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St Peter’s Anglican
Primary School
Teaching and Learning Newsletter
Term 1 2014 Dear Parents & Carers,
It has been an exciting start to the year at St Peter’s with
the introduction of new curriculum, new technologies,
collaborative furniture in Year 5. To keep you up to date
on developments in teaching and learning, each grade
has prepared an overview of the students’ learning this
term and their plans for Term 2.
Across the school, we have begun to implement the
Australian curriculum this year. In NSW, the Board of
Studies (now BOSTES) is responsible for the development
Kindergarten to Year 10 syllabus documents that
incorporate the Australian curriculum content. The
implementation of these syllabus documents in NSW
schools is gradual, which has enabled our teaching staff
to thoroughly prepare through professional development
and collaborative work
In all K-6 classes, we are teaching the new K-10 English
syllabus. An exciting part of the new curriculum is the
requirement that students be exposed to a variety of
quality literature, including Australian literature,
Aboriginal and Australian identity, multiculturalism and
Asian perspectives. The students are actively engaged in
activities through speaking and listening, reading and
writing, and viewing and representing.
Implementation of the K-10 Mathematics syllabus was
optional in 2014 and we have begun teaching this
curriculum in Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 3 and Year 5. This
decision was made to ensure consistency for students as
they progress through a stage of learning. The new
curriculum focuses on problem-solving, mathematical
reasoning and communication and the content is taught
through learning experiences in number and algebra,
measurement and geometry, and statistics and
probability. Our students have thoroughly enjoyed
engaging in mathematical investigations that connect
with real life experiences.
Years 2, 4 and 6 will continue with the current curriculum
until 2015.
Further information about the new curriculum documents
can be found in the Parents Guide to the New NSW K-10
Syllabuses that is available at
www.syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/support-materials/parents-
guide/
The languages program has expanded in Junior Primary
classes and each student from Kindergarten to Year 2
now experiences a language lesson each week with Mrs
Holmes or Mrs Meallonnier. Following the successful
Languages Day held in 2013, it is wonderful to see the
students embracing the opportunity to learn about
another language and culture. Kindergarten will
continue with French for the year, and Year 1 and Year 2
will each learn a semester of French and a semester of
German.
The Learning Support teachers have been reviewed and
evaluated our support processes and have introduced
new programs to assist our students academically and
socially. The majority of learning support this year is
conducted in the classroom and quiet rooms attached
to the classroom to aid the inclusion of students within
the context of their class. This ensures learning can be
differentiated to meet the individual needs of students,
as they learn similar content, alongside their peers.
Learning Aides also come into classrooms for additional
support during some literacy lessons.
The Junior Primary teachers have enjoyed teaching their
students Scripture each week. Mr Hills is still responsible
for the Primary classes. The Scripture program this term
focused on God’s plan to save the lost through his son,
Jesus. The program is enhanced by the weekly Chapel
services run by the staff of Campbelltown Anglican
Churches.
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Term 1 has been a term of getting to know one
another and settling into the routines of a new
classroom and school. The children have all
connected with their peers and are happily
engaging in the variety of activities the Prep
classroom has to offer.
Throughout Term 1, each of the Prep classes has
completed a unit of work about ourselves and how
God has made us all different and special. We
have learned about our bodies, our families and
friends, our homes, our clothes, and about the food
and exercise we need to keep our bodies healthy
and working properly.
The children enjoyed telling their friends about their
families, and showing the photos they brought in. It
is not too late! If you have not sent your family
photo to school yet, we would love to see it and
include it in your child’s portfolio.
We have been enjoying the last days of warm
weather and have had fun playing in our water
fountain and water tray during our outdoor play
sessions. We have been learning about colours,
and now are studying shapes and patterns.
Through all of our activities and units of work we are
concentrating on our fine motor skills, particularly
correct pencil grip and writing and cutting
accurately in readiness for Kindergarten.
This week, we began a new unit of work called
‘Building Things’. We are looking at tools for
building (and other purposes), and we will be doing
a bit of our own ‘building’ using our woodwork
table. The children are all looking forward to this!
As a part of this unit, we will be doing a literature
unit of work on the well-known fairy tale, “The Three
Little Pigs”.
The term is very quickly coming to an end. We
have had a wonderful time getting to know each
other and learning and playing together. We look
forward to next term with many exciting activities
planned.
Prep
We have been learning about the first Good Friday
and Easter. Your children should be able to tell you
the Easter story. Perhaps they can sing you the
song we are learning to help us remember that
God’s son, Jesus, died on the cross so that we can
be friends with God; that God brought Jesus back
to life, and that Jesus is still alive today. This is the
most important message about Easter.
