Newsletter – Term 3 – Kewdale Campus

Term 3 in a Glimpse

We are at the end of term 3. Alhamdulillah, this term has flown by so quickly. We had a very eventful term. Thank you to all parents of year 1s for your continued support. Together with your support, we are able to do our part of teaching our students to be the best version of their selves. In term 3, we had the following events:

We celebrated science week in week 5. Year 1s did different experiments in their classes during the science week.

This year, the theme for book week was ‘Dreaming with eyes open’. Students dressed up as their favorite characters.

In week 7, we had the spelling bee competition. There was only one student chosen from each section of year 1s. The winner of the competitor was Nubair Hassan from year 1B.

In Literacy this term we developed our 7 steps writing skills focusing particularly on persuasive writing. They also did Literacy rotations every morning after warm ups. In their rotations, they practiced their spelling words, sentence structure, handwriting, reading eggs and sharp reading with their teacher. During sentence structure, the children have been practicing writing sentences in the present, past and future tens along with the use of punctuation.

This term, Year 1’s learnt about telling time-both digital and analog. They also learnt about 3d shapes. The students also developed their understanding of addition and subtraction as well as number value and place value.

In HASS, year 1s learnt about family traditions, why they are special. They also learnt about past and present. In geography, they learnt about weather symbols and explored the map of Australia.

In Science we explored and our understanding about biological sciences, which included learning about different living animals and different parts of their bodies, as well as looking into their habitats. This term we also focused our time for our STEM projects, which will be exhibited on term 4.

In Health we learnt about keeping safe and expressing our emotions in a safe and cohesive way. We participated in lots of discussions. Year 1s also learnt about friendship, how we can make friends, how should we behave with our friends.

In Art this term we explored the use of visual arts. This time round we turned our focus to a famous children’s author and illustrator, Eric Carle. We focused on the different illustrating techniques used by Eric in his many beautiful books. The children enjoyed collaging and applying lots of beautiful strategies to make gorgeous pieces of art.

2A – We shared ideas and work collaboratively to create a narrative story.

2B – The students engaged in Sharp Reading

2C – We explored various ways of communicating.

2A – We used manipulatives to measure things around us with a non-standard measurement unit

2B – We Learned division through grouping.

2C – We played multiplication and grouping games using dice and counters

2A – We explored the elements of art to create original artwork.

2B – We drew some beautiful overlapping images.

2C – Created colour wheels to show primary and secondary colours using oil pastels.

2A – We conducted an experiment to observe how plants grow from seeds.

2B – Students learnt about different stages of Germination.

2C – Students conducted an experiment to observe the way seeds grow.

2A – We role-played to understand how it feels to live in the olden days.

2B – Students communicated and interacted for health and wellbeing. They cut and pasted some healthy choices.

2C – Students participated in a friend scavenger hunt. They asked their classmates questions and recorded answers as a strategy to making new friends.

2A – We role-played to understand how it feels to live in the olden days.

2B – Organising then and now ways of living.

2A – Character dress up day

2B – Character dress up day

2C – Character dress up day

The Term 3 journey began with flying colours. We delved into investigations and school events such as book character dress up, science week, literacy week and numeracy week. Nevertheless, that wasn’t the only exciting thing we done this term there was so much more to come.

In Literacy this term we developed our 7 steps writing skills focusing on narrative and persuasive writing. We took part in Sharp Reading which is a teaching and learning framework that provides direction for students and equips us to be SHARP (efficient, cutting edge) in our understanding of reading. In Reading Comprehension, we used comprehension strategies to build our literal and inferred meaning and began to evaluate texts by drawing on a growing knowledge of context, text structures and language features. In Grammar and Spelling we learned a range of grammar concepts including technical nouns, prefixes, suffixes, command verbs and prepositions

In Numeracy we explored concepts of Number and Algebra where we counted to and from 10 000. We classified numbers as either odd or even and recalled addition and multiplication facts for single- and double-digit numbers. Concepts of Measurement and Geometry taught us to identify symmetry in the environment and match positions on maps with given information. And Last but not least concepts of Statistics and Probability had us conducting chance experiments and listing possible outcomes. We also conducted simple data investigations for categorical variables and interpreted and compared data displays.

This term for science we investigated biological sciences we learnt and read all about living things and grouping them on the basis of observable features and distinguishing them from non-living things. We explored the school garden, looking at various forms of living and non-living things.

This term, we celebrated science week. We all took part in creating our very own science experiments in class and ended science week with an experiment in assembly where we all excitedly watched the scientist present us with elephant toothpaste.

