Stage 1

Stage 1 - 2023

Parent Information

Stage 1 - 2023, Term One

Welcome to Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2). We are so pleased with how students have settled so well into their new classes. So many happy faces, not just students, staff too! We are excited about being back and getting to know your child. 

The first few weeks will be spent getting to know our students and developing a positive growth mindset in our classes. We will be revising our Good Manners, Good Thinking and Good Learning along with what a good learner is and what a good learner does. We will be establishing our class routines and expectations, class rules and revisiting our school rules, Code of Conduct and our Blackwell Virtues.                    

What are we covering in Term 1?

ENGLISH

Students will participate in reading activities involving reading levelled texts and decodable readers. Teachers will be discussing the author’s purpose of texts -to persuade, inform and entertain/imagine.

Blackwell has a no homework policy, however home reading (this may include sight word lists) is still expected daily. Students will be bringing home a “Home Reading Log”, where you will be required to enter the title of the book that they bring home from school and read. Sometimes they may bring the same book home for the week in Yr 1, two or three nights in a row; this is to develop fluency and expression. Information regarding the setting up of these books and folders will be coming home shortly. Students may also participate in the Lexia reading program at home. Log in information will be sent home shortly.   

Teachers will also be developing student’s comprehension skills of predicting what the text is about or what is going to happen, and making connections which is thinking about how texts are similar to our own lives - text to self, how it is similar to another text - text to text and how it is similar to something in our world - text to world. 

YEAR 1 TERM 1 ENGLISH 

This term students will be learning how to write for a range of purposes by looking at the features of quality literature. Skills such as writing, reading comprehension and fluency, grammar, spelling and handwriting will be explicitly taught using the new K-2 Syllabus. In Year 1, students will: 

• make connections with texts and understand how an author’s context and personal experiences help them create texts.
• respond to texts by making connections to their own experiences

• learn about narrative texts that include a journey and use planning to create their own narrative.
• explore real and imagined worlds that are represented in texts
• identify the features of informative texts.

YEAR 2 TERM 1 ENGLISH 

This term students will be learning how to write for a range of purposes by looking at the features of quality literature. Skills such as writing, reading comprehension and fluency, grammar, spelling and handwriting will be explicitly taught using the new K-2 Syllabus. In Year 2, students will: 

• make a connection to their personal stories of belonging and write a welcome or acknowledgement to country
•  create a circular story using dialogue 
•  identify real and imagined characters and their qualities to write an information report 
•  examine poetry and begin to write their own 

MATHEMATICS

YEAR 1 TERM 1 MATHS 

This term students will be using a range of hands-on materials to work mathematically and to problem solve using the new K-2 Syllabus. In Year 1 students will:

• Use counting sequences of ones with two-digit numbers and beyond
• Continue and create number patterns
• Represent numbers on a line 
• Represent groups of ten in whole numbers 
• Use strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems 
• Recall number bonds up to ten 
• Count in multiples using rhythmic and skip counting
• Model and use equal groups of objects to represent multiplication and division
• Compare and order lengths, using appropriate uniform informal units
• Measure areas using uniform informal units
• Measure and compare volumes (capacities) of containers by filling and packing
• Investigate mass using an equal-arm balance
• Divide lengths to find halves and quarters
• Recognise and classify 2D shapes
• Recognise, sort and describe familiar 3D objects

YEAR 2 TERM 1 MATHS 

This term students will be using a range of hands-on materials to work mathematically and to problem solve using the new K-2 Syllabus. In Year 2 students will: 

•  Use counting sequences of ones with two-digit numbers and beyond 
• Count in multiples using rhythmic and skip counting 
• Use equal groups of objects to represent multiplication and division 
• Continue and create number patterns  
• Represent numbers on a line  
• Use strategies to solve addition and subtraction problems  
• Recognise and recall number bonds up to ten  
• Recognise and classify 2D shapes by their features 
• Ask questions and gather data  
• Represent data with objects and drawings  
• Compare and order lengths using uniform informal units 
•  Measure areas using uniform informal units 
•  Measure and compare the volumes (capacities) of containers  
•  Investigate mass using an equal-arm balance 
• Subdivide lengths to find halves and quarters 
•  Recognise, sort and describe familiar three-dimensional objects 

 HISTORY Semester 1 Terms 1 and 2

The Past in the Present

Learning About the Past - What aspects of the past can we see today and what do they tell us?