Prep Helpers
A parent/carers duty roster is now on our notice
board. Feel free to add your name to the list on a
day that suits you if you would like to help out in our
room for our morning session from 9:00 – 10:20 am.
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The first term of Kindergarten is always very much a
time of newness and beginnings as the children
encounter new routines, meet new friends and
begin to develop the skills that are necessary for life
at school. The children are coping well with school
life and are excited about the many things they
have been learning this term.
Mathematics and Science
The children have all been very excited to
participate in the investigations that facilitate their
learning in Mathematics. In our investigation of day
and night, the children shared and compared their
daily routines, considered the appropriate time of
day that particular events take place and began to
learn to tell the time. They spent time sequencing
events, ordering activities according to duration
and they each made a clock to practice modelling
o’clock and half-past times. The children have
continued to master writing numerals and they have
practiced counting up to 10 and back down again,
while enjoy the catchy songs and jingles that
accompany many of our activities. The highlight of
Mathematics is the interactive nature of our
learning. Much fun is had using the Smartboard to
answer questions and solve problems in
Mathematics. The topic of ‘Day and Night’ has
been expanded through our Science unit. The
children had great fun modelling day and night
using a torch and a swivel chair, and they enjoyed
making and using a sundial.
HSIE
In HSIE, we have been discussing the concept of
differences in cultures, families and individuals, with
a focus on the uniqueness of us all and the theme
that God made each one of us special and unique.
The children especially enjoyed the making models
of themselves and their classmates.
PDHPE
A highlight of the children’s week is undoubtedly the
time they spend with their Friday Friends playing
together and further developing their social skills.
This supports the children's learning in class where
we are working through issues such as making
friends, being a good friend and making wise
choices. It is great for the younger children to see
positive relationships and appropriate interactions
modelled by their Year 6 friends
Kindergarten
English
In English, our focus has been on gaining an
understanding of letters and their corresponding
sounds, and on segmenting and blending the
sounds that make up words. The children have
learned a considerable number of sight words
and are practicing using these words to form
sentences. They are beginning to write creatively
in their journals each week and enjoy guessing the
mystery pictures that forms the basis of our
creative writing activities.
Creative Arts
The children have all enjoyed working with various
media to create some beautiful art works this term,
and had enormous fun learning the dances that
they performed on Grandparents Day.
The excitement will continue next term with the
children investigating the processes involved in the
production of food on the farm. They will find out
about Australian animals and the way we interact
with the natural environment. If you would like to
be involved in our activities, please let your child's
class teacher know, as we value your input greatly.
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Year 1 had some amazing learning opportunities
this term and we are always pleased to share their
learning with our school community.
English
The students have been looking at the different
parts of a narrative, as well as the grammatical
features. This has led to them completing an on line
story book using the website ‘Little Bird Tales’. The
children were excited to write, publish and illustrate
using this website.
Science & HSIE
In HSIE we have been researching people who help
us in our community. We have read books, visited
the fire station and learned about the importance
of our community helpers. During the ‘People Who
Help Us’ theme day, community helpers came to
speak to the children and we had many fun
activities to further deepen our understanding.
Our Science unit is full of wonderful experiments
looking at light. The students have learned where
light comes from, how to bend it and that light is
made up of seven colours. We even made our
own rainbows using a crystal and light! The children
are learning how to write experiments and to
explore the world God has created.
PDHPE
In Year 1 we have investigated and discussed the
different types of bullying, why people bully and
what we can do. Pacer kids is a great website we
have been using to explore these concepts further.
Term 1 has seen Year 1 have great fun with the
specialist gymnastics teachers from Flexikids.
If you are interested in helping with Visual Arts,
reading groups or Science next term, please see
your child’s teacher.
Year 1
Mathematics
It has been exciting seeing the implementation of
the new Mathematics syllabus across Year 1. In
this problem based approach, the children are
taught key skills are involved in a real life
investigation. This term the children have
investigated numbers using dice games. They
have explored how to graph and record data
using class surveys. Our next investigation takes us
to space, where we explore subtraction and
addition concepts.
Creative Arts
Our creative arts unit has been linked to our
Science unit and focused on colour and light. The
children have learned about warm and cool
colours and how to mix colours. They have used
their knowledge of colour theory to create some
interesting 3D flowers, warm and cool leaf designs
and a Kandinsky inspired button artwork that shows
patterns with colours.
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We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each
and every child within our grade. They are to be
commended for their settled start to a new school
year. It has been an exciting term, full of learning.
