Class Newsletters - Term 2, 2024

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

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 Brady

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

Students will spend the term focusing on each of the field events they will be undertaking as part of the school athletics carnival.  These include: long jump, shot put, javelin, discus and high jump.  There will also be a focus on sprinting technique as part of their running lesson. 

Assessment will consist of how each student applies the correct technique for each of the above disciplines. 

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.

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.

Technologies

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

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.

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 and written responses.

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 Brady

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 junior carnival skills games 
day 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.
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, 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, Drama and Dance.

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. 
 
Students will be assessed on:
(a) Workbook on Instrument Families
(b) Aural test identifying Instrument Families

Health with Ms Stirling

Students apply protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies to keep themselves and others safe. They explain why health information is important for making choices.  

Students will be assessed on by describing and demonstrating strategies to keep themsleves safe.

PE with Mr Brady

Students will spend the term focusing on each of the field events they will be undertaking as part of the school athletics carnival.  These include: long jump, shot put, javelin, discus and high jump.  There will also be a focus on sprinting technique as part of their running lesson. 

Assessment will consist of how each student applies the correct technique for each of the above disciplines. 

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 for their assessment. Students will then present their procedure to the class.

Students will read and analyse "The Lorax". They will plan and write a retell from the perspective of a character in the text for their assessment.

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, symmetry, three-dimensional objects and angles.

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS)

Students will identify and describe aspects of the Runcorn community that have changed and remained the same over time.

Students will conduct an inquiry into the history of Runcorn State School and its 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 one object or area to another. 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.

The Arts

Students will investigate Media Arts techniques and concepts to create a variety of animations.

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

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.

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. 

PE with Mr Brady

Students will spend the term focusing on each of the field events they will be undertaking as part of the school athletics carnival.  These include: long jump, shot put, javelin, discus and high jump.  There will also be a focus on sprinting technique as part of their running lesson. 

Assessment will consist of how each student applies the correct technique for each of the above disciplines. 

English

What 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, and their use of voice when presenting a traditional story with a group (see Drama).

Mathematics

How can Maths help us explore and explain the world around us? 
Students will be assessed on their abilities to interpret simple maps; create symmetrical shapes, pictures and patterns; and solve problems using multiplication and division.

Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) with Miss Krause 

How are people and the environment interconnected in diverse places? 
Students will be assessed on their interpretation and presentation of geographic information and data in a range of different formats.

Science with Ms Ryan

Do humans help or harm other living things? 
Students will be assessed on their ability to research the life cycles and needs of living things in a certain ecosystem, and to explain the effects of human actions on these species’ lives.

Japanese with Nagashima Sensei:

Students will use language to explore how to introduce themselves in Japanese. 
* Introduce themselves in Japanese. 
(year level/age/likes/greetings)
* Learn colours in Japanese.
* Understand culturally appropriate body language.
* Cultural event

Students will be assessed on:
a) Notebook work
b) Speaking test – Introduce themselves in Japanese using what they have learnt during Semester 1.

The Arts (Drama)

What makes a dramatic artwork unique? 
Students will be assessed on their ability to compare and discuss the elements and processes in their own dramatic artwork in comparison to the artworks of others.

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.

Health with Mrs Stirling

Students identify influences that strengthen identities and describe strategies to manage emotions, changes and transitions. They apply skills and strategies to interact respectfully with others.

Students will be assessed by their ability to describe strategies to manage these changes.

PE with Mr Brady

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

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 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 Miss Smith

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 Cramb

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 - Drama with Mrs Cramb

Students will continue their work with Drama from Term 1.    

Music with Ms Hopper (5D, 5C)

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

Will be assessed on:

(a) Students will further demonstrate their devlopment of ukulele techniques including playing chords and the C Major scale.

Health with Ms Stirling

Students explain how different factors influence identities. They explain how stereotypes influence roles and responsibilities.

Students will be assessed on their ability to examine and describe influences on identities and relationships.

Japanese with Sensai Nagashima

Students will use language to explore the concept of four seasons in Japan.
•    Learn that Japan has four seasons and compare with Australia
•    Learn how to say and write each season in Japanese
•    Research and share opinion on the best season to visit Japan

Students will be assessed on:
a)    Notebook work
b)    Reading test-hiragana mini books
c)    Research and create a poster of four seasons in Japan

PE with Mr Brady (lbrad101@eq.edu.au) 

Students will spend the term focusing on each of the field events they will be undertaking as part of the school athletics carnival.  These include: long jump, shot put, javelin, discus and high jump.  There will also be a focus on sprinting technique as part of their running lesson. 

Assessment will consist of how each student applies the correct technique for each of the above disciplines. 

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

This term Year 6 students will look at how Democracy works in Australia. Our 3 levels of government and how a Government is elected. How minority groups fought for their rights.
The making of Australia - the migrants who have helped create the Australia of today.

Students will be assessed on a portfolio of work including a comparison of English and Vietnamese migrants.

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.

Health with Ms Stirling

Students propose strategies to manage emotions and developmental changes. Students explain how communication skills, protective behaviours and help-seeking strategies keep themselves and others safe online and offline.

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

Students use Japanese language to introduce their city/town to Japanese students in Tokyo. 
•    Research and write a letter to Japanese pen pal about city/town that they recommend Japanese students to visit
•    Learn the Japanese letter format
•    We are expecting to receive a letter from Japanese students in May.

Students will be assessed on:
a)    Notebook work
b)    Research and writing test- a Letter in Japanese
c)    Reading the letter that they wrote

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. 

PE with Mr Brady (lbrad101@eq.edu.au )

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.