evolving education - stpeters.nsw.edu.au€¦ · learning activities throughout the course of ......

ST PETER’S ANGLICAN PRIMARY SCHOOL Issue 14 9

10 MAY 2017 – TERM 2

‘Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school’.

Albert Einstein

‘The Jetsons’ was a much loved cartoon during my childhood, and I recently read an interesting article that outlined a number of predictions that this cartoon made, that are now a reality. For example, the Jetsons had videophones (similar to Facetime and Skype), a robot vacuum (we have the Roomba), a flat screen television and even a smartwatch!

Education is rapidly evolving as we continue to prepare our children for an unknown future. Whilst television shows can attempt to predict what is to come, we need to make conscious decisions regarding the education of our children. The internet makes ‘knowledge’ incredibly attainable for our children. I know as a parent, when I am unable to answer a question, the general response from my child is to simply ‘google it’. What our children need to learn first and foremost, is the skill of attaining this knowledge, safely and authentically. We need our children to understand the concept of the internet, and for them to develop their own personal attitudes towards internet use.

The PYP programme breaks the term ‘curriculum’ into three parts:

● The written curriculum - what do

we want to learn?

● The taught curriculum - how best

will we learn?

● The assessed curriculum - how will

we know what we have learned?

In the PYP a balance is sought between acquisition of essential knowledge and skills, development of conceptual understanding, demonstration of positive attitudes, and taking of responsible action. (Making the PYP happen: A Curriculum Framework for International Primary Education, pg 10.)

Within the written curriculum, ‘knowledge’ is only one of five essential elements. In preparing our children for lifelong education, we need to ensure that knowledge and skills are taught in context in order for them to develop the capability to inquire into the world around them and problem solve effectively. This need is also reflected within the NSW Syllabus documents, where teachers are required to identify the foundational skills, particularly linked to numeracy and literacy development, and ensure that they are explicitly and implicitly included within all learning activities throughout the course of the year.

The implementation of the PYP programme so far this year has been greatly successful. For those of you that are able to attend our fortnightly assemblies, I am sure that you would agree that it is clear our students are passionate about what they are learning, and that they are grasping the language and associated concepts well. I truly hope that the conversations you are having at home also reflect the enthusiasm for the programme, and learning discoveries that the children are making.

This term, our staff will focus particularly on the learning area of English. We commenced our professional learning at the beginning of the term, with training provided by the AIS in deepening our understanding of the updated English syllabus. Time within our Teaching Staff Professional Learning Meetings will allow teachers to continually reflect upon programming and assessing within this syllabus to ensure that we ‘strive to provide an inspiring, nurturing and dynamic learning environment’ (excerpt from the School Vision Statement).

We desire that the learning experiences that each of our students participate in whilst at St Peter’s are experiences that are unforgettable, and that the skills and knowledge they develop here allow them to become active contributors towards a harmonious future.

Evolving Education by Melinda Richardson

TEACHING & LEARNING

NEWSLETTER

ST PETER’S ANGLICAN PRIMARY SCHOOL | TEACHING AND LEARNING 2

Welcome back to another term of learning and fun. We are impressed by the way in which our students have settled quickly into routines and expectations. There are many exciting activities planned for this term both inside and outside the classroom.

Scripture This term we will continue focusing on God’s great love for us. Bible stories from the Old Testament will be explored and we will talk to God in prayer.

English The children will once again engage in Literacy activities during play and group experiences and be introduced to letters and the sounds they make. Rhyme through songs, stories and chants will be a major focus. During library time, each class will enjoy listening to stories which will reinforce the concepts of rhyme and counting.

The PreLit program will continue with early literacy skills. Children will learn how to segment words and identify beginning sounds. The programme also has a comprehension of texts section where the children will be encouraged to predict, question and discover new vocabulary. The children have really enjoyed recognising and tracing their names and will continue to work through their name booklets.

Mathematics By using a range of games, puzzles and hands on play experiences, students will learn about the numbers 1-10 and beyond. There will be opportunities to practise counting by rote and using 1:1 correspondence (counting a collection of objects by pointing to each one).

Unit of Inquiry Students will have the opportunity to explore our school as a community. We will look at how our school has evolved and changed over time and how it fits in within our broader community. We will consider our roles and responsibilities within our school and explore the physical environment. We will make predictions about what our school will look like in the future and the children will have an opportunity to represent their ideas.

PDHPE and Music Prep Kangaroos and Prep Wombats will continue to have a music lesson each week with Mrs Pollett where the children will be developing skills in listening to pitch, tempo and dynamic changes in music. Different styles of music will be introduced and a major focus will be on nursery rhymes put to music.

Prep Koalas and Prep Echidnas will have a weekly Physical Education class (PE) exploring different games and activities both with and without equipment. They will focus on spatial awareness games and thinking about how to use equipment safely. Students will also be introduced to the fundamental movement skills of kick and two handed strike.

