Term 3

ENGLISH

Over the past three weeks we have continued to refine our writing of persuasive texts. We will be moving onto narrative text structure next week. Daily reading with your child will help them to develop an understanding of text structures, ideas and vocabulary.

“Talk” homework has been placed on the homework sheets at the bottom of the Word Problem Wednesday. It's been great to hear the broader range of discussion that has resulted from the topics sent home so far. A reminder that there is no writing involved, just speaking. This assists students to develop a wider range of topic specific vocabulary and ideas in readiness for their writing. Please see me if you need further details.

Guided Reading books will continue to be sent home after their initial use in class. Please remind your child to return these each day as they are used throughout the week. It is pleasing to see so many students remembering to do this.

MATHS

This term we have investigated addition strategies. Students have been learning that there are many different ways to answer the same problem. Using a range of strategies such as adding to ten, doubling, halving, adding 0, partitioning numbers into tens and ones, all have their place when adding numbers quickly. We will be reviewing these later in the term. Parents can support their children by playing addition games where quick recall of two small numbers is required.

We have commenced a unit on money and in the coming weeks we will explore telling time to the quarter hour and reading and understanding calendars. Parents are encouraged to discuss these concepts at home by allowing children to handle money, add up the cost of items and to read clocks and calendars.

SCIENCE

This term we will be investigating push and pull forces and their effect on objects. Well done to all the parents who supported their children to complete last week's homework. This was to spark their curiosity and to demonstrate that push and pull forces are everywhere in our daily lives. Over the next few week's we will be using this information and looking deeply into buoyancy, magnets, gravity and friction.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS 

(STEM)

Our STEM projects this term will link with our Science program. Students will use their understanding of forces to problem solve and create objects. These might include parachutes, ramps, rafts, magnetic mazes, etc. Stay tuned - it should be fun!