Year 1 Newsletter, Term 4 Week 2

Welcome back to Term Four. We have had a great start to the term. Beginning with exciting tales of mid-Autumn holiday adventures and diving straight back into our literacy, numeracy and integrated studies units. We have some new families joining our Year One cohort and would like to extend a warm welcome to them.

Literacy

This term our focus is “Characterisation”. This is the method by which characters are established in a story using description, dialogue and action. Students will explore the concept of characterisation through literature by Aaron Blabey. They will gain an understanding of how characters in texts are developed and created using a combination of language and images recognising both literal and implied meaning in texts. Students will then create their own realistic and imaginary characters through texts that show the connection between writing, speech and images.

Over the last two weeks, we have considered the story Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley, which investigates how two very different characters are the best of friends. Aaron Blabey characterised Pearl and Charlie using actions and interactions, rather than describing the characters. After examining this technique, students have reflected on which of the two characters they were most like and explained which actions and interactions clarify this similarity.

Phonics: ‘ue’ sound
Revisit our ‘ue’ sound from the end of Term 3, made by the following spelling patterns:

ue oo u_e ew

Camera Words

Term 4 will focus on revising all 36 camera words to ensure quick recognition and correct spelling.

ICT

This term we continue our coding work from Term 3. Children will continue learning to follow basic directions and orientate their knowledge of left and right (particularly when facing the opposite direction) when programming our Blue Bot robots!

Mathematics

In Mathematics we have been continuing to problem solve and develop our ability to explain thinking and strategies during investigations. By working mathematically students also expand on their team work skills of collaboration and communication.

This new Mathematics initiative at AISHK takes the traditional methods of teaching the subject into the 21^st Century. Parents, we strongly encourage you to attend the Mathematics Workshop for a demonstration and discussion about how we teach mathematics at AISHK through applying deep Mathematical Thinking though avenues of Reasoning, Understanding, Fluency and Problem Solving. The one-hour session will give an insight into the theory behind learning mathematics, the practical application of what it looks like at school and how you can help at home.

Integrated Studies

I’m here, what’s over there?

This term, Year One students will be exploring Geography, looking specifically at natural, managed and constructed features of the environment. We have started mapping as a way of recognising elements of our surroundings and will be questioning why we find particular things in particular areas.

Starting small, students redesigned the classroom and justified why they arranged it in this new way. Throughout the term, we will gradually move to bigger areas such as Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong and Australia, making comparisons of what we discover in different areas.

Dates to remember