Stage 1 newsletters will be released fortnightly in this section of the newsletter.

Stage 1

Can you believe we’re approaching the end of Term 1? It has been great to have students in the classrooms busily learning without too many disruptions from COVID 19. Thank you to all families who are continuing to maintain hygiene and monitor their children for symptoms, using the Rapid Antigen Tests provided as required. The parent-student-teacher conferences that were held recently remind us all of the value of close communication between school and home. Thank you for taking the time to meet the teachers and begin this very important dialogue.

Please run your eyes over the following Stage 1 newsletter to see what we’ve been up to and where we’re headed over the coming weeks. We hope you enjoy discussing these learning experiences at home with your children.

English

In spelling, we are learning to spell and read words with the graphemes:

‘ea’ and ‘ei’ like break and vein.
‘ee’, ‘ea’, ‘ie’ and ‘ey’ like sweet, leaf, thief and key.

We are learning different rules for making plurals by:

adding ‘es’ to base words that end in ch, sh, z, s, x ( churches, dishes, buzzes, buses and foxes)
adding ‘ies’ to base words that end in consonant y (babies).

In our writing, we are adding to our toolbox of descriptive devices by learning to identify and use:

synonyms, so that we can make the best possible vocabulary choices in our writing
similes that help readers to make connections by comparing objects, movements and qualities to other well known, similar examples.

Mathematics

Stage 1 has been working hard learning about 2-digit, 3-digit and 4-digit numbers. They have been investigating place value and how our number system works using base-10 blocks. As a part of this unit we have been learning how to represent numbers in different ways:

using blocks and other concrete materials
as 1s, 10s, 100s and 1000s, and
as decomposed number sentences (eg. 546 = 500 + 40 + 6).

Students in Stage 1 have and will continue throughout the year to work on their working mathematically and problem solving skills. In these tasks, students are posed questions such as:

Mr Cotter and Mr Portell are on a see-saw. Mr Portell weighs 21 kilograms. Mr Cotter weighs 3 kilograms more. How much does Mr Cotter weigh?

Students are encouraged to draw diagrams or use mental or written strategies to solve these problems. The teachers are looking forward to making these questions increasingly more challenging as the year progresses.

MAPPEN

As we progress through our Tip-toe Through Our World unit, our sustainability focus is exploring the 3 R’s - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Whilst some classes are discovering how many products previously considered waste can now be thought of as a reusable resource; others are collecting data and analysing lunch box choices to see how we can reduce the amount of general waste produced, shifting to recyclable or compostable alternatives. We are looking forward to digging up our buried garbage experiment in the coming weeks to see which samples have decomposed the most.

Water efficient wicking pots using reused plastic bottles and reclaimed cotton fabric.

UR Strong / Visual Arts

As the term progresses, it is becoming increasingly important for students to build resilience and learn explicit strategies to assist them as they interact with their friends and peers throughout the school day.

Stage 1 students have adapted well to their new classes, teachers and the diversity of friends within each class. The UR Strong program has been used to equip both students and teachers with a consistent language and approach to social issues that arise along the way. One recent task, following up from how to deal with Friendship Fires, was to think of a mantra or power statement that each individual child can say to themselves when times feel tough. Being able to focus on positive talk and a growth mindset is a great step in dealing with issues productively. Stage 1 students will be engaging in a sculptural art piece over the coming weeks that is personalised to each student and reminds them of their chosen mantra. Keep your eyes out for the thunder of mantra dragons soaring through classrooms soon.

Dates to remember

Ben Venue school photos will be held on Tuesday 22 March and Wednesday 23 March.

Please ensure uniforms are crisp, shoes are sparkling, hair is groomed and smiles are beaming.

We are so happy to announce the return of the K-2 Easter Hat Parade! Students will decorate their hats at school and will parade on the pebbles on Friday 8 April. We welcome parents and carers to come and enjoy the parade and join us for a picnic lunch with your child afterwards. More details to follow.

SIP and SIS students creating ‘Mallee Sky’ inspired sunrise and sunset landscapes

Sustainable fashion and finding out about materials and resources derived from plants and animals

Brain break fitness

Stage 1 Ringtail Possums - making new things from old in the unit focused on sustainability

Parents & Citizens Association