Round the classes 

Reception class: Katie 

The Reception class has been very busy over the last couple of weeks, developing our foundational phonological awareness skills and starting to learn the basic skills for handwriting. We have been learning about rhyming words and have read a few rhyming stories. This week we started learning our first few sounds. In maths we have been learning about one to one counting skills. We have been developing our number recognition skills and this week started to learn how to form our numbers correctly when writing. As part of our science lessons we have been out and about looking for creatures in the yard. 

In HASS we have been learning about ourselves, we have looked at our strengths, our weaknesses and special things about us. 

We have also really enjoyed being part of the junior primary choir. 

Year 1class: Kelly and Troy

For phonics, the students have been busily revising their sounds and letter names of the alphabet. We have been practising how to correctly form the letters as well as write some words and sentences. For writing we have been learning about narrative stories. Our focus story is the classic Goldilocks and the Three Bears. We have focused on the characters and setting of the story. We looked at an image of the story and discussed what we can see, what we think and what we wonder.

In maths we have been learning about number. Last week the children practised how to correctly form numbers up to 20 and learnt how to count on from any given number. This week we have been learning part-part-whole and have been using our counting skills when playing maths games.

In HASS we have begun our history learning. The students looked at some old images and had to guess what the image was and what it is used for. Students have been using describing words such as past, present and future and completed an activity where they had to draw themselves using these words. 

In Health the children looked at the yellow zone and drew a picture of what they might look like. We had a great discussion about what tools could be used to help the children when they are in the yellow zone. 

Year 2 class: Sam and Suzie

In Week 4 we completed our very first Big Write for the year! Prior to our writing, we focused on our whole class writing goal to ‘include adjectives (WOW words) to describe the characters and setting’. As a whole class we had many interesting discussions about our favourite memorable moment and how we could turn this into a story. Thank you to all parents for supporting your child with their Big Talk Homework, the talk certainly helps expand children’s vocabulary which comes across in their writing. 

In literacy lessons, we have been reading a variety of books with strong characters to support our learning. We have learned how to describe characters and their traits and discuss how they often change in a story. We’ll continue working on character, as well as revising the elements of setting, problem and solution in the coming weeks. We have also been learning about the importance for us to retell a story accurately to build strong comprehension.  

In maths lessons we have been revising and expanding our knowledge of place value. Year 2 students have been curious in their learning tasks and have used a large variety of tools and manipulatives to help them model, represent and explain two- and three-digit numbers. Next week we will commence our team challenge of counting to 1000! 

Finally, just a friendly reminder that Friday of Week 5 is our class Tuckshop. Students will be asked to bring in a snack to sell at the Tuckshop on Friday morning. Please check your Seesaw messages early in the week for further information about this. Sam 😊 

Year 2/3 class: Stephen and Henry

We have been learning about “sizzling starts” for our narrative writing as we move away from more traditional beginnings. We have also been learning about using better vocabulary for our persuasive writing.  We have started looking at Number as a topic in maths, making sure we develop our understanding of place value.  We are also practising our communication skills, making sure we use other peoples’ names and making eye contact with them when we greet them.  We are continuing to explore the Zones of Regulation by carrying out some tasks that make us think about the “road to each zone” and what this means for us as individuals.

Year 4/5 class: Alex

In week 3 and 4 students have been settling into learning routines. In maths students have been working together in Mental Maths groups to discuss the strategies they used to solve problems. They have been recording any new learning or vocabulary they want to remember in their personal maths dictionary which they will be adding to throughout the year. Students have also been reflecting upon their pre-assessment test to write goals toward what they are individually ready to learn next in the area of place value. In narrative writing students have been practising their sizzling starts, starting in the action or at a moment of change, using dialogue and starting with a sound. 

The Year 4 students have begun a unit of Geography in HASS, unpacking the term ‘interconnection’ and beginning to explore the concept in relation to animals and their habitat. The Year 5 students have also started their HASS learning in Sallie’s class, beginning with a focus on the importance of and connection to place. 

Through their learning in the area of health students have continued to unpack the Zones of Regulation and have begun using an individual visual check-in system to reflect on and identify which zone they are in throughout the day. Acknowledging a feeling can be an effective strategy toward self-regulation. Students are also beginning to brainstorm and build a toolbox of strategies themselves and others might like to use to feel less or more energised depending on how they are feeling throughout the day. 

Year 5/6 class: Sallie

Another busy fortnight in the Year 5/6 class. We are enjoying nutting out maths equations in our maths mental groups and working on and understanding our primary focus of place value.  

In English we have been unpacking the concepts of "making conclusions" and "inferencing", both in our own writing, when reading and in activities for reading comprehension. I enjoyed doing some role-plays where students had to work out my mood by my actions. 

In geography we have been looking at "place" and what that concept means. We unpacked this in our Year 5 and 6  HASS class (With Alex's Year 5s). One of the ways we made conclusions about "place" and its relationship with the changing environment  was to look deeply at the book Window by Jeannie Baker.  

On Thursday we have our excursion to Littlehampton for our combined choir rehearsal. Choir has been fun and we are learning a lot in our choir time with Monica, our choir instructor.  

Next week we have the district swimming carnival and Lara, Ada, Ethan and Gisele will be representing our school. Good luck!

PE: Henry

Last week in PE we enjoyed a fantastic visit from two guest trainers from Hockey SA. (see photos below). Each class got to experience a lesson introducing the fundamentals of field hockey, as well as having a lot of fun playing a variety of hockey-themed games. Skills included dribbling with a hockey stick and ball, making accurate ground passes, as well as shooting at targets. We also learned about the Australian Men's Hockey team called the Kookaburras, and the Australian Women's team called the Hockeyroos. If you or your child would like to learn more about recreational field hockey see the Community Notices section of this newsletter for more information. 

Unfortunately, our visit from the SANFL this week has been cancelled due to the hot weather. 

Indonesian : Ibu Susan

In Indonesian we have been busy learning all about Keluarga (Family). The older students are using family words and known words in translations whilst the younger classes have drawn and labelled their own families.

Gardening : Jo

The 4/5 gardening students in Alex's class have begun with a safety recap, designing trellising for peas and beans to grow on. They also completed some regular tasks of collecting the green waste and watering. This week the students made "Surprise Salad" and Carrot and Zucchini Fritters. They enjoyed experimenting with the salad dressing and gave a thumbs up to the zucchini fritters.

Some photos around school today!