This term in year 3, we studied about the importance of rules: who makes rules, why rules are important, and the consequences of rules not being followed. We learned about the historical origins and significance of celebrations and commemorations in other places around the world and those observed in Australia, such as Chinese New Year, NAIDOC Week.

This term in Visual Arts, we extended our understanding of the visual elements as we reflected on our use to create artwork using different mediums. We experimented with varying techniques and explored the different properties and qualities of materials that can be used creatively. We explored art from other cultures and considered where and how artwork is presented to an audience.

Alhamdulilah, we’ve been blessed beyond measure to kick off the term with an ease on COVID-19 restrictions. Concurrently, coming back to school with mask free faces, was the icing on the cake. Our term has been jam-packed with wonderous adventures, special guests and a rewarding learning journey. We had incursions, science week, fun run ceremony, book week, basketball and netball excursions which were all incredibly set up – Allahuma barik!

During this term, the year Four students have become Botanist! We have been delving into ‘Life cycle of flowering plants and parts of a plant’. We focused on what’s inside a seed, bean seed germination/flowers and pollination, plant life cycle and parts of a bee and its role in pollination. Our botanists have planted, observed, recorded and investigated the conditions of plant growth. We also carried out experiments planting bean seeds and students recorded their observations of the progress of germination for fourteen days. Additionally, our plant biologists directly experienced planting flowers in different environments/ecology to observe how the condition of plants are impacted by its surrounding and natural growing areas. We have utilised curiosity and inquisitiveness this term to unravel various phenomena.

Meet the Researcher’ Incursion Program:  The year 4 cohort celebrated National Science Week 2022 by inviting a real-life Telethon Kids researcher into our classrooms. We found out exactly what a real career in science looks like. Students watched how a researcher brings STEM subjects to life through attractive activities and games, to demonstrate the value of science in life and careers. The ‘Meet the Researcher’ incursion program was aligned to the Year Four curriculum, providing students with a valuable learning experience.

The year 4 students engaged in visual art forms. They were fostered an artist connection with their emotions, memories and learning. Students learnt about how perspective drawing brings two dimensional drawings and paintings to life, and how perspective drawing make 2D objects appear three dimensional. Like a new physical exercise, the visual arts heal the mind by activating creative brain cells, thereby stimulating oxygenated blood flow to depleted regions. Our students always enjoy a great lesson of art to end a week. 

Our writing journey has taken us on a trip to learning how to persuade our readers. Students in Year 4 are learning about the salient characteristics of a successful narrative writing using show do not tell sentences to possess audience to the author’s purpose where they introduce a character/problem solution verses personal experience and children’s’ wild imagination. Throughout the term our year four students have learned to use focused skills such as a sizzling start using onomatopoeia, action or dialogue, pebble, rock boulder to create a tightening tension and end their narratives in a fine resolution. The year four students also learned procedural writing. Yes! They now know how to follow a recipe. Not only that, but our year fours have also been exposed to various procedural writing such as creating a procedure for a paper cup telephone. It was a pleasure viewing how their imagination is creative and wild. Indeed, they are all authors and know how to entertain their audience.

Year fours were also introduced to equivalent fractions, converting mixed fractions to improper fractions and vice versa and adding and subtracting like fractions. That was challenging but our students managed this topic well. Phew!  Students also explored length and measuring masses. They also investigated decimals and how to round of decimals. Students also dived into probability where they jumped into different events and chance outcomes. Students warm up before starting each lesson by recalling maths facts such as multiples, factors and formulas of area, volume and perimeter.

In our numeracy investigations students have employed their skills experientially. Students have conducted experiments by measuring different objects and converted their measurements from centimetres to millimetres and vice versa. Students are dealing with real world situations in numeracy to help prepare them for the future.

Overall, this term in HASS students have understood and explored the journeys of Captain Cook and his settlement in Australia and how life was during the 18^th century. Students also explored the first fleet journey and learnt about the convict’s life and connected this to colonial local government and the local government today. Students also explored the continent, explored the African savannah, and compared it to Australian savannah. Our year four explorers also carried out extensive research where they selected an African country and compared it to Australia’s climate vegetation and savannah. Across this eventful term, we were engulfed in inquiry-based learning when exploring these intriguing topics. It has been a wonderous journey in year 4 – to learn about early settlements and different geographical features in Africa and Australia.

