A fully sequenced, ACARA v9.0-aligned after-school curriculum for students. Built directly on Reception Scholar Studio foundations — extending phonics into fluency, numeracy into place value and operations, and scholar identity into genuine intellectual confidence. Every session is intentional. Every week builds on the last.
Girls return as established scholars. Term 1 accelerates phonics into blends, digraphs and long vowels, launches structured narrative writing, and deepens numeracy into place value to 99 and addition/subtraction strategies. Enrichment: Visual Arts and Design Thinking — building on Reception's Creative Arts foundation with more sophisticated process and intent.
Running record baseline with individually matched decodable texts. Re-introduce Scholar's Journal — Year 1 format: 3 written sentences minimum. Oral language circle: 'The biggest thing I learned in Reception was...' Establish reading groups for Term 1.
Count on and back from any number to 20. Subitise dot patterns to 6. Missing number sequences. Ten-frame review. Record starting benchmark for each girl.
Revisit Reception self-portrait from portfolios if available. New portrait: pencil light underdrawing with mirror, then watercolour wash for skin tone mixing. Discussion: 'What do you see differently about yourself now?' These portraits open the Year 1 portfolio.
Explicit phonics: initial blends st, bl, cr, tr, pl, fl using sound boxes. Blend frames: _+at=flat, _+ip=drip. Word sorts: blend hunting in decodable texts. Elkonin boxes for segmenting. Running records adjusted to blend-heavy texts for L3+. Spelling: 8 blend words, say/cover/write/check.
Bundle 10 icy-pole sticks into a ten. Model 24 = 2 tens 4 ones. MAB base-10 blocks: represent numbers to 50 three ways (blocks, tens/ones table, numeral). Number of the day: 43 — represent in 5 different ways.
Architects use blueprints — top-down views. Each girl designs her ideal learning space on graph paper. Label: reading corner, making bench, stage, garden. Add a compass rose. Connect to numeracy: 'How many squares wide is your room?'
Introduce: sh says /sh/ not /s/+/h/. Kinesthetic: cover one letter, hear the blend vanish. sh: shop, fish, shell. ch: chip, much, chair. th voiced/unvoiced: this/thing. wh: when, where. Word hunt in classroom books. Write 2 sentences using a digraph word each.
Extend MAB work to 99. Represent 68 and 86 — what's different? Compare: which is more? Use > and <. Write expanded form (60+8) and word form. Number lines 0–100 introduced.
Take sketch pads outside to observe the school's buildings. Observe facades. Pencil sketch — horizon line, major rectangles, then detail. No rulers: freehand observation develops the eye. Return: ink outlines over pencil. Gallery display: 'your school in Line.'
Magic e 'bosses the vowel from far away.' Kinesthetic: hold the e card at arm's length — the vowel changes! Word ladders: hat→hate, pin→pine, hop→hope. Sort: cap/cape, bit/bite into two columns. Extend L4+: u_e (cube, tune) and e_e (eve). Write 4 sentences using magic e words. Fluency partner reading.
Count on strategy: 7+3, start at 7, count on 3. Doubles: 6+6=12, 7+7=14 — learn these cold. Near doubles: 6+7 = double 6 +1. Bridge to 10: 8+5 → 8+2+3 → 10+3=13. Match equation to best strategy — justify choice aloud.
Draw design on foam plate with blunt pencil (pressed lines). Roll ink with brayer. Press paper, pull slowly. Repeat for edition of 3. Key concepts: relief printing, edition, registration. Connect to reading: 'The e in magic e is like a stamp — it changes everything it touches from far away.'
ee: feet, green, sweet. ea: beach, dream, seat. oo: moon, boot vs oo: book, look (two sounds!). oa: boat, road, coat. Word sort into vowel teams. Read a decodable passage with all four patterns. L4+ investigate: why does 'oo' have two sounds? Spell 12 vowel team words from dictation.
Count back on number line: 14–3. Think addition: 15–8 = ? → 8+?=15. Bridge back through 10: 13–5 → 13–3=10, 10–2=8. Introduce 'difference': 16 and 9 — how far apart? Choose your strategy: justify to a partner.
Mix one colour with increasing white: 5-step tint scale on card strip. Then mix same colour with increasing black: 5-step shade scale. Compare: how does mood change from lightest to darkest? Connect to literature: 'If this story was a colour, what tint or shade would it be?'
HFW are words your brain must recognise instantly — no sounding out. Racing reads: time yourself, beat your score. HFW bingo. Oral sentence generation: 'Use was, they, where, because in one sentence.' Write from dictation: 10 HFW sentences. L4+: explain WHY some HFW can't be decoded (e.g. was, said) — irregular spelling patterns.
Build the bond wall: 0+20, 1+19, 2+18... all to 20. Spot the patterns — symmetric! Snap cards (two cards summing to 20). Story problems. Write the fact family: 13+7=20, 7+13=20, 20–7=13, 20–13=7.