English
In English this term, we have been building on our
prior knowledge of imaginative texts. We have
been using the narrative framework in
collaboration with picture prompts and fictional
texts to create stories of our own. It has been
exciting to see the children eagerly participate in
games and activities through the Soundwaves
Spelling program and in a variety of rotations in
reading groups.
Science
We have been investigating environments of the
world around us. We learned that environments
can be natural or built, but have discovered that
most environments contain aspects from both
categories. We have looked closely at our school
environment and have discussed how changes are
made in accordance with our needs and our
wants. The children practised drawing birds’ eye
view maps and particularly enjoyed sharing maps
of their bedrooms with each other. Next term, we
will investigating how and why we communicate.
HSIE
2014 began with a new unit titled ‘Who am I?’ that
was designed to help the children to identify
themselves within the family and school contexts.
The classrooms are lined with beautiful family
photographs that the children shared with great
pride. This unit has been mostly based on class
discussions which has allowed the teachers great
insight into the children’s prior knowledge and
thinking. Next term we will explore changes to
society and technology over the years.
PDHPE
The children have really enjoyed solving everyday
problems they might face, using resilience
strategies and creating a more confident persona
to deal with a variety of different situations in the
playground. During sport and PE, we have been
practising a variety of fundamental ball skills. We
look forward to meeting with the Flexikids team to
consolidate and extend the gymnastics skills we
have been learning since Kindergarten.
Creative Arts
In Visual Arts we have been looking at line and
colour, and learning how to sketch and create
pictures through collage. In Drama, we have been
exploring the skill of mime and improvisation. In
Music, the children have been experimenting with
rhythm and pitch to compose simple melodies.
We would love to hear from you if you have a
particular interest in any of our topics from next
term that you would be willing to share with us.
Year 2
Mathematics
There was much excitement as Maths groups
commenced in Week 2. This has been the first
opportunity for a number of children in Year 2 to
develop independence in changing classrooms
and working with different teachers. We used
informal units to measure a variety of everyday
objects, explored numerous four- sided 2D shapes,
collected data and interpreted graphs. The
children continue to enjoy using concrete
materials to complete algorithms based on the
four operations and to create and continue a
variety of number patterns.
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Year 3
English
Reading groups provide students the opportunity to
engage in varied reading activities and it has been
wonderful to see parents helping in the classroom
during this time. This term, the students have been
planning, composing, reviewing and publishing
narratives on a range of topics. They have enjoyed
using the Sound Waves Spelling program this term.
This word study program designed to develop
reading, spelling and writing skills using the
phonemic approach. They have participated in a
range of informal and formal discussions and have
been working on voice projection, confidence and
expression.
Science
Year 3 classes have developed their knowledge of
natural and people-made structures with the
program ‘Super Structures.’ They have a wonderful
time visiting Mrs Ward in the Science Stables where
they enquire, investigate, design and make.
Students have been particularly excited about
building structures to then break them! We tested
different structures to see how strong they are, and
have been amazed at the strength of some
materials and shapes. It has been interesting to use
the information we have discovered to try to build
our own strong structures with only straws and tape.
In Term 2 we will study structures of a different kind
in our topic ‘Body Bits’ where students will
investigate some of the parts of their amazing
bodies, and how God has made these parts to
work together.
PDHPE
Students have developed skills for building positive
and responsible relationships. They have worked in
small groups and as a class to role play scenarios.
Creative Arts
In Visual Arts this term, Year 3 has been inspired by
the artist James Rizzi. They used water colours and
oil pastels to create skyscrapers with exaggerated
shapes, distortion, elongation and added
unexpected facial features. The students have
used primary and secondary colours to create
paint wheels and investigated how to tint and
shade.
If you would like to share your interest or knowledge
on any of the topics Year 3 is exploring, we would
love to hear from you.
Mathematics
‘iMaths is so much fun!’ was a recent student
comment after he investigated how he would find
the area of 1000 words. Our investigation-based
numeracy program allows student to apply their
skills and knowledge in solving real problems.
Students in Year 3 have loved exploring
mathematics through inquiry and connecting
mathematical concepts.
HSIE
We have been learning about national parks in
HSIE this term. We have discussed and questioned
whether national parks are important and if it is our
responsibility to care for them. We went on an
exciting excursion to the Royal National Park and
bush walked, learnt about native and introduced
animals and tasted ‘bush tucker.’ In Term 2, we will
explore the question ‘what does it mean to be an
Australian?’
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Year 4
English
This term students have been planning, composing,
reviewing and publishing narratives on a range of
topics. Students have participated in a range of
informal and formal discussions and have been
working on voice projection, confidence and
expression. They have also been working hard to
create a speech from the point of view of a convict
travelling to the new land. In reading groups, the
students have engaged in a variety of reading and
responses to literature.
