Class Newsletters - Term 2, 2023

English

Throughout Term 2, Prep students will continue their learning of phonetic and phonemic awareness, duck handing and blending words, reading and writing, exposure to familiar words, handwriting through Casey the Caterpillar and involvement with quality literature. Rhyming will be a main focus of Term 2. 

Students will be assessed on their ability to listen for rhyme, letter patterns and sounds in words. They will identify, create and present a rhyme.

Mathematics

Throughout Term 2 students will explore the concept of time and investigate the time different activities take. Students will connect activities to the days of the week. 

Students will be assessed on their ability to identify and explain the duration of events and connect events and days of the week. 

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)

Students will continue to examine personal growth and development, families, relationships, rules and how we fit in to the community. Students will explore familiar places and how to care for them. 

Students will be assessed on their ability to relate stories about their past. Students will share and compare observations about familiar places. 

Science

Throughout Term 2, students will investigate what makes a living thing and explore what is needed to care for living things.  Students will be assessed on identifying and caring for living things. 

The Arts

Students will participate in visual art and will explore colours, lines, shapes and textures through different mediums.

Technology

Students will explore a variety of design and digital technologies through the Term. 

Music with Ms Hopper

Students explore rhymes and songs as stimulus for music making with a focus on rhythmic elements and matching pitch.

Students will be assessed on: 

a) Pitch matching- Sing a known 2 note song – See Saw So Mi

b) Identify and clap a 4 Beat Ta Titi rhythm

Health with Mrs Stirling

Students will recognise how they are growing and changing. They identify actions that help them be healthy and safe.

Students will be observed and assessed throughout the Term using their interpersonal and social skills when working with others in a range of activities and set tasks.

PE with Mr Kraynik

Term 2 Physical Education unit will be on Athletics, Track and Field 

Students will be learning about competitive field games, exploring tunnel ball, leader ball, bean bag throwing games, running races and obstacle courses. Skills based games designed to introduce students to Team work and competition. They will be preparing for the Prep - Year 2 Athletics Carnival planned at the end of Term 2.

They will be assessed on their ability to work together as a team as well as the physical movement aspects required to complete each game.

English

Students will be investigating cultural stories from a variety of backgrounds. They will be learning how to retell a story focusing on characters and events in that story.

Students will be assessed on describing and providing detail about characters, settings and events in short texts. They will be asked to make connections to personal experience when explaining characters and main events in short texts.

Mathematics

Students will sequence numbers, count to and from 100, tell time to the half hour and learn about Australian coins.

Students will be assessed on skip counting by 2s, 5s and 10s; recognising simple patterns using objects and numbers, locating numbers to 100 on a number line; partitioning using place value of 10s and 1s; recognising and sorting Australian coins based on their value; and telling time both digital and anologue using the language of half past and o'clock.

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)

Students recognise that features of a place can be: 
-    natural
-    managed 
-    constructed.  
They can recognise changes to an environment over time.  

Students will be assessed on a folio collection of their work.

Science

Students describe objects and events that they encounter in their everyday lives. They will be investigating the difference between day and night.

Students will be assessed on their description of environmental changes over time; the changes to an environment between day and night; and their ability to explain their reasoning for these changes.

Technology

Technologies has been integrated into the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) curriculum for this Term.

The Arts

Students use the elements of dance to represent different Australian animals. Students will also use visual art to represent themselves in a familiar art style.  Students will be assessed on a portfolio of their work.

Music with Ms Hopper

Students will identify simple rhythms within folk songs, experience soft and loud and sing Soh, Mi, La and Do with hand signs. They will explore and respond to music in the world.

Students will be assessed on:
a) Students will sing a SMLD melody demonstrating dynamics and expression.
b) Students will respond to music in the world through listening then written response.

Health with Mrs Stirling

Students will examine messages related to health decisions and describe how to keep themselves and others healthy and safe.  Students will be assessed on their ability to identify situations and opportunities to promote health, safety and wellbeing.

PE with Mr Kraynik

Students will be learning about competitive field games, exploring tunnel ball, leader ball, bean bag throwing games, running races and obstacle courses. Skills based games designed to introduce students to Team work and competition. They will be preparing for the Prep - Year 2 Athletics Carnival planned at the end of Term 2.