Divide card into 6–8 regions with a single organic line (no lifting pen). Fill each region with one repeating pattern: dots, parallel lines, waves, bricks, spirals, scales, crosshatch, chevron. No two adjacent regions the same. Ink pens only. Connect: 'Pattern is mathematics you can see.'
Model mentor text: a 3-paragraph personal narrative. Teach: Orientation (who, when, where), Events (what happened — use time connectives: first, then, next, finally), Resolution (ending or lesson). Plan using story mountain. Draft: minimum 5 sentences. L4+: 3 paragraphs with reflective closing sentence.
Count by 2s starting from 3 (odd skip counting). Count 5s starting from 15. Count 10s starting from 34. Real-world: skip count 5-cent coins to 50c. Legs on 7 cows via skip counting. L4+: find patterns when you skip count by 3s.
Study 5 real book covers — identify: title position, illustration style, colour hierarchy, author placement. Design a cover for their personal narrative. Brief: 'Your cover must make someone want to read your story.'
Rule: every sentence starts with a capital and ends with . ? or ! Teach: statements end with ., questions with ?, exclamations with ! Edit task: un-punctuated paragraph — students rewrite correctly. Read aloud: prove punctuation by changing voice. Apply to own W07 narrative: self-edit and add punctuation.
Sort and name: 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, $1, $2 coins. Make amounts to $2 using fewest coins. Tuck shop simulation — purchase snacks, receive change. Make 85c using different coin combinations. L4+: show 3 different ways to make $1.70.
Air-dry clay: pinch pot (push thumb in centre, pinch walls even). Coil: roll sausage, layer and blend. Each girl makes one small vessel or creature — not a flat slab. Add texture with found objects before air-drying. Discuss: what can sculpture do that drawing cannot?
Distinguishing fact from opinion. Teach informational text structure: bold heading + topic sentence + 3 supporting facts + closing sentence. Each girl selects an Australian animal found on or near your school grounds. Research 3 verified facts from two provided sources. Draft paragraph using structure frame. Illustrate with labelled diagram.
Analogue clock: minute hand = long, hour hand = short. O'clock: minute hand points to 12. Half past: minute hand to 6 = 30 minutes gone. Match analogue to digital. Order a school day: wake up 7:00, school starts 8:30, lunch 1:00, Scholar Studio 3:30, dinner 6:00. L4+: quarter past and quarter to preview.
Information posters must work visually AND textually. Teach hierarchy: title biggest, subheadings medium, body smallest. Layout: rule of thirds. Key fact panel in a bordered box. Colour: 2–3 maximum. Illustration: realistic, not cartoon. Girls design their animal poster — begins here, completed during W10 where possible.
Running record (individually matched text). Phonics screen: read 20 nonsense words using blends, digraphs, and long vowels to isolate decoding from memory. HFW flash 1–50. Writing sample: 'Write about something that surprised you.' Score for: sentence structure, punctuation, spelling, ideas. Assign final L1–L6 Term 1 benchmark.
Written assessment: represent 45 three ways, compare 67 and 76, solve addition and subtraction word problems to 20 with strategy shown, identify coins and make $1.85, draw analogue clock for 4:30. Oral: skip count by 5s from 35, explain your subtraction strategy.
Arrange Term 1 artworks chronologically. Write one artist's statement: 'The artwork I am most proud of is ___ because ___. I learned ___.' Prepare for Term 1 Mini-Exhibition: mount work, add title labels. Parents invited at pickup — scholars are the tour guides.
Curiosity becomes methodology. Girls move from decoding into comprehension strategies — predicting, questioning, inferring, visualising. Numeracy enters 2-digit territory: place value to 120, ordering, and operations with larger numbers. Enrichment: Design Technology and science inquiry — students build, test, and iterate.
Model with a picture book: before reading, look at cover — 'What do I think this will be about?' During reading: sticky note questions. After: 'Was I right? What surprised me?' Girls practise predict-question-reflect with a partner on a non-fiction text. Record predictions in Scholar's Journal.
Count to 120 from 99: what happens after 99? Introduce 100, 110, 120 on extended number line. Locate 103, 117. Bundle to hundreds: 10 tens = 1 hundred. Use MAB: show 108 = 1 hundred, 0 tens, 8 ones. Compare 3 numbers to 120.
Design thinking: real problems need real thinking. Challenge: 'Design a snack container for Scholar Studio that keeps crackers from breaking.' Step 1: Empathise (what's the actual problem?). Step 2: Define — write a How Might We statement. Step 3: Ideate — generate 5 ideas, no editing. Term 2 will prototype and test across multiple weeks.
