Year 1/ 2

Literacy

What a fantastic term it has been as our Grade 1/2 students embraced the Department’s new literacy approach! We’re excited to celebrate their progress as they grew in key literacy areas— phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, reading comprehension, and writing; building a strong foundation for their future learning and strengthening their reading and writing abilities.

Another highlight was the author study of Pamela Allen, where students improved their comprehension and created their own narratives inspired by her stories. They also explored nonfiction texts on animal habitats, applying their knowledge to write their own information reports.

We are incredibly proud of their hard work and growth this term!

Mathematics

We are excited to reflect on the fantastic progress our Grade 1/2 students made in Mathematics this year! To start the term, we encouraged students to take risks in problem-solving through our start-up program, which helped build their confidence and foster a positive attitude toward mathematics. They engaged in lessons covering key topics in Number, Measurement, and Geometry.

As the term progressed, students focused on Place Value, Counting, and Patterns, developing a solid understanding of the value of digits in numbers. They also explored Measurement, Geometry, and Statistics. In Measurement and Geometry, they learned about time, including the months of the year, seasons, and time components like minutes, hours, and days. To conclude the term, they worked on Statistics, learning to collect data and display it in graphs.

We are incredibly proud of the growth and enthusiasm our students showed throughout this mathematics journey!

Inquiry

To start with, all the students participated in the Learning to Learn program, which focused on teaching them about the positive behaviours expected throughout our school. This program helped students understand how to demonstrate these behaviours in all areas of the school environment.

Once the Learning to Learn program was complete, students began their first Inquiry topic of the year, titled "Me and My Body." In this unit, Grade 1/2 students explored the importance of making healthy food choices and the effects different foods have on their bodies. They also learned about substances that are unsafe for their bodies, such as soaps, cleaning products, and art supplies. Additionally, students identified trusted people in the school and community whom they could turn to for help if their bodies weren’t feeling well.

Throughout the term, students participated in social and emotional lessons, where they explored different emotions and how to respond to them. They also developed strategies for managing emotions and stress and learned who they could ask for support. As part of this unit, students reflected on their personal strengths and discovered how they could apply them in various situations.

We are extremely pleased with the progress and compassion our students showed throughout their social and emotional learning journey!

Science

What an exciting term of science for our Grade 1 and 2 students!

Throughout Term 1, students have been exploring the biological sciences with a focus on animals. They have been investigating the features of animals, including their different coverings, how they move, and how they eat. Students have also learned about animal habitats, discovering where animals live—on land and in water—and how these environments can change due to natural and human influences.

Learning has taken place through a variety of engaging activities, including videos, matching and sorting tasks, drawing diagrams, and nature walks, where students observed the animals living in our school playground. The highlight of the term was creating dioramas to showcase different animal habitats—an exciting hands-on project that allowed students to apply what they had learned in a creative way.

Well done to all our Grade 1 and 2 students on a fantastic start to the year in science! We can’t wait to see what discoveries next term will bring.

LOTE 

During Term 1 2023 Grade 1/2 students learnt about: – Revision Alphabet/Greetings, Food/Breakfast, Transport, Shops, Outside the House, Vegetables, Handshapes #3, Size, Shape and Revision (of term content). 

The students continued learning new signs for the above topics, through the videos, with fun stories, poems/songs and games. We practiced combining signs in ‘phrases’ to build Auslan communication. 

Repetition and practice improve recall and develop Auslan language skills.                               The lessons frequently included revision of past learning as we covered the new learning. The students were encouraged to participate in activities, practising lesson content and to share their learning with their peers and the teacher.

Our focus is on both expressive Auslan (signing to others) and receptive Auslan (reading back/understanding others’ signing). These are important skills which coordinate in the learning and usage of the Auslan language.

At this level the students are encouraged to develop their confidence in using Auslan signs and understanding the visual nature of Auslan communication.

Art

What a great start to the year, in Art! Grade 1 and 2 began by settling into routines and following expectations in our art room environment. They have taken pride and care when using art materials and tools. They have also demonstrated a positive attitude. The topic for this term was Colour Theory. Students revised the Primary Colours of red, blue and yellow and how these can be mixed to make Secondary and Tertiary Colours. Students used different mediums. such as paint and crayons, when mixing colours and creating their artworks. They looked at art pieces done by different artists to explore how colours can be used. Students also worked with warm and cool colours to create their own art pieces. 

Grade 1 and 2 have shown lots of creativity and have produced wonderful artworks in Term 1. Fantastic job, Grade 1 and 2. Keep up the awesome work!

P.E

Our Year 1/2 students have had a fantastic term in Physical Education, full of energy, excitement, and skill-building! We started the term by focusing on throwing and catching, helping students develop coordination and confidence through fun, engaging activities. It was wonderful to see their skills improve as they worked together and encouraged one another.

From there, we moved into a football unit, where students learned the basics of kicking, marking, and handballing. Whether it was passing to a partner or playing small-sided games, the emphasis was on participation, fair play, and having fun!

The enthusiasm and sportsmanship shown by our Year 1/2 students have been incredible, and we’re so proud of their efforts. I can’t wait to see them continue to grow and enjoy new challenges in Term 2!

Music

Our grade 1/2 musicians excelled themselves during term 1, advancing their vocal technique by performing traditional African and Australian folk songs. Students demonstrated their ability to play the chord of C major on the ukulele. The grade 1/2 pupils exhibited their ability to vary dynamics, tempo and pitch during their performing and composing activities. Well done!