Units of Inquiry

Our current inquiry unit focuses on the concept of ‘Harmony’. Students have been engaging with a variety of provocations to deepen their understanding of what a harmonious community entails. They are also reflecting on their responsibilities in fostering a harmonious environment within their school and home, considering how their actions, attitudes, and behaviours can impact others.

Our next unit of inquiry commencing next week and continuing into Term 2 is a scientific-centred unit around materials, how they can be changed, their properties, and their innovative use. If you have a suggestion or connection to this concept that you think would be valuable for the students, please let me know.

Mathematics

Collaboration and teamwork are at the heart of mathematics, a subject that requires deep thinking and complex problem-solving skills. Recently, the Year 3s have displayed remarkable teamwork while investigating 'exploding dots'. This task presented a real challenge and required a lot of concentration, but the students collaborated seamlessly in groups and shifted between them as they worked on the challenges presented.

The benefits of this collaborative effort extended beyond just solving the problems at hand. The students learned from each other, shared ideas, and techniques, and built a sense of camaraderie and support. The group dynamics fostered in this collaborative learning environment will have a lasting impact on the students' educational experiences. It is heartening to see the students working together in such a positive and productive way, and this spirit of collaboration and teamwork is a testament to the importance of fostering a collaborative learning environment. Through teamwork, students can push beyond their individual limits and achieve success together.

English

To foster strong writing skills, the class has been focusing on the essential processes of brainstorming, planning, and generating ideas. Through these techniques, students are encouraged to explore a range of perspectives and develop their ability to articulate complex ideas in a clear and concise manner.

Our spelling focus has been on syllabification and related rules, including those involving vowels at the end of syllables. The class is also enjoying their new class novel, The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo. The story follows a young, orphaned boy named Peter, who embarks on a mysterious and magical journey with the help of an elephant. I have been informed it has recently been adapted into a film for Netflix. Could you please support me to AVOID watching the film at this time? I would like the students to enjoy the book first on this occasion! Thanks!

Spotlight Explore

Watching the Year 3 students step up as leaders is truly rewarding. During the recent Explore session, they took on the role of hosts for the Foundation students, teaching them how to code and operate the Dash Robots. The students also delighted everyone with impressive music displays and an exciting 'robot wars' event. However, what stood out the most was how the Year 3s welcomed their younger peers with open arms.

Witnessing the Year 3 students embrace their leadership role and show such warmth and kindness towards their younger schoolmates was the highlight.

CRAIG KENNER
Year 3 Teacher