Grade 1

Welcome to Term 4 in Grade 1!

Term 4 2020

Breannan, Shelley, Dani, Rachael & Catherine are thrilled to be back onsite and are extremely excited about the term ahead!

READING

The Grade 1 teachers will work alongside each student to ensure that they have an individual reading goal focused at their point of need. These goals will be based around the reading skills comprehension, accuracy, fluency and expanding vocabulary. Teachers will monitor each student’s progress in regards to their reading goals, through participation in guided reading sessions and running record assessments.

Students have their own individual reading box and each week, they choose five books from their allocated levelled reading box. Using these five books, students practise the teacher allocated reading strategy.

This term, our focus in reading sessions will include:

• ·         Make and adjust mental images (comprehension strategy)
• ·         Infer and support with evidence (comprehension strategy)
• ·         Apply understanding of figurative language (expand vocabulary strategy)
• ·         Make and adjust predictions (comprehension strategy)
• ·         Finding key information in a text (comprehension strategy)

WRITING

Writing sessions will focus on narrative, recount and report text types. Students will also explore poetry and rhyme. Another focus area is Aboriginal stories and language (Boon Wurrung language) which is linked to our inquiry unit.  Conferencing and needs-based groups occur most sessions, which enables teachers to identify students’ areas of improvement. This will ensure that each child is catered for on an individual basis.

LETTERS & SOUNDS

Letters and Sounds groups are continuing. In Letters and Sounds, students learn a range of common graphemes (letters) and phonemes (the sounds the letters make). Students will be encouraged to utilise their knowledge of the graphemes and phonemes to improve their reading and writing skills.

MATHEMATICS

We are focusing on the following areas:

·     number and algebra (counting, ordering, reading and writing numbers to 100 and beyond)

·         number and algebra (money)

·         number and algebra (fractions and decimals)

·         measurement and geometry (length, mass, capacity)

·         revision of some topics covered during remote learning

Students will consolidate their mathematical knowledge by relating what they learn to real life problems and to other areas of the curriculum. They are encouraged to use a variety of strategies to solve mathematical problems.

The Grade 1 teachers will work alongside each child to encourage them to develop skills and concepts through explicit teaching in both whole class and small focus groups. Mental calculations and the teaching of efficient strategies is a priority. Students are encouraged to develop skills in estimation, with the use of concrete materials used to support their mathematical explorations.

INQUIRY UNIT

Our inquiry focus is a Geography unit which focuses on places and how we are connected to them. Students will investigate what their neighbourhood looked like when the traditional owners of the land took care of it. Students will also explore why people are connected to different places and describe the daily and seasonal weather patterns of where they live. 

HOMEWORK

Our homework is to read for at least 10 minutes with an adult and record this in their Reading Log. In the front cover of your child’s Reading Folder, there is a page to assist with this task. Please ensure this reading task is completed each night from Monday to Friday. This will assist our class work as it will ensure that your child builds confidence in their reading and writing skills. It will also help to connect the learning at school with their home environment.

We also encourage your child to logon to Mathletics and Reading Eggs every week. Their login details are at the front of their diary. 30-40 minutes as a combined total would be a sufficient amount of time to spend on these programs at home.

WELLBEING

Wellbeing is another area of focus this term. Topics students will be investigating are:

Mindfulness

Emotions

Empathy

Friendship

Self-kindness &

Connectedness 

We will also be revisiting all 5 dimensions of The Albert Park Way (our school community’s code of conduct for establishing and maintaining positive relationships) The five dimensions are:

·         Be Kind and Fair

·         Act Safely

·         Respect Everyone’s Rights

·         One Voice at a Time

·         Keep Trying

PARENT COMMUNICATION

Student diaries are an invaluable tool for collaborating between the school and the home. Parents are encouraged to use their child’s diary to communicate important information to their child’s teacher.

Information, regular updates, and resources will be posted via the app Konnective, on Compass and on the school website at www.albertparkps.vic.edu.au. Forms and notices are available in PDF form on the school website.

Parents will receive updates on their child’s learning and areas for improvement in all areas of the curriculum via the Seesaw app.