Overview

Whenever I sit down to write the end of term newsletter I am always struck by just how busy we have been and how much has been achieved. There is nothing more exciting than to see the learning that is occurring both in and out of the classroom and to observe students engaged in learning. As you read on you will see just how much has been achieved and how the term has been filled with special events and activities that have supported our curriculum

Literacy and Numeracy

Reading and Viewing

The overarching focus for reading and viewing sessions is always comprehension which is not taught in isolation but as part of modelled, shared and guided reading sessions. There has been lots of work done on developing an understanding of the pictures and the language that students are hearing in texts which also link to Phonics and Word Knowledge and the development of decoding skills.

Writing

In the area of Writing students have participated in language experience activities that have encouraged the development of specific vocabulary so that students have the language to respond to the experience and express their ideas in pictures, picture words, picture word sentences or writing that create texts which have recounted, described or explained. Students have been provided with explicit instruction, visuals and hands on tasks to support their writing attempts.

Many of the experience activities have focussed on mini beasts and have included

Minibeast hunt
Craft making (minbeasts)
Cooking activities making minibeasts such as celery butterflies, caterpillar kebabs and chocolate spiders
100 days of school
Dress Up day
Minibeast incursions

Prompting questions such as: What did you see? What did you hear? What did it feel like? What shape is it? What size is it? What colour is it? Who? What? Where and When? using the language of first, then, next, and last. Students have also predicted using words like ‘I think’ and ‘because’ to help with predictions.

Mathematics

In the area of Mathematics students have revised their knowledge and skills in the area of multiplication (grouping) and division sharing). All activities have been supported by concrete materials that students can manipulate to develop their understanding of grouping and sharing. Students have taken part in specific moderation tasks which reflected their understanding of these processes and the ability to use addition and subtraction strategies. These tasks also gave teachers relevant information about where students are at and where to take them next.

Students have also been learning about money. Some students enjoyed "playing shops" in their classrooms. This role play was an important aspect of developing an understanding that money is exchanged for goods. In the Preps a cake shop, a fruit and “vege” shop and a lolly shop was created. Students had the opportunity to be the shop keeper and the customer. The customer had to go shopping, choose items, and pay for them using a variety of coins. The shop keeper had to serve the customer, provide the goods and take the money. Aided Language Displays were used to prompt and support the role play. What fun can be had whilst learning!

Other activities included matching coins, naming coins, using the right coin to pay for labelled items and counting coins to make a specific amount such as making 5 dollars from dollar coins or 10 dollars from 2 dollar coins.

Students have been compared ‘long’ and ‘short’ objects and learnt how to order objects by measuring them against each other. They were encouraged to use the language of measurement such as same, long, longer, short, shorter, tall and taller. Some students who have further developed measurement skills have used icy pole sticks, blocks and paper clips to estimate and then check which objects are longer.

Integrated unit

Teachers have planned the Minibeasts integrated unit so that students were involved in hands on learning and encouraged to ask questions and to find out the answers. Classes went on mini beast hunts, searched through the Lower Primary garden environments and were fascinated by the worms, snails, slaters, ants and spiders that they found. By observing these animals first hand, students gained valuable information about how these creatures looked and moved. Students wrote creative stories, used the internet to find information to complete projects, and decorated their classrooms with special “bug” art works.

Students also handled and observed (for those up to it!) a range of creatures during a visit from Wild Action who presented their ‘Insectamania’ show. Hannah was the presenter and she showed the students spider crabs, scorpions, spiders, giant cockroaches, sea stars, mealworms, earthworms, an owl, a pygmy possum and much more, again reinforcing their knowledge about how these creatures move, eat and protect themselves.

Some students also had the opportunity to explore the minibeast displays and related information at the Discovery Centre. They got to go into the recording studio and listen to the noises that different minibeasts make, make their own minibeast and dress up as minibeasts in the green room. It was so much fun that students can’t wait to visit the Discovery Centre again.

Social Competencies

This term in Social Competencies, we have been learning about our bodies. We have learnt that all bodies have parts and that each parts has a name, bodies come in all different shapes and sizes and that our bodies grow and change with age. In all classes the correct terminology for private parts are used and include the words vagina, bottom, breasts, penis and testicles. Students learnt that these parts are “private” and this means no-one can “look” or “touch” with the exception of some people and some situations for example, mum and dad helping in the shower, doctors and nurses when you are sick, teachers and assistants helping at swimming. The older classes were introduced to how their body change as it gets older including puberty. We have used anatomically correct baby dolls in the younger classes and the child and teenager anatomical dolls for the older classes.

It is important that our students become socially confident so that they are able to cope with the challenges that school has to offer. We want our students to respect and care for the feelings of others. Students are explicitly taught what to say in certain situations, how to recognise and make good choices and how to seek help in a range of situations particularly in the classroom and playground. In relation to the playground, at times some of our students request a quieter play environment instead of the hustle and bustle of the outside yard. An alternative is provided for these students in the Multi-purpose room at lunch breaks where activities such as construction, puzzles, books, drawing and music are available. There are further opportunities for students who may require extra support and guidance to play cooperatively in an another smaller supported play group with different activities that encourage the skills of cooperation, turn taking and following game rules. These two different play groups have been extremely successful in supporting students with varying needs at play times.

