Well, it is hard to
believe we are already at the end of Term 1. Lockdown, masks, parent interviews,
assembly, Harmony Day… We have been busy! However, through it all I have been
so unbelievably proud of the way the students have settled in, formed
friendships and worked hard to achieve their personal best. Here are some
learning area updates:
English:
Speaking and listening
skills have continued to be a whole school focus. Children are given
opportunities to share in the collaborative learning teams daily and are
explicitly taught effective speaking and listening courtesies. They participate
in team and class meetings and are developing strategies to come to a
democratic decision. Each week the children are provided with a topic for
conversation, which they share in teams. Another favourite is “Warm & Fuzzy
Wednesday” where students articulate the positive character traits of a
randomly selected peer.
In reading, we have been
looking at different types of texts. We have been practicing reading with lots
of expression, paying attention to the punctuation. Students have been making
personal connections with the events and characters in a text and scanning the
text for key details. They have been using clues from the text to make
predictions about what might happen next. Pictured here is some of the students
sharing their predictions with the class, based on the clues given in the text.
This term we have been
focusing on writing a persuasive text, using the appropriate structure. We have
been practising generating reasons and selecting the most convincing ones. The
students have learnt some simple strategies to ‘hook’ their reader’s attention.
For example, using high modality words, false statistics and rhetorical
questions. They have been annotating exemplar texts, using success criteria to
help them to apply these components to their own writing. Their latest Cold
Write (completely independent written piece) was included in their Test Book.
Maths:
In Maths, we have been revising place value and counting skills, applying these to larger numbers. They have been using the count on and count back method to mentally calculate addition and subtraction problems with increased speed and accuracy. We have been learning about fractions and learning key vocabulary. A fraction is an equal part of a whole. We have learnt that the numerator is the number of parts shaded or counted in a collection and the denominator is the total number of parts. To help us remember, we think about Ned on his Donkey. The denominator has to be bigger than the numerator!
We have been revising our knowledge of 2D and 3D shapes and their properties. We enjoyed drawing shape monsters and looking at the bets of 3D objects. The students have been practising their graphing skills throughout the term, with a focus on tables, column and picture graphs. We also apply these skills in other areas, such as Science.
Of course, the true test of maths knowledge is to be able to apply these skills to problem solving. We complete a daily word problem and use the CUBES method to identify key information in the question, to ensure we are reading the information carefully and answering accuracy.
HASS:
This semester, we have
been focusing on Geography. We have been discussing places and their importance
to individuals and communities. The students have also been trying really hard
to remember the states, territories and capital cities of Australia. There are
6 states and 2 Territories. See if we can remember them all?
We have been studying
different maps and using directional language to find locations. If you have a
map, atlas, or world globe at home, I encourage you to explore these with your
child. Children are very interested in the world around them and have a lot of
really great questions!
Science:
In Science, we have been
looking at Earth & Space Sciences. The focus for Year 2 is on resources.
One of our most important natural resources is water! The students in Room 14
went on a “Water Walk” with the iPads, documenting sources of water within our
school. They then worked in their teams to categorise the photos according to
their purpose, ie. cleaning, growing etc.
The students have also
been conducting some simple experiments with water and looking at which
materials float and sink. We have been learning about variables. The
independent variable is the thing you change (the material), the dependent
variable is the think you measure (how well it floats). To make it a fair test,
we have to control some things (eg, the amount of time each material is
submerged in the water). In Week 8, we
did a fun experiment floating fruit. With skin, an apple and orange both float.
When peeled, the orange sank. This is because orange skin has little air
pockets that help it float. An apple isn’t very dense and contains lots of air,
so it continues to float.