Mathematics
We have covered many topics so far this term!
These include addition and subtraction, improving
our knowledge of times tables, identifying and
creating different number patterns, measuring
length and perimeter and investigating different
ways of presenting data through graphs.
HSIE
We have been learning about the First Fleet in HSIE
this term. We have discussed different points of
view on the arrival of the British and worked hard in
groups to research and present this information.
We also went on an exciting excursion to the Hyde
Park Barracks and Circular Quay in Week 7.
Students experienced different aspects of convict
life and saw several historic sites on their walk
between Hyde Park and Circular Quay. In Term 2,
we will be learning about the Antarctic
environment
Creative Arts
In Visual Arts this term, Year 4 has focused on art
around the time of the First Fleet. We have looked
at Aboriginal art before and after colonisation and
worked on our sketching skills to create some
amazing images of First Fleet ships. We combined
our PE and Drama this term to create interesting
performances based around the ABC Dust Echoes
stories, a series of twelve animated dreamtime
stories from Central Arnhem Land in Northern
Australia.
If you would like to share your interest or knowledge
on any of the topics the students of Year 4 are
learning, we would love to hear from you. We
particularly appreciate help in the classroom during
Visual Arts.
Science
Year 4 classes have developed their knowledge of
how God has made different parts of our world
work together with the program ‘Links in a Chain.’
They have a wonderful time visiting Mrs Ward in the
Science Stables where they enquire and
investigate. Students have particularly enjoyed
studying scats (animal poo) and using their
observations to work out what was eaten, which
animal ate it, and how these animals might be
linked in a food chain or food web. Our next topic
‘May the Force Be With You’ is not about Star Wars,
but the invisible forces around us that affect us
every day.
Personal Development & Health
Students have developed skills for building positive
and responsible relationships in Year 4. They have
worked in small groups and as a class to role play
scenarios to prevent and deal with bullying
situations.
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Mathematics
Our new program is based on investigations and
mathematical thinking and reasoning. Students
were excited to race around Australia and see if
they could be the fastest group to visit all capital
cities in under 24 hours! In Term 2, we will explore
how shape is used and measured in our world and
complete an investigation in which we plan and
design an educational game of dominoes.
Science
Deserts: hot, dry, windy. How can plants survive in a
desert environment without much water?
Rainforests: wet, warm, dark. How can plants
survive in a rainforest environment without much
light? In our ‘Survivor’ topic this term, students have
been finding answers to these important questions
by investigating adaptations of plants which help
them to survive in their environments. In Term 2, we
will venture out into space to explore the wonderful
Solar System. We can that God gives living things
everything they need.
HSIE
We have been exploring the importance of
rainforests and the effects of deforestation.
Next term, students will be looking at global
interactions. This will include the trading of
commodities and the efforts to assist struggling
communities.
PDHPE
We have enjoyed honing our skills in basketball.
Next term, the students will participate in a range of
team games and design their own as a link with our
writing of procedures. They will be challenged to
use strategic thinking.
We are always interested to hear from parents or
caregivers who would like to be involved in our
learning.
Year 5
English
This term the students explored ideas in imaginative
texts: character development, storyline, imagery,
themes and genres. We discovered that stories
can be told in many different ways including
pictorial and verbal forms. Through literature, we
examined the theme of friendship. We also
planned, prepared and delivered a speech. In
Term 2, students will analyse persuasive texts and
individually create their own and participate in
class debating. We are looking forward to hearing
the opinions of our students! Creative Arts
In Music, the students have enjoyed exploring the
effect of layers of rhythmic patterns by developing
a composition for chairs and drumsticks. In Term 2,
we will investigate the origins and musical
characteristics of the Blues and create original
songs in this style. In Visual Arts, the students have
using mixed media to produce artworks. Next term,
we will be exploring the timeline of Australian Art.
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English
Students in 6O and 6H have loved reading some
books from the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S.
Lewis. We have explored various themes, such as
power, temptation, loyalty and good versus evil. It
has been fantastic witnessing students analyse the
text, particularly as they notice links to Biblical
events. We have also viewed The Lion, The Witch
and The Wardrobe (2005) film and compared this
to the novel. If your child has enjoyed The
Chronicles of Narnia, it would be great for them to
have the opportunity to read the other books in the
series. With the inspiration provided from The
Chronicles of Narnia, we have explored Narratives
in our writing lessons. Next term we will be ‘looking
at both sides of the coin’ with students writing
discussions about controversial issues.
