Year 1

Here's a look at what’s happening in Year 1!

Literacy

In Year 1, the focus in Literacy is extending the strategies used to work out unknown words. The children develop their ability to break up words into smaller parts, reread for meaning and self-correct when an error has been made. They learn to read with greater fluency and expression to further enhance their understanding. Being able to predict what a text may be about and retelling what has been read are the key comprehension strategies taught in Year 1.

Numeracy

In Numeracy, there is an emphasis of relating maths to the real world. Students are given opportunities to explore, discover and engage in mathematics through authentic and rich tasks. They model their skills by using concrete materials and are encouraged to talk about their strategies. An importance is placed on understanding and learning skills rather than just following rote procedures. We play games to reinforce skills and to check for understanding. Our aim is to provide positive and supportive experiences to support students with their mathematical development.

Inquiry

Throughout the year, the children in Year 1 will be learning about a range of different areas. To begin with we will look at the concept of “Belonging” as we embark on a new year. We will learn about the different communities that we all belong to: family, school and the local area. This is an opportunity for the children to share some of their family and cultural traditions. In Term 2, we will be exploring “Our Oceans Our Future”. The children will discover some of the amazing animals and ocean environments. We are planning to visit the Melbourne Aquarium for this unit of work. Term 3 moves onto a hands on unit “Everyday Materials” where the children will explore the different materials used to create everyday objects. Term 4 sees us head back in time during out “Then and Now” unit. The children will look at what life was like for children 150 years ago and discover what has changed and what is still the same. We will visit Como House to give the children a hands on experience of life from 150 years ago.

Positive Education

In Year 1, we will explicitly teach Character Strengths such as: Teamwork, Love of Learning, Creativity and Perspective. Another major focus will be on expressing gratitude to those around us. Class Mascots will be introduced to support the children’s grasp of these strengths. We will be honing in on Mindfulness practises like different breathing techniques.