Creative Arts We will be learning about different artists and the unique styles they use. The children will have the opportunity to express their own creativity while experimenting with these styles. A future Picasso may be in our midst!

Prep


Organisation & Reminders

Winter Uniform A reminder that the children should be in the winter uniform for terms 2 and 3. This includes the school red tracksuit and polo shirt. The children may wish to wear their red shorts under the long pants in case of warmer weather. As the weather gets cooler, the children are able to wear a long sleeve white t-shirt under their polo shirt. This shirt must be a t-shirt style and not a high necked skivvy. Please ensure that all items of clothing are labelled clearly with your child’s name. We ask that you also please ensure that each day there is a spare change of clothes in your child’s bag in case of an accident. Girls hair elastics must be red and the only other hair accessories that are permitted are narrow red ribbons and plain red clips.

Daily Routines Starting in term 2, all Prep classes will begin their morning routine with a group time on the mat. We ask that you please ensure that you are on time in bringing your child to school as they could potentially miss out on valuable learning time. If you wish to speak to your child’s teacher, it is best if this is left until the afternoon or another more convenient meeting time can be arranged. In the afternoons if you are running late to pick up your child, the Prep staff will take them to the office at 3.00 pm to be picked up there.

Class Animals

From this term you might hear your child talking about our class animal (soft toy) that will be visiting all of the Prep children. All of the children will get a turn to take home their special class toy over the coming terms and document what they did together in a journal. Your child will then be able to share these exciting adventures with their other class friends.

Other Reminders If you have not already done so, can you please bring in a family photo for your child to share with the class. We also request that a healthy lunch is sent each day and items containing nuts are not sent due to many nut allergies within our school.


Scripture Students will learn about God’s rescue plan for the world and how He sent His only Son into the world to save us. They will hear Bible stories about Jesus’ life, the miracles He performed as a sign of who He is and the message He brings.

English During Term Two, Kindergarten will continue to develop their knowledge of letter sounds and sight words and begin to explore and apply a variety of strategies to assist them when reading and writing simple words. Literacy Groups will provide opportunities for students to develop reading comprehension skills and engage in activities to consolidate understanding of sentence structure and grammar. iPads will be utilised for students to apply skills through the Raz Kids app. Students will continue to present their ideas in class discussions and participate in a range of speaking and listening activities where they will discover and practise effective questioning techniques and oral presentation skills.

Mathematics Students will continue to practise and consolidate early mathematical concepts over the course of Term 2. This will involve combining two or more groups of objects to model addition, as well as taking away part of a group to model subtraction. These will be explored through the use of concrete materials and other visual representations. Through various games and activities, students will practice giving and following simple directions as well as describing the position of objects using everyday language. Students will explore the concept of length through a range of hands-on measurement activities, using various manipulatives as informal units to measure and describe distances and the lengths of objects within our learning environment. Students will use everyday language to describe objects in terms of their mass and compare the mass of two objects through hands on activities and games. Students will explore the concept of patterns and algebra using sounds, actions, shapes, objects and the natural environment.

Unit of Inquiry Students will continue to explore the ‘Where we are in place and time’ Unit of Inquiry, which looks at the concept that our lives are all different stories, written by God, and all have their place in history.

Our ‘Sharing the Planet’ Unit of Inquiry will provide opportunities for students to explore the features and needs of living things, including ourselves. Students will commence our unit with an excursion to Featherdale Wildlife Park where students will observe a variety of Australian plants and animals and consider

how their habitats meet their needs. Throughout the unit, students will explore the needs of living things and how they are met by people and resources. In response, students will consider the responsibilities they have in meeting the needs of ourselves and others in God’s amazing world.

PE In PE lessons, students will participate in activities focusing on the fundamental movement skill of catching. At the beginning of the term for Sport, Kindergarten will learn the basics of hockey, through a professional organisation. Later in the term, they will enjoy a variety games and movement activities in order to develop their environmental and spatial awareness.

Creative Arts In Drama lessons, students will be using their imagination to create roles and dramatic situations through the use of dress ups, home corner, shops, puppets, improvisation, movement, mime and storytelling. Students will have the opportunity to depict everyday situations in dramatic contexts and share their drama with their peers.

In Music lessons, students will learn to play percussion instruments with dynamics and in time with others. Each week students will show they can play instruments softly and loudly and clap in time to a rhythm grid.

Kindergarten


They will play percussion instruments to songs, through re-telling stories, and through games and chants.

In Visual Arts, artworks will continue to be linked to the two phonemes studied in English each week. These activities will develop students’ fine motor skills including cutting, pasting, folding, painting and colouring.

Languages KS and KN will continue with French during Term 2. Students will develop the vocabulary to share information about themselves and their family. Students will create a family tree and introduce each family member. As a class, students will listen to a chapter from a book each week listening for and identifying the french words they recognise.

