Learning Communities

Foundation Learning Community - Term 1

Reading

In Reading this term, Foundation students are participating in joint reading of familiar books and poems. They are investigating the concepts of print, identifying the front and back cover and spine of the book, as well as understanding where to begin reading and the direction in which we read. Additionally, the students are developing their understanding of letters, words and sentences. The Foundation students are building their ability to track the words with their finger and eyes when reading aloud.

Writing

In Writing this term, Foundation students are exploring the connection between speaking, writing and reading. Through conversations and reflecting on experiences, the students share their ideas, illustrate their writing plan and then write about their thoughts and ideas. Foundation students are developing their understanding of the conventions of writing, moving left to right and from top to bottom of the page. Through daily writing tasks, the students are developing their fine motor skills to support correct pencil grip and posture, along with building their ability to use correct letter formations.

Speaking and Listening

In Speaking and Listening this term, all Foundation students have opportunities to interact with their classmates, all students in the Foundation cohort and many teachers throughout the school. During ‘Turn and Talk’ and ‘Circle Time’, the students are encouraged to actively listen to their partner and other students when they are sharing their thoughts and ideas. They will practice asking questions and contributing to class discussions in a respectful manner. Each student will have opportunities to share their learning with others, further fostering confidence and self-expression.

Mathematics

In Mathematics this term, Foundation students will work on recognising, counting, making and recording numbers up to 10. Students will develop their understanding of what zero means and practise writing numbers with the correct formation. Later in the term, students will also be investigating days of the week. They will connect specialist subjects and activities to set days of the week. This will also include familiar events that students participate in after school and on the weekends, deepening their understanding of time. Sequencing events in chronological order and relating them to daily family routines, will assist in students understanding of daily routines and schedules. By familiarising themselves with terms such as 'today', 'tomorrow', 'yesterday', 'last night', 'this morning', and 'this afternoon', we will be laying groundwork for more advanced time-related learning.

Integrated Studies

In inquiry this term, Foundation students are exploring the topic, ‘What makes me special? Me and my body.’
Learners explore their personal identity including investigations into their culture and how they learn. They build their understanding towards the School Values and expectations as a learner of GWPS and how their strengths can contribute to a cohesive classroom.

Year 1 & 2 Learning Community - Term 1

Reading

This term, students will explore how to interact using language, facial expressions and gestures, and express preferences. They will also learn about text features, simple sentences and parts of speech. Additionally, students will examine how language and images create characters and settings, focusing on Australian and Indigenous authors, and connect with poems and rhymes.

Writing

In Writing, students will explore how language varies by context and roles, and express preferences for texts. They’ll learn to navigate print and digital texts, use compound sentences, and apply punctuation rules. Furthermore, students will practise interaction skills, develop phonemic awareness, and improve spelling, reading and writing of complex words. While following the Ann A Writing Model, they will use comprehension strategies, create simple texts, and edit for spelling, punctuation and structure.

Speaking & Listening

Students will develop interaction skills, including turn-taking, speaking clearly and active listening. They'll focus on phonemic awareness, learning to blend and manipulate sounds in one- and two-syllable words, and understand vowel sounds, consonant blends, and digraphs. Students will improve spelling, read and write high-frequency words, and recognise word families using grammatical morphemes.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, students will develop key number skills, including counting up to 120, understanding tens and ones in two-digit numbers, and skip counting by twos, fives and tens. They'll practise measuring and comparing lengths using tools like string, icy pole sticks and blocks, and learn to explain why measurements may differ. Students will also explore 2D shapes and 3D objects, identifying triangles, rectangles, squares and more, and understanding their properties like sides and corners. Additionally, they will use geometric terms to name and compare shapes.

Integrated Studies

This term, students will explore the importance of respect for themselves and others. They'll learn how their choices, like being a role model, affect their lives and well-being. The focus will be on building respect, making good decisions, and developing strategies for mental and physical health. Students will also explore friendship, and ways to make and maintain positive relationships.

Year 3 & 4 Learning Community - Term 1

Reading

Grade 3 and 4 students are developing comprehension strategies such as inferring the authors purpose and analysing character traits and motivations. They are exploring fiction and non-fiction pieces connected to their Integrated Studies unit on Citizenship and Diversity and learning to interpret and evaluate texts critically. Students are examining how authors use vocabulary to engage readers and improve their fluency and stamina through sustained independent reading.

Writing
In Writing, students are familiarising themselves with text types such as descriptive, narrative, and persuasive texts. They are writing on a variety of topics linked to our Integrated Studies unit on Citizenship and Diversity. Writing lessons emphasize using powerful writing strategies, including the Power of Three, similes, and metaphors. Students are experimenting with giving their sentences voice through the use of punctuation and varying sentence lengths and types.

Speaking and Listening
Students are honing their presentation skills by sharing their written work with peers, focusing on projecting their voices with clarity and expression. Constructive peer feedback fosters reflection and further refinement of their work.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, students are developing their understanding of place value to tens of thousands and identifying, creating and continuing number patterns. They are exploring the properties of 2D shapes in relation to symmetry, and identifying patterns within geometric designs. Students are learning to read and interpret time in various formats and apply their understanding to real-life contexts. Concepts of number patterns and place value are introduced to build a strong foundation for future mathematical learning.

Integrated Studies – Civics and Citizenship

This term, students investigate how people participate in communities and cultural groups and explore different cultural celebrations that are relevant to our context. They are working towards creating a 'Diversity Showcase' to inform the school community about the significance of Australian celebrations and cultural diversity. Additionally, they are examining the relationship between cultural diversity and respect, belonging and acceptance.

