What an exciting adventure it has been in Year 1B so far this year! The students entered Year 1 with wonder and in awe. They were exposed to the expanse of the Primary School, students from Year 1 to Year 6, designated play areas, formal uniforms, a canteen which they discovered that they could visit all on their own, Friday assemblies and lots and lots of new and exciting learning experiences in the classroom. They have enjoyed developing their Literacy and Mathematics skills through play-based learning, and at times, through a more formalised routine.
Just recently, we looked back on our written work and made comparisons between our individual ability a few months ago, to what we can produce now. Each student was filled with a sense of pride and they thoroughly enjoyed sharing and comparing. It is so rewarding when a student shoots up their hand in the middle of any given lesson, to announce what a noun or verb is, to recite the spelling of a word that has been a challenge, or to tell me about the life cycle of a chicken.
In Year 1, we were fortunate to have an incubator for 2 weeks, filled with 10 eggs. Over the days, we watched and compared the eggs, as they began to move, to crack and eventually as our little chicks made their way out of their egg shells and into the world. We felt such pride as our foster “babies”, one by one, graced us with their fluffy presence. In those 2 weeks, we learnt so much about eggs, chicks and their life cycle. We learnt how to take care of them, not only once they had hatched but even as eggs in the incubator. This experience made us reflect on God’s wonderous world and all that He has created in it.
As this Semester commences, we are learning more and more about other farm animals as well as bees and snails. We are learning where these farms are found in Western Australia, how the weather and seasons affect the animals as well as learning so much about the rights of animals. As we travel our journey of inquiry into food from a farm, not only do our investigatory senses grow and develop, but we are learning so much about literacy and mathematics. We have buddy class with Year 5 once a week and our older peers have contributed so much to our learning. God has given us SUCH a magnificent earth and we cannot wait to continue discovering.