KC and KH will continue with German during Term 2. We will learn the colour names in German. Students will develop vocabulary to talk about themselves and their family. We will explore literature by Eric Carle in German to reinforce the concepts we are learning.

Organisation & Reminders White Sports Shoes for PE

Kindergarten children now need to bring their white sports shoes on PE days. Red PE bags, which were purchased as part of the bag pack, should be used to assist with transporting PE shoes to and from school. If you did not purchase this pack, these are available at the uniform shop.

PE days for Kindergarten are:

Thursday - KC and KH, Friday - KN and KS.

Certificates and Awards A reminder that when your child has received 20 coloured awards, given out in class, they can be brought in and given to your child’s class teacher to receive a big certificate! Also, after receiving 3 Assembly awards, these may be brought in to receive a special certificate in Assembly.

Uniform and Belongings

During Terms 2 and 3, children will be required to wear their full Winter uniform to school each day and their full Winter sports uniform to school on Wednesdays. The uniform booklet, within your enrolment pack, outlines the specific requirements. Please take the time to assist your child to learn how to do up and undo their ‘tricky’ blazer buttons as we will be encouraging this independence at school. It is also advisable that each student has either the school jumper (boys) or cardigan (girls), and raincoat, at school each day.

Hand Towels / Belongings Please continue to send in a hand towel at the beginning of each week for students to use at their table whilst they eat their fruit break and lunch.

NOTE - Please ensure all uniform items and belongings are clearly labelled with your child’s first and last name.


Scripture These lessons will help students understand the faithfulness of God to his people as they consider the lives of various Old Testament people who were called to trust God, often in difficult circumstances. Each lesson will encourage students to appreciate the extent of God’s love and mercy for all people of the earth. God deals patiently with his people and works powerfully to save those who trust in him. Remembering the faith of others can encourage the students to place their faith and trust in God.

English Literacy group sessions will see students learning in groups within their classrooms according to their reading level. These groups operate from Monday to Friday during the morning session. Students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of texts, revise their weekly spelling words and write in their journal. During Writing lessons, Year 1 will be focussing on Informative Texts. Comprehension lessons aim to develop the skill of sequencing.

Mathematics Students will complete a range of activities and apply their learning to a variety of mathematical situations. They will explore Measurement and Geometry, undertaking tasks with 2D shapes, 3D objects, direction and position. Students will build on their understanding of addition and subtraction through a range of hands on and written work. They will also be exploring number patterns.

Unit of Inquiry We began our second unit of inquiry at the end of Term 1 exploring the transdisciplinary theme of how we organise ourselves. Our central theme for the unit is “People play different roles in different communities”. We have been thinking about the different jobs in our community and how community helpers have different roles in different places. It has been interesting to observe our students begin to drive the inquiry and we strongly encourage you to ask your child about what they have been exploring in their classroom. In Week 4 we will commence our third unit of inquiry investigating how the world works, with particular focus on the insect world.

PE In PE this term, Year 1 will focus on fitness with the aim being for students to develop positive attitudes towards physical activity and fitness. The emphasis will be on the importance of developing and maintaining a good level of fitness and the changes that happen to our body when we exercise. They will participate in a variety of activities that will work on cardiovascular fitness as well as strength and core stability. From weeks five to eight students will participate in a four week hockey program during Sport on Wednesday.

Creative Arts In Music this term students will begin by consolidating the their learning about rhythm begun last term. Students will then participate in a unit on ‘Music around the World.’ Students will listen to and explore Indigenous Australian, Indian and Japanese music and look at the different instruments used in each of these cultures. Students will develop their listening skills as they discuss their preferences and give reasons to support each of their opinions. In Visual Arts students will develop their sketching skills as they examine images of insects and recreate these images using pencil.

Languages - French Students will continue learning French in Term 2. As we continue with our unit on families, we will learn pet related vocabulary so we can describe pets we have or pets we would like to have. Students will continue building on their vocabulary for conversational skills. We will focus on feelings and learn the way we ask how someone is feeling in French and responses that could be used to describe feelings.

Year 1



Monday Bring hand towel to keep desk

clean during eating times

Home learning and home readers

sent home

Fortnightly Assembly (even

weeks) 11.25 am - 12.10 pm

Wednesday Sport – please wear Sports

uniform to school

Friday: Return home learning booklets

and home readers to school

Take hand towel home to wash

Years 1 & 2 Chapel 9.00 am -

9.30 am

Fruit Break Please pack a piece of fruit or vegetable that is easy to eat, for your child to eat during Year 1 morning fruit break. This should be packed separately to your child’s recess and lunch.

Belongings Please ensure all your child’s belongings are clearly labelled, including hats, jumpers/ cardigans, drink bottles and lunch boxes/ containers. This makes it easier for missing belongings to find their way home!

Literacy Groups A reminder that any parent wishing to assist in Literacy Groups, on excursions, or in the classroom at any time during the year, must have given the School Office their Working With Children Check number and date of birth to be verified.