Good readers make movies in their minds. Read a descriptive passage aloud — no illustrations visible. Girls close eyes and visualise. Open eyes, draw scene in sketch boxes. Compare: all different — 'Why?' Authors use sensory language to guide visualisation. Highlight 3 sensory words in the text.
Order these: 34, 71, 19, 56, 43 from smallest to largest on a number line. Use > and <: 56 ___ 34. Find: what number is halfway between 40 and 60? Race: shuffle 10 number cards, race to order on the floor number line. L4+: order 6 numbers including 3-digit numbers to 120.
Constraint: 10 icy-pole sticks, 30cm masking tape. Goal: span a 15cm gap AND hold the most weight. Groups of 2. Plan (5 min), build (12 min), test with weighted coins. Record: how far? how heavy? Debrief: what structural principle worked (triangles, overlap, distribution)?
When you don't know a word: look BEFORE it, AFTER it, AT it (morphology). Teach: un- means not (unhappy), re- means again (rebuild), -ful means full of (hopeful). Practice passage with 8 challenging words. Guess from context, confirm with morphology. Build class Word Wall of new vocabulary.
Open number lines (no numbers, just endpoints). Mark starting point. Jump by 5s to reach 75 starting from 35 — how many jumps? Use number lines to add: 37+20 = jump 2 tens. Find missing numbers in sequences: 11, 13, __, 17, __, 21. L4+: count backwards by 5s from 100.
6 stations: cardboard, bubble wrap, foil, fabric, plastic, wood. Test each for: flexible? rigid? transparent? waterproof? smooth? rough? Record in a yes/no matrix. Which material would best protect your snack container? Link to Week 11 design challenge — update your design using findings.
Read: 'How Do Caterpillars Become Butterflies?' Identify structure: General statement → Sequential steps → Result. Key language: first, then, as a result, this causes, because of this. Jointly construct: 'How Does Rain Form?' Girls independently write: 'How do plants grow?' using 3–4 sequential steps. L4+: add cause-and-effect language and technical vocabulary.
27+5: on number line jump to 30 (+3), then +2 more = 32. With MAB: 27 = 2 tens 7 ones. Add 5 ones → 12 ones → trade 10 ones for 1 ten → 3 tens 2 ones = 32. Repeat: 38+7, 46+8, 55+6. Key concept: when ones exceed 9, we trade. Conceptual only with manipulatives.
A Rube Goldberg is an unnecessarily complex chain reaction. Design challenge: draw a 5-step machine that turns on a light. Label each step with cause→effect language from literacy. Must include at least 2 different forces (gravity, push, pull). Gallery walk: explain your machine to a peer.
Examine 3 non-fiction books. Identify: heading, subheading, caption, glossary, index, contents page. Navigate challenge: 'Find information about seed dispersal using the index.' Then: 'What does germinate mean? Use the glossary.' Girls create their own glossary of 5 science terms from Week 13–14 work.
Think addition: to solve 43–28, think 28+?=43. Count on from 28: +2 to 30, +13 to 43 → 15. Jump strategy on open number line. Which strategy is easier? Justify. L4+: solve 52–37 and 71–46 with chosen strategy and write an explanation of method.
Each girl plants one seed (bean, sunflower, or herb) in a biodegradable pot. Record in growth journal: date, seed type, observed size, soil preparation, water amount (measure in ml). Hypothesis: 'I predict my seed will sprout in ___ days because ___.' Set up class growth chart to update weekly.
Procedural texts must be precise. Key features: title, materials list, numbered steps with imperative verbs (cut, mix, stir, press), diagrams with captions. Jointly construct: 'How to Plant a Seed' (links to W15). Girls independently write: 'How to Make a Fruit Skewer' using numbered steps and imperative verbs. L4+: add diagrams with captions and a troubleshooting tip box.
A fraction must have EQUAL parts. Fold paper in half: 2 equal parts, each is ½. Fold again: 4 equal parts, each is ¼. Show unequal 'halves' — is this fair? No! Apply to shapes (fold and shade), then to collections: share 12 counters into halves (6 each), quarters (3 each). L4+: find the whole if ½ is 7.
Algorithm = a step-by-step set of instructions. BeeBot floor robots: program a simple path from A to B. Forward, backward, left turn, right turn — enter the sequence. Run it. Does it reach the destination? If not — debug. Connect to literacy: writing a procedure is writing an algorithm.
Compare: 'What is a whale?' (thin) vs 'How do whales communicate over long distances?' (thick). Thick questions require research and thinking. Each girl writes 3 research questions about her plant. Select the best one. Read 2 short provided texts — take notes using a 2-column chart (source | what I learned). Do NOT copy — look away, then write. L4+: identify gaps (what I still don't know).
Ruler technique: line up at 0, not the edge. Measure pencils, fingers, table width. Estimate first: 'I think this pencil is ___ cm.' Measure. Record. Compare estimates. Order 5 objects from shortest to longest. L4+: measure the perimeter of your Scholar's Journal — add all 4 sides.
