Grade One Overview
Term Two 2015
Please note some important dates for this term:
- Mini beasts excursion to Melbourne Museum and Imax Theatre – Thursday April 23rd
- Kids Matter Every Face has a Place – 3:30pm-5:30pm Wednesday April 29
- P-3 Assembly 2:30pm in the Gymnasium – Friday 15th May
- Education Week/Book Fair – 18th – 22nd May
- Queen’s Birthday – Monday 8th June
- Last day of term – Friday June 26th (2:30pm finish)
Literacy:
Reading, Writing, Spelling and Oral Language will be covered daily. Daily reading is essential for all students to build knowledge about their world and how words work. To improve their fluency and comprehension of a text, it is important for students to read their books more than once.
This term, our author study will focus on the delightful Beatrix Potter stories, such as The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck.
Writing: In Term Two students will focus on the structures and features of information reports and labelling of scientific drawings. We will work on sequencing and retelling of stories and writing descriptive recounts based on personal experiences. We will introduce a range of graphic organisers that can help students to plan information texts and narratives. Punctuation will also be a focus this term, particularly capital letters, full stops and question marks.
Spelling: We will begin working on particular parts of words that students are finding difficult to spell. Students will be aware of their personal goals. These goals could be; first sounds, final sounds, short vowels, long vowels, digraphs and blends. Students will continue to learn the hot words for their homework and use Spellodrome to support their learning (which is accessed through their Mathletics password).
Reading- Comprehension: Students will be reading and responding to a variety of texts. In Term Two, we will be focusing on retelling the story, asking and answering questions (before, during and after reading) and determining the main ideas of information texts and narratives. The students will continue to build their skills for getting their knowledge ready before reading. The students will be encouraged to use their learnt strategies automatically and independently. Students will work on their sustained reading every day to build reading stamina.
Reading – Accuracy: To improve students’ accuracy in reading, we will look at different decoding strategies for reading words accurately. These strategies can include reading on, cross checking, blending sounds and flipping the sound (Does it sound right? or What other sound can that letter make?).
Reading – Fluency: Students will be shown how to reread books to get more out of the text each time. We will be modelling how to read little words quickly, with expression to assist their understanding of the information. Read aloud will also be encouraged through buddy and whole class reading.
Oral Language: Oral Language is a focus throughout the day, in every subject area. We will also have specialist focused oral language sessions which will cover skills such as; asking questions correctly, using words correctly
(“I did” instead of “I done”), understanding how words change from singular to plural and speaking clearly with suitable volume. We will be building students’ knowledge of grammar and parts of sentences through Colourful Semantics.
Numeracy:
Mathematics will be taught on a daily basis. In Number, students will continue to develop their counting skills during number fluency. They will skip count forwards and backwards by 2, 5 and 10 from various starting points. The following units of work will be covered;
Place Value: Students will continue to read, write, make and order two and three digit numbers. They will learn to visualise and understand number concepts through the use of concrete materials, place value charts and number lines.
Collecting & Displaying Data: Students will collect and display data using tables and a variety of graphs. They will learn how to gain information from the data collected and develop questioning skills.
Length: Students will measure and compare the lengths of objects using uniform informal units such as paper clips and blocks. They will explore ways to measure accurately by placing units end to end with no gaps.
Addition: Students will develop mental strategies to calculate addition problems. These will include counting on, doubles, tens facts, build to next ten, near doubles and other derived strategies. Addition problems will be linked to real life experiences.
This learning can be supported at home through playing board, dice and card games to encourage children to learn their number facts. If you have access to a computer, provide children opportunities to engage in Mathletics tasks.
Integrated Studies:
In Term Two, grade one children will be learning about ‘Mini Beasts.’ They will be finding out about the types of ‘Mini Beasts’ in our world and why they are so important in the balance of nature. This topic includes vocabulary related to the characteristics of mini beasts, life cycles, predators and prey. Students will explore where mini beasts live and how they move. This topic will include an excursion to the Imax Cinema to see Bugs 3D and then to the museum to view the ‘Bugs Alive’ exhibition which will help to consolidate their learning. We will finish the unit with a project for homework.
Specialist Session:
Visual Arts:
Grade ones will be learning about drawing skills. They will be looking at the use of shape and line within their exploration.
Students will also have the opportunity to use knowledge learnt within their classrooms to create a Three Dimension Minibeast.
Physical Education:
-Movement: Agility running drills & games
-FMS: Under arm throw, drills & games
-FMS: Bouncing, drills & games
Oral Language:
Grade one will continue to work on whole body listening and speaking in full sentences. They will explore how to choose good describing words and adverbs (words to describe how they do something). Grade Ones will also focus on naming and describing different vegetables.
Homework
The aim of homework at Roxburgh Homestead Primary School is to:
- encourage parents to participate in their child’s education.
- encourage children to become responsible for their own learning.
- consolidate skills that are being developed within each classroom program.
- provide parents with information about curriculum content.
- enable children to develop effective study habits and time management skills.
It is recommended that students in Grade One participate in approximately 15 minutes of homework per day. Reading daily is the number one homework priority. In addition to reading students are asked to complete a fortnightly homework grid. This will include:-
- Reading and Comprehension:
- Getting Knowledge Ready Talk about the clues you can see in the book to work out what the story is about before you start to read.
- Questions Ask your child questions about the book and let them practise locating where the clues are. Find meanings of tricky words by reading on and also providing synonyms for these words.
- Research Find and display information about your favourite mini beast as a poster.
- Spelling: Practise reading and writing the fortnightly THRASS Hot Words and focus spelling words. Have fun with the words by playing recognition and matching games like Memory and Snap. Children need to learn these spelling words and will be tested fortnightly.
- Mathematics Various counting and number tasks to support the topics at school.
Partnerships in Learning
We understand the importance of learning beyond the classroom and the strong role parents and family have in supporting the concepts taught at school. We encourage you and your family to explore our school internet site www.roxhomesteadps.vic.edu.au at your leisure for additional ideas and information.
Student progress is continual and carefully monitored by the classroom teacher, support staff and school leadership. At Roxburgh Homestead we specifically celebrate this progress through Student Led Conferences and student reports. School reports will be distributed at the end of term 2. In the meantime, if there are any issues regarding your child’s learning, please feel free to contact the classroom teacher by phone or make an appointment.