School Newsletters

There are so many exciting things happening in our school each week. Please ensure you read the school newsletters that are emailed to you every Friday so you remain informed of upcoming events.

Absences If your child is absent from school, a note needs to be written to explain the reason for their absence. It is preferred that this note is brought to school with your child on the day he/she returns to school.

If you need to make an appointment to speak with your child’s teacher, please contact the School Office to arrange a suitable time. If there is an urgent matter that the teacher needs to know about at the beginning of the day, please write a note and give it to your child to pass on to their teacher.


Scripture During Scripture and Chapel this term, students will develop an understanding of the faithfulness of God to his people as they consider the lives of various Old Testament people who were called to trust God, often in difficult circumstances.

Each lesson will encourage students to appreciate the extent of God’s love and mercy for all people of the earth. They will hear about how God deals patiently with his people and works powerfully to save those who trust in him. Remembering the faith of others will help the students to see how they too can confidently place their faith and trust in God.

English Throughout this term, students will analyse a variety of texts using the comprehension strategies of sequencing, predicting and cause and effect. Edward De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats will assist them to engage with texts from different perspectives.

Students will utilise ideas presented in our Unit of Inquiry to compose procedures and explanations. They will investigate quality presentation techniques before bringing these techniques together with their compositions to present an experiment to the class.

Later in the term, students will explore the purpose and audience of a range of persuasive texts. They will discover the text structure of these pieces and learn how language can be used to create a convincing argument. Students will continue to hone their editing skills and improve their compositions using their individualised goals.

Mathematics Students will explore content from the Number and Algebra strand. Understandings of whole number concepts will continue to be built upon, as well as those of addition and subtraction. Ideas of multiplication and division will also be examined. Number patterns will be investigated, including the movement of numbers forwards and backwards. Students will explore content from the Measurement and Geometry strand. They will focus on using informal units to measure length. They will also look at the concepts of time and duration, focusing on informal units of time (sun, tides, clapping) and calendars. Students will explore content from the Statistics and Probability strand. They will use the language of chance to explore likely outcomes and then use graphing techniques to display data.

Unit of Inquiry Our second unit of inquiry within the transdisciplinary theme of ‘How the world works’ continues with students exploring the central idea that ‘Mixing substances causes reactions’. Having explored substances coming in various forms, the students will now look at the characteristics of different substances, before observing the changes which can occur to the physical state of a substance.

Students will venture to present their own experiment, demonstrating a change to a substance while using the scientific method.

The transdisciplinary theme of ‘Where we are in place and time’ is the basis of our third unit of inquiry. We will explore the central idea ‘Inventions change the way we live’. Students will consider the role of the inventor, the functions of various inventions and how inventions have impacted society over time.

PE Year 2 will participate in a tennis unit with

the aim of this unit for students to develop

positive attitudes towards physical activity

and to feel confident in being able to

perform the manipulative skills of striking

and catching. The emphasis will be on

building competence and confidence in the

mastery of these skills which can then be

applied to individual and team game

situations.

Year 2


Creative Arts In Music this term, students will explore the musical alphabet and will learn to read simple music in the treble clef. They will use xylophones to explore high and low pitch. Students will also learn to evaluate music they hear and discuss reasons for their preferences.

As part of Visual Arts, learners will participate in a design and make task as the provocation for our third PYP unit of inquiry. The life and artworks of Leonardo Da Vinci will be explored and students will continue to build their skills in sketching. Students will spend time appreciating arguably the world’s most famous painting, the Mona Lisa, and will create an artwork inspired by this piece.

Languages – German In German this term, students will continue to build on prior learning as we explore numbers and counting in German. We will develop our knowledge of the colours in German as we read and perform the book Kleiner Weißer Fisch by Leo Lionni.


Uniforms Winter uniform is now required each day. Please see our uniform guidelines to know what is expected for your child.

Chapel & Assemblies Our chapel services occur each Friday morning from 9:00 am -9:30 am in the St Peter’s Chapel. Please join us each week as we praise God and learn more about Him. Assemblies occur each fortnight (even weeks) on Mondays from 11.25 am – 12.10 pm in the school hall.

Hand towels

Please assist your child to remember a hand towel each Monday which can be kept in their tote tray to protect work surfaces from food spillages during eating times.

Art Supplies

Please continue to send in recyclable materials for our construction project which will undertaken during Week Four.

PE

Please assist your child in remembering their sports shoes for changing on PE days. 2H/2M - Fridays, 2R/2T - Tuesdays.

Library

Students must have their library bags with them in order to borrow a book. Library days are: 2H - Thursday, 2M - Wednesday, 2R – Monday and 2T – Friday.


Scripture Study of the scriptures this term will encourage students to develop an understanding of the faithfulness of God as they consider the lives of Old Testament heroes. The extent of God’s great love for and mercy towards His people will be highlighted through an investigation of how God deals patiently with His people and works powerfully to save those who put their trust in Him.

