Grade 2/3

My name is Rebecca Bowen and I am the grade 2/3 teacher here at Mount Macedon Primary School.

During the first 4 years of school, the curriculum focuses on developing the fundamental knowledge, skills and behaviours in literacy and numeracy and other areas including physical and social capacities which underpin all future learning.

The Literacy block is broken into Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Reading is approached through shared reading, serial reading, guided reading and silent reading experiences.  In Writing, we have implemented a process called Writer’s Workshop. This process allows the children to base their writing around their own ideas and thinking. From their writing comes their spelling. Children are encouraged to contribute to discussions in all curriculum areas and to a morning talk session.

In Numeracy, the areas of Number, Measurement, Chance and Data, Space and Working Mathematically are covered throughout the year. Most lessons take on the whole group, small group, whole group model where we begin together as a grade then work on activities either in small groups, partners or individually, and then come together again to finish lesson with a sharing circle.

We begin our Integrated Studies year with a unit called “Learning to Learn”. This unit encourages students to explore aspects of themselves, including being a valued part of the class/school community, ways in which we learn best and maximising our learning environment through teamwork and co-operation.

A different unit is studied each term however the “Learning to Learn” unit shapes who we are and along with TRIBES begins the learning journey that we are on together.

 

Grade 2/3 Term One Newsletter

 

Dear Grade 2/3 Families,

Welcome to the new school year. I hope you had a wonderful holiday and are looking forward to this year as much as I am. A special welcome to our new student and his family, Nathanael Ng, and welcome back to Lochie Coad and his family. I wish you all the best.

This year, due to shared Grade 3s, Helen Burgess and I are planning together. We have developed our term planner which covers all areas of the curriculum along with our assessment timeline and all our extra-curricular activities. We will be planning together on a weekly basis.

We have timetabled one session per week where the Grade 3 children will work together with either Mrs. Burgess or I, and the Grade 2 and 4 children will work together. The grade 3 children will also have one Sport session per week and will join the Grade 3/4 and 5/6 children for this. Religious Education will also take place in two groups. Grade 2s will have their own session and Grade 3s will have their session with Grade 3/4.

This term, our unit in Integrated Studies is called “Learning to Learn” where we will look at goals for our learning, ways we learn best and how we can maximise our learning across all curriculum areas. We will continue to develop our knowledge of Tribes and De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats and introduce these to our new students.

Literacy will include Reading, Writing and Speaking & Listening. Our Literacy block will have around 1 hour for Reader’s Workshop and around 1 hour for Writer’s Workshop. We also have a designated Spelling and Grammar session each week. Differentiated learning occurs throughout the Literacy block as children are working on a variety of tasks at their own level.

The children will require a Reader’s Notebook (an A4 Visual Diary) again this year. Grade 2 received one in their book box but Grade 3 did not. Could all Grade 3 children please get one (around $3.50 from a Newsagent, office suppliers or Big W) and bring it to school as soon as possible.

Reading Parents are an important part of our Literacy block. This year the Grade 2 children will participate in formal home school reading where their Reader bag will

be sent home each day and placed in the tub each morning. Grade 3 children will

continue to read at home each night but will not be required to place their book in the tub each morning. Please remember that to be part of our Parent-Child Reading Program you must have a current Working With Children Check. Forms can be picked up and lodged at the Post Office.

 

The children will have a Music lesson in our Music Room each Wednesday with Mrs. Kitching. Mrs. Kitching will also take Library. This will occur on a Monday. Please send a Library bag to school with your child. The children will have Mr. Gower once a week on a Thursday for Physical Education. On Fridays, Religious Education will be undertaken in 2 groups, both at the same time. The timetable is on the wall as you walk into the classroom

I am taking 2 weeks long service leave from Monday 27th February until Friday 9th March. Hayley Lee will be teaching my class in my absence. I will be planning the work and will meet with Hayley to handover my program.

I am really looking forward to continuing the learning journey with your children. Please come and see me before or after school any day if you have any comments, concerns or suggestions for your child or our classroom. Meet the Teacher interviews will be held on the 21st and 22nd of February. Forms for this will be sent home soon.

Rebecca Bowen

 

 

Up and Coming Events

February 16th Swimming Sports

February 21st and 22nd Meet the Teacher Interviews

February 24th Welcome Back BBQ

March 9th Curriculum Day - Pupil Free Day

May 15th – 17th NAPLAN (Grade 3 only)

All information for these events will be sent home soon.

Posted by Rebecca Bowen Oct 27, 2010
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