Constraint: 20 newspaper sheets, 50cm masking tape. Goal: tallest free-standing structure. Rules: must support its own weight for 5 seconds. Plan (3 min). Build (12 min). Measure height. Iterate: 'What would you change?' Debrief: structural techniques — tubes stronger than flat sheets, triangles = rigid.
Using Week 17 research notes: write a factual report paragraph. Structure: topic sentence + 3 specific details + concluding sentence. Technical vocabulary: use the Glossary words from Week 15. Compare information from your two sources: 'Source A says ___, Source B says ___ — I conclude...' L4+: write 2 paragraphs with a subheading for each, using compare-and-contrast language.
Heft first: hold one object in each hand — which is heavier? Balance scales: which side goes down = heavier. Order 5 objects. Introduce grams: paperclip ≈ 1g, eraser ≈ 10g. Use kitchen scales to measure 5 objects in grams. Record: estimate, then measure. L4+: calculate the difference in mass between heaviest and lightest.
Revisit Week 11 design, updated with Week 13 materials science findings. Build the prototype using real materials. Test: put 4 crackers inside, drop from 30cm. Did they survive? Record result. Iterate if needed. Prepare a 60-second inventor's pitch: 'My invention is called ___, it solves ___, it is made from ___, it works because ___.'
Provide 2 texts on identical topic (e.g., bees): one factual report, one narrative story. Venn diagram: 'Both texts include ___, only the report includes ___, only the story includes ___.' Discuss purpose. Write a 4-sentence comparison using 'Both... However... While... The purpose is...' structure.
5 different containers: mug, bottle, bowl, jar, cup. Estimate order from smallest to largest — record estimates. Then measure: fill each with water, pour into measuring cup, read in ml. Record actual. Compare to estimates. Calculate difference: 'The bottle holds ___ ml more than the mug.' L4+: 'How many mugs of water fill the bottle?'
With clipboards, sketch books, and magnifying glasses: investigate a defined area of your school grounds. Data: count different species of insects, birds, plants. Sketch 3 living things with scientific accuracy — not cartoon. Label at least 3 observable features. Classify: producer/consumer. Collate class data into a tally chart.
Running record (updated level). Comprehension: read an unseen passage, answer 5 questions (literal, inferential, evaluative). Writing sample: 'Write an explanation of how something in nature works.' Score: structure, technical vocabulary, connectives, punctuation, ideas. Vocabulary check: identify 10 words from Term 2 Word Wall. Compare to Term 1 scores — show each girl her growth.
Written assessment: represent 117 with MAB, order 5 numbers to 120, add 46+8 with strategy shown, subtract 52–37, shade ¾ of a shape, find ¼ of 16, measure 3 lines in cm, identify heaviest from a mass table, arrange 4 containers in capacity order. Oral: skip count by 5s from 65, explain addition strategy.
Each girl delivers her 60-second inventor's pitch. Display table with prototype, labelled materials, design journey sketches (weeks 11, 13, 18), test results. Guests ask 2 questions — scholars answer as experts. Celebrate: Term 2 Science and Design display in the school foyer for one week.
Girls find their creative voice — in writing and on stage. Literacy deepens into character, dialogue, poetry, and persuasion. Numeracy enters geometry: 2D shapes, 3D objects, location, data, and patterns. Enrichment: Music and Drama using Kodaly and Dalcroze methods — every girl speaks and performs at Term 3 Performance Night.
Great stories need characters you care about. Build a character profile: name, age, what they look like, what they want, what they're afraid of, what makes them unique. Write a quick-write paragraph IN CHARACTER: 'My name is ___ and today...' Read aloud — does it sound like that character? Peer feedback: 'I believed your character when...'
Provide 10 mixed shapes. Sort by: number of sides, all sides equal, has right angles. Name: triangle (3), square (4, equal, right angles), rectangle (4, 2 pairs equal), pentagon (5), hexagon (6), rhombus (4 equal, no right angles). Draw and label each with sides and vertices counted. L4+: irregular shapes — is this still a hexagon?
Kodaly method: pitch names are syllables — do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-ti-do. Practise: teacher sings a pattern on solfege, students echo. Add body movement: do=pat knees, re=clap, mi=snap, fa=tap shoulders. Body percussion duets. Goal: match pitch and stay together. Every session builds toward the performance.
A setting is not just a place — it's an atmosphere. Model: 'The library smelled of old paper and possibility...' Teach 5-sense planning: before writing, fill a senses web for your setting. Girls choose a setting for their story. Write a 5-sentence paragraph — at least 3 different senses. Then: place their W21 character into that setting. What do they notice?
