Welcome back to the new school year. This newsletter is to help keep you informed about the curriculum for the grade and the day-to-day activities of the grade.

Please be aware that due to the current COVID restrictions, this year parent information sessions will take a different format. This newsletter highlights all the necessary Term 1 information for your child, however, if you have any questions and would like to engage in a “meet and greet” phone call with your child’s teacher please follow the link below and they will be in contact with you as soon as possible. Please complete by 3pm on Wednesday 16 February 2021.

A “meet and greet” conversation is a ten minute phone conversation to discuss your child’s start to the year and for your child’s class teacher to clarify any questions you may have about your child’s school year. It is not a report on your child’s progress at this stage of the year.

Click to complete the Year Four 

2022 Year Four Grade Google Form

This term the following teachers will be supporting learning in Year 4:

*Teachers work under the structure of an Enterprise Agreement that includes a number of entitlements. One of these is the engagement in Profession Planning Time (PPT) where they are released from class to carry out other professional responsibilities. Each full time teacher is entitled to the equivalent of 2 hours PPT each week, or a pro-rata thereof for part time teachers. Therefore, all students operate across the school week with at least two teachers engaging in the classroom program of learning.

This Curriculum Outline is designed to communicate what your child is learning so you can support them at home this term. At Good Samaritan, we believe that the partnership between you as parents and our teachers are the most important influences on your son’s or daughter’s education.

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for setting and monitoring quality teaching, learning, assessment and school standards across NSW public, Catholic and independent schools. NESA also develops Kindergarten to Year 12 syllabuses for NSW schools. Syllabuses identify: the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes students are expected to develop at each stage; what students are expected to know and do; Learning across the curriculum areas: cross-curriculum priorities, general capabilities and other important learning for all students.

At Good Samaritan we have a K-6 Scope & Sequence of learning which supports the implementation of the NESA Syllabuses. Below, is an outline of the Key Learning Area content & skills being taught this term.

All students take part in Religious Education Programs. The school also provides other opportunities for students to express and deepen their Faith through school Masses, liturgies, prayer and in Christian service and witness within their school environment and the wider community. 

Religious Education follows a curriculum set and approved by the Bishop of the Diocese in conjunction with the Catholic Education Office.

This term in Religious Education, Year 4  will be engaging in the following units:

Unit: Vision and Mission The Good Samaritan

Students will learn:

As an introduction to the new school year, the students will revise the Parable of the Good Samaritan and reflect on ways they can be like the Good Samaritan in their daily lives. This unit of work is integrated with our PB4L Behaviour Matrix to enable students to see how they too can show love and compassion.

Unit: Living the Law of Love

Students will learn:

This unit explores the ‘law of love’. It begins by recalling with students the purpose of rules in groups and communities. It then examines the Ten Commandments, focussing on their purpose and principles for living in relationship with God and each other. This forms the basis for introducing and exploring Jesus’ ‘new commandment’ with reference back to the Commandments. The unit leads to a deeper understanding of how the Commandments and Jesus’ ‘new commandment’ guide us in living in relationship with God and others.

Unit:Lent: A Time To Make Choices

Students will learn:

This unit focuses on the Liturgical Season of Lent as a time to reflect on how we live our lives. It explores choices and their impact on our growth and conversion. It teaches about the sacrament of Penance. The unit then reviews the events of Holy Week through the Scriptural Stations of the Cross.

English is the Key Learning Area where students develop knowledge, skills and understandings about English language and literature. The students will be actively engaged in the development of skills through:

This term in English, Year 4 will be engaging in the following:

exploring ways authors organise their texts and carefully use language features and visuals to engage the reader for their desired purpose. The children will use these techniques to create their own written and digital imaginative texts and learn to utilise more sophisticated methods to communicate their ideas . 

There will be a focus on comprehension strategies during our reading episodes as we engage with a podcast text and learn to infer, question, make connections and critically analyse aspects of oral storytelling. 

Grammar, spelling and oral language skills will be focused on building rich and meaningful vocabulary which is both technically correct and creatively crafted. 

Children will have opportunities to work in a whole class, small group, individually and collaboratively throughout the term with additional support given at points of need.

