We hope everyone had a well-deserved Easter holiday break after a busy Term1 and are ready to jump into a Term2. We are sure this term will fly with our school production, lots of fun activities and great learning experiences.
LITERACY
This term we will continue to build our reading capabilities. Students will continue to read a range of good-fit books and focus on developing their comprehension, accuracy, fluency while working to expand their vocabulary. Students are encouraged to continue to complete daily reading at home and record this in their homework reading log.
As part of our Writer’s Workshops students will have opportunities to expand their thinking and writing ideas. They will be exposed to different text types as we make connections between our integrated studies learning and how we can respond to this through our writing. We will also be focusing on our letter formation, shape and size as we move towards joining our writing.
In spelling students will investigate words to assist them to become metacognitive, strategic spellers. Students will participate in spelling sessions to purposefully investigate words through 3 different lenses. These include what words look like (visual), what words sound like (phonemic), and the meaning or words (etymology). Rather than teaching spelling rules we are focusing of spelling generalisations.
NUMERACY
Our approach to teaching mathematics will continue to provide open-ended tasks and games to allow students to engage in and pursue the development of their mathematical understanding. We will be learning about addition and subtraction and the relationship between these operations. Students will learn a range of mental and written strategies to help solve problems and equations. We will also focus on telling and representing time to the minute on both an analogue and digital clock. Along with this, students will have the opportunity to collect, record and display data.
You can continue to support your child’s mathematical development at home by helping the practice their times tables and the reading of an analogue clock. A focus could be telling time to the minute.
INTEGRATED STUDIES
This term in Integrated Studies our theme is ‘Many Voices, Many Stories’, in which we will be looking at key events in Australia around the time of British colonisation. We will be looking at this time learning about the causes and consequences of early colonisation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, new arrivals and the environment. We have a couple of fantastic experiences planned, including an excursion to the NGV and City Walking Tour and an incursion looking at this period in history through song. Please look out for these events as they are published on Compass.
HOMEWORK
Homework will commence again in Week 2. It will be set on Tuesday and be due back on the following Monday. Homework will continue with a digital format using ‘Google Classroom’. Students will be expected to complete the set activities along with practising their times tables, and nightly reading. If you need a new copy of your child’s passwords or would prefer a hard copy of our weekly homework, please contact your child’s teacher.
SCHOOL PRODUCTION
We are all very excited to have our school production this term. Villainous Voices will be a fantastic experience for all involved and our students have been busy during Performing Arts working on their items. A reminder that all required costume items for production are to be brought into school by Friday 9th May. Rehearsals in costume and photos will occur on Monday 19th May. If you have any questions about costume items required for your child please speak to your child’s teacher.
We are looking forward to the learning opportunities in the term ahead.
Robyn Durrand, Liana Ellis, Jacki Iuliano, Nicki Stephens and Andrew Weekes