They will be assessed on their ability to work together as a team as well as the physical movement aspects required to complete each game.

English

Students will read and write different types of poems.  Students will be assessed by innovating and presenting a familiar poem.

Mathematics

We will be focusing on the following concepts: 2D shapes, 3D objects, transformations of shapes, counting to and from 1000 and fractions (halves, quarters and eighths).

Students will be assessed by: Recognising, drawing and describing features of 2D shapes and 3D objects, dividing shapes and collections into halves, quarters and eighths, counting to and from 1000 and understanding transformations (rotations, reflections and translations).

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)

Students will be examining technologies and how they have changed over time. Students will have the opportunity to experience hands on learning by using and playing with toys and household items from the past. 

Students will be assessed by: Describing and comparing past and present technologies, describing the impact of the changes over time and posing questions.

Science 

Students will investigate the relationships between forces and the motion of objects.  Students will be assessed by: Designing and constructing a toy using scientific understanding of push and pull. 

The Arts

Students will develop a range of skills within Visual Arts and Drama.  Students will be assessed by creating and presenting an innovated poem.

Music with Ms Hopper

Students will discover the instruments of the orchestra and experience music that uses these instruments. They will reflect on what characteristics are unique to each instrument family. Year Three will respond and compare music. 

Students will be assessed on a workbook on instrument families and an aural test on identifying instrument families. 

Health with Ms Stirling

Students will examine messages related to health decisions and describe how to keep themselves and others healthy and safe.  Students will be assessed on their ability to identify situations and opportunities to promote health, safety and wellbeing.

PE with Mr Kraynik

Students will be learning about competitive field games, exploring tunnel ball, leader ball, bean bag throwing games, running races and obstacle courses. Skills based games designed to introduce students to Team work and competition.  They will be preparing for the Prep - Year 2 Athletics Carnival planned at the end of Term 2. 

Students will be assessed on their ability to work together as a team as well as the physical movement aspects required to complete each game. 

English

Students will read, view and analyse procedural texts. They will identify the elements and structure of a procedural text to help them construct a written procedure.

Students will read and analyse the text, The Lorax. They will plan and write a retell of The Lorax from the perspective of another character in the text.

2/3D English

Students will read, view and analyse poetry. They will identify poetic devices.

Students will analyse and innovate poetry.

Mathematics

Students will apply a variety of mathematical concepts in real-life, lifelike and everyday mathematical situations.

Students will be assessed on investigating positions on maps and interpreting grid maps, multiplication, odd and even, symmetry, three-dimensional objects and angles.

2/3D Mathematics
Students will be focussing on the following concepts: 3D objects, fractions, adding, subtracting, representing and partitioning numbers, and connecting addition and subtraction.

Students will be assessed on investigating 3D objects, fractions, addition and subtraction and representing numbers in multiple ways.

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)

Students will identify celebrations and commemorations of the past that have significance in the present. They will identify and describe aspects of their community that have changed and remained the same over time.

Students will conduct an inquiry into the history of Runcorn State School and it's surrounds. They will pose questions, sequence events on a timeline and identify points of view.

Science

Students will investigate how heat is produced and the behaviour of heat when it transfers from an object or area to another. They will identify that heat can be observed by touch and that formal measurements of heat (temperature) can be taken, using a thermometer. Students will explore the properties of liquids and solids and understand how to identify an object as a solid or a liquid. Students will understand how a change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat.

Students will be assessed on planning and conducting investigations about heat, heat transfer and changing states of matter, by collecting data safely and using appropriate equipment to record formal measurements.

Music with Ms Hopper

Students will sing, read, play and create part work using Compound repertoire including the rhythm element Taam. Students will experience different time signatures, dynamics and expression. 

Students will be assessed on composing and recording an arrangement using Compound repertoire, melodic percussion instruments, rhythmic percussion instruments and dynamics.

3D
Students will investigate the Instruments of the Orchestra and experience and respond to music that uses these instruments.

Students will be assessed on identifying Instrument Families and comparing two pieces of music using the Musical elements.

