What's Happening In Our Classroom 

Hello to all our Mackellar families!

We are so happy to be back for Term 2 and have not wasted any time getting right back into the swing of things. 

Here is an overview of our learning in Term Two.

Anzac Day Commemoration Service:

We began the term with our Anzac Day commemoration service to remember the soldiers that fought for us and lost their lives during the war. Each grade made a wreath of poppies with the message ‘Lest We Forget’. 

English:

This term students are learning all about Explanation Texts. They are developing their understanding of the purpose, structure and language features of this text type using a variety of mentor texts for both their reading and writing.

The students are learning how to use and write time connectives to sequence a process, to write macro and linking sentences and to add greater detail to their time connective sentences using the describing perspectives of colour, number, shape, position, texture, doing and size.

Students so far, have read and written texts about the life cycles of butterflies, frogs, plants, chickens and how to look after their teeth. As the term progresses, students will be making greater connections to their inquiry learning, with a variety of experiments being conducted, recorded and explained such as explaining how a parachute works using air resistance and gravity.

We were fortunate enough to have our school’s Literacy Consultant, Stephen Graham, come and observe one of our reading lessons and he was most impressed with the students’ understandings and skills demonstrated. 

Mathematics:

Students have been consolidating their understanding of two-digit place value as we now extend into three-digit numbers. Students have been practising modelling two and three-digit numbers using a variety of concrete materials. They have explored numbers as hundreds, tens and ones using pictures and numbers and have learnt about how to order and compare numbers. We have been completing lots of different activities and playing a variety of games involving two and three-digit numbers. Students are currently learning about correctly placing numbers on a number line. 

Students are also learning to read the time on an analogue clock, revising o’clock, half past and now quarter past and quarter to times. You might like to practise reading time on an analogue clock with your child at home. 

We were also lucky enough to have our Numeracy Consultant, Kathy Palmer, come to observe one of our maths lessons and she too was impressed with our students’ mathematical skills and understandings. 

Inquiry:

In Term Two, students have been introduced to our new topic of Inquiry. They have completed the Lesson Zero phase of our unit on Physical and Chemical Science. They were given the opportunity to ‘unpack’ the curriculum achievement standards for Level 2 and contribute their ideas and knowledge of key words and concepts. They also recorded their 3C’s- things they are curious about, concerned about as well as things they are interested in creating to express their understandings about Physical and Chemical Science. We are all looking forward to investigating the many aspects and sources of Physical and Chemical Science as the term progresses. We will be concluding our unit of inquiry with a very exciting incursion towards the end of the term. 

Students in Grade 2 have also begun trialling the implementation of Classroom Systems. They have looked at how they demonstrate the values of Learning, Respect, Resilience and Teamwork within the different settings of our classroom environment. Students have contributed their ideas to the creation of a Classroom Matrix which once completed will sit alongside our Whole School Matrix. The main objective of this whole process is to create consistency as everyone knows what is expected in our classroom and this will increase our learning time. Buzz Awards have also been introduced in the Grade 2 classrooms to acknowledge positive behaviours demonstrated by students. When students have received ten Buzz Awards, they will get to spin the wheel to receive a reward. 

Looking forward to a great Term 2!

Kind regards,

Ms Kourkoulis and Mrs Andreou