Students should be encouraged to read at home. Here are some tips:

1. Read funny things
2. Read anything anywhere
3. Talk to your children about what they have read
4. Follow their interests
5. Read regularly 
6. Read for pleasure
7. Make time to listen to your child read out loud. ASK them about the book they are reading.
8. Variety is the spice of life!
9. Make a dedicated reading space in the home
10. Talk with your child’s teacher if you have concerns over their learning or social emotional well being. There are many things that can stand in the way of children learning to their full potential and often we find the pieces of the puzzle come together when we do. 

An essential component of Mathematics is the development of students’ ability to Work Mathematically. This includes the skills of Communicating, Problem Solving, Reasoning, Understanding and Fluency. 

Students’ ability to work mathematically is developed through the achievement of outcomes and working with content of the Mathematics K-6 Syllabus. Content is organised within the following content strands: 

This term in Mathematics, Year 4  will be engaging with the following substrands: Whole Number, Addition and Subtraction, Patterns and Algebra, Multiplication and Division and Data. 

It is important that students are competent in their knowledge of times tables. Here are some tips:

1. Hang up a times table sheet (in the toilet)
2. Teach your kids some tricks
3. Listen to some fun songs
4. Quiz them regularly, but not incessantly
5. Reward their efforts

The objectives and outcomes of the Geography Syllabus are based on courses of study across Kindergarten to Year 6. The organisation of content for the stages in primary school is as follows:

Geography is taught in Terms Three and Four.

The outcomes, concepts and skills of the History Syllabus are based on courses of study across Kindergarten to Year 10. The organisation of content for the stages in primary school is as follows:

Year 4 will be focusing on History outcomes in Term 2. Parents will be informed of the units in Term 2 that  we  will be engaging in. 

The outcomes and content in the Science and Technology Syllabus are organised in the following strands and substrands:

 This term in Science & Technology, Year 4  will be engaging in the syllabus unit Living Things: Students will learn to describe how living things depend on each other and the environment to survive. In particular how bees play a crucial role in our food chain. Additionally, students will investigate and compare advancing technologies used in food and fibre production in Australian agriculture and those used in traditional agriculture.

The Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus is organised within the following strands: 

 This term in Creative Arts, Year 4  will be engaging in: Music

Year 4 will be exploring technologie's influence on popular music through the use of ICT and other sound sources to explore musical concepts (beat, rhythm, structure, body percussion). Students will analyse, question, create and perform music through a range of mediums to expand their musical vocabulary to recognise and express a composer's intention behind their work. Students will be using Garageband on their iPads

During Term 1, students will be exploring West African Cyclic patterns. Students will gain the  ability to perform rhythmic patterns and with a strong sense of pulse through West African cyclic music. Throughout this topic, students will develop their theoretical understanding of cyclic terms and specific techniques; and performance ability by using a range of percussion instruments- specifically the djembe. This unit is broken into three section which develops and builds upon their understanding: 

• How does some music use cyclic patterns?
• How can different sounds be used rhythmically?
• Can we make our own cyclic pattern?

Students will be assessed on their ability to work collaboratively, explain relevant terms learnt throughout the unit and show learnt techniques and skills through performance and theoretical understanding.

Students at Good Samaritan engage in Physical Education/Sport each week. All students participate in the School Athletics and Cross Country Carnivals. Eligible students participate in the Swimming Carnival. After these carnivals squads are chosen to represent the School at Regional and Diocesan Carnivals. Students can then be selected to compete at MacKillop and State levels. Good Samaritan has a clear policy regarding student participation in sporting gala days and representation at competitive sports. Parents are asked to become familiar with this policy. 

This term in  PE, (Physical Education) Year 4  will be engaging in: 

PE - Get Active

Students will perform and apply critical and creative thinking to generate, create and access solutions to movement challenges and refine movement skills in a variety of situations. The students will focus on throwing and catching, AFL and Volleyball skills. Cross country running skills will also be developed throughout this unit in preparation for the school Cross Country Carnival. 

This term in PDH Year 4 will be engaging in:

opportunities to develop their self-management and interpersonal skills, including leadership, communication, collaboration, problem-solving, persistence and decision-making through movement and physical activity. 

This term in PDH, Year 4 will be involved in two units that focus on the  content strands of “Health, Wellbeing & Relationships” and “Healthy, safe and active lifestyles”. 

The first unit involves supporting a whole school approach (PB4L) to explicitly teaching the following social and emotional skills as well as skills essential for classroom expectations. 

