Year 1 News
Reading
In Reading, Year 1 students are learning to blend and segment sounds in words. Blending means students put sounds together to make a word. For example, /c/ /a/ /t/ becomes ‘cat.’ Segmenting means students break a word into its sounds. For example, ‘dog’ can be split into /d/ /o/ /g/. Students use these skills to help them read and write words. Blending helps students sound out new words when they read, and segmenting helps students spell words when they write. These are important tools for becoming strong readers and writers!
The students were also learning about a new reading skill, summarising. They were identifying the key points in a story using the structure; somebody, wanted, but, so, then.
“Summarising a story means talking about the important parts in the story.” Helena 1A
“You don’t just talk about every part of the story, you think of the main parts.” Sophia 1A
Writing
The Year 1 cohort has begun learning about informational texts by exploring the question, “What does information mean?” The focus this week was on identifying the features of animals and understanding the structure of an information report. Students read a non-fiction text about the Poison Dart Frog and discussed what makes a text informational. They then drew the frog, focusing specifically on its appearance. Some students labelled their drawings with descriptive words such as webbed feet and bright skin, while others extended their learning by using expanded noun phrases like small, shiny eyes and spotted yellow body. This activity helped students build both their writing and science knowledge in an engaging and meaningful way.
Students from 1A during the writing research session.
Maths
In Mathematics, Year 1 students consolidated their knowledge of place value. Students explored partitioning two-digit numbers into tens and ones. They did this by drawing two number cards to make a random two-digit number, then they had to represent their number in different ways using place value charts, part-part-whole models, and icypole sticks. They also completed the P-Vat Maths Assessment for teachers to assess where they are currently at to inform future learning goals.
Year 1 students then focused on addition and subtraction, where they applied different strategies such as skip counting, friends of ten, and using concrete materials to solve various number equations. In application to real-world scenarios, students also solved worded addition and subtraction problems.
“My number is 17 so I have 1 bundle (of ten) and 7 sticks” - Charlie 1C
Inquiry
In Inquiry, Year 1 began exploring ‘Watch them Grow’. In this topic, the students will be learning how living things grow, change and have offspring, reflecting the stages of personal development from birth. This week they were exploring the meaning of ‘basic needs’ and that all living things need certain things to survive. We took our learning outdoors, allowing the students to observe and identify living things in their school playground, leading to a discussion on why animals need homes and why it is a basic need. The students viewed different places in the world where different plants and animals live and how these environments fulfil their basic needs.
“When we went outside I saw lots of birds in trees.”- Nayat 1A
“I could see lots of budgie boys in the dirt and plants.”- Aleyna 1A
Auslan
This week in Auslan, students revisted their learning from Term 2. They were so excited to demonstrate and practise everything they have learned so far. They have been learning the alphabet, colours, everyday signs, family, school signs, farm animals, describing animals and numbers.
To solidify their learning, they signed the song “Five Little Ducks Went Out One Day”.
“I liked learning to sign my name.”- Himmat 1A
“I know how to sign ‘uncle’ and how to sign ‘furry’.” -Burak 1A
Social and Emotional Learning
This week in social and emotional learning, students revised the T.E.A.M programme. They were reminded of the school-wide positive behaviour expectations by reviewing the school values of Kindness, Responsibility, and Resilience. They engaged in discussions about how these values are demonstrated and implemented both in the classroom and across the school environment.
The students also celebrated NAIDOC Week with the theme ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy’ by exploring the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Isander Peoples. The students listened to the story ‘Our Dreaming’ by Kirli Saunders and learned that for Aboriginal people, the Dreaming is a connection of time, place and all living and non-living things. The Dreaming refers to a time of creation, and it encompasses the many stories, songs, dances and artworks through which First Nations peoples live and thrive. The students discussed the gifts and strengths of the animals and the messages throughout the story.
“I know where I stand to line up to come into the class after recess and lunch.”- Mohamad 1A
“I know how to do the morning and afternoon process.”- Summer 1A
Special Event
Students this week were busy helping our Foundation Cohort celebrate their first 100 Days of School by creating special posters. They were working collaboratively to create a whole class poster. Students were showcasing their creativity and resilience during this lesson and produced fantastic work.
“I remember doing 100 days of school in foundation.”- Leo 1A
“I remember we dressed up for our 100 days of school last year.”- Leah 1A