English Throughout Term 2, students will focus on imaginative texts, looking particularly at the works of Roald Dahl. 3F and 3G will do an in-depth study of The BFG and 3C will examine James and the Giant Peach. They will plan, compose, review and publish their own imaginative texts, assess their own work and give feedback to others.

Literacy group time will focus on oral reading, comprehension, grammar and spelling skills. Year 3 will continue to use a phonemic approach to spelling through the Sound Waves programme, as well as increasing their ability to correctly spell high-frequency words. Students will be excited to start joining their different “exits” in handwriting as we begin to write in Cursive Foundation.

Mathematics Year 3 students began to develop strong mental strategies for addition in Term 1 and will continue to consolidate these and apply them to subtraction and multiplication during Term 2.

They will develop their knowledge and skills in measurement topics, such as telling time to the minute and using simple maps and grids to represent position and follow routes. Students will further their understanding of data collection, organisation and representation and continue to progress in their creative problem-solving skills.

Unit of Inquiry Students will continue their learning in our “Sharing the Planet” unit, with the central idea that people have a responsibility to share places and resources with other living things. They will inquire in the life cycles of living things, interdependent webs of biodiversity, and the factors that threaten living things as people try to balance their rights and responsibilities in natural environments.

Students will then commence our third unit of inquiry, which looks at the transdisciplinary theme of ‘How We Organise Ourselves’. This unit will allow students to examine and compare the nature of places, how people in Australia and neighbouring countries have organised themselves geographically, and the types of structures and buildings that people build to meet their needs. The central idea of this unit is that places people live in are similar and different.

Technology Skills

This term in Technology Skills, students will be investigating the Google Suite Apps and developing their problem solving skills. They will be introduced to the functions of each programme and will develop their own set of documents relating to their Inquiry Units. Following this, students will begin an investigation into computational thinking and problem solving techniques.

PE Students will participate in a variety of invasion games and discussions based around how we can maximise scoring opportunities, by creating space, and achieve the aim of the game, which is to score more points than the other team. We will concentrate on AFL and Netball.

Creative Arts Students will continue their rotations through the strands of Creative Arts. Visual Arts will enable students to enjoy experimenting with different media as they explore the use of colour and line. Focus will be on the works of James Rizzi as they attempt to create their own piece in his style.

Year 3


In Dance, students will be introduced to the elements of dance, appreciate dances from various cultures, and will have the opportunity to compose their own dances, attempting to incorporate these elements into their choreography. In Drama students will participate in reader’s theatre and explore the elements of drama, before composing their own group scripts to perform for their peers.

In the second half of the term, students will begin new Visual Arts and Drama rotation activities. In Visual Arts they will explore abstract sculptures and compose their own in relation to the unit of inquiry. They will also experiment with collage, creating landscape artworks. In Drama students will participate in improvisations and playbuilding, revolving around the concept of characterisation.

Music During Music lessons, Year 3 students will continue to develop their aural skills by learning to recognise the sound produced by various instruments and different dynamics. Students will then commence a new unit where they will learn how to recognise and understand the structure of a piece of music as they are introduced to various instrumental pieces.

Languages – French Students will continue with French for Term 2. They will research a typical school day in France and identify any similarities or differences to our own school day. Students will use their knowledge of months of the year to learn and label the seasons in French and describe the seasons before sharing with each other which season is their favourite and why it is their favourite using their French vocabulary.

Organisation & Reminders Uniform

In Term 2, students changed to wearing the winter uniform, which includes wearing a blazer to school each day and full winter tracksuit for sports days. It is essential that students’ blazers are clearly labelled and that students know what size they are to ensure that blazers are not misplaced. It is compulsory that all students bring in their PE shoes to change into on their class’ PE day.

Equipment As each class progresses to their turn at Visual Arts lessons focussing on sculptures in either Term 2 or 3, a note will be sent home in their diary requesting that they bring in a pair of stockings for their sculptures. Student pencil cases were sent home at the end of Term 1 to be restocked. Should items be missing, teachers may place a note in the student’s diary requesting that replacement supplies are purchased. We also ask that parents assist teachers in protecting the belongings of students by encouraging students to leave toys or special items at home.

Diaries Students are expected to have their diaries read and signed weekly by both teacher and parent. They are also expected to write in their diaries what they are reading for homework each night and ask a parent to sign it. We sincerely thank you for your continued communication through student diaries and the School Office.


Scripture

Students will understand the faithfulness of God. They will consider the lives of various Old Testament people who were called to trust God, often in difficult circumstances. Students will be encouraged to appreciate the extent of God’s love and mercy for all people. They will see how God deals patiently with His people and works powerfully to save those who trust in Him. Students will learn how the faith of others can encourage them to place their faith and trust in God.