Handle real 3D objects: a dice (cube), tissue box (rectangular prism), ball (sphere), party hat (cone), tin (cylinder), pyramid block. Count and record: faces (flat surfaces), edges (where faces meet), vertices (corners). Table: shape | faces | edges | vertices. Discuss: sphere has 0/0/0 — why? L4+: which 3D object has the most vertices?
Dalcroze Eurhythmics: the body IS the instrument. Walk the beat (steady pulse). Run the rhythm (fast notes). Freeze on rest. Call and response: teacher claps pattern, students echo with movement. Music: vary tempo — do the bodies change? Goal: internalize rhythm physically before performing it.
Dialogue makes characters come alive. Rules: speech marks wrap the spoken words: "Come here," she said. New speaker = new line (indented). Reporting clause shows who spoke and how: whispered, shouted, replied. Avoid said — use alternatives. Model: write a 6-line dialogue between two characters (one from W21). Girls write an 8-line dialogue using their own characters. L4+: stage directions in brackets (like a script).
Grid maps: A1, B3, C2 — find the object. Give directions: 'Start at A1, move 2 squares east, 1 square north — what do you find?' Compass: N=up, S=down, E=right, W=left. NEVER EAT SHREDDED WHEAT (mnemonic). Draw a simple map of the classroom with a key. Give a partner 3 directions to follow.
Each girl's setting (from W22) needs a sound. What does it sound like? Layer 4 sound effects using only voice and body: footsteps (tap desk), wind (blow), rain (finger-tap), door creak (chair). Arrange into a 20-second soundscape: choose order and dynamics (loud/soft). Rehearse. Play for class — can they guess the setting?
Poetry does not have to rhyme. Free verse: organised by line breaks and imagery, not rhyme or meter. Read 3 poems aloud — notice how line breaks change meaning. Write a 6–8 line free verse poem about something they can see right now. Then: acrostic — first letter of each line spells a word. Write an acrostic for their full name. Illustrate both.
Class survey: choose 3 questions (favourite season? cat or dog? morning or afternoon?). Each girl tallies responses. Transfer tallies to pictograph (1 symbol = 1 vote) and bar graph (y-axis labelled). Read: 'Which was most popular? How many more liked ___ than ___?' L4+: write 3 interpretation sentences about the data.
Select a 4-character scripted play appropriate for Year 1. Assign roles — each girl has at least 4 lines. Read-through cold. Coach: volume (is the back row hearing you?), character voice (does she sound like this character?), pace (don't rush). Partner coaching pairs. Build toward Week 26 mini-play development.
Persuasion tries to change your mind. Structure: statement of position + 3 reasons with evidence + counter-argument + call to action. Key language: I believe, furthermore, however, you must see that, imagine if. Topic: 'Scholar Studio should have a pet rabbit.' Girls write a 5-sentence persuasive paragraph. L4+: write BOTH sides — argue FOR and then AGAINST, and decide which argument is stronger.
Repeating patterns: AB, ABB, AABB — describe the rule, extend by 4 more elements, create your own with shapes/colours. Growing patterns: 1, 3, 5, 7 (add 2 each time). 2, 4, 8, 16 (double each time). Find the rule. L4+: design a growing pattern and give a partner the first 3 elements — can they find the rule?
Choreography unit begins. A 16-beat phrase = 4 groups of 4 beats. Phrase 1: 4 walks. Phrase 2: 4 claps. Phrase 3: 2 walks + 1 turn + freeze. Phrase 4: arms open + step together + step apart + bow. Pairs learn together, then teach each other, then mirror. Performance standard: in time with a partner, clear shapes, facial expression.
CUPS is a systematic editing process. C = Capitalisation (every sentence, proper nouns). U = Usage (do the words make sense? does it flow?). P = Punctuation (full stop, ?, !, speech marks). S = Spelling (underline uncertain words, check). Girls apply CUPS to their W25 persuasive paragraph: count and fix errors in each category. Then CUPS a peer's paragraph — what did you catch that they missed?
Clock: 15 minutes = quarter of an hour. Quarter past 7 = 7:15. Quarter to 8 = 7:45. Draw both on analogue. Duration: 'School starts at 8:30, Scholar Studio starts at 3:30 — how many hours between?' Use a timeline. Write today's schedule with 5 time entries using quarter past and quarter to. L4+: 'The show starts at 7:15 and is 45 minutes long — what time does it end?'
Playwriting format: INT./EXT. LOCATION — TIME at top. Character names in caps before dialogue. Stage directions in (brackets, present tense). Pairs choose from 4 story seeds (two friends discover something, a misunderstanding, a challenge to solve, a secret revealed). Write together: 12 lines of dialogue minimum, a complication, and a resolution. Rehearse own play aloud.
Show, don't tell: 'She was sad' → 'She stared at the floor and didn't eat her lunch.' Strong verbs: 'went' → 'crept', 'bolted', 'wandered'. Precise nouns: 'dog' → 'greyhound'. Revise task: transform a deliberately weak paragraph by replacing every underlined word. Count: how many words changed? Read both versions aloud — what changed?
