Prep | Year 1 News

Unit of Inquiry

Transdisciplinary Theme: How the World Works

Central Idea: Structural design is informed by scientific principles

Lines of Inquiry:

• Properties and materials in different structures (Form)
• Working scientifically enables us to draw conclusions from our findings (Reflection)
• How designs of structures are made to last (Causation)

Coming back from the holidays, the boys created and tested brick bonds and how these materials are sturdy, stable and strong. They recapped pillars and triangular supports and created a brainstorm on a range of structural features and their purpose. The Year One boys concluded the unit by re-creating a multi-level car park. Year One were able to apply their understanding of the importance of structural design. They started by thinking and choosing building materials they believed would withstand different forms of load. They also needed to incorporate different scientific design principles to help create a sturdy, stable and strong structure. It was great to see the boys use their new knowledge to design, create and reflect on their structures design process.

Writing:

In Writing the boys have started writing their own poetry. They will continue to be exposed to different types of poetry and will be encouraged to use descriptive and figurative language when creating their own poems. Last week the boys created their own poem with a focus on the five senses (touch, taste, smell, hear, see). They wrote poems about different places they had been to such as the beach or school playground, as well as their favourite foods. It is encouraged that the boys continue to be exposed to different forms of poetry at home where possible.

Maths:

Over the first two weeks of this term, the boys have been learning about the Maths focus area of fractions. They have been inquiring into halves, quarters and eighths. The boys learnt how to define a half, quarter and eighth as well as dividing shapes, objects and collections of objects into halves, quarters and eighths. We would encourage you to continue this learning at home by allowing your son to help at home when sharing items into fractions such as cutting a pizza or sharing lollies. This is also a good opportunity to recap our previous unit on multiplication and division.

This week we will be moving onto the Maths concept of Chance. Students will be provided with opportunities to learn to acknowledge the existence of a range of possible outcomes for an event. They should also be able to express the idea that some events are more likely to occur than others.

Students will be provided with opportunities to develop confidence in using some or all of the following terms to communicate:

• possible
• might happen
• likely/unlikely/more likely.

Please feel free to encourage the use of this language at home.

In STEAM boys are investigating how new technologies make it easier to present their ideas in different ways. We have begun exploring how to film and record videos using the app TouchCast. Boys have used the photographs they took at the Discovery Centre and inserted these into their videos. The boys will begin to combine this with using the green screen to create different backgrounds for their work. They are now expected to independently upload their work to Seesaw, time management and organisation are important Self-management skills to develop. Please check your son’s Seesaw and give him feedback on what went well in his recording and feedforward on what he could do to improve his skills.

Christian Studies

Celebrations like Christmas are a wonderful time of the year. Every family has different stories to share that bring back amazing memories. This term, the boys are exploring the Christmas story through the eyes of the different people involved as eyewitnesses. The boys will be using their thinking and communication skills to unpack the various characters involved in the Christmas story including Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men and the angels. The boys will be learning some Christmas songs that they will be sharing at the Christmas family carols night in week 8. In Chapel, we will be investigating how we celebrate Christmas – do we have the story correct and what place do food, feasting and fellowship have? How can all these wonderful aspects enhance our experience of Christmas without taking away from the central message of Jesus’ birth.