The students in 6M have been studying four Lois
Lowry novels in literacy groups and identifying some
common themes amongst them. These themes are
quite diverse including courage, death, freedom of
choice, individuality, utopian society and why we
have rules. Some of the novels have been quite
emotive and the students have displayed great
empathy with the characters. We have been
looking at the use of descriptive techniques and
dialogue to further the plot and character
development when writing narratives. We used
different sections of Jane Austen’s “Pride and
Prejudice” to spark our imaginations and create
detailed descriptions of places and people, where
we could actually feel that we were a part of the
narrative!
Mathematics
The three Year 6 classes have already explored a
number of different mathematical concepts and
how it is relevant in our world today. Some
memorable lessons include when students
discovered different types of nets to make a cube,
cut through play dough cross sections and listened
to Maths songs. 6M memorable moments have
also included students’ excitement at being able to
use Year 7 resources for some activities, as well as
discovering many accurate ways, and
explanations of inaccurate ways, to measure the
area and perimeter of the classroom. Games in 2
teams have been a highlight, in order for students
to increase their speed in calculating addition,
subtraction and multiplication algorithms.
HSIE
What is culture and what are agents that cause
culture to change? These are the questions that
Year 6 students are asking themselves as we learn
about Australian Aboriginal culture and how it has
changed over time and in particular the impact of
British colonisation on traditional Aboriginal culture.
This term, Year 6 has undertaken a group project
where they have researched an aspect of
Aboriginal culture and created a 3D model to
display their understandings. After watching the
Year 6
Science
Science this term has been quite eye opening for
the students as they have been studying the
properties of light and how we see in the unit ‘Light
and Sight’. The students were excited as they
handled ray boxes with mirrors to reflect light and
lenses to bend light. Most memorable this term was
when the students learned about the different parts
of the eye and how it all goes together by
dissecting a cow’s eye! Although some students
were initially squeamish, it wasn’t long before they
got their hands dirty in their learning. Since light
and how we see is so amazing, it shows how God is
even more wonderful because He made it! Term 2
will bring more hands-on experimenting as students
explore the properties of solids, liquids and gases in
the topic ‘What’s the Matter?’.
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film Rabbit Proof Fence (2002), students gained a
deeper perspective on the impact that the Stolen
Generation has had and continues to have on
Aboriginal culture today. In Term 2, Year 6 will
begin to understand what it takes to run a country
as they learn about the roles and responsibilities of
federal government through videos, role plays,
simulation activities and an overnight excursion to
Canberra!
Creative Arts
In Visual Arts, Year 6 has enjoyed refining their
sketching skills by looking at bodies of work by
Leonardo da Vinci and focusing on particular body
parts to sketch in detail. With our focus on
Aboriginal Culture in Human Society and Its
Environment, we have also explored Aboriginal art
forms using sketching, painting and clay work
carvings of Aboriginal spirits known as Wandjinas. It
has been interesting investigating the symbolism
represented in Aboriginal dot paintings! In Term 2,
students will explore Cubism and, using Pablo
Picasso as their inspiration, will create their own
abstract art using a variety of media.
Year 6 love to explore dramatic performances and
we have had a lot of fun staging Aboriginal
Dreaming stories. In small groups, students have
written their own scripts, focused on character
development and thought carefully about how to
convey meaning in more ways than just using our
voices. Over the next two terms, Year 6 will be
exploring all the various stages of filmmaking from
writing scripts and storyboards to filming and editing
short films.
In Music, Year 6 has been exploring tone colour,
texture and rhythm through compositions for found
objects. In Term 2, the students will be investigating
how jazz evolved. This will build on their previous
study of the Blues in Year 5.
Term 1 has flown by as Year 6 students have taken
an active role in their learning and Term 2 is shaping
to be an exciting term as well! If there is any way
that you would like to be more involved in the
classroom in any of the topics that the students of
Year 6 are learning, we would love to hear from
you, so please write a note in your child’s diary.
Year 6
PDHPE
On Tuesdays before lunch, the three Year 6 classes
have come together to learn a number of bush
dances from Australia and around the world
including the Heel Toe Polka and the Virginia Reel
using the movements taught in class, as well as their
own background knowledge, Year 6 are creating
their own partner bush dance to keep in time with
set music that they will demonstrate and teach one
another.
As a grade focused on working as a team and
caring for one another, our Interpersonal
Relationships unit in PDHPE has been helpful in
allowing students to discuss and devise strategies,
represented through role plays, to best deal with
conflict resolution. Students have raised some
thought-provoking questions. We encourage you
to ask your child how they may use their ‘I-
messages’ to communicate their viewpoints and
feelings in a positive way.