2025 Term 1 - A Look Inside Our Learning This Term

Dear Parents,

This newsletter is designed to give you a deeper insight into some of the key learning areas your child will be exploring this term. While these are not all of the subjects we cover, they are some of the most prominent topics we will focus on in class.

We also want to highlight ways you can support your child’s learning at home. Many of the online programs we use, such as Mathspace, Literacy Pro, Timestables.com, and Sound Waves, are accessible to students from home. Encouraging regular practice and discussing what they are learning can greatly enhance their confidence and progress.

If you have any questions about these topics or how you can further support your child’s learning, please feel free to reach out.

Mr. Forbes & Mr. Schönherr

Helping Your Child Access Their TMC Account from Home

Logging into school accounts from home can sometimes be tricky. If your child encounters a login issue, they may need to use their Student ID code first. This can be found on their Student Card (beneath the barcode) or on their bag tag.

When prompted for an Employee ID, enter the last five digits of the Student ID code.

For step-by-step instructions, visit https://www.tmc.qld.edu.au/resources/for-students/it-howtos and look for the 'Access from Home' page.

ENGLISH

English writing

Our class will be exploring narrative writing by studying the techniques of renowned author J.K. Rowling, using Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone as inspiration. By analysing her storytelling style, students will develop their own creative writing skills to craft engaging fantasy stories.

How Will Students Build Their Narrative Writing Skills?

• Understanding Narrative Purpose & Genres – Exploring why we write stories and the different types of narratives.
• Examining Story Structure – Breaking down how great stories are built, from beginning to end.
• Exploring Language Features – Identifying techniques that bring stories to life.
• Creating Vivid Settings & Characters – Using descriptive language to build immersive worlds and believable characters.
• Developing a Strong Plot – Planning a narrative with a setting, characters, and a problem to solve.
• Crafting Attention-Grabbing Openings – Learning how to hook readers right from the start.
• Collaborative & Independent Writing – Writing narratives in pairs before applying skills to independent stories.
• Editing & Proofreading – Learning how to refine writing for clarity, structure, engagement, and of course punctuation.

By following these steps, students will build confidence as creative writers, using the skills of a world-famous author as inspiration.

English spelling

our class is using Sound Waves, a research-based spelling program that helps students develop strong phonics, spelling, and word recognition skills.

What is Sound Waves?

Sound Waves is a systematic phonics program that teaches students to break words into sounds (phonemes) and recognise spelling patterns. This approach helps students spell words accurately and improve their reading fluency.

How Does It Help Students?

• Sound-Based Learning – Students learn how letters and sounds work together to form words.
• Builds Spelling Confidence – The program focuses on patterns and rules, making spelling easier to understand.
• Supports Reading and Writing – Strong spelling skills improve reading fluency and writing accuracy.

How Can Parents Support at Home?

• Encourage your child to practise their weekly Sound Waves words.
• Play word games that focus on sounds and spelling patterns.
• Ask your child to break words into sounds when they spell.

Sound Waves is a fantastic tool for strengthening literacy skills.

English reading

Our class will be using Scholastic Literacy Pro, an online reading program designed to develop students' reading comprehension and encourage a love of reading.

What is Literacy Pro?

Literacy Pro is an adaptive reading program that helps students find books at the right level for their reading ability. It provides personalised recommendations, comprehension quizzes, and tracks progress to ensure students are reading books that challenge and engage them.

How Does Literacy Pro Help Students?

• Personalised Reading Levels – The program assesses each student’s reading ability and recommends books suited to their level.
• Improves Comprehension – After reading, students complete short quizzes that check their understanding and encourage deeper thinking about the text.
• Encourages a Love of Reading – With access to a wide range of books, students can explore topics they enjoy while improving their skills.
• Tracks Progress – Literacy Pro provides real-time data on reading growth, helping students and teachers set and achieve goals.

How Can Parents Use Literacy Pro at Home?

• Encourage Daily Reading – Aim for at least 15-20 minutes of reading each day to build fluency and comprehension.
• Check Your Child’s Progress – You can see what books they are reading and how they’re doing on quizzes.
• Discuss Books Together – Ask your child about their book, their favourite part, or what they think will happen next to build comprehension skills.
• Celebrate Achievements – Recognising their progress and effort can boost motivation and confidence.

Literacy Pro is a valuable tool that helps students become confident and capable readers.

MATHS

Maths times tables

To support our students' Maths learning, we use Timestables.com, a free online platform that helps students practise and master their times tables in an engaging way.

What is Timestables.com?

Timestables.com provides interactive games, quizzes, and practice exercises to help students build fluency with multiplication facts. It is designed to make learning fun and effective.

How Does It Help Students?

• Engaging and Interactive – Students can practise in a game-based format that keeps them motivated.
• Step-by-Step Learning – The site introduces times tables progressively, reinforcing skills through repetition.
• Builds Confidence – Mastering times tables helps with faster mental Maths and overall problem-solving skills.

How Can Parents Support at Home?

• Encourage regular practice (just 5-10 minutes a day can make a big difference).
• Use the speed tests and quizzes to track progress.
• Play times tables games together for extra engagement.

Timestables.com (https://www.timestables.com/) is a great tool for building strong Maths foundations.

Maths understanding and skills

Our class will be using Mathspace, an interactive online Maths platform designed to support student learning and build confidence in mathematical concepts.

What is Mathspace?

Mathspace is a digital learning tool that provides step-by-step guidance and personalised feedback as students work through Maths problems. Unlike traditional worksheets, Mathspace allows students to enter their working-out process, receiving hints and corrections along the way. This helps them understand not just the final answer, but the reasoning behind it.

How Does Mathspace Help Students?

• Personalised Learning – Mathspace adapts to each student's level, providing targeted questions and explanations based on their progress.
• Instant Feedback – Students receive immediate guidance, helping them correct mistakes in real-time and develop a deeper understanding of concepts.
• Engaging and Interactive – The platform includes videos, worked examples, and quizzes that make learning more engaging.
• Curriculum-Aligned – Mathspace is aligned with the Australian Curriculum, ensuring that all activities directly support what we are covering in class.

How Can You Use Mathspace at Home?

• Check Progress – Parents can log in to see what topics their child is working on and track their achievements.
• Encourage Independence – Because Mathspace provides hints and explanations, students can build confidence in problem-solving without needing direct answers from adults.
• Use the Videos – If a student is struggling with a concept, the built-in videos offer clear explanations that reinforce classroom learning.
• Celebrate Success – Recognising your child's progress, even small improvements, can boost their motivation and enjoyment of Maths.
• Term 1 focus - Chapters 1, 2 and 3.

Mathspace is a fantastic resource for building numeracy skills and supporting students at their own pace. If you have any questions about how to use it at home, feel free to reach out.

In Term 1 we will focus on Chapter 

Science

This term in Science, we are exploring the fascinating world of light through hands-on experiments and investigations. Students will learn how light travels, how shadows form, and how light can be reflected and refracted.

What Will Students Be Learning?

• How Light Behaves – Understanding that light travels in a straight line and interacts with different materials in interesting ways.
• Shadows, Reflection & Refraction – Investigating how shadows form, how light bounces off surfaces, and how it bends through water and glass.
• Scientific Thinking & Experimentation – Posing questions, making predictions, and testing ideas through fair and repeatable investigations.
• Real-World Connections – Looking at how scientists use data to explain how light works and how discoveries in light technology impact our daily lives.

Through these activities, students will develop essential Science inquiry skills, think critically, and work collaboratively to explore the wonders of light.