Curriculum News

Mini Fete

On Thursday 26th October St Brigid’s will be having a mini fete. This has been organised by the Year 6 Arts and Culture Group and the money raised will go towards a new playground.  In Foundation we are going to be holding a mystery jar stall and we need your assistance. We ask that each family fill in a jar or two with one item, ie hair ties or lollies and send it in. We will then wrap these jars so the students attending our stall will purchase a mystery jar, this is kind of like a lucky dip.  If you have any questions please contact me. 

Our Curriculum Overviews for the Term

English

Reading and Viewing

In Reading, we will be continuing to explore the concept of rhyming and syllables, as well as phonic manipulation, where we substitute sounds in words for other sounds. We will also continue to explore new sounds using our SMART Foundation sentences of the week.  Comprehension will be a major focus this term, with students learning how to predict what might occur during a story, retelling what we have read and making simple inferences about the texts.  We will also be making connections between reading and writing through the use of our sounds, sight words, punctuation and text structures.

Writing

In Writing, students will consolidate their understanding of writing features such as spaces between words, capital letters and fullstops.  We will be learning to write for a function, using letter writing and procedural texts as a basis.  We will continue to practise the formation of our letters through formal handwriting lessons.  Using our phonological knowledge we will continue to segment words into sounds we hear to assist with our spelling. 

Speaking and Listening

During this term we will complete activities that focus on improving oral language skills.   We will be presenting in front of our peers, through our Language Experience program which will resume in Week 2.  Please make sure you practise and help prepare your child.  We also ask that if possible and if relevant to the topic could you please email a photo of your child’s Language Experience topic to your teacher.  For example if they are talking about their grandparents - a photo of them would make a wonderful prompt for your child.  A list of topics can be found at the end of this newsletter. 

Mathematics

Number and Algebra

In Term 4, Foundation students will continue to expand their skills in counting forwards and backwards and ordering numbers.  We will begin to explore the concept of place value and the value of 2 digit numbers.  The students will also learn about repeated patterns and revise the concept of addition and subtraction.  The students will continue to work through Addition and Subtraction Mental strategies, with the main focus being on the partitioning of 5 and our small doubles.  

Measurement and Geometry

In Measurement and Geometry, Foundation students will explore the concepts of Mass and Capacity through hands-on experiences, as well as revising the days of the week and associating events with these days. They will also be using the language of morning, evening and afternoon to assist with the ordering of familiar events. 

Statistics and Probability

During Term Four, we will be revisiting the concept of data. We will be collecting, organising, representing and interpreting data.  We will use data collected within our Inquiry Unit. 

Inquiry/RE

In Inquiry, students will be focusing on the big concept of ‘Energy’.  We will be focusing on understanding the concepts of energy and how it relates to the movement of objects.  We will be conducting experiments, where we explore the idea of push and pull and how these forces are affected by the shape of objects and what effect they have on objects.  They will be collecting data on these experiments and analysing what this data tells us.  In Religion, we will start the term by gaining an understanding of how the Holy Spirit gives us energy, before focusing on Mission Month and the different types of prayers.  We will end the term looking at Advent and the different gifts - hope, peace, joy and love, that are associated with each week of advent.  This is in preparation for the birth of Jesus. 

Wellbeing

In our Social and Emotional Learning sessions this term, the students will be exploring the concept of Stress Management.  In Foundation, this will take the form of exploring self calming and self control strategies and identifying things that make them feel anxious and worried and ways we can calm ourselves in these situations.