We love PALS

This term Year 1 have met some new friends, Anna, Jack and Mrs Kookaburra. Each week our new friends visit Year 1 to teach the students about a new social skill. 

In Week 1, the students learnt about the skill of Greeting Others. They learnt that the 3 steps to greet someone. 
1. Look at the person (on the forehead if we don't want to look at their eyes)
2. Smile
3. Say 'hello'. 
The students even learnt a song to help them learn the skill, which they may be able to sing to you at home.

This week, the students learnt the skill of taking turns when talking and listening. They learnt to look at the person who is speaking, to be quiet while that person is speaking and to listen to what they are saying. 

GWS Giants Visit

Today Year 1 had a fun-filled afternoon playing some ball games with GWS Giants AFL players. They gave the students a sample of what to expect if they join the after school Auskick program. It was a fabulous afternoon in the outdoors giving the students a chance to learn and develop a range of gross motor skills in a fun way. Today the students learnt and practised kicking, throwing and catching. 

A note was sent home with further information regarding the program, should you wish to participate. 

Maths Chatterboxes

The kids are loving our new maths warm up - Chatterboxes with a maths twist. I have attached the link where you can download your own for free and play at home! 

This game incorporates counting, recognising numbers on a tens frame and in tally marks. It also looks at groups of items and partitioning numbers. When playing it could be adapted by counting backwards from your number, adding 10 more to the number chosen, counting by 2s or 3s to the number, and counting on from the number chosen. The children could even create their own version with numbers and representations of numbers of their choosing.

Ensure you are getting the most out of this quick game by questioning your child:
- What number have you chosen?
- After they choose their number, "How do you know?"
- What do you know about that number?
- What can you see?

Stay tuned for a video of some kids playing and questioning one another. 

Click here for your own free copy!

Writing Week 2

This week we have been talking about safe and unsafe places, people and situations. We read The Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood and discussed the safe actions that could have taken place. The students re-created new endings for the fairytales. 

Below are some examples. 

Maths Week 2

This week in maths, the students have been working on adding two numbers together using efficient strategies. Below is our learning intention and success criteria, examples of efficient strategies they can use and some photos of students work.

For the next week, can you solve the following question at home and prove it using efficient strategies...

The sum of two numbers is 19, what might the two numbers be?

You might like to ask your child the following questions when they proving their answers...

Can you prove it to me?

How do you know?

What is a quick way of working it out?

Can you do it another way?

You may also like to prompt your child by asking;

Can you use your doubles?

Can you use friends of 10?

Can you count on?

Can you add the tens and then the ones?

Can you build to the next 10?

Term 3 Week 2

Term 3 Week 1

Wow! It's hard to believe that we are in Term 3 already. We are very excited about all the learning that is planned for this term. The inquiry unit Celebrating Cultures will underpin most of the learning that will occur, particularly for English. Each week, we will be exploring a traditional story from a particular culture. These stories may be in the form of literature, artwork, music or dance. The students will be use a range of good reader strategies to comprehend the story at a deep level to identify the message contained within the story. They will begin to understand that through stories, cultural traditions are able to be passed down from generation to generation. 

The students will also be creating a poster to inform others about aspects of their cultural background. Although they will be able to complete some research at school, we ask that you assist them in the initial stages of their research by talking to them about aspects of their cultural backgrounds. 

Here is what we have been working on at school this week!