English With a continued strong focus on Writing, students will be challenged to reflect upon their work, using editing strategies to improve their compositions. Students will be continuing to write a variety of persuasive texts this term. They will create a campaign within the second PYP unit of inquiry to convince people to respect our planet. Following this, students will work on imaginative texts, with a focus on literacy recounts, around our third PYP unit. Literacy groups will continue to focus on reading fluency, comprehension and spelling strategies. Spelling City has been successfully implemented and will continue to enhance the student’s knowledge and use of vocabulary with their spelling words.

Mathematics Students will engage in genuine mathematical learning opportunities that develop their skills as critical users of mathematical concepts. In Number and Algebra, students will identify and generate number patterns using a range of operations and continue to consolidate their quick recall of multiplication facts and the relationship with division. In Measurement and Geometry, students will examine volumes and capacities as well as using their knowledge of 2D shapes to manipulate them to make other shapes. In Statistics and Probability, students will collect and organise data to create and interpret tables, picture and column graphs. They will examine positions on a map and develop their ability to give accurate directions using a compass.

Unit of Inquiry As a part of our ‘Sharing the Planet’ inquiry unit, students have begun investigating the central idea - The Earth has Changed Over Time Through Human and Natural Processes. Students have completed the lines of inquiry into how the relationship between the sun and earth has caused regular changes, with investigations into natural disasters. The final lines of inquiry will have students investigate how our actions have impacted the planet and how scientific knowledge assists us to care and be responsible for the planet.

Following this unit we will be starting the transdisciplinary theme: ‘Where We are in Place and Time’ where we will look at how events and people from Australia’s past have helped shaped our country.

Technology Skills This term in Technology Skills, students will be developing their understanding of the Google Suite Apps, such as Docs, Sheets and Slides. They will explore the various functions of each App and learn efficient methods for using these products in the classroom. Following this, students will begin an initial investigation into computational thinking and coding skills. Students will discover the basic ideas behind coding and programming and begin to develop skills with a view towards creating their own programmes and routines.

Physical Education Students will learn about the objective of net sports and the importance of footwork in all types of net sports. They will be participating in tennis, badminton and newcombeball.

Year 4


Creative Arts Dance - Students will examine the different aspects of dance movement and the elements within music that can influence their movements. They will reflect upon and self-evaluate their use and understanding of these five key elements of dance.

Drama - Later this term, students will take on roles in drama to express characterisation in group tasks as well as building on their ability to express characterisation through an individual task. This will involve using the elements of drama, movement and voice skills when presenting a monologue.

Visual Arts - During the beginning of this term, students will complete their focus on sketching and painting. Following this they will develop new skills using air dry clay to produce a sculpture of an imaginative character. Student will continue to provide each other with feedback and use this to make improvements within their creations. For this activity each student will need to bring in a shoebox to create their diorama.

Languages – German In German this term, students will develop understanding of how to construct a simple sentence in German. We will combine this with our knowledge of descriptive vocabulary as we learn to label and describe elements of the earth's geography. This is linked to the ‘Sharing the Planet’ Unit of Inquiry.

Weekly Schedule


Stationery

Please check that all students have the following items, as some need replacing or are yet to be provided.

● 3 lead pencils (2B or HB)

● simple white eraser

● sharpener with catch

● wooden or plastic 30 cm ruler,

with millimetre markings

● glue stick

● scissors

● small set of coloured pencils (set

of 12 is sufficient)

● 2 blue ballpoint pens (no felt tip or

gel ink as these bleed through

pages)

● 1 red ballpoint pen

● optional - small set of textas,

and/or coloured gel pens

● Headphone set to be kept at

school

Diaries We would ask that you continue to view your child’s diary regularly, preferably each day. Please acknowledge that you have read teacher comments with a signature. Please feel free to communicate with your child’s class teacher through the diary, so we can return communication as quickly as possible.

Homework Students will be continuing with the contract/grid system this term and the activities will change. Please remember to sign the grid each week and ensure the points are filled in.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

4B Library Borrowing ICT

PE

German

Music

4H Library Borrowing Class teacher

Mrs McPherson

Music

PE

German

ICT

4M Library Borrowing German

ICT

Music

PE


Scripture This term, we will be spending our Scripture lessons discovering the attributes and characteristics of God and what that means for us. We will see God in action all throughout the Bible and continue to grow and learn of His place in our lives.

English In English this term, we will be exploring the concept of ‘Change’. We will be completing an author study of Jackie French, looking at the content and context of her novels that are based on aspects of Australian History. In particular, we will be considering the literary devices she has used to create and accurately depict each event. Our focus in Writing will be imaginative texts, where we will explore how stories can be told through poetry. In Speaking and Listening, students will develop their ability to form arguments and rebuttals, demonstrating their use in a formal debate.

Mathematics This term in Mathematics, students will continue to develop their understanding of whole number, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division. We will explore the use of fractions to represent part of whole numbers, learning to convert, add and subtract them. Students will investigate the properties of 2D shapes and angles, identifying and describing them using appropriate mathematical language. We would appreciate your ongoing support as the students learn and consolidate their understanding of all their times tables and basic number facts.