Speech

This term students in PAS and PRS have been focusing on communicating and interacting with their peers. Students have been playing different games focused on asking and answering questions. Students loved playing Mini Beast Headbandz, where they ask their peers questions to be able to guess which mini beast they are. Students have also been challenged to take turns with their peers and apply strategies to cope when they don’t win the game!

Occupational Therapy

The inside classes have been busy working on their handwriting skills during their OT sessions. They are working on letter formation (making sure that their letters are formed correctly) and sentence formation (remembering to include a finger space and sit their letters on the line).

Performing Arts

This term in Performing Arts, the students in Lower Primary have been explored dance and music. We improvised dance ideas to move our bodies to different themes. We marched as ants, fluttered as butterflies, steamed ahead as trains and used musical instruments to create rhythm and beats to move too. Students were also introduced to simple dance steps such as the Macarena, The Seven Steps and The Farmer in the Dell getting our dancing feet ready for our Bushwahzee Dance Showcase in Term 4.

Library

Book Week is a very exciting time in Lower Primary. We have the Book Fair where students, as part of their Library program, can browse through a variety of storybooks and create a wish list for purchase. This was particularly well supported by the students and parents. Students also enjoyed the Book Week incursion “Big Dreams”. But the most popular event by far and the one that created the most excitement was the Dress Up Day where students dressed up as their favourite storybook or superhero character. Our students not only loved to dress up themselves but loved to see everyone else’s costume.

Everyone joined in the fun and there were lots of interesting book character and superhero costumes. Students were exceptional at guessing which character their teachers were dressed up as. It was great to have Kirrily our Principal and Colin our Assistant Principal join in the fun. Kirrily was dressed up as Mr Happy whilst Colin was a credible Woody from Toy Story. Thank you to all the parents who attended. We hoped you enjoyed the morning.

Art

The Art program provides students with a medium for expression and ideas where they are encouraged to use their own creativity to develop group and individual artworks. As you can see from the newsletter their artworks are amazing

Physical Education

Throughout Term Three, the students from PLB, PNC and PAL have undertaken a gymnastic unit in their weekly PE sessions. The students have been introduced to a number of static balances and have practised forming, holding and playing various games with them. Dominant movement patterns of landing, locomotion, spring and rotation have been explored through a weekly circuit where the students have worked on various apparatus to perform different skills. The students thoroughly enjoyed our excursion to Pit gymnastics where we were able to practise and extend some of the skills we have learnt at school in a real working gym.

Special Activities

The theme for NAIDOC Week was Voice Treaty Truth: Let’s work together for a shared future. This was an occasion for all Australians to come together to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In recognition of this, Piltenggi’s mother, brother and sister came to school to tell us about their aboriginal history and stories through a dance performance. Students learned some aboriginal words and participated in a range of dances that depicted the kangaroo, emu, crocodile and eagle. Piltenggi especially enjoyed dancing with his family and friends. Our students were so engaged by this performance and did some great dancing. Some even chose to have their faces painted with traditional ochre. Lower Primary students and staff thank Piltenggi's family for coming to school and sharing their stories with us.

It is football finals time for all codes so most people are talking “footy”. To be part of the occasion we are having a footy day on the last day of term. The students and parents are invited to come dressed in their favourite team colours in whatever code they support and participate in the parade by marching to their club song. There is always lots of cheering and support for all football clubs no matter the code. A special footy lunch will also be available for students to enjoy I thank parents in advance for their help in organising the footy lunch for our students on this day.

PKS, PKW and PMM are on the Big Day Out as I am writing this newsletter. The weather is superb and was only matched by the happy smiling faces of the students as the boarded the bus to the zoo. When I had a conversation with one class this morning and asked what they might see there was the usual tiger, lion, elephant and giraffe but there was a couple of students who wanted to see a dolphin and a shark so they have lots investigating to do to either prove or disprove their assumption. After the zoo students may return to school before going to dinner at La Porchetta. There is lots of fun to be had!

Building Works

What a difference a couple of weeks makes! The physical environment of the Lower Primary campus has changed. A Mod 5 portable which is two classrooms has been relocated from the Bundoora Campus to Lower Primary. It is located at the back of the campus adjacent to Knight Street and it looks like it has always been there. Students were amazed that at morning recess there was nothing and at the end of the day there were new classrooms. They were also excited to see the transport trucks and cranes during play breaks as they went about the tasks of reconstructing the parts. It was just like big leggo set and was constructed in one day! The painting both internal and external is underway and it should be complete during the holidays. It will take term 4 to furnish and prepare the rooms and the surrounding grounds so that they are operational for term 1 2020. This will mean that there will 11 classrooms at the Watsonia Campus next year. We are all very happy with the flexibility that these learning spaces will provide.

Another very productive term in the Lower Primary. Our programs do encourage and support each student to be collaborative learners who show confidence to work individually or with others. A big pat on the back to all students and staff. I am very proud of you all and look forward to a happy and productive term 4 together.

Happy holidays to you and your family!

Kath Moore

Campus Principal

Lower Primary

Issue 2 · 20 Sep 2019

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