PREP
Prep year at a glance with Miss Young, Miss Lowe and Rachael.
All year the prep rooms work in conjunction with each other, with occasional mixed teaching across the rooms to target the students individual needs.
In reading, the preps are learning to follow the Reader’s Workshop. They will learn to become accurate readers by pointing 1:1 to the words, using the pictures and making connections with the text. Once these skills are mastered, they will then begin to learn other decoding and comprehension strategies such as:
· looking at the first sounds
· sounding out
· chunking
· making connections
· predicting what will happen next
· questioning, and many other strategies.
Along with daily accuracy and comprehension lessons, the preps are conferenced with one-on-one to ensure that they are given goals that allow them to become the best readers they can be.
In writing, the preps are learning to follow the Writer’s Workshop where they see themselves as writers. Preps begin the year making their own books and understanding that books have words, sentences and pictures. Although our books begin as a string of letters, this is developmentally appropriate for children of this age.
Preps have a chance to explore many different genres of writing over the year such as:
· recounts
· narratives
· non-fiction
· speech writing
The Preps will also get to closely explore Julia Donaldson as an author and craft pieces of their own using inspiration from her stories.
In maths, Preps will enjoy a hands-on experience where they will develop a deep understanding of numbers (addition, subtraction, before/after numbers, careful counting, sequencing numbers, etc.). Their automaticity with number is also developed through our Blitzmaster program (starting in term 2) which is designed to improve students’ automaticity in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The Preps will also learn different applied areas of maths over the year such as:
· measurement
· time
· geometry
· money
· statistics and probability
While also learning how to problem solve within all these areas.
Throughout the year, the preps will also enjoy many different in-school activities and excursions. These include:
· house sport days
· swimming lessons
· a visit to Chesterfield Farm
and lots more!
GRADE 1
In grade one this year we have three grades, taught by Miss Newman, Miss Fraser and Amy and Mrs V. We are so excited for all of the learning that will occur this year across our three grades. We ensure to cater to the wide breadth of skills and knowledge by teaching at point of need and occasionally doing mixed teaching across the three grades to ensure that learning is always targeted at each individual student’s ability.
In all areas of learning we work to create independent thinkers who feel equipped and confident to take control of their learning. We follow the workshop model for our literacy sessions and have a big emphasis on problem solving skills in numeracy. We cover many different topics and areas of learning throughout the year.
We love to celebrate the successes of our students and we foster a supportive and collaborative community within our classrooms.
GRADE 2
In Grade 2 we have three wonderful classes. Whilst students are allocated into grades, we have many opportunities within our teaching and learning to mix teach across the three grades, ensuring students have learning targeted to their ability.
In writing, we establish the students in the Writers’ Workshop and set expectations to ensure we can make the most out of our writing time. This includes the use of the Writer’s Notebook as well as the 6 plus 1 traits of writing to support our students as writers. Our students become independent writers who have the ability to choose a topic within a specific genre and write creatively. We will continue with a specific focus of teaching vocabulary to extend our students’ use of words both orally and in the written form, as well as a routine and explicit spelling program to build their word knowledge.
In reading, we also establish our students in the Reader’s Workshop and build their capability in the use of their Reader’s Notebooks. We want our students to be great readers but also keen thinkers who reflect on themselves as a readers and writers. Students being confident to talk about their reading is key to developing their comprehension and general knowledge.
Within our numeracy program, students are involved in two number, two applied and one problem-solving lesson each week. We cover many topics throughout the year, giving students multiple exposures and hands on experiences across the content.
This year we have planned our timetable with time for Science, Social and Emotional Learning, handwriting, Art, PE and German, giving our students a broad education.
Throughout the year we have some exciting activities, including the Grade 2 sleepover in the second half of the year.
This year our teachers are Mrs Barnard, Miss Runco, Ms Marnock and Libby (who teaches on Tuesdays in 2B). Together we make an outstanding team to further the education of our grade 2 students. We look forward to working together with our fantastic families to celebrate their achievements.
GRADE 3/4
Welcome to Grade 3/4!
