Sy n dal Sou th Pri mar y School

Montgomery Avenue, Mount Waverley Telephone (03) 9802 5277 Fax (03) 9886 1301

Term 4 - Level 3 Newsletter

Welcome back to our final term for the year. We cannot believe how quickly the year has passed. The Level Three teachers are very
proud of the wonderful work ethic that has been displayed within the cohort and how the students use the school values to guide their
choices. We are looking forward to camp in December, where students will be able to demonstrate the understandings they have developed about our school values. Go Syndal!
Rebecca Stonehouse-Melke, Flavia Petrucci, Kate Richardson, Danielle Canavan and Justine Hagen

Term 4 Important Dates

October 24th
October 29th
Nov 3rd
Dec 9th 11th
Dec 18th
Dec 18th

School Fete
Count Us In Sing along
Melbourne Cup holiday
Grade 3/4 Camp Phillip Island
Reports go home
Last day 1.30pm finish

English
Reading
Students are familiar with the routine of the CAF reading program and are developing self-monitoring skills and the
ability to choose Good fit books that interest them. They enjoy and appreciate texts in a range of ways, including listening to audio books, reading to others and reading to self. Students also participate in Readers Theatre sessions where
they practice reading with expression. They participate in reading strategy groups that develop a range of reading strategies based on identified needs.

Writing
Students will use their Writers Notebooks to explore seeds which can be used for future writing. They will think deeply
about their seeds using a range of thinking strategies, providing the foundations for writing narratives, recounts, persuasive, informative or poetry. Students will explore a range of text types with a particular focus on different types of informative texts. Students will explore a range of ways to publish their writing, including using digital tools. Grade 4 students will continue to work towards getting their pen licences.

Spelling
Students will create their own weekly personal words derived from words from their writing, class lists and inquiry unit
vocabulary. A range of phonic, visual and meaning based spelling strategies will be explored in class and students will
have the opportunity to practice their spelling words using the Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check method. Students will
explore words containing silent letters, suffixes, homophones and high frequency words. Weekly spelling tests will be
conducted.

Grammar and punctuation

Students explore and practice using quotation marks, expand their writing vocabulary by using a range of technical and
descriptive words and explore and practice using collective nouns.

Speaking and Listening

Circle Time will be used as a platform for students to share, discuss, present views, make choices and justify them, explain and express opinions and recount experiences. Students will explore values, feelings and emotions through a series
of activities based on Values Cards.
Students will have an opportunity to discuss important issues around the school in SRC meetings and practice listening
to other students ideas and building from them. They will participate in Readers Theatre sessions where they will develop skills as expressive and fluent readers.

Class Blogs - Students will communicate through their class blog.

3/4C - http://34c2015.weebly.com/

3/4R - http://www.2015class34r.weebly.com/

3/4H - http://awesomethreefourh.weebly.com/

3/4S - http://34s2015.weebly.com/

3/4P - http://34p2015.weebly.com/

Inquiry
In Term 4 our Inquiry topic is How Can I Investigate My Passion? In this unit students will get the
opportunity to pursue and investigate their own
chosen passion. In the introduction of the unit we
will show students a video about Ryans Well, a
child who was so passionate about ensuring everyone was able to have clean drinking water that he
created a foundation and set up a well in a Ugandan village. Students will look at and refer back to
essential questions such as, what is a lifelong learner? What do independent, lifelong learners do?
How can I become an independent learner? Why
should I reflect on my learning? Why is communicating our learning important? It is important for
students to understand that we are all different and
we are interested in a variety of different topics. Fat
and skinny questions will be used along with a variety of thinking tools to assist students in going further, using deeper thinking skills and also how to
think critically. They will keep a record/document
their progress and write down steps that will keep
them on track. This teaches students the importance of self-management and how to use a
wide range of resources. It also teaches them the
importance of being lifelong learners who share
their discoveries.
Fete Success
Congratulations to all the parents and students
who helped with our magnificent fete. It was
an extraordinary day and celebration of the
fantastic community spirit at Syndal. A huge
thankyou to our parents who represented the
level on the fete committee. Without your tireless efforts in the lead up to the fete, with the
washing and sorting of toys and treasure not
trash, the setting up and then packing away on
the day of the fete, we would not have had
such amazing stalls. Here is a picture from the
Haunted House for those who didnt make it
inside!
Well done team.

Maths
This term in Maths our learning focus will be
in the following areas

Number & Algebra: Decimals, Fractions and

the relationship between multiplication and
division.

Measurement & Geometry: Volume, Capacity and Mass - measuring, ordering and comparing objects, Grid mapping and Symmetry.

