From the Classroom

Foundation

The last two weeks has been full with Mid-Year testing. An alphabet test and a spelling test have been completed, as well as a sight word recognition assessment.  The students have also been introduced to and have logged on to Essential Assessment. They have completed a spelling test on this online assessment tool which was basically a letter identification test. 

The Golden Ticket is an exciting way to end our day. Winners are allowed to bring some Show and Tell, they are the leaders for the next day, are able to take turns to sit on the bear chair and pillow.  The treasure chest is very full at the end of the week, so it really is good luck to win. Golden Tickets are given for kind and caring gestures, good manners, strong listening, and giving much effort for their pencil/paper learning activities. 

This week in Reading our focus has been on solving tricky words. Our anchor chart says, “I can put my finger on the first letter of the tricky word, say it’s sound and look at then picture for clues.” I encourage you to practice this skill at home with completing your home reading.  We have also focused on the Letter Nn, sound and handwriting of upper and lower case. It is quite and challenging letter for form correctly and often the upper case is back to front. When forming the lower case we say, “ entry, down, up, around, down and exit,” and without lifting your pencil. Victorian Cursive handwriting requires much practice and conscious effort. We are also learning the Letter Oo, it is a vowel and that it can make two sounds. 

When your child is writing at home, please encourage them to use lower case letters.  They children are loving writing on whiteboards as they can be easily erased and this encourages stronger risk-taking and having a go. They are also enjoying our Pevan and Sarah Sight Word Practice using the video on screen. They say the word, spell the word using letter names and read it in a sentence.  Your child might even be able to sing the accompany song to you!  It goes a little like this, “Sight Words! You’ve got to use your eyes.  Sight Words! You have to memorise.”

This week we are learning to write a CVC sentence with a few common sight words to tell about a picture stimulus which is pasted into their Writing Books. Modelled sentences have been; The fox is in the box. The cat has a rat. The man is mad. 

Our Maths has focused on 2D and 3D shapes. Making shapes with icy pole sticks has been hands on and the 3D shapes we have focused on are cube, sphere, cylinder and cone.

Our school is not only aesthetically beautiful, it is also has amazing heating during Winter.  So many of the children are very active at recess/lunchtime and become very hot.  Please be mindful when dressing your child as too many layers can be tricky. Thank you to those who have a change of clothes in the bottom of their school bag.  It comes in handy on wet days and we may have a few next week.

Once again, I thank you for your dedication to filling in the Home Reading Log.  What you do at home can truly make a difference!!

Enjoy these photos of the previous two weeks activities. I love the RELAX mindful breaks that we have each day after recess. 

Grade 6

On Tuesday, Luke C brought in his 3D printer to spend the day with us. It was fascinating watching it print. Luke showed us how to print whistles and he started a statue of a pig – feet first. Thanks Danielle for helping Luke get it here.

You Can Do It News with Mrs Sibio

This week, students across all grades have been looking at different aspects of Getting Along, such as what makes a good friend, how we can accept others and have empathy towards people even when they might not be perfect. We have completed thinking and sharing tasks, games and role plays to explore these ideas. The Grade 5s had lots of fun at the end of their class playing some drama games where they had to work together and communicate with each other without speaking to create shapes and objects with their bodies. Here is a photo of them making a car. They had lots of fun completing this task. You might be able to see some windscreen wipers, a front grille and a steering wheel!

Music News with Mrs Sibio

Some very exciting news is that Toolamba was successful in applying for a grant to participate in the DUET music in schools’ program. A mentor will visit the school and provide feedback on how to further the teaching and learning outcomes of our music program as well as significant funding to purchase more musical instruments. It is a great opportunity, and I am looking forward to sharing some of the results of our participation in this program with you over Term 2 and 3.