Year 5 & 6 Learning Community - Term 1

Reading
In Reading, students are exploring historical and cultural stories, including literature by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander authors, considering time and place in which the text was created. Students participate in whole class and small group reading sessions where the focus is on strategies such as visualising, predicting, connecting, summarising, monitoring and questioning, and comparing ideas. Students are making inferences about the text and thinking about the text during the reading process.

Writing
In Writing, students are working on creating descriptive, narrative, and persuasive texts. Students create texts, focusing on experimenting with vocabulary, figurative language, story lines, characters, and settings. Students focus on elaborating ideas in a cohesive manner, while exploring strategies to consider structure, purpose, and audience. Students comprehensively plan, create, and edit stories with a lens on their audience and sentence level fluency.

Speaking and Listening
Students are focusing on responding to texts, using language in different social contexts, and with various levels of formality. Interaction skills such as paraphrasing and questioning, in addition to understanding subjective language such as opinion and bias will be a focus during the term.

Mathematics
In Mathematics, students are focusing on place value ideas, including reading, writing, and computing with numbers, and utilising place value concepts to demonstrate understanding and provide reason behind their thinking. Students are representing numbers, using estimation, and rounding numbers to support with operations. Students are focusing on pattern and algebraic concepts through using number lines, patterns, and tables. Learning about concepts of time, such as 24-hour time, time conversion and the base sixty number system, and angles through two dimensional shapes will be a focus during the term.

Integrated Studies – Democracy
This term’s inquiry focuses on Democracy. Students focus on voting and elections, rights and responsibilities, levels of government, and laws. Students will work independently and collaboratively to explore and understand the concept of democracy.

Specialist Learning Community - Term 1

STEAM

STEAM stands for Science, Technology. Engineering, Art and Maths.

This Term will concentrate on TECHNOLOGY, devices, safe use, terminology and typing skills.

F	Foundation students are enjoying being taught how to use ipads. The students will understand how to access the home screen by swiping, taking and deleting of photos as a tool to upload, with some assistance, their own work to Seesaw.
1/2	Grade 1 and 2 students will be taught to use computers. The students will understand how to log on to a device using individual usernames and passwords and to keep these private. Students will understand the names and uses of keys on the keyboard and will learn simple typing skills. The students will understand the importance of correct posture and using both hands when typing. Later in the term students will use a variety of programs and upload work to Seesaw.
3/4	Students at this level will be initially honing their typing skills in preparation for using devices to complete the NAPLAN testing. They will understand how to and why passwords need protecting. The importance of logging out of apps and signing out and shutting down the computer properly will be discussed and practised. Using short cuts and understanding formatting of documents will be demonstrated and practised. Students will explore Scratch to demonstrate their understanding of a democratic system to tie in with their inquiry unit.
5/6	Students at this level will be initially honing their typing skills in preparation for using devices to complete the NAPLAN testing. They will understand how to and why passwords need protecting. The importance of logging out of apps and signing out and shutting down the computer properly will be discussed and practised. Using short cuts and understanding formatting of documents will be demonstrated and practised. Students will explore Scratch to demonstrate their understanding of a democratic system to tie in with their inquiry unit.

Music

F	Foundation students will explore and experience music through play. They will experiment with different sounds, changing the speed, loudness, and quality of their music. They’ll also discover why music is important in their own and others’ communities. Singing, musical games, and working together to create their own music will make this a fun and exciting term.
1/2	Year 1 students are growing as musicians! They will develop their singing voices and learn to read, write, and perform ta, titi, and zaa rhythms. They will also work on keeping a steady beat. Through singing, dancing, playing instruments, and musical games, they’ll build confidence in their musical skills. They’ll even compose their own music! Year 2 students will continue to develop their musical practice! They will strengthen their singing voices and expand their ability to read, write, and perform ta, titi, and zaa rhythms. They will also improve their beat-keeping skills. Through singing, dancing, playing instruments, composing, and musical games, they will grow as musicians and gain confidence in their abilities.
3/4	This term, Year 3 / 4 students will explore important musical elements like tempo, dynamics, timbre, and texture. They’ll play games, learn to play tunes, improvise, and sing songs. Working in small groups, they will collaborate, rehearse, and compose their own music. By the end of the term, they will have the chance to share their musical creations with their classmates.
5/6	Our Year 5 / 6 students will take their musical skills to the next level! They will experiment with musical expression when composing, singing, and playing instruments. They’ll refine their skills through fun music games, learning familiar tunes, and exploring different ways to phrase and articulate their music. They will develop their ability to rehearse, give feedback, and improvise, all while preparing to perform with confidence.

Spanish

F	Foundation students will explore the rich diversity of the Spanish language and culture through interactive activities such as songs, games, and hands-on crafts. They will develop foundational communication skills while collaborating with peers. Key learning areas include introducing themselves, greeting others, talking about their age, where they live, their favourite foods, and describing their life in school.
1/2	Year 1/2 students will deepen their understanding of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture through interactive activities. They will expand their phonetic knowledge and vocabulary related to themselves and their learning environment while gaining confidence in basic Spanish communication. They will develop an appreciation for Hispanic cultures through storytelling, role-playing, and collaborative learning experiences.
3/4	Year 3/4 students will refine their Spanish phonetic knowledge and broaden their vocabulary to discuss familiar topics and everyday scenarios. Through interactive activities, they will strengthen their communication skills and develop a deeper understanding of Hispanic cultures. Emphasis will be placed on practical language use, allowing students to engage in simple conversations and express their thoughts more fluently.
5/6	Year 5/6 students will engage in a more in-depth exploration of the Spanish language and Hispanic culture. Key learning areas include phonetics, vocabulary, and sentence structures related to everyday topics and school life. Through collaborative group work, students will build meaningful peer connections, conduct research on weekly Spanish language themes, and present their findings to the class. These activities will enhance their confidence in using Spanish in real-world contexts.