Real-world problems with multiple steps: 'Mia had 34 stickers, gave away 12, then received 8 more. How many does she have?' Write: 34-12=22, 22+8=30. Identify: what am I looking for? What do I know? Which operations? Check using inverse. L4+: write your own 2-step problem for a partner to solve. Explain how you check your answer.
Performance Night needs a visual world. Groups design and build one element: a painted backdrop (landscape of setting), a prop (handmade), or a costume accessory (crown, cape, bag). Constraint: recycled materials only. Brief: 'This object must help the audience understand your character's world.' Build across W27–W28.
Read a shared picture book. Retell: tell every event in order using 'first, then, next, finally.' Summary: 'This story is mainly about ___ + 3 key points.' Discuss: which is more useful when? (Retell: understanding the story. Summary: recommending it.) Girls write both for the shared text and then for their W26 mini-play. Compare: retell = 10 sentences, summary = 4 sentences.
Geometry walk: go to 4 locations in the school (library, oval fence, classroom, corridor). Identify and sketch: 3 examples of 2D shapes (floor tiles, windows) and 3 examples of 3D objects (pillars, benches). Record: shape name + real-world object + where found. Return and sort class findings on a wall chart.
Full run of the performance programme: each pair performs their mini-play in sequence. Blocking: where do you stand? Face the audience. Entrances from stage left or right. Projection: can the back row hear? Expression: does your face match your character's feelings? Peers give feedback: 'One thing I could hear and one thing to work on.'
Whole-group shared chapter book — chosen for rich characters, compelling plot, and accessible vocabulary (e.g. Charlotte's Web, The Magic Faraway Tree, The Enchanted Wood, Pippi Longstocking). Each session: 2 chapters read aloud. Response routine: 1 character observation, 1 prediction, 1 connection. Girls write 3 sentences minimum in Scholar's Journal. Ongoing across Term 3.
Class data from Week 24 survey: rebuild as a formal bar graph. Title: centred, descriptive. X-axis: categories labelled. Y-axis: scale of 2s from 0. Bars: touch x-axis, equal width, no gaps (bar graph rule). Interpret: 'Which had the most votes? How many more people chose ___ than ___? How many people answered the survey in total?' L4+: choose a better scale and redraw.
Full technical rehearsal: props in hand, set pieces in position, costumes on. Correct blocking from W28 — stick to it. Time each performance: 2–3 minutes. Cue cards for any students who need them. Video one run for self-review. Make 3 specific adjustments based on self-review. Final briefing: tomorrow night is Performance Night.
Running record. Comprehension: unseen passage — literal, inferential, evaluative questions. Writing sample prompt: 'Persuade me that schools should have more recess.' Score for: structure, evidence, connectives, CUPS, author's craft. Vocabulary check: 10 words from Term 3 Word Wall. Final scores benchmarked against L1–L6 rubric.
Written: name 5 shapes with properties, identify a 3D object from its net, plot coordinates on a grid map, give 3 compass directions, read a bar graph (3 interpretation questions), extend a growing pattern by 4 terms, write 5 times using quarter past and quarter to. Oral: 'Explain the rule for this growing pattern.'
Performance Night: every girl performs. Programme: Kodaly choral opening (whole group), mini-plays performed by pairs in sequence (Stage 1), Dalcroze movement piece (whole group), poetry recitation (each girl recites her W24 poem — solo), readers' theatre finale (whole group). Each girl has a named programme. Parents seated in Junior School hall. MC: rotating role per pair.
The culminating term. Girls consolidate literacy and numeracy mastery, develop digital skills and independence, mentor Reception scholars, and curate their year's learning for the Scholar's Exhibition. Every girl leaves Year 1 knowing she is a capable, curious scholar ready for Year 2.
Cause: the reason something happened. Effect: what happened because of it. Signal words: because, so, therefore, as a result, since. Read a short text — highlight cause in blue, effect in yellow. Identify 4 cause-effect pairs. Write 4 sentences: 'Because it rained, the oval was flooded.' 'The oval was flooded because it rained.' — same relationship, different order. L4+: chain reaction — effect becomes cause: 'It rained, so the oval flooded, so sport was cancelled, so students went to the library.'
Hold up 10 MAB tens = 1 hundred flat. Represent: 200, 350, 417. Say: 4 hundreds, 1 ten, 7 ones. Count together: 90, 100, 110... 190, 200. What happens? The tens reset! Number of the day: 256 — say it, write it, expanded form (200+50+6), show with MAB. L4+: which is larger — 389 or 398? Prove it using place value.
Parts of a computer: monitor, keyboard, mouse, CPU. Input: keyboard, mouse. Output: screen, printer. Process: CPU. Keyboard: introduce home row — ASDF left hand, JKL; right hand. F and J have bumps. Practise typing: 'a s d f j k l ;' repeat 5 times with correct fingers. Type 3 simple sentences using only home row letters.