Preserving the Past - What remains of the past are important to the local community and why?

Changing Technology - How have changes in technology shaped our daily life.

SCIENCE

Changes are happening all around us. Chocolate melts in the sun, water evaporates from puddles and cement hardens in the open air. Predicting the changes that can happen to everyday materials is important in understanding the best way to manage things such as, food handling and cooking, construction and packaging. Changes are happening all around us.

CAPA (Creative and Practical Arts)

This year Stage 1 teachers are tapping into their skills, talents and passions in CAPA lessons (Music, Drama, Dance, Visual Arts). This term we are focusing on creative dance.

OTHER INFORMATION

Messages for the teacher/parent concerns - If some information is required for the day, please write a note to the class teacher and forward it with your child. Otherwise, a message can be left at the office for the teacher. If you would like your child’s teacher to call you to discuss something, please arrange a time, outside school hours or in their RFF time. Miss Lane (Stage supervisor) heather.r.lane@det.nsw.edu.au or Mrs Krensel sharalynne.krensel@det.nsw.edu.au (Stage supervisor Friday) are also available to answer questions and concerns.

School Pack - Please pay for your child’s school pack as soon as possible. It has everything they require from pencils and glue sticks to whiteboard markers and books to do their schoolwork in. This equipment remains at school for school use. The school pack also includes K-6 incursions held throughout the year (stage-based incursions and excursions are an additional cost). For the first child it is $80, the second child $60, the third child $40 and for every child after that, it is free!

Crunch and Sip - Students participate in “Crunch and Sip” each day in the morning session. There is no set time for this, as it is scheduled at an appropriate time for the class. Students are only permitted to have fresh fruit or vegetables and/or water. The portions, however, need to be small so that they are consumed quickly and class disruptions are minimised. A very large apple can take a child a very long time to finish so, if possible, please cut the apple into quarters/eighths/or a slinky as this is more manageable for them to eat. It is best if it is kept in a separate container, not packed with recess and lunch.

School uniforms - Please label all items brought to school by your child. We ask that students not wear nail polish or jewellery to school (sleepers/studs and watches/Fitbits excluded) and that they adhere to the uniform as close as possible. This includes black shoes (no bright shoelaces please). Ribbons or bows in the hair should be school colours – navy, blue or white.

Extra equipment - Please provide your child with a labelled;

- paint shirt

- library bag

Donations of the following are also much appreciated.

- hand soap or hand sanitiser

- baby wipes (for cleaning desks after gluing/messy work)

- a box of tissues

Sport - We ask if students could wear joggers on the following day, so they are comfortable to participate in sport/exercise;

-       Sport for both Year 1 and Year 2 is on Wednesdays

Money Procedures - All money sent to school should be in a labelled envelope and handed in at the school office.

Library Day - Our school library is open every afternoon and every morning, with the exception of Tuesday. Books can be borrowed during this time as well as during class library times.

We encourage ALL students to be regular book borrowers. Class borrowing is on the following days;

TUESDAY                - S1S  and S1B

THURSDAY              - S1L, S1M, S1C and S1K

Absences - The Department of School Education requires a note to explain all absences. If your child is absent you will receive a SMS notifying you that your child has been marked absent and you can reply with reasons why. Alternatively, please send a note to school with your child upon returning to school. If your child is absent more than 2 days in a row, please consider obtaining a doctor’s certificate to explain the absence.

Facebook – For up to date information and to answer questions, please join “2023 Stage 1 Blackwell PS” on Facebook. You can also email the school -  blackwell-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au (your email will be forwarded to the person you wish to contact).

Please do not send teachers a “PM” (personal message) or invite teachers as ‘friends’ as teachers will not respond or decline invite due to the Department’s Code of Conduct.

Assemblies – Combined Assemblies are held in our hall from 2-3pm in weeks 3, 6 and 9 each term.  Merit and Virtue awards are handed out other weeks during class lines.

School Newsletter (“Blackwell Post”) –Please make sure your email details are up to date in the office. Please read front page and the Stage 1 information page!

We are looking forward to a great year on Stage 1.

Stage 1 Teachers