Classroom Update
BARRANDHANG (Kinder/Yr 1)
Last week, our K/1 students began an exciting new science unit all about Earth and Space. We’ve kicked things off by exploring the relationship between the Earth and the Sun. One key rule we’ve learned is that the Earth spins, and this spinning is what causes day and night. The students were fascinated to discover that when it’s daytime on one side of the Earth, it’s nighttime on the other side!
We’ve also spent time observing and discussing what we can see in the sky during the day and night. Students compared the sun and clouds, during the day to the moon, stars, and darkness of the night.
It’s been wonderful to see how engaged and curious the students are. They are full of questions and excitement for what’s to come in this unit!
Dinawan (Year 2/3)
Year 2/3 Language Groups with Miss SamStudents learning all about the names of different
body parts. Testing their learning by playing a
game of Simon says.
Bidyin (Year 4/5/6)
The Year 4/5/6 students have been working very hard in their literacy lessons this term. We have developed a consistent routine of beginning each lesson with paired reading, where students split into pairs and take turns reading a page aloud. Depending on the day, students read anywhere from one to three chapters as they work their way through our hefty 52-chapter novel.
Paired reading gives every student the opportunity to improve their reading fluency (rate, accuracy, and expression), boost their confidence, increase engagement in a lengthy reading task, and foster peer collaboration and accountability. It also supports differentiated learning, as students are able to provide immediate feedback to their partners and support a range of reading abilities within the classroom. The students have been highly commended for the respectful way they correct and support one another’s reading.
After our paired reading sessions, we always come together to debrief the latest plot developments before moving into explicit teaching and writing activities. The students have become deeply invested in the tales of our main character, Thomas Appleby.