All letters have: sender's address (top right), date, salutation, body, closing, signature. Formal: 'Dear Ms Smith... Yours sincerely.' Informal: 'Dear Mia... Love from.' Teach: tone changes with audience. Write both in one session: a formal letter requesting a school garden for Scholar Studio, and an informal letter to a friend about their favourite part of the year. Compare the two side by side.
Arrays: 3 rows of 4 = 12. Rotate: 4 rows of 3 = 12. Same! Commutativity. Build with counters: 2 groups of 5, 4 groups of 3, 5 groups of 2. Write as repeated addition: 3+3+3+3=12. Write with × symbol: 4×3=12. Skip count to find the answer. L4+: draw 3 different arrays all equalling 12 — how many can you find?
Extend typing to all letter rows: home (ASDF JKL;), upper (QWERT YUIOP), lower (ZXCV BNM). Type their formal letter into a word processor. Format: title bold and centred, body left-aligned, font size 12. Save the document as 'My Letter to the Principal.' Print if possible — display alongside the handwritten version.
An oral presentation has 3 parts: opening hook, 3 key points, memorable conclusion. Plan on a cue card (key words, not full sentences). Topic choice: something they know better than anyone else in the room. Practise twice: once sitting, once standing. Deliver to group. Peer feedback: 'One thing I noticed about your eye contact/voice/structure.' Record and self-review.
Share 12 counters equally into 4 groups. How many in each? 3. Write: 12÷4=3. Connect: 4×3=12, so 12÷4=3 — they're a family! Fact family: 3×4=12, 4×3=12, 12÷3=4, 12÷4=3. Practise sharing 20 counters into 4 groups, 5 groups. L4+: 'If I have 24 stickers and share them equally with 3 friends, how many each?'
Digital research: how do we know if a website is trustworthy? Check: .edu or .gov endings, who wrote it, when was it updated, does it match other sources? Use approved search engine to find 3 facts about a Year 1 science topic. Record in a 3-column table: fact | source | trustworthy? (yes/no + reason). Compare: did everyone find the same facts?
Author study: choose 1 author (e.g. Mem Fox, Andy Griffiths, Julia Donaldson). Read 3 texts across 3 sessions. Build a comparison chart: What words does this author use often? What are their favourite topics? What do their stories always include? Notice: illustrator choices, sentence length, punctuation style. Write one page in the author's style. Share and explain craft choices.
Extend tuck shop to $10. Combine $5 note + coins. Scenario: 'Buy a sandwich for $3.80 and a juice for $1.50 — total? Change from $10?' Work systematically: total first, then change = $10 - total. Multiple items. L4+: 'I have $8.50. I want to buy 3 items from this menu — what can I afford and what is my change?'
Digital presentation tool (Google Slides or PowerPoint). Task: create a presentation about their author study. Slide 1: title + author image. Slide 2: author's style + 3 key features. Slide 3: their own writing sample in author's style. Slide 4: recommendation ('You should read this author because...'). Format consistently: same font, same colour scheme throughout.
Synthesis means combining ideas from multiple sources into your own thinking. Read 3 provided short texts on one topic. Use a 3-column note-taking grid: source | key idea | my words. Write 2 paragraphs: Paragraph 1 = what I learned from all 3 sources. Paragraph 2 = what I think and why. Reference: 'According to [title]...' Final sentence: what would you like to know next? L4+: identify one disagreement across sources and evaluate which source seems more reliable.
Each girl designs her own survey: 1 question, 4 options. Collect data from at least 10 classmates. Tally. Transfer to bar graph with correct title, axes, scale. Write 4 sentences: 'The most popular answer was ___ with ___ votes. The least popular was ___. ___ more people chose ___ than ___. I wonder why ___.' L4+: calculate percentages if the class has 20 students (each vote = 5%).
Year 1 scholars visit Reception Scholar Studio. Each prepares: one short picture book to read aloud (practised at home) and one phonics activity (flashcards, a word sort, or a rhyme game). They teach as the expert. Debrief: 'How did it feel to teach someone younger than you? What did you learn from teaching?'
Independent writing: each girl chooses her genre (narrative, report, explanation, persuasion, poetry, letter). She identifies: Who is my audience? What is my purpose? What form suits this best? Full writing process: plan → draft → self-edit with CUPS → peer conference → revise → final copy. This becomes the centrepiece of their Exhibition display.
Warm-up: 3×7, 4×6, 5×4 — beat your time from last week. Arrays review. Fact families: write all 4 equations for 3×8=24. Real-world problems: 'A basket holds 6 apples. How many baskets for 30 apples?' '5 tables of 4 chairs — how many chairs?' Peer explain: solve one problem and explain your method in 3 sentences. L4+: create a word problem for a partner using ×and ÷.
