Learning News

Learning News Weeks 7-8, Term 2 2024

Learning News

Reading has been a key focus at St Michael’s this term as fluent reading and strong literacy skills are essential for lifelong learning.  Studies have shown that reading every day reduces stress and helps you relax, improves your concentration and memory, expands your vocabulary, strengthens your writing abilities, enhances your knowledge and increases your imagination and creativity. That is why we celebrate the return of home readers and have our students read to an adult where humanly possible every day.  So keep reading with your child or listening to them read every night, it is so very important.

Kindergarten

This week in Mathematics, Kindergarten have been learning about three-dimensional objects. The children have learned that 3-D objects can be touched, take up space and are solid. We explored different objects in the classroom like dice, glue sticks and handballs. We then sorted the objects by describing them as either curved or with flat sides or with both. The children have been using modelling clay this week to make different 3D objects and identify their attributes. Kindergarten then sorted pictures of different 3D objects into categories. Amazing work Kinder.

Miss Fraser

Year 1

Year 1 has been learning different strategies to solve subtraction problems for the last few weeks. We have been working hard to count backwards and not get tricked when crossing the decade numbers (10, 20, 30 etc). We have learned how to use a number line to jump backwards to find the answer to a problem, used beaded strings to partition numbers to help solve subtraction numbers faster, and explored number bonds to find all of the different numbers that can make a given number. We also discovered a new game called ‘Red or Black’ that we have enjoyed playing to help with our adding and subtracting skills. 

Red or Black Game - You will need a pack of playing cards (picture cards removed) and paper to record on. Aces equal one point. Each player begins with a score of 20 points (or more if you want a challenge!). Shuffle the cards and place them face down in a pile. Each person takes turns to draw a card from the pile. Before doing so, they must say whether the card will be red or black. If they correctly guess the colour of the card, the number on the card is added to their score. If they guess incorrectly, the number on the card is subtracted. The winner is the one with the most points. 

Year 2

In Year 2, we have been learning how texts are created in different ways depending on their purpose, audience and context. We read the book ‘Great White Shark’ and discovered that it was a hybrid text. It was both a narrative and informative text. We had a go at writing our own hybrid text by writing something descriptive about Great White Sharks and then something informative about them. Did you know that Great White Sharks have a sixth sense? Ask Year 2 what this sixth sense is called…Great job Year 2! 

Miss Rasche 

Year 3/4

In Science, Year 3/4 have been learning how materials change when heated and cooled. Students began by identifying solids, liquids and gases, stating features of them and identifying examples of each. Year 3/4 then undertook an experiment to observe the changes that occur in water, milk, golden syrup, candle wax and chocolate when heat is added and removed. Students had a fantastic time comparing observations, uplevelling their scientific vocabulary and recognising that some materials can change back and forth between states. Fantastic work this week Stage 2 scientists!  

Miss Maunder 

Year 5

This Semester Year 5 have had a focus on the early colonial history of Australia. In this unit of work we have focused on the lives of many people during this time period and have looked at key individuals who played a key role in our History. To link to this our Creative Art focus has been on drawing and sketching skills. In this activity we combined the two. The students were tasked with picking someone from the time and trying to sketch their appearance. This even branched out into fictional characters based on poems and folk legends from the time period in question. Here are some of our fantastic results. Well Done Year 5! 

Mr Beaumont

Year 6

In Year 6 Science, we have been learning about reversible and irreversible change. Metal turning into rust is an irreversible change that affects many everyday objects. Over the years, people have found different ways of treating the metal that can slow down the rusting process. We are conducting an experiment to find out the best way to treat metal to stop it from rusting. First, we sanded back 5 identical nails and then added a different treatment to each - one was left as is (the control), one was coated in grease, one covered in dirt, one placed into vinegar and one placed into salty water. Students each made their predictions of what will occur and now will observe the rusting process over the next week or so to determine the best treatment for slowing the rusting process! Scientific work Year 6! 

Miss Summerell