Year 1/2–Celebrating Learning

Melbourne Zoo Excursion

The 1/2 year level recently visited the Melbourne Zoo as part of their Living Things unit. Students experienced a variety of learning tasks and explored the zoo discovering familiar and new animals. 

Students particularly enjoyed the meerkats, the reptile enclosure and the elephants. 

"My favourite part was the meerkats" - Milloo

 

"That seal is so fast, wow!" - Jude

 

"I saw a leopard, elephants and I liked holding the snake" - Colleen 

The students are now continuing to extend their thinking and answer questions as we continue this learning back in our classrooms.

MAIN LESSON

100 and BEYOND/BASKETS and BUNDLES

FOCUS:

Pictorial imaging in stories provides context for each mathematical concept introduced and used, which is important at this stage of learning. Revision and development of known processes builds familiarity, security and development towards automatic responses in number facts and understanding.

This leads to development of confidence. Imaginative context leads into concrete activity and pictorial imagery, prior to written number-work and the movement to sense-free mathematical understanding. This allows the child to grasp the abstract process in a life-like context, developing understanding.

 

Place-value is a fundamental concept in all numerical work beyond single-digit numbers. The concept of ‘zero’ is also of fundamental importance here. Once these are introduced and practiced, number work can develop with larger numbers and with less reliance upon concrete materials where appropriate.