Term 4 Overview

Welcome back for Term 4! Below is an overview of some of the opportunities and learning programs students will be involved in this term. Remember to visit the OC Events page as I will be updating it regularly throughout the term when dates and information become available.

Water Catchers Filming

Congratulations to Nelson and Louis, who had their script chosen to be made into a film. Our filming day is tomorrow from 1-5pm. We are 1 of 9 finalists for this competition. When all films have been made, the public can vote, with the best winning $10,000 towards an environmental project. Fingers crossed!

Homework

Homework for students will begin this week (Week 2). Homework consists of a choice menu, where you can negotiate with your child what activities to complete at home. Please ensure homework is handed in on a Friday.

Class Needs

At the moment we are very low on tissues and glue sticks. Please encourage your child to bring the required equipment each day, in particular – glue stick, USB, headphones, pens.  

Student Welfare

This term our focus will be on the core value of Responsibility. Well done to the students who have already achieved a Mastery ribbon for Week 1. Students who achieve 5 Mastery ribbons throughout the term will be recognised in our Hall of Fame assemblies and also get to attend a morning tea with Mr Selwood at the end of the term.

Reading

This term students will be studying the class novel The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke in their Literature Circles.

Well done and thank you to all the students who brought in a book that they read during the holidays for discussion first day back. It was great to see so many passionate readers share their thoughts and reviews.

OC Book Club

A note was sent home last term about our October Book Club. This is voluntary for students who love to read and discuss books. This month’s novel is The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate. We will meet in Week 4 for our discussion. If you have any questions or would like further information, please let me know.

Writing

Each morning students begin with D.R.A.W – daily reading and writing. Students will be learning about a variety of concepts and devices to enhance their writing skills and will use these to produce imaginative, informative and persuasive texts. Part of this process involves students sharing their work with peers for critiquing and publishing finished pieces of writing on their individual blogs. This term our  main focus will be on devices. I will continue to showcase quality examples on the blog.

November is NaNoWriMo which stands for National Novel Writing Month. All students will participate in NaNoWriMo as part of our daily writing program.

Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a variety of other writing competitions. I will also share student entries on our blog.

Congratulations again to Oliver and Sarah who have been named as finalists in the Sydney Youth Writing Competition!

Mathematics

During our maths sessions, students will work in groups, covering a different strand each week. The maths content we will be covering this term includes: Position, 2D Space, 3D Space, Subtraction, Division, Area, Length, Chance, Data, Patterns & Algebra and Time. 

Results and achievement awards from the ICAS Maths, Olympiad and Newcastle Permanent Maths competition will also be available later in the term. I will present these at our Monday assemblies, when they become available.

Reports

At the end of this term, students will receive their Semester 2 reports.

Thinkfest

Students have already begun work on their Thinkfest projects for this term. Thinkfest is an OC event where students work in groups on a problem from a key learning area. For each problem students have to write and perform a skit, create a backdrop, design a key prop and maintain a visual process diary.

In Week 9, Maryland PS is hosting this year’s Thinkfest event, with all OCs from the region attending. A note will be sent home closer to the event.

Buddies

Last term our class worked with 1E and 2B for our Maths Buddies program. This term we will be back to working with just 1E, where each week we will have a different focus.

CEP Outdoor Festival

Our school is taking part in the Callaghan Education Pathways (CEP) Outdoor Media Festival on Thursday 6th November. This is shaping up to be a fun event with lots of schools getting involved. Part of the festival involves a short film screening and students from the OC helped make a film in the school holidays with me and Mrs Bowman. Our choir will also be performing at the festival and there will be lots of other pre-show entertainment on offer. An information flyer will be sent home next week and tickets for this event will be on sale from Week 3.

Events

Term 4 is always one of the busiest with end of year events. As well as Thinkfest and the CEP Festival we have the P&C Halloween Fete coming up in Week 4 – Friday 31st October. Thanks to the parents who have returned their volunteer forms.

In Week 5, our Stage 3 girls will have an opportunity to take part in a RoboGals workshop. In Week 10, we will have our Presentation Day and Year 6 Farewell. Later this term, we will welcome our new 2015 OC students with an orientation session and transition visits. Our Year 6 students will have high school orientation visits coming up which will be an exciting time for them.

Finally, well done to all the students who have had a terrific start to the term. Please feel free to contact me with any questions regarding OC learning programs or events.

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