 3rd - Father’s Day Stall

• Friday 4th - Father’s Day Stall for any students who have missed out

• Sunday 6th - Father’s Day

• Monday 14th - Parent/Teacher/Student interviews

• Thursday 17th - Learning Celebrations @ 2.45 - 3.30 p.m.

• Friday 18th - Final Day of Term Three

                   

*As dates can be subject to change, please check either the school newsletter or notifications on the Audiri App.

*As dates can be subject to change, please check either the school newsletter or notifications on the Audiri App.

How to Contact Us

Jordan Lonergan                     jlonergan@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Sally Kuszner                             skuszner@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Rachel Gurvich                          rgurvich@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Emily Casaceli                           ecasaceli@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Maggie Sproul                          maggie@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Natalie Arhontis                       narhontis@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

We politely request that there is an understanding that emails will be responded to within a 48 hour time frame and within the hours of 8.00am-4.45pm.