Statistics & Probability: Data representation

and interpretation.
We will also spend some time revising and
practising previous concepts learnt.
Grade 3/4 Camp
The camp is quickly approaching and many
parents often ask how can they prepare their
child for camp?
The suggestion that the teachers recommend is
to provide opportunities for your child to have
sleepovers at family and friends houses beforehand. This helps to alleviate any anxiety that a
student may have on camp as they have then
practised sleeping away from home.
This also supports the students, staff and parents on camp.
Library
In Library students will choose 4 Good fit
books two fiction and two non-fiction. Students will have an opportunity to discuss their
favourite stories and listen to a variety of genres.

Specialists Timetable
Kate Richardson

3/4 S Rebecca
StonehouseMelke

Justine Hagan

9:00 - 10:00am

11:30 - 12:30pm

2:30 - 3:30pm

10:00 - 11:00am

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

11:30 - 12:30pm

12:30 - 1:30pm

9:00 - 10:00am

10:00 - 11:00am

11:30 - 12:30pm

Monday

Friday

Friday

Friday

Friday

Music

3:00 - 3:30pm

12:00 - 12:30pm

1:00 - 1:30pm

2:30 - 3:00pm

12:30 - 1:00pm

Thursday

Wednesday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

PE

2:30 - 3:30pm

11:30 - 12:30pm

9:00 - 10:00am

9:00 - 10:00am

12:30 - 1:30pm

Friday

Friday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Friday

9:00 - 10:00am

11:30 - 12:30pm

12:30 - 1:30pm

10:00 - 11:00am

2:30 - 3:30pm

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

Wednesday

R.E

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Recorder

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Thursday

Visual Arts
Library

Japanese

3/4 C

3/4 P

3/4 R

Danielle Canavan

Flavia Petrucci

12:30 - 1:30pm

Art Program - Merrilyn Mann

Outline of what is happening in the Art
Room this term:
The focus in art lessons this term is for the
student to create 3 dimensional art works
from paper, card and recycled materials.
Students will work independently as well
as in small groups to create paper sculptures and pets from clay and pebbles.
Students will also have the opportunity
this term to work on their own individual
3D project using mixed materials.
All students in Year 3 and 4 have contributed through design or painting to create
a class painting for the Syndal South Fete.
These paintings were auctioned on the
day of the Fete. Each class canvas is based
on the designs on the theme that the
class decided upon. Also the Show bags
were decorated by the students for the
Fete.
As many of the paints and art materials
are difficult to wash out of the school uniforms please ensure that your child has an
art shirt that adequately covers the school
uniform.

Sport/P.E - Viv Potter and Charlie

Kenez

3/4 H

Music - Glenys Ferguson

Music in term 4 celebrates the variety

of skills the students have acquired in
Term 4 weekly PE sessions will be focussed on ball striking skills through
music as performers. They will continue
sessions on cricket, tennis and T-ball. In to sing in the 3/4 choir and play the
their fortnightly sport sessions, sturecorders. It was fantastic to hear them
dents will be able to put their skills to
perform at the School Fete on Saturday.
the test in games of Danish Rounders,
The students will also be performing on
Cricket, T-ball and Softball, and to also Thursday 29th October at 12:00pm in
enhance their knowledge of these
the BER at the 'Count Us In' Concert. In
sports and associated skills and tactics. classes, the students will create their
Grade 4's will continue their fortnightly own music or sound scapes. They will
Bike Ed sessions. We are pleased with
sing a variety of songs and also play on
the progress that the students have
the xylophones.
been making and the on-road sessions
will prepare them for the On-Road Test Japanese - Eriko Miyagi
at the end of term. Continued practice
out of school hours will support the
Topic: Japanese traditional toys and
program and allow the students to
plays. Students will participate in the
make automatic what they have
following:
learned during the in-school sessions.
- Investigate how to play Kendama (cup
Many thanks to those parents who are & ball) and Ohajiki (marbles)
helping with this program, it is much
- Role play: Lets play with... and I am
appreciated and makes it possible to
very good at playing with...
run Bike Ed. At least 12 helpers
- Make a BYUN BYUN GOMA (spinning
(without bikes!) will be required to as- top).
sist with the On Road Test at the end of - Self-introduction animation using an
Term - please let Mr Kenez or Mrs
iPad app.
Potter know if you can help! Our nor- Christmas Origami activity
mal Joggers Club and Ride/Walk to
- Japanese New Years activity
School programs will continue. As you - Hiragana time 46 Hiragana characcan see, it is another HUGE term in SSPS ters with words
Sport - stay tuned to the Rocket for
updates on all things sport!