Each girl selects her 3–5 best pieces across 4 terms (one from each enrichment strand at minimum). For each: write a 2-sentence statement — 'I chose this because ___ and it shows I can ___.' Plan the display: sketch layout, choose a colour scheme, plan what to say to visitors. Write a 30-second introduction script: 'Welcome to my display. This year I have learned...'
Extend HFW bank to 51–100: introduce 10 new words each session across the week. Racing read: beat your previous score. Context practice: HFW in sentences — they are the glue of written language. Dictation: 8 sentences using both familiar and new HFW. L4+: research why some common words are spelled irregularly (e.g. 'people', 'friends', 'because') — historical etymology for curious scholars.
Mixed review problem set covering the full year: represent 347 with MAB, compare 2-digit numbers, add 58+17, subtract 73–39, find ¾ of 20, measure 3 lines in cm, estimate and check mass of 2 objects, read a bar graph, extend a growing pattern, tell time to quarter to 7. One long problem per concept — choose strategy and show working.
What is digital citizenship? You are a citizen online — your words and actions count. Key concepts: never share full name/address/school online, screen time affects sleep, kind messages only (would you say this face to face?), if something online feels wrong — close the screen and tell a trusted adult. Role-play scenarios: 'What would you do if...' Create a personal Digital Citizen pledge.
Grammar as a tool for better writing. Noun: a person, place, or thing (common: dog, school; proper: your school, Adelaide — capitals!). Verb: action or state of being. Adjective: describes a noun. Sort word cards into 3 columns. Then write: 'The [adjective] [noun] [verb]ed [adverb].' Level up: 'The exhausted greyhound bolted silently across the damp oval.' Revise their own W36 independent writing — underline a noun in orange, verb in blue, adjective in green.
Class party planning: budget = $10.00. Menu: chips $1.50, juice $2.00, fruit platter $3.50, mini sandwiches $4.00, dip $2.50, cake $5.00. Work in pairs: select items, calculate total (must be ≤$10). Change from $10. Multiple solutions — compare: which group got the most food for their money? L4+: calculate if you split the budget equally between 4 people.
Final Exhibition prep: mount all selected work on card backing. Arrange display layout from W36 plan. Write title cards for each piece. Practise 30-second introduction script 3 times — each time: stand tall, eye contact, vary voice. Prepare for 2 likely questions: 'What was your favourite thing this year?' and 'What was the hardest?' Answer in 2 full sentences.
Create a Genre Survey poster: list every text type written this year (personal narrative, informational, explanation, procedure, report, comparison, poetry, persuasion, play, letter, character study). Tick the ones mastered. Write a letter to next year's Year 1 scholars: 'Dear Year 1 Scholar of 2028, When I started Year 1 I... By the end I could... The most important thing I learned was... My advice to you is...' This letter is sealed and delivered to the Year 1 class of 2028.
Open problem: Using the digits 3, 4, and 5 (each used once) and any operations (+, -, ×, ÷), make as many numbers from 1–20 as you can. 3+4-5=2, 3×4+5=17, 5÷(4-3)×... Record each number sentence. Challenge: how many can you find? Compare with a partner. Which numbers can't be made? L4+: find a way to make every number from 1–20, or prove it's impossible for some.
Peer Exhibition preview: each girl presents her full display to one partner (6 minutes). Partner uses a 3-2-1 form: 3 things they noticed, 2 strengths they can name specifically, 1 suggestion. Then swap. Use feedback to make one final adjustment before Exhibition Night. Set up display in designated Exhibition space.
Final running record (compare to Week 1 level — show full year growth). Phonics screen: 30 items covering blends, digraphs, long vowels, HFW rules, and multi-syllabic words. HFW 1–100 flash. Comprehension: unseen passage — literal, inferential, evaluative, vocabulary in context. Writing sample: 'The most important thing I discovered this year.' Score using Year 1 Writing Rubric (L1–L6). Generate growth report.
Mixed paper: all Year 1 numeracy — represent 3-digit numbers, compare and order numbers to 120, add and subtract 2-digit numbers with regrouping, multiply and divide using arrays and grouping, identify fractions, measure and compare lengths, identify coins and make $10 amounts, draw and label 2D and 3D shapes, locate coordinates, read data from a graph, identify patterns. Show all working. Full year-end report generated.
Exhibition Night: every girl stands beside her display. Families, your school Head, and invited teachers circulate. Each girl delivers her 30-second introduction, presents her selected pieces with statements, and answers 2 questions from visitors. Final whole-group moment: Scholar's Pledge delivered together for the last time this year. Certificate presentation. Year 1 complete.
L1–L6 assessed formally at Weeks 10, 20, 30, and 40. Calibrated above ACARA Year 1 standard. Every girl is working at or above expected level.