Term 3 Week 8

Over the past eight weeks, students have worked extremely hard to achieve their personal goals and have shown great commitment to improve and develop their skills each day. It has been wonderful to see their progress, confidence and perseverance.

We are all so very proud of all their efforts!

They investigated life in England 250 years ago and explored the factors that encouraged people to move to and settle in Australia. They have developed an understanding of Aboriginal life and culture before European settlement and considered the experiences of Aboriginal peoples when explorers and settlers first arrived. Students examined convict life, with a particular focus on the experiences of convict children, as well as learning about the different groups of people who journeyed to Australia to establish new settlements.

During our wellbeing sessions this term, students explored the difference between ‘small ant problems’ and ‘big elephant problems’ and discussed how to recognise and respond to each type of problem. They learned practical strategies to manage and solve smaller problems independently, while also identifying trusted adults, such as parents and grandparents, and community helpers, including police, ambulance officers and doctors, who can support them with bigger problems. Students also practised the P3, P3, F3 problem-solving strategy, developing their confidence in using a step-by-step approach to work through everyday challenges and make positive choices.

This term, students have enjoyed exploring a range of rich and engaging texts, including Ella and the Ocean, Gary – Grade 3, Rosey’s Journey, Alfred’s War and The Little Refugee – Grade 4. Through these stories, students have strengthened their comprehension and vocabulary while developing their understanding of characters, events and themes.

Students have also explored the structure of words by investigating prefixes and suffixes and how they connect to base words to change or add meaning. They have applied this knowledge by identifying and using word parts in sentences and in the texts they have read.

Reading fluency has remained an important focus, with students regularly practising to improve their accuracy, pace, expression and confidence. Our daily review sessions have also supported students in developing a stronger understanding of sentence structure, grammar and punctuation, helping them become more accurate and confident readers and writers.

This term, students have participated in a range of engaging Mathematics experiences, developing their skills, knowledge and confidence. Grade 4 students have explored multiplication and division, angles, fractions, decimals and location, while Grade 3 students have focused on multiplication and division, angles, telling time, addition and subtraction, and 3-dimensional objects.

It has been wonderful to see students apply their mathematical thinking to a variety of tasks, develop their problem-solving skills and become more confident when explaining their strategies and working through challenges. Students have worked hard throughout the term and should be proud of the progress they have made.

Grade 3 students are extremely excited this week as they prepare to head off to camp at Roses Gap. They are looking forward to enjoying a range of exciting activities, including the flying fox, obstacle course, rope swing and canoeing. While these activities are certainly a highlight, some of the best moments will come from simply spending time together—exploring the campgrounds, chatting with friends, playing games and enjoying the wonderful experience of being away together. It promises to be a fantastic couple of days filled with adventure, laughter, friendship and plenty of memorable moments!

Fiona, Alison, Michelle and Penni.

Fundraising at SMJ

SMJ TRIVIA NIGHT