Units of Inquiry For the first few weeks of Term 2, we will be continuing our second unit of inquiry based on the transdisciplinary theme ‘Where We Are in Place and Time’. In this unit of inquiry we have been exploring how scientific discoveries have assisted in our understanding of space and how earth sustains life. In the first few weeks of this term, students will be given the opportunity to apply the knowledge they have gained, as they design and make a model of something that would help to sustain life on Mars. The unit will culminate with a bigger look at how scientific discoveries have assisted with our understanding of other areas of life. In Week 4, we will begin our third unit of inquiry under the transdisciplinary theme ‘How We Organise Ourselves’. Throughout this unit students will inquire into the way that changes determine our future and have shaped our past. Of particular focus will be factors that have shaped Australia.

PE Year 5 will participate in a target sport unit. Target Games are activities in which players send an object toward a target while avoiding any obstacles. By playing these games, students will learn the key skills and strategies for games such as Croquet, Frisbee Golf and Bocce.

Creative Arts Our art unit this term will be linked with our exploration of the concept of ‘Change’. Students will inquire into the ways that art has changed over time. They will choose one period of art to study in greater detail, identifying the artistic techniques and methods used in its creation, using their knowledge to design and make their own artworks.

In Drama, students will explore the exciting world of improvisation. Students will build on their knowledge of the elements of drama introduced in Term 1 through a range of improv games and challenges. Our focus will be on the rules of improv, character development, scene creation and the obstacles associated with the sport.

Music During Music lessons, Year 5 will be completing their stomp unit by composing then performing their own chair stomp routine in groups. Students will then commence a new unit where they will learn to identify and apply the characteristics of Blues music. Students will learn about call and response, the Blues scale, a twelve-bar structure, a harmonic framework and a set pattern for lyrics.

Languages - French Students will continue to learn French with a focus on a family unit. Students will share information about their family using learned, relevant vocabulary to describe their family. They will also complete a unit on where they live and describe their house, before designing their dream home and writing a description in French and reading this to the class.

Year 5


Technology This term in Technology Skills students will be learning the fundamentals of programming and computational thinking. They will learn various routines and processes to help them solve problems and arrive at creative solutions. Students will have the chance later in the term to develop these fundamental skills in the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge. This is an annual event that asks students to develop an original video game based on a theme. This year’s theme is ‘REACTION!’ and students will be working in small teams to design and build a game using Scratch, a programming resource developed by MiT.


Stationery As we begin a new term, please ensure that your child has all of the materials and resources that they need to complete their work. We would ask that you check your child’s pencil case regularly to make sure that they have all of the items that they need.

All students are required to bring a pencil case to school each day containing the following:

Blue and red pens (no felt tip)

A wooden or plastic ruler

Lead pencils

Coloured pencils

Rubber

Sharpener

Highlighters

Scissors

Glue Stick

We would also ask that you regularly check your child’s diary and sign it once a week. Students are expected to have their diaries read and signed weekly at the request of the teacher. As a first point of contact, please use the diary to communicate with the class teacher.

Parent Helpers

Literacy groups is an important part of our programme each week, where students are provided with the opportunity to develop their understanding of concepts and skills that have been taught in guided reading and writing lessons. The contribution of parent helpers in these sessions is invaluable, as it provides additional opportunities for individual and small group work.

We would love it if parent helpers were to join us and assist during these sessions. If this is something that you might be interested in, please contact your child’s teacher to find out more information regarding times and ways that you can assist. All parent helpers are required to have a current Working with Children check registered with the School Office.

Library Times

Please note that 5R’s library borrowing time has changed to Wednesday mornings.


Scripture Our key focus this term is on trusting God. We will explore how God is faithful and worthy of our trust. We will consider the lives of various Old Testament people who were called to trust God and encourage students to appreciate the extent of God’s love and mercy for all people of the earth.

English In English, we will be exploring various migration experiences in literature to further our understanding of our Unit of Inquiry 2 central idea ‘Migration is a reaction to change’. This will form the basis from which to research influential people with incredible migration stories. Students will use this research to write informative texts and undertake a range of comprehension tasks that challenge students to think in both critical and creative ways. Year 6 will continue to revise editing and proofreading strategies, through teacher and peer feedback as well as self-reflection. 6J/6S will continue to focus on the ‘Super Six’ strategies with particular emphasis on main idea and summarising.

6P will be looking at the ‘Super Six’ strategies as a way to facilitate thinking, particularly when locating evidence and making inferences. We will continue to explore the idea of theme and ways to extend our thinking in both critical and creative learning activities. We will focus on how to justify our responses with suitable evidence and begin to examine how social, cultural and historical contexts impact on the presentation of information.

In Speaking and Listening, students will develop their cooperative working skills to write and participate in debates.

