English

What a great time to be learning about recount writing with so much happening in our community. Students have been exploring the purposes and structure of a recount by identifying features in writing samples. They have incorporated these features in their recount. We have explored sequencing events, compound sentences and the use of past-tense verbs. The students have written a range of recounts with topics including weekends, short films and holidays. We celebrated Harmony Day on Monday 21 March and students had the chance to participate in a range of activities that we used to support the focus of our recounts for the week.

In addition to our rich variety of writing activities, students have been working on their self-monitoring skills in reader’s workshop. Students have been using their rereading skills and noting information they understand and find interesting or identify as important. This has been supported by our lessons on finding good-fit texts and the characteristics of a successful reader. Students are encouraged to use their good-fit books to continually add to their vocabulary in reading. 

Maths

Mathematics this term has seen our students engaged in a range of thrilling number lessons and 2D shape and 3D object activities.

During our number unit, children have been creating number lines and skip counting by 2s, 5s, 10s and 3s using number charts. We have also explored two and three-digit numerals, using manipulatives such as multi-attribute blocks and place value charts. By using a ‘think board’ the students represented a number in a variety of ways. They were able to draw the numeral, think about its position on a 100 chart, as well as discuss other ways to create that particular number.

We have explored properties of 2D shapes and 3D objects by describing and drawing on paper, using paddle pop sticks, drawing by using Chromebooks and constructing models using sticks and blu tack. By identifying shapes such as squares, rectangles, triangles, kites, rhombuses and ovals which have either straight or curved lines, we were better able to understand where in our environment these shapes are used and why. Students have had many opportunities to count edges, corners and faces by using hands-on resources and building common and less common shapes and objects. Using this knowledge, we were able to design a kite by using a range of materials. We saw many creative constructions as Year 2 explored techniques of construction such as folding, stretching, stacking and balancing as they took a closer look at shapes and lines when creating their kite.

HASS

We live in an incredible world. Our families are influenced and shaped by where they originate. Investigating connections we each have to these places and others were timed perfectly with the Harmony Day celebration. Students have been very enthusiastic about participating in Our Wonderful World Presentations. They have been sharing their unique cultural heritage through presenting artefacts and other resources from their homes. 

We have also investigated and discovered that the streets in Ngunnawal are named after Ngunnawal words or significant Australian individuals. If you want to find out the meaning of your street name or whom it was named after, use this great site from the ACT Government: https://app.actmapi.act.gov.au/actmapi2/index.html?viewer=pn. We have also looked at the world and how it is divided into continents and oceans, and how that and so many other things have changed over time. Exploring photographs and artefacts from the olden days (Ahem... Excuse me. From the teachers’ childhoods!] has been fascinating! Many of the appliances we use today have changed over time as new technology develops, and we have found new, more interesting ways to do things. We have also spent time wondering how life might be different 50-100 years from now!

Digital Technology

Speaking of how things have changed... We have been making use of the Chromebooks at school, for research (like our street names), word processing (to type up our stories), Seesaw posts (learning how to do these ourselves) and touch typing (to help us type quickly and safely). We have also been following Hector's World, an eSafety Commissioner's program, to think about how to be safe online. Some of the biggest take-homes we have come across are the importance of not sharing our personal information online and making sure we check with a trusted adult if we are feeling unsure or unsafe online. The eSafety Commissioner has a great collection of resources for kids and teachers, but for parents too. Follow the link for more information: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents.

Visual Arts

Line. A bunch of dots joined together, and the foundation of all artwork. Apart from giving different types of lines funny names (which we also did), there is so much you can do with lines. Mr Squiggle (yes, that glorious show from ancient times!) gave us some inspiration we used and experimented with line art. Students learnt about geometric and organic shapes and used Matisse's 'drawing with scissors' as their muse. We also explored primary and secondary colours to create warm and cool pallets and thought about the different moods or feelings these can create. We even noticed how illustrators use a range of pallets to emphasise the author’s ideas in picture books during reader's workshop. It is amazing how much you can do with the simplest art elements. We created fantastic artworks and explored those made by known and lesser-known artists.

HARMONY DAY