Level 2Grade 1 & 2

February 2017

Grade 1 & 2 Information Night 2017

Welcome & Introductions – Rob

Specialists - Paula and Kirsteen

Curriculum Overview – Lauren and Rick

Elwood Primary Strategies – Corey and Charlie

Investigations – Bek and Steph

Take Home Reading Program – Olivia and Adele

Homework- Jacq and Rick

Classroom Management – Rob

Important Dates– Charlie

Anaphylaxis – Nicole and Olivia

Volunteers – Nicole

Parent handbook will be available as a PDF

SpecialistsReading Recovery and Intervention – Marianne Garby

Visual Arts - Leanne Murray, Andrea Robinson, or Sarah

Galbraith

Physical Education – Sam Casey, Sarah Galbraith or Jay

Tucker

Music – Kaz Sieger and Paula Russell

Library and ICT – Ange Dawson

Indonesian – Kirsteen Reid (Year 2s only)

Curriculum Overview We work very closely together across Year 1 and 2.

Many routines are similar and our strategies areconsistent from Prep to Year 6.

We meet together for 3 hours a week to discuss, plan andfocus on our teaching.

The development of positive relationships with ourchildren is of the highest priority.

Use of the Victorian Curriculum guides the planning ofour content.

English – Reading, Writing, Spelling, Handwriting andSpeaking & Listening.

Mathematics – Number and Algebra, Measurement &Geometry, Statistics and Probability.

Investigations – a personalised approach to engage thelearner based on their interests.

Teacher assessment is used continuously to help guideour next focus.

These Are The Strategies We Use

Prep – 6 At Elwood Primary SchoolEnglish Mathematics

• Independent Reading and

Just Right Books

•Modelled, Shared and Guided

Reading

•Writers Workshop and Stages

of writing

•Writing conferences

•VCOP mini lessons

•Fortnightly “Big Write”

•Explicit teaching of spelling

patterns

•Spelling Investigations

•Strategies for spelling of

unknown words

•Hands on tasks and materials

provided

•Explicit instruction of number

skills

•Open ended and question

based

•Planning caters for all

children and based on

sequential key understandings

•Linked to real life situations

•Developing a positive attitude

towards Maths is a focus

• Use of the Maths Online

Interview and PATMaths data

Investigations Children have been involved in Investigations

since Prep. We use the children’s interests to

develop our areas in the classroom.

All classes run Investigations 3 times a week.

Dramatic Play, Create & Make, Writing Workshop, MathsResource Area, Construction, Sensory, Reading corners andTinkering are all areas used to scaffold learning.

• Teachers meet to explicitly plan andlink the English, Mathematics, Socialand Environmental foci to theInvestigations for the fortnight.

• This is the Statement of Intent that isdisplayed on Communication Boardsin the JLC and LTC.

Statement of Intent

Can also be found on our website:

http://www.elwoodprimary.vic.edu.au/page/227/Grade-1-&-2

Investigations continued... Investigations is divided into three parts. The teacher explicitly

explains and scaffolds children’s learning during Tuning In andmakes connections and draws out learning experiences duringReflection.

The children are free to Investigate for about 40 minutes.

Three Focus Children, a Reporter and Photographer are thekey roles for the children. The teacher spends one on one timewith these children scaffolding their learning and buildingrelationships.

Children reflect on their learning and are encouraged to

work on projects for longer than one session.

Parents are encouraged to assist or lead Parent Clinics

about their passions or interests to children that are interested.

Parent Investigation Nights coming, stay tuned…

Take Home Reading Reading at home should be a fun, relaxed

and an enjoyable time for you and your child.

Try to make it part of your home routine.

Teachers regularly listen to and assess each

child’s reading level.

Books that come home may be EASY, JUST

RIGHT or HARD. Depending on the book please have your child read toyou, read with them or read to them.

Your child’s teacher may on occasion direct certain levelled books to betaken home for additional practise of their reading goals.

Reading at home can be their reader, a picture story book, a fewchapters of their novel.

Please send the Blue Homework bag and completed reading diary toschool every day.

HomeworkGrade 2

Reading

Mathletics

Reading Eggs

Oxford Word List

Spelling words

Skip counting

Grade 1

Reading

Mathletics

Reading Eggs

Oxford Word List

To balance homework, your child can read their ‘reader’ for 15-20 minutes

every night and then choose one of the other subject areas to focus on.

Perhaps choosing one activity to do for each night of the week.

Classroom ManagementEvery teacher will send home their classroom management plan

for you to read through and discuss with your child.

We foster the You Can Do It values at our school.

Confidence

Organisation

Persistence

Getting Along

Resilience

The Grade 2s have the opportunity to demonstrate these skills

and are rewarded with a WHITE RIBBON at the whole school

assembly.

We also teach a Manners Matter focus every fortnight. This

includes specific goals for children to think about such as saying

please and thankyou and smiling at one another. These are shared

at assembly.

Important Dates

There are numerous important dates that are listed in your

handbook however the two big ones are…

The Grade 1 Dinner – Wednesday the 16th of

August

The Grade 2 Sleepover – Friday the 15th of

September

and…

Parent Info Nights7:00pm in the JLC

8th March - Investigations

27th April - Maths

1st June- George Otero "our school"

Managing Anaphylaxis at Elwood

PrimaryAt present we have a number of anaphylactic students at

Elwood Primary School, most of which are food related.

This is managed by an Anaphylaxis Plan.

- We ask that you be conscious of not sending foods containing nuts; ie peanut butter, Nutella, muesli bars to school.

- If there is a student in your child’s class that has an anaphylaxis plan a particular note will be sent home to make you aware of extra precautions.

- We have a list of safe foods for celebrations, the school will provide food on these occasions

- Birthday hats, badges or stickers are used to celebrate birthdays in each classroom.

Parent InvolvementParents are a vital part of our school!

We love having you involved in the daily running of our

classes.

You may be asked to assist with:

-Parent Clinics for Investigations

-Reading groups

-Writers Workshop

-Maths Tasks

-Excursions

-Making of resources

-Donating items for Investigations

-School Market

-Class Reps

Ardoch Volunteers are used throughout the school to assist

children one on one or to work with small groups.

Thank you!