Hello BCPS community,

We hope everyone has settled back into Term 3 and enjoyed a fantastic start to the new term! It has been wonderful welcoming everyone back into the classroom and seeing our students return ready to learn. We have already had one busy week filled with engaging learning experiences, and we are so proud of the enthusiasm and effort our students have shown.

Reading

In Reading, students have been continuing to strengthen their comprehension skills by identifying the main idea, supporting evidence and topic-specific vocabulary within non-fiction texts. They have also been learning how to summarise a text using only 25 carefully chosen words, encouraging them to think critically about the most important information.

At home, you might like to ask your child:

• What was the main idea of the text you read today?
• What evidence helped you work that out?
• Can you summarise the text in just one or two sentences?

Writing

In Writing, we have begun exploring how authors develop interesting story ideas. Students reflected on their holiday experiences and used these memories to “sprout” imaginative story ideas, learning that authors often exaggerate real-life events to make their stories more exciting.

Students planned and began drafting and publishing their own fictional narratives, focusing on creating engaging characters, interesting settings and exciting adventures.

You might like to ask your child:

• What was your story about?
• Which part of your holiday inspired your narrative?
• What exciting problem does your character need to solve?

Mathematics

In Mathematics, we have launched into multiplication and division by exploring a range of strategies to build fluency and confidence. Students have been investigating multiplication using equal groups, repeated addition and arrays, helping them understand that multiplication can be represented in many different ways. They finished week one by applying their learning creatively through designing colourful Array Cities, where the windows on each building represented multiplication arrays.

These visual and hands-on experiences are helping students develop a deeper understanding before focusing on recalling multiplication facts quickly.

Wellbeing

As part of our wellbeing program, students have continued developing positive learning behaviours and strengthening our classroom community. We have revisited our school expectations of Be Safe, Be Kind and Be a Learner, while practising teamwork, respectful communication and perseverance during collaborative learning activities across the curriculum.

Looking Ahead

Next week (Week 3), students will be participating in our daily swimming program. Swimming lessons are a fantastic opportunity for students to build their confidence, develop important water safety skills and improve their swimming ability. Please remember to send your child to school each day with their bathers, towel, goggles (if needed) and a named plastic bag for wet clothing. We encourage students to arrive at school ready for an active week of learning both in and out of the pool!

Alongside swimming, students will continue building their multiplication and division strategies and developing their narrative writing.

Thank you for your continued support at home. We truly appreciate the partnership we share with our families and look forward to another wonderful term together.

Have a wonderful rest of the week.

Kindest wishes,
The 3/4 Team