These are exciting years within our school as our students get their first look in the senior school. Students are challenged and supported through their learning to ensure they are achieving success and becoming capable, confident and independent leaners.
Similar to the preps and Grade 1/2's we spend the first part of term 1 establishing the reading and writing workshops. As the grade 3/4's have been exposed to the workshop model we love that we are able to get straight into working with strong books and creating their own texts. One of our favourite parts of teaching this year level is the new texts we are able to expose students to which bring out those worldly themes that students will need as they move into grade 5/6 and high school. In reading students are also encouraged to use their Reader’s Notebook to develop their comprehension of the texts they are reading. They are also included in book clubs where they are able to have discussions with their peers about the book they are reading. In addition to this all students are given individual reading goals that are targeted to their needs.
In writing, we spend a lot of time exposing students to a variety of different genres whilst also focusing on the 6 plus 1 traits of writing. Students always love our narrative unit where they are able to explore different ideas and create fictional texts using authors as inspiration. In 3/4 students are encouraged to explore more worldly topics when writing persuasive pieces and their speeches. We ensure that all students have their own targeted writing goal for each unit and they are conferenced with regularly to ensure they are achieving their goals. Our aim is that our 3/4s become confident, creative and independent writers.
In 3/4 we ensure that we have five maths lessons a week, two number, two applied and a problem solving lesson. Our number lessons focus on teaching students about place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In our applied lessons we incorporate a number of units such as, measurement, time and geometry are covered. The 3/4’s always love their problem solving lessons where they need to use a variety of maths skills to solve more complex problems. Students also participate in BlitzMaster three times a week, this focuses on their quick addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills.
Throughout the year the 3/4s have some exciting activities such as school camp, 3/4 sport and many other sporting activities.
This year our teachers in 3/4 are Mrs Bolton, Katia, Jess, Zena, Miss Trueman and Mrs Toogood
GRADE 5/6
In grade 5/6 at Woori Yallock Primary School, we assist our students to be leaving us worldly, literate and numerate, ready to face the challenges of year 7 and beyond. We encourage our students to have a growth mindset, to choose to be risk takers and to set goals for themselves. It is important for us to encourage and teach our students to always look for the next point of improvement in their learning and to support them to set and reach their own learning and personal goals. Sportsmanship and teamwork has a big focus where we work on building students’ communication, compromising, problem solving and negotiating skills.
Our teaching and learning schedule is jam packed, each day we have one hour of reading, writing and maths. Within these subjects students are support and challenged at point of need. We also have other important units including, History, Word Study, Resilience Project, Respectful Relationships and Blitzmaster.
Our reading workshop has a weekly focus on reading strategies to enhance students’ comprehension skills. We build the capability of our students in reading through the use of a Reader’s Notebook. Students also participate in guided and independent reading as well as being involved in a book club. Book clubs are great as they deepen our students’ appreciation and understanding of a common text, as well as extending their thinking as they process and interpret the perspectives and opinions of their peers.
Our writing workshop supports our students as writers through explicitly taught strategies within the 6 plus 1 traits of writing as well as through the use of the Writer’s Notebook. Our students are independent writers who are able to choose a topic within a specific genre and write creatively.
Our numeracy program has our students participating in two number, two applied and one problem-solving lesson each week. Throughout these units we cover many topics providing the students with multiple exposures and hands on experiences. As we have four grades of 5/6 classes, we use this as an opportunity in numeracy to mix across these grades, ensuring that our students have learning that is targeted to their needs and abilities.
Each year we are lucky to attend camp in term 1. This offers us a great chance to get to know one another and build friendships as we enter a new year in a new class. Camp alternates between Wilsons Promontory and City Experience. During these camps, students par take in lots of different team building activities, as well as building on their social and independence skills.
Each week in grade 5/6 we run level sport, which involves tournaments of a wide variety of sports including basketball, dodgeball, kickball and more.
We also run a program which covers all aspects of growing up including friendships, self-esteem, cyber safety, sex education just to name a few.
This year our teachers in grade 5/6 are Miss White, Miss Shanks, Mrs Syme, Lucy and Ben.
