Toolamba Primary School

From the Classroom

Grade 3

This week the children have been learning the following in all subject areas. 

Reading: The children have been working on asking questions before, during and after reading from the whole class non-fiction texts. 

Spelling: All children have been learning to understanding when to double the final consonant in words by following the 1:1:1 rule.

Procedure Writing: has been very engaging for all the children. We made a paper plate animal last week and so far, this week the children have thoroughly enjoyed designing their own treasure maps. 

Maths: Multiplication has been the main focus. Classroom work has involved children developing their number sequences involving multiples of 10, 2, 5, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9’s. Also, to recall multiplication facts to solve division problems. 

Biological Science: The children had to choose an animal to live on Planet Zog and fill out an application form to prove it had the characteristics of a living thing. 

Home: 

  • Reading – Asking questions before, during and after reading.
  • Procedure Writing - Plan a writing piece that makes something or gives directions. Include verbs and adverbs into their writing. 
  • Spelling - Homophone words. Drawing pictures to match different spelling of words and spelling words to match pictures. 
  • Maths – Multiplication and Division fact families. 
  • Completing activities on Essential Assessment in My Literacy and My Numeracy. 

Mr Tarrant

Grade 4

We have had a very busy month at school.

 

Literacy: In Reading, students have been focusing on summarising fiction and non-fiction texts. They have created a hand model to support the different ways to summarise both genres. Next week, we will be comparing and contrasting different types of texts using Venn Diagrams.

 

We have started completing Quick Writes throughout the week. Students are given 10 minutes to write about the topic using any genre they choose then have 5 minutes to edit their spelling, punctuation and word choices. 

 

Our Writing focus is on Procedural Texts and the many forms they can come in. Students have learnt that we start our steps/method with imperative (bossy) verbs as they turn statements into commands.

 

Numeracy: Multiplication and Chance & Data have been our focuses so far this term. 

In Multiplication, we have been working on strategies for the different times tables facts, commutative law (we can multiply in any order and it does not change the answer), multiples and factors. 

In Chance & Data, students have been engaged in making real chance spinners and interactive ones online. We have used data to make graphs and explored how make graphs on Google Sheets.

 

Science: We are learning about life cycles. Last week, we sorted animals into the different classifications (mammals, reptiles, fish, birds, amphibians & insects) as they all have different life cycles. We started by comparing the life of a lion cub to our own at different ages. 

 

 

What you can do at home:

  • Students can complete activities for My Literacy, My Numeracy & My Spelling on Essential Assessment.
  • Ensure students are reading each night. 
    If reading non-fiction, ask students to recall 5 details about the text. For fiction, students can summarise Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then.
  • Students can read on Epic!

You Can Do It

In YCDI this term, we have been focusing on big feelings and how we deal with them. Students have looked at:

  • recognising different emotions, 
  • taking their emotional temperature, 
  • building resilience and bouncing back skills
  • strategies for emotional regulation
  • assertive versus aggressive communication

This week in Grades 5 and 6, we are looking at the Catastrophe Scale which can help us put an event or issue in perspective. 

We have talked about strategies for managing big feelings such as breathing, yoga, exercise, talking to someone, dancing, listening to music and using positive self-talk. 

Mrs Sibio

Rainy Day 

Jasper D and Lenox D built this from Magna Tiles, they were pretty impressed that it was taller than Mr Thompson!

Grade 5/6 Life Education

Just a reminder to parents that the Life Education sessions will take place on August 10th. Thank you to those who have paid as well as returned the notes. Payment and notes are required for students to participate.