Topics include: 

Active listening - What do good listeners do, Following teachers instructions

Good communication - What good speakers do, Communicating with teacher/adults, Communicating with peers, the role of Verbal & non-verbal communication, Asking for help

Group work - Think, pair, share class strategy, Partner work, Small group work

Managing challenges - Agreeing and disagreeing, staying on task 

Zones of Regulation - Role of emotions, managing emotions.

Our second unit focuses on Personal Identity/ Relationships/ Mental Health & Wellbeing Students explore how success, challenge and overcoming adversity strengthens identity. They investigate how emotional responses vary in depth and strength and describe how  their own and other’s skills and strategies contribute to healthy and safe outcomes. This is taught through the concept of “Growth Mindset”.

‘Growth Mindset’ is a concept, based on the research of Dr Carol Dweck and is primarily supporting students to develop resilience.  Resilience is an important quality for children to develop if they are going to flourish. According to Carol Dweck’s research, people have two different mindsets: a fixed mindset or a growth mindset. A fixed mindset is the belief that intelligence can't be changed. A growth mindset is the belief that success is the result of practice, effort and hard work.

 PE: Adapting Physical Activity

Students will adapt movement skills to improve accuracy and control in a variety of contexts. Students will participate and use equipment in a variety of games and modified sports including skills needed for participating in AFL and Volleyball. Students will focus on throwing and catching skills and cross country running skills in preparation for the school Cross Country Carnival.

It is recommended that students read for at least 20 minutes, revise times tables and complete any unfinished daily tasks. Homework tasks will increase term by term in preparation for high school.

Please support your child to be Ready to Learn each day by ensuring he/she has the following:

stationary supplies, iPad (charged) , water bottle, hat and notes returned promptly.

All students are expected to be neatly dressed in their school uniform or sports uniform each day. Classroom teachers will monitor the wearing of the uniform on a day-to-day basis and inappropriate dress will be brought to the attention of the student and, where necessary, parents. 

This term students are to wear the correct Summer/Winter uniform.

GOOD SAMARITAN CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL UNIFORM

Students are also expected to wear the correct Sports Uniform on sports days:

ALL ITEMS OF UNIFORM MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE CHILD’S NAME

Ongoing communication between school and home is essential. The school aims to work in partnership with the home and recognises that parents wish to be informed of any problems. Likewise, there is a need for parents to keep the school informed of any events that may impact on the life of their child at school.

Through this mutual communication we aim to provide a safe and supportive environment for your child.

1. If you have any educational/behaviour concerns about your child always contact your child’s classroom teacher in the first instance. Your child’s classroom teacher will always make contact with you if they have any concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. 
2. Grades and classes across the school are supported by Middle Leaders. You are welcome to contact the Middle Leader/s responsible for your child’s class/grade if you have continued concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. The Middle Leaders will also contact you when and if necessary.

Middle Leaders 2021

3. If the issue remains unresolved beyond the Middle Leader then please address your concern/s to the Assistant Principal or the Principal. 

4.Parents may contact teachers by email via the school office (info@gsfmdow.catholic.edu.au) but are asked to understand that a response may not be immediate and certainly cannot be expected beyond the regular hours of the school day or week. 

At Good Samaritan, we believe it is important to speak with parents either in a face-to-face meeting or over the phone when responding to emails that may be of a sensitive nature or that may require a lengthy response. Therefore, the email response you receive may be of a generic nature. 

5. Parents are asked to understand that the teacher’s primary responsibility throughout the school day is towards the students. Therefore, teachers are unable to engage in discussion when they are in direct supervision of students.

For any absence the school must receive notification of the reason for the absence within 7 days of the return to school. This applies for partial absences as well as whole day absences. Please supply the reason via Compass. In the event that a notification is not supplied the absence will be recorded as Unjustified/Unexplained.

8th February- Tennis and Basketball trials

14th-18th February- Teacher/Parent Introduction Week

18th February- Year 6 School Leadership Liturgy

28th February- Catholic Schools Week

2nd March- Ash Wednesday Mass

4th March- Primary Football Rugby League and Netball Trials

4th March- Clean up Australia Day

21st March- Harmony Week

25th March- Holy Spirit College Year 7 Enrichment testing for 2023

8th April- Holy Week Liturgy and Easter Hat Parade/Last day of Term One