The Arts

Students will investigate Media Arts techniques and concepts to create a variety of animations. They will explore dance used in Harmony Day celebrations from a range of cultures and communities. 

Students will collaborate to plan and make a digital animation that communicates the story of The Lorax.

PE with Mr Kraynik

Students will be introduced to Athletics, track and field events in the lead up to our Athletics Carnival at the end of Term 2. Students will participate in field event training, long jump, shot put, discus, and running races. 

Students will be assessed on the technique associated with each discipline.

Health with Mrs Stirling

Students will identify influences that strengthen identities. They describe the connections they have to their community and identify local resources to support their health, wellbeing and safety.

Students will be assessed on their ability to identify a number of factors that influence their identity. 

English

Can we learn from stories? Students will explore a range of traditional and folk tales from around the world.

They will be assessed on their ability to write their own traditional-style story featuring a moral message.

Mathematics

How can Maths help us explore and explain the world around us? 

Students will be assessed on their abilities to interpret and inquire into simple maps, classify angles, and solve problems using multiplication and division.

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) with Mrs Anglim 

Why do we have rules and laws, and what makes us who we are? 

Students will be assessed on their understanding of the difference between rules and laws including how they are created and by whom, and will interview a peer on the groups that help shape their identity.

Science with Miss Smith

Do humans help or harm the mangrove ecosystem? 

Students will be assessed on their ability to research the life cycles and needs of living things in and around the mangroves, and to explain the effects of human actions on these species’ lives.

The Arts with Ms Ryan:

What makes a performance unique? 

Students will be assessed on performance skills and will compare and discuss elements such as role, relationships, voice and movement in dramas they perform and view.

Music with Ms Hopper

Students develop skills in reading notation, recorder technique and ensemble playing. They sing, read and play a variety of repertoire on the recorder in different forms. 

They will be assessed on their ability to play a 5-note recorder piece.

PE with Mr Kraynik

This is an introduction or recap of Athletics, track and field in the lead up to our Athletics carnival towards the end of Term 2. Students will be participating in field event training, long jump, shot put, discuss, and running races. 

They will be assessed on the technique associated with each discipline.  

English

5C/5D
Students will study Poetry: Structures, language features, vocabulary and how events, characters and settings are depicted.  Students will explore choice of language in poetry and narrative genres. The focus will be on poetic devises and use of language features.  Students write a short narrative based on a known Australian poem and analyse a given poem.

5M
Students will study Feature Articles.  Students will explore choice of language in persuasive text. They will write a persuasive Feature Article and demonstrate knowledge of modality, emotive techniques and opinions.

Mathematics with Mrs Cramb/Mrs McNamara

Students will develop a range of mathematical understandings with a focus on estimation, 2D and 3D shapes and interpreting data.  Students will complete two assessment pieces:
1. Estimation and shapes
2. Interpreting data and posing questions to gather data.

Science with Ms Daglish

Students will analyse the structural features and behavioural adaptations that assist living things to survive in their environment. Students will understand that science involves using evidence and comparing data to develop explanations. Students will investigate the relationships between the factors that influence how plants and animals survive in their environments. 

Students will complete the following assessment:
-  Create a creature and find a home. 
- Students will create a creature and describe the structural and behavioural adaptations and analyse how they help their creature to survive in its environment.  Students will communicate ideas in a variety of ways including multimodal texts.

Science with Mrs McNamara

Students will describe the key features of our solar system including planets and stars. They will discuss scientific developments that have affected people's lives and describe details of contributions to our knowledge of the solar system from a range of people. 

Students will write a report for a magazine about exploring our solar system which will include:

• key features of our solar system (e.g. the planets)
• information about how different people contribute to our science knowledge of the solar system.

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) with Mrs McNamara/Ms Daglish

Students will examine how to distinguish between needs and wants and identify why choices need to be made about how limited resources are used. They will investigate how different types of resources are used by societies to satisfy needs and wants of present and future generations.

Students will complete the following assessment: 

• Describe factors that influence their choices as consumers.
• Identify strategies that can be used to inform these choices.
• Present their ideas, findings and conclusions in a range of communication forms using discipline-specific terms and appropriate conventions.