Mathematics In Mathematics, students will continue to explore and develop their use of problem solving strategies in more open-ended activities. We will focus on positive and negative numbers, interpret statistics, explore causes of bias and construct line and column graphs. Students will also investigate aspects of the Measurement and Geometry strand, such as 2D shapes and 3D objects, symmetry and angles.

Units of Inquiry Our Unit of Inquiry 2 commenced in Term 1 and will continue this throughout the beginning of Term 2. Our transdisciplinary theme is ‘Where we are in place and time,’ with our central idea being migration is a reaction to change. In Term 1, we began an exploration of our unit through a celebration of our cultural diversity, with students bringing in and tasting food from around the world and rotating through various games from different countries.

Our first line of inquiry ‘there are patterns in migration’ was commenced as students composed questions as to the reasons for why people migrate, whilst examining ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors. We will continue to explore the impact of migration on a local and global level throughout Term 2 and provide an opportunity for students to investigate their own family history. Our third Unit of Inquiry, which will be commenced later on in Term 2, considers the transdisciplinary theme of ‘How the world works.’ The central idea for this unit is Natural disasters impact the shape of the earth.

PE Students will participate in a variety of invasion games and discussions based around how we can maximise scoring opportunities by creating space and achieve the aim of the game which is to score more points than the other team.

Creative Arts In Visual Arts, students will be looking at a variety of different art works and techniques from around the world. This multicultural look at art will link with our second Unit of Inquiry’s central idea as students explore how we can represent the personal experiences of selected migrants in creative and purposeful ways. During Music lessons, Year 6 will be continuing to develop their aural skills as they listen to various pieces by Camille Saint-Saens in his work ‘Carnival of the Animals’ and analyse what they hear in the music. Students will then start a new unit where they will learn to play a class piece called ‘Tango’ on the xylophone. Through this they will develop performance skills, rhythmic understanding, and skills in analysing music. They will also learn to vary a piece of music and will have the opportunity to perform their variation to the class.

Year 6


Languages - German In German, we will spend time focusing on our German speaking skills as we construct a ‘Who am I?’ (Wer bin ich?) profile about the WW2 Resistance Hero each student has chosen to research. We will incorporate the language to describe: name, age, where I come from, what languages I speak and personal characteristics. This will culminate in a presentation to peers. Later in the term we will look at German food traditions, and use this as an avenue to develop language learning skills that will prepare students for learning languages in high school and beyond.

Technology In Technology Skills, students will begin the term by planning, filming and editing a video for their Unit of Inquiry 2 using Green-Screen technology and video editing software. Students will learn how to add backgrounds and special effects to their videos using the Green-Screen technology and will further develop their video editing skills. Later in the term students will be entering the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge, an annual event that asks students to develop an original video game based on a theme. This year’s theme is ‘REACTION!’ and students will be working in small teams to design and build a game using Scratch, a programming resource developed by MiT.


Uniform Students are now wearing their winter uniforms. Please ensure that all parts are accounted for. This includes: badges, hats, socks, hair ties for girls and neck ties for both the boys and girls. The uniform shop is open on Mondays from 8.00 am - 10:45am and 1.00 pm - 3:45 pm and Wednesdays from 8.00 am - 10:45am. Students will be reminded, and notes will be written in student diaries, if uniform items are missing. Parents have the opportunity to order online and have uniforms delivered to students in the classroom. Please use the following link for this service:

http://www.stpeters.nsw.edu.au/about-us/uniform-shop.htm

A number of students are missing some of their required learning resources. This includes glue stick, scissors, 30cm ruler, lead pencils, eraser, blue and red pen (not gel pens or felt tip pens), and highlighters. Please ensure your child’s pencil case is restocked for Term 2.

As the students continue to prepare for high school, it is a requirement that students must have their diary with them everyday. The diary is a useful link between home and school life. In particular it is a requirement of Year 6 that students are reading daily. Each week students are to write down chapters or names of books they are reading. Parents are required to sign the diaries every Friday for checking by a teacher.

Year 6 Camp - Term 3

As part of our Year 6 Camp to Canberra this year, we are having a day at the snow! Therefore, now is the time to begin thinking about the organisation of suitable items as there are some sales that will be coming up in the next few months. Aldi often have great sales on snow/winter gear and we are aware there will be a sale on the 13th of May. Stores such as Big W often have sales on the items you will need.

A list has been provided of the items that students will need for their visit to the snow:

- Sunglasses or ski goggles

(prevention of sun glare/snow

blindness)

- Waterproof gloves

- Beanie

- Warm socks

- Thermals or leggings/long sleeve

shirts (to wear under snow pants

and parka)

Please note that students are encouraged to avoid wearing cotton clothes on the day we visit the snow.

Students will be provided with snow hire clothing for the day. This will include a pair of pants, parka and walkboots. The cost of these items has already been covered in the School Service Fee.




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