In literacy this term we have been building on our skills through our literacy block. In the first 20 minutes of our literacy block students have been rotating through editing, comprehension, vocabulary activities, Reading eggs and Sharp reading with the teacher. Students are becoming more settled in the routine and are able to keep themselves on task. During our second 20 minute block students are led through Spelling Mastery with a mixture of dictation and building words using morphographs. In our final 20 minute block students have been focused on creating narratives that follow the 7 Step format. We have been particularly focused on using descriptive language such as personification and hyperbole to help situate our readers in our stories. We can’t wait to read their latest creations!

In numeracy this term we have been exploring how budgeting can help us in our day-to-day life. Students got some hands-on learning experience through planning and budgeting for a proposed school camp. Students have also been able to deepen their knowledge about decimals. We have begun to add, subtract and order decimals and inshallah we will be able to multiply and divide them soon. We have also started to learn about angles. We have learned to read angles, measure angles, draw and angles and answer word problems about them.

In science this term we have been exploring structural, behavioural and physical adaptations. We have learned a lot through theory but even more through our experiments. We constructed hypotheses and planned our investigations. Students have conducted experiments about how surface areas effect water retention and heat loss. Students have graphed their results and are able to explain whether their hypotheses were correct and if they were not, they were able to explain why it was not. Mashallah Year 5’s!

Our HASS this term has helped the students explore Australia’s beautiful and diverse landscapes. We have learned about traditional farming methods and how they were sustainable methods compared to our modern farming methods. Students have also discovered what to do to prepare themselves and their houses in the event of a bushfire. They can read a bushfire alert scale and act/plan accordingly.

In today’s modern society technological literacy is a must. This term we have been learning about classifications for media and how to identify appropriate content. With our modern world leaning heavily into social media it is important that out students are able to navigate these platforms with ease and are able to make informed decisions.

Our artists have been hard at work this term creating and critiquing Aboriginal artwork. We have analysed Jimmy Pike artwork and have been critiquing the methods used to create various types of artworks. Students have also been trying their hand at smudging and shading to create depth in their artwork. We can’t wait to see what amazing pieces students will create with their newly acquired skills.

National Science Week bought us two very special visitors from high school to demonstrate some wonderful science experiments. The wonderful chemical reactions we witnessed have definitely stoked the curious scientific minds of the year 5 students.

Assalam O Alaikum
Dear Parents and guardians,

We have had a marvellous term filled with a variety of enlightening experiences as we undertook experiments, investigations, and educational school events.

We begin our day with a productive 60-minute literacy block. Students explore and consolidate their learning as they take part in presenting their knowledge of literacy concepts during the literacy warm up. This is followed by sharp reading; students go on to develop their reading comprehension skills through sentence de-construction and explanation of varying texts. Students then delve into their spelling mastery as they develop their knowledge of morphographs. To finish off, students explore the topic of narrative writing as they construct imaginative texts which maintain their seven steps conventions.  

Our Numeracy journey begins with our daily warm up, students consolidate their mathematical understanding of known concepts as they complete a series of questions within a set period of time. Students have explored equivalent fractions, multiplication of decimals, division of numbers larger than 999, finding equivalent fractions, dividing decimals, and converting fractions to decimals. Students have also developed their abilities to deconstruction word problems through the use of their CUBES strategy, this enables them to comprehend complex mathematical problems through a series of acquired steps.

This term, students delved into the fungi kingdom and identified varying types of fungus and how particular fungi can be beneficial while others are sometimes harmful.  Students went on to investigate the influence of yeast on producing CO2 and made predictions on the effectiveness of yeast in combination with varying ingredients. Students also explored how fungi benefits us as they hypothesised on the effect of yeast in bread making and why it is useful, it was delicious!

Students explored how and why mold grows, along with its integral role in creating medicine to serve humanities health needs.

Our HASS experiences were heightened as we explored the continent of Asia. We delved into the 4 regions of Asia and how they vary in culture, linguistics, population, area, and religion.  Students researched a country within Asia and went on to orally present their projects to their peers. It was so interesting!

Students explored one-point perspective art pieces, they identified the main concepts and themes presented within this style. Their knowledge was further enhanced as students went on to create their own one-point perspective art pieces.

For National Science week, students took part in a series of experiments. This began with the creation of elephant toothpaste, students watched on in bated breath to see the result as the thick foam of toothpaste shot into the air. This was then followed by the creation of slime; students followed a series of instructions in order to form a chemical reaction between two ingredients, resulting in slimy goodness.  

Students dreamt with their eyes open as their imaginations and interpretations of story characters were brought to life during book week. Worlds collided as students shared their favourite book titles and showed off their wonderful costumes. What a wonderful learning experience!