Year 1

Welcome to Year 1. The following is an outline of this year's content and routines.

SUBJECT CONTENT

Bible

Term One: Old Testament: Genesis-Creation, Adam and Eve and Noah. Exodus -Moses and the rescue of God’s people. The Israelites journey to the “Promised Land”, The Passover and the Death and Resurrection of Jesus.

Term Two: Old Testament: Numbers-The Old Covenant with Abraham, God’s people living God’s way and their rebellion against God and the continued journey of the Israelites in the desert to the Promised Land.

Term Three: New Testament: The life of Jesus.

Term Four: New Testament: Our focus is on Jesus and what he said.

English

The new English curriculum has introduced changes to the way we approach oral language and communication. The focus is on oral language and communication skills, which are incorporated into literacy lessons. Students will still be introduced to formal public speaking during Term Three as an in class learning experience.

InitiaLit 1 will be taught in Year One classes. InitiaLit 1 continues on from InitiaLit Foundation in providing an explicit and effective model for teaching reading, spelling and related skills in their second year of schooling. The program incorporates daily lessons in reading and spelling, as well as rich language instruction using children’s literature. These are the main components – phonics and vocabulary, oral language, comprehension and reading fluency. View this 10 minute video explaining the key features of InitiaLit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtxB_LJtcyQ

Here is also a website that has excellent information about the Science of Reading (SOR) approach to teaching early reading skills: https://fivefromfive.com.au/parent-resources/

Handwriting

Year 1 is a very important time for students to form good handwriting skills.

Students learn to:

Hold a pencil with the correct grip. We are using triangular lead pencils for all students.
Write the date on the top corner of the page.
Write between the lines in an exercise book.
Form letters with correct letter formation, proportion and spacing.

Understanding, responding to and creating texts

Through shared story reading and explicit teaching, students develop their writing skills along with their application of the features of texts.

Mathematics

This is a critical area of learning as every aspect of life involves some form of Mathematics. It includes the strands of Number and Algebra, Measurement and Space, and Statistics and Probability. NumBots is an online game to improve your child’s recall and understanding of number bonds and addition and subtraction facts. This year Mathematics will be taught in Maths Groups. These groups are fluid and changes will occur during the year. The initial groups are based on pre assessments to determine the students’ development of numeracy skills and understanding.

Science and Technology/History and Geography

Science and Technology will be taught in Terms One and Four, developing skills of planning and conducting investigations, recording and analysing data, and problem solving. Term One Research Project: please send in a shoe box for your child to use as a part of their investigation in Week 4 or 5.

History is taught in Term Two, developing historical inquiry skills.

Geography in Term Three, developing geographical inquiry skills.

Visual Arts:

In Semester 1, Visual Arts we will be developing skills in the use of tone, texture, colour and line. Students will participate in art appreciation. In Semester 2, Mrs Jenny O’Keefe will teach Visual Art to Year 1 students each fortnight.

Drama

Drama uses a variety of techniques for instance: dramatic sculpturing, improvisation and role-plays.

Music

Music will be taught by Mrs Hannale Lombard in Semester 1.

PDHPE-Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

The focus on PE will be to develop the fundamental movement skills, including hop, side gallop, skip, overarm throw, static balance, vertical jump, catch and sprint run. Students are required to wear sport uniform on their PE and Sport days.

SECOND STEP

The Second Step program is taught across K-6. “Second Step" is a well known social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum designed for students Prep to Year 8. The core principles of the “Second Step” program often revolve around three main themes: being safe, being respectful, and being responsible. These themes are essential in helping students develop healthy relationships, manage their emotions, and make informed choices. As a community we will be learning the skills for learning, empathy, emotional management, problem solving and friendships.

Students will participate in lessons throughout the year and there is an opportunity for this to be a partnership between school and home. By following this link https://www.secondstep.org/ you can create an account as a parent/carer. Please use the activation code SSP1 FAMI LY71 to access information for your child's grade. In Year 1, family reflection sheets will be uploaded to Seesaw throughout the year for you to work through with your child. We are looking forward to this becoming a part of our school culture here at William Carey.

Homework- BEGINS WEEK FOUR

The primary aim of homework is to reinforce essential English and Mathematics skills, while developing good habits of daily revision. This equips them for future years where the quantity of work set for the week is greater and reflects their attitude to learning. We expect all homework to be neatly completed each week.

All homework should be written in lead pencil, but students may use coloured pencils for colouring and drawing. No textas or biros to be used. Please read to your child every night and record in their Reading Diary. Homework goes out on Friday and needs to be returned to school on Friday to be checked as completed. It is necessary for you to be involved in helping your child with their homework at this stage of their development.

Home Reading

Home Readers are an integral part of our literacy program. Becoming a proficient reader requires daily reading practice. Please make it a priority to spend ten to fifteen minutes a day listening to your child read their home readers.

GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING MATTERS

Canteen

All orders of food and drinks for lunch need to be ordered at home using Munch Monitor. K-2 students are required NOT to bring money to school for the canteen.

Eating and Playtime

The students eat lunch in their classrooms, if they are not finished when the play bell

rings, they take their food with them to the Primary Quad and sit down to finish it.

Birthdays

If you would like to send in something for your child’s birthday, it would be preferable if you sent in cupcakes or plain donuts. No candles or large cakes that need to be cut, please. Also no nuts to keep our allergy students safe. The School Canteen has an option to order ice blocks or muffins for the class which you can order on Munch Monitor.

Appointments/Interviews

If you wish to make an appointment, please send in a note or phone the Primary Office to arrange a suitable time. It would be appreciated if you could state the matter you wish to discuss. This helps us to collect any information or resources that could be useful in your interview.

RFF Providers

Your child will have a different teacher when we are off class for preparation and programming.

Library

Library begins Week One. Students need to remember their Library Bags each week, on their class library day. Their bag needs to be clearly labelled with their names.

Toilets

We do not have toilets in our room. We will be encouraging the students to go to the toilet before school, at recess and lunch.

Hand washing

Students will wash their hands within the classroom before recess and lunch and when they return to class.

Incursions and Excursions

Science and Technology:

Friday 21st February Week 3 - 1W, 1R, 1S
Friday 28th February Week 4 – 1H, 1A

Uniform and Jewellery

Students are to wear full school uniform, which includes a hat & school coloured hair ribbon only. The only jewellery permitted is for girls to wear small stud earrings.

Punctuality

Please be on time to school. The students are unsettled and miss essential learning and announcements if they are not here in time for morning assemblies.

Car lines

Students begin taken home by car are escorted to the hard court below A block. ALL primary students walk with their teachers to this area and remain seated before being collected by you. K-2 students are to raise their hand when they see you, point you out to the teacher on duty, and then say goodbye before walking to meet you. High school siblings MAY come to the hardcourt to collect their younger brother or sister, ONLY once they have seen you arrive in the carpark. This is for the safety of ALL students. Students should be collected by 3.10pm.