The Arts 

Students will examine the practice of artists from different cultures and locations and take inspiration for their own artworks. 

Music with Ms Hopper (5D, 5C)

Students will learn a variety of approaches to the ukulele including chords, arpeggio, melody and part work.  They will develop skills in reading ukulele tablature and notation.

Will be assessed on:
(a) Students will respond to music they have studied. 
(b) Students will further demonstrate their development of ukulele techniques including chords and melody. 

Music with Ms Hopper (5M)
Students will learn a group arrangement of a simple world music song with opportunity for improvisation.  Students will listen to, play, arrange and analyse a variety of music from around the world using voice, instruments and the musical elements. 

Will be assessed on:
(a) Performing an arrangement of a world music song part work.
(b) An analysis journal of repertoire from around the world and explaining how the musical elements are manipulated to communicated meaning and ideas.  

Health with Ms Stirling

Students will explain the influence of people and places on identities. They describe their own and others’ contributions to health, safety and wellbeing. They examine how celebrating diversity and connecting to the environment support community wellbeing and cultural understanding.

Students will be assessed on their ability to interpret health information and apply decision-making and problem-solving skills to enhance their own and others’ health, safety and wellbeing. 

Japanese with Sensai Nagashima

Japanese Writing system:

•    Three types of Japanese writings
•    Reading and writing hiragana(one of the Japanese writings)
•    Own name in katakana (another Japanese)

Students will be assessed on reading a short hiragana book aloud.

PE with Mr Kraynik

Year 5 & 6 are revisiting Athletics, track and field in the lead up to our Athletics carnival towards the end of term 2. Students will be participating in field event training, long jump, shot put, discuss, and running races. The goal for Year 5 and 6 is to extend students to encourage them to explore the techniques required to drive further or push harder in each event. 

They will be assessed on the technique associated with each discipline as well as their ability to extend their distances in each.   

English

This Term Year 6 students will investigate and analyse a range of feature articles and advertisements before creating their own multimodal advertisement.

Mathematics with Mr France

• Number - Students will investigate BOMDAS - Order of Operations
• Problem solving and reasoning around pyramids and prisms
• Geometric Reasoning - Angles
• Measurement - Making connections between capacity and volume
• Patterns and algebra
• Students will be assessed on angles and Order or Operations

HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) with Mrs Jarvis

Students will investigate developmental changes and transitions. They explain the influence of people and places on identities. They describe their own and others’ contributions to health, safety and wellbeing. They examine how celebrating diversity and connecting to the environment supports community wellbeing and cultural understanding.

Students will be assessed on their ability to interpret health information and apply decision-making and problem-solving skills to enhance their own and others’ health, safety and wellbeing. 

Science with Mrs Jarvis

This Term students will investigate electrical circuits and energy. Exploring circuits and their use in our day to day lives, the source of energy and how it is transferred and transformed.

Students will be assessed on problem solving a circuit.

The Arts with Mr France

This Term students will explore advertising through visual, drama and media arts.  Students will be assessed through a portfolio of work.

Health with Ms Stirling

Students will investigate developmental changes and transitions. They explain the influence of people and places on identities. They describe their own and others’ contributions to health, safety and wellbeing. They examine how celebrating diversity and connecting to the environment support community wellbeing and cultural understanding.

Students will be assessed on their ability to interpret health information and apply decision-making and problem-solving skills to enhance their own and others’ health, safety and wellbeing. 

PE with Mr Kraynik

Year 5 & 6 are revisiting Athletics, track and field in the lead up to our Athletics Carnival towards the end of Term 2. Students will be participating in field event training, long jump, shot put, discuss, and running races. The goal for Year 5 and 6 is to extend students to encourage them to explore the techniques required to drive further or push harder in each event. 

Students will be assessed on the technique associated with each discipline as well as their ability to extend their distances in each.   

Music with Ms Hopper

Students will learn a group arrangement of a simple world music song with opportunity for improvisation. Students will listen to, play, arrange and analyse a variety of music from around the world using voice, instruments and the musical elements. 

Students will be assessed on:

• Performing an arrangement of a world music song part work.
• An analysis journal of repertoire from around the world and explaining how the musical elements are manipulated to communicated meaning and ideas.