Foundation News
Dear Foundation Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to Week 10 of Term 2!
We are so impressed with how students are committed to their learning as they approach all tasks with growing confidence.
We are now approaching the last few weeks of Term 2 before the school holidays. Please remember that our last day of school is on Friday the 4th of July, where there will be an early finish at 1:30pm.
Learning Focuses
Below is what we have been focusing on with our learning this term.
English
It is wonderful to see our students becoming ever more confident with the routines of our English block. We have revised all previously learned letters and introduced four new sounds: /j/, /v/, /w/ and /x/. On their whiteboards, students practiced writing words with double consonants such as huff, bell, hiss and spill. They’ve also developed strong phonemic awareness, identifying individual sounds and blending them to read full words. Additionally, we’ve continued to embed high-frequency words such as the, is, a and no into daily lessons, helping students become more fluent readers by mastering words that appear most often in text. To reinforce this learning, students used picture prompts during our Revision Weeks to inspire their own independent sentences—bringing all these skills together in creative, meaningful, and engaging ways.
Literature
Students have loved exploring the text Backyard Magic within our Literature block. We have enjoyed reading about Tilly and her backyard adventures lead by her imagination. Our focus has been to implement a range of reading strategies that enhance student comprehension of the texts they read. Before we read the text, students were asked to make a prediction about what they believe the text might be about. This critical thinking strategy allows more involvement in the reading process, as students actively use clues and prior knowledge to anticipate what might happen next. Further, we made text-to-self connections where students were invited to share an experience that they were
reminded of involving play outdoors or using their imagination. Further, we visualised what the main character might see, hear, taste, smell and feel as she explores the garden.
Knowledge
In preparation for NAIDOC Week, our Knowledge Unit in the upcoming weeks will focus on the rich customs and culture of First Nations Peoples of Australia. Throughout this unit, students will share and study the significance of the Acknowledgement of Country; understanding why it is essential to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples before we gather and learn together. We will investigate how First Nations Australians connect deeply to Country and reflect on our own responsibilities for caring for the land we live on.
Our learning will also feature a strong local focus. Students will discover elements of the Bunurong language, including the word Wimba, meaning white wallaby, and learn about the significance behind our school logo, which draws on traditional Bunurong artwork symbols. These connections enhance our understanding of cultural identity and strengthen our sense of belonging to Country.
Maths
Over the past 3 weeks, our students have immersed themselves in learning all about Measurement. They’ve enthusiastically compared the lengths or heights of various objects—ordering them from shortest to longest, or shortest to tallest. In our volume lessons, children discovered that two different containers could hold the same amount of water, practicing vocabulary such as empty, full, holds more than, holds less than. Week 9 saw them using pan balances to compare weight, enriching both their language and investigative skills.
During the last 2 weeks of term, our focus will be to learn about counting past 10, all the way up to 20. We will engage in hands-on activities that invite students to count collections to 20, represent numbers to 20 and learn how to write these numerals more fluently. All this learning is then put into practise within their Prime Maths Books.
CATS: Throughout the term, your child has/ will complete a Common Assessment Task (CAT). This task will give you a snapshot of your child’s progress in their learning journey. You will be able to access this, along with other important information, via Compass. A notification will be sent once they are available for you to view.
Reminders
Last day of Term 2:
Friday the 4th of July is the last day of school for Term 2. Please remember that it is an early finish at 1:30pm.
Home Readers:
A friendly reminder that your child’s home reader is a homework requirement. Each child will receive two books for the week, which you can help them read at home. A diary will also be provided for you to record your child’s daily reading. The reader bag should go home every day and be returned to class each day. The teacher will check the diary daily, and we will celebrate key reading milestones, such as 25 nights of reading, in the classroom. Reading every day will help your child reinforce what they’ve learned in school. Encourage your child to segment and blend the sounds in the words they are decoding (e.g., s/i/t, sit). Don’t forget to record their reading in the diary!
Library
Students are now able to borrow books from the library during their scheduled library time. To do so, they must bring their satchel on their library day. Each student may borrow one book and must return it the following week before they can borrow another. The borrowed book can also be recorded in their diary and used for their nightly reading.
Fruit snack:
A part of our daily routine involves placing fruit snacks on our tables. These snacks serve as a brain break, providing students with an energy boost to support their learning. We kindly request that fruit snacks be stored in a separate container from their lunch boxes. Lunch boxes are often large and bulky, taking up valuable desk space. Using a smaller container for the fruit snack helps free up space, which in turn contributes to a more focused learning environment.
Pick up and Drop off:
We kindly ask that you allow your child to enter the classroom independently with all their belongings. This helps to build their independence and supports the development of important life skills, such as responsibility. If someone other than you or your child’s listed guardians will be picking up your child, please ensure they are added as an approved emergency contact. Our friendly administration team can assist you with this at the school office. This process helps ensure your child’s safety and supports clear communication between teachers, parents, and carers. We thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
School Hats
During Term 2 and 3, it is not a requirement for students to wear hats while playing outside. However, if you would prefer your child to continue wearing their hat, they are welcome to do so.
Permission forms:
A friendly reminder to check with the office whether all necessary school-based forms have been completed. These forms include photo approval, technology agreement, head lice check, and local walking excursion consent. Without parental permission, students will be unable to participate in technology-related activities, and your child’s classroom teacher will require confirmation regarding the permission to take photos of your child. We appreciate your support in ensuring these forms are submitted.
100 Days of School Celebration, Term 3:
On Friday the 1st of August, we are excited to announce that we will be celebrating 100 Days of School! On this day, we will be playing games and more. We will be dressing up as if we were 100 years old. Here some examples of how your child might choose to dress up on the day.
Important dates:
4th of July – Last day of Term 2. 1:30 Finish
21st of July- Term 3 begins
25th of July- Pyjama Day. We invite your child to come to school wearing their favourite pyjamas!
1st of August- 100 Days of School Celebration
18th of August- Book Week. More information to come, but please start to think about what favourite book character your child might like to dress up as!
Home Learning Ideas
Your child's classroom teacher has sent home a login for Little Learners Love Literacy. These logins can be found in your reading diary. Encourage your child to log in and read the vast amount of decodable books available online. It provides extra reading material each week extra to your child’s take home readers. It has some great games and provides your child with comprehension questions.
Some other ideas of things you can work on at home:
- Practise writing words with the letters we have learnt in the classroom. (see above)
- Have your child practise writing their name, lowercase letters and using scissors correctly.
- Ask your child questions about the text they have just read e.g. who is the character? What was the setting?
- Practise counting and writing numerals to and from 10.
Thank you again for your continued support, if you have any questions, please ask your classroom teacher.
From the Foundation team.
