Year 1

MRS ANNETTE CHATFIELD year 1 coordinator

How quickly 2018 has come and gone! It seems like only yesterday, Year 1 teachers faced a barrage of excited little boys as they eagerly raced to their Year 1 classrooms. These little balls of energy soon settled down and began the year with positivity and determination.

We watched with delight as our boys grew academically and socially; organising themselves, following classroom routines and rising to meet a variety of challenges. It is amazing so see how they rise to the occasion when given opportunities to display independence.

We learnt many things this year but some of our most favourite topics were in Science and HASS.

In Science, we made predictions about the way materials change when they are bent, pulled and pushed. Dr Joe, the scientist, visited and we saw clouds moving across the floor and liquids changing colours. Exploring the way food can change was certainly fun, too. We touched and squeezed cooked pasta and observed chocolate and icy poles melt into sticky, gooey messes. Best of all we ate a (jelly) frog in the pond and snacked on warm, fluffy popcorn. We certainly enjoyed several delicious outcomes!

Our students were captivated when we began our study of living things. We researched a variety of animals and plants to consider their similarities and differences and determine how we know when something is alive. The boys watched amazing movie clips on a variety of insects and animals and researched to discover facts about living things. Using computers, they typed up information sheets with pictures of their animals and, working with their families, created amazing dioramas that impressed their teachers and many older boys. Some of our newly “discovered” creatures even had scientific names. We planted pumpkin, carrot and sunflower seeds; crossing our fingers that they would grow big and strong. Each day our boys would run to check their plants and there was much excitement when the first signs of a pumpkin appeared. It began to look a little like we were being overtaken by vines as they crept along our walkway.

In the early part of the year, we spent time comparing the way people lived in the past to the way people live today. There was a cry of disbelief when our boys realised that it wasn’t so long ago that there was no such thing as McDonalds, Alexa and Google! A highlight was a visit to the Mudgeeraba Hinterland Museum where we enjoyed exploring the way people lived in

Australia in the early 1900’s. There was lots of excitement when we looked at telephones, fridges, furniture and toys. We even had the opportunity to use typewriters, and many boys were surprised to learn that you needed a great deal of effort to push those keys down!

In HASS we learned about natural, managed and constructed features. We visited the Southport Broadwater Parklands; observing the way it was being used and we considered the importance of maintaining and caring for this popular community space. We enjoyed walking around the park and there were many delighted squeals when we took to the jumping pillow and rolled down grassy slopes. Many boys tackled those slopes several times before we could drag them away.

Art lessons were always a fun time. This year our boys turned their minds and hands to making beautiful clay birds that nestled in little nests. Funny little rabbit puppets brightened up classrooms and made the Year 1 teachers laugh. The art work that our boys really engaged with was their mixed media composition with miniscule bugs and gargantuan butterflies. They loved using those two “big” words and their work was simply fabulous. Throughout the year, we enjoyed athletics, cross country running and swimming. Our boys loved every opportunity to stretch their legs and participated in all physical education activities with gusto and good cheer. They loved having swimming lessons when the weather was warm and quickly improved their skills which should help them to be ready to face the challenges of a long hot summer.

We also had great fun in Book Week. Our costumes were amazing, and we shared a variety of lovely books. A small group of fabulous dads gave up their time to read books to us which we thoroughly enjoyed. When St Hilda’s students visited we made super crowns to wear. Together we made the most marvellous friendship chain which stretched right across the top of the Cribb balcony area. Some boys thought it might reach Brisbane!

And now, Christmas is upon us! When we look back over our year together, we marvel at our boys’ energy, optimism and thirst to learn. They have kept us very busy, making us cry with laughter and, sometimes, keeping us awake at night as we worried about them. We will miss each and every one of them as they move on to a new set of adventures in Year 2.

All the best for the coming years, boys!

YEAR 1A

SEATED ROW: S. THOMAS, J. MERRIFIELD, G. ZAGOREN, C. GRIFFITHS, W. HOWARD, A. SHEPHARD SECOND ROW: J. KIM, S. WOLBERS, K. RICE, S. MUKENYA, D. JONES, A. KAKAVAS, J. SHI THIRD ROW: E. PURZA-PAGE, E. MCDOUGALL, T. ROSSITER, C. FITCH, A. SMITH, B. LEICESTER ABSENT: J. ELLIS

YEAR 1C

SEATED ROW: S. DOUGLAS, J. MCDONALD, B. LYNTON, M. PELS, K. ZHENG, Z. FARAGALLAH, H. WILLEMSEN SECOND ROW: N. RAMEAU, M. HAMILTON-DEVJAK, B. GWILLIAM, S. MITROPOULOS, T. YOO, X. ROBINSON THIRD ROW: G. WAGNER, E. WALKER, O. PULLICH, C. POLETTO, O. LIN, C. HONG, O. DEVENCORN BASTOS

YEAR 1T

SEATED ROW: K. HO, J. MANTON, O. DYER, O. HILL, O. PRYSE LLOYD, S. RIGBY, E. GRASSICK SECOND ROW: L. LU, A. ACKROYD, K. BLACKBURNE, V. LEE, A. BRADNAM, S. WALSH THIRD ROW: R. CHOI, Z. HUANG, J. ZHANG, B. ISAKSSON, L. EASTMENT, E. BARR, C. COSGROVE

YEAR 1 W

SEATED ROW: A. ABDELSHAHIED, R. KHERN, S. SNELL, S. CONNORS, L. BERCICH, S. MU, R. DODHY SECOND ROW: H. GOOCH, M. ASHOMKA, M. RAMSDEN, J. BANNISTER, B. HILL, A. LI THIRD ROW: H. ZHENG, D. MALANDRIS, C. SELWOOD-DEBELAK, E. TAYLOR, O. GWYNNE, C. DRYSDALE, C. COMERFORD