Read more to hear an update from our Learning Support team, watch 1K’s Chapel item, learn about Mrs Mitton’s ‘Passion Projects’ with 4M, as well as read the highlights from our recent Kindy Experience and Explore event and Primary excursions.
Kindy - Year 2 Learning Support with Mrs Thomas
Kindy - Year 2 Learning Support is designed to give select students extra opportunity to master reading. During our small group time, we get to read simple books to build confidence in reading.
One main focus of our time together is to cultivate a love of reading through speed reading. This simple process of reading and re-reading familiar books is surprisingly enjoyable for kids as they feel a sense of accomplishment when they can read a book quickly and confidently. We also play fun literacy games to consolidate common words.
Many students graduate out of learning support after just a few terms of intervention, which is wonderful. Learning Support groups are a true joy to facilitate!
Year 1 Learning Support with Mrs Colburt
Throughout Term 3, the Learning Support team have been working with some wonderful Year 1 students to incorporate kinesthetic learning into their literacy development. Students completed a variety of tasks that allowed them to practise their sound, letter, and word recognition whilst solving puzzles and playing creative games with their classmates.
Year 3 - 6 Learning Support with Mrs Ray
This year in 3 - 6 Learning Support, the students have been looking at ways to use letter patterns in spelling and writing. We have been learning when and how to use the patterns through a variety of activities including games.
Students love engaging in the meaning of words, finding and labelling words in text, along with games including memory, snap, word sorts and flashcards for board games.
If your child finds some words difficult to remember and spell, write the words on flashcards, and play word games. Have them play the game, say the word, write the word then underline the spelling pattern and/or tricky part of the word.
Kids are very good at remembering how to write a word when they have played it in a game. Don’t forget to revise the words regularly by playing games as a review!
1K Chapel Item with Miss Kwong
Last week 1K had the privilege of performing the song 'Jesus is the Boss' during Chapel. We have been discussing the meaning of being 'Communicative Learners' and one way we can do this is by sharing the good news of Jesus to those around us! We also thought of other ways we could be communicative learners so come and check out this video we made! I'm so proud of how our class continues to show kindness and respect to those around them.
Passion Projects with Mrs Mitton
This term, Mrs Mitton challenged her Grade 4 class to complete a ‘Passion Project’ on a topic they were interested in.
Xavier Eason and Abigail Pagobo chose to work together to research the solar system, with an emphasis on Mars and the Mars Rover. When asked why she chose this topic, Abigail said, “We both really enjoy learning about science and how even things that are far away can impact our everyday lives, so we thought researching the Mars Rover would be interesting. We found out that 261 pieces of Mars have fallen onto Earth!”
Both students reflected that they loved having ownership over the project and their learning. “It was great to pick any topic we wanted and be in charge of the whole project, and it’s fun to hear what everyone else is interested in. Other students chose to study the Vikings, Asia or Rubiks Cubes, and we’ve all learned something new.”
Xavier was able to proudly present their work to other classes across the Primary school. He was well-informed and shared with ease and professionalism about everything they had learned, and the process of designing and crafting the solar system model with his dad. Well done to all our 4M students, thank you for showcasing your efforts with the rest of our Primary community!
Kindy Experience and Explore Event for 2023 Families
Last Tuesday we had our third Kinder Experience and Explore for our 2023 Kindergarten students and families.
It was a real treat to see everyone again and to also enjoy the thrills of our recently completed ‘A Block’ building where our 2022 Kindergarten students have moved into their brand new classrooms.
It was a hive of activity as the children arrived and were greeted by the 2022 Kinders and Grade 4 students. They played and played some more, learned how to ‘write and swipe’, sung and danced to worship songs, enjoyed ‘Crunch N Sip’ together, read stories and completed a craft of a hairy, brown bear.
It was wonderful to see all the new families interact and get together, tell stories and laugh. Our new students for Kindergarten 2023 are really settling in nicely and we look forward to our final Kinder event on Thursday 24 November.
Year 3 Excursion to Brewongle
Painting on ourselves? We did not expect that from a school excursion. Turns out it is actually an important Aboriginal custom that still happens today. This was just one of the many interesting activities that the Year 3 group learnt on their first excursion in many years to Brewongle Education Centre in Sackville, NSW.
Once at the centre the group were welcomed by the amazing outdoor teachers. The students were split into three groups to participate in some engaging activities including ochre painting to depict a Dreamtime story, a scavenger hunt discovering the local plant and animal life and concluding with a demonstration of how Aboriginal people use things found in nature to engage in their customs.
The group thoroughly enjoyed the experience and hoped to return to Brewongle in the future to learn more about our local environment and how we can look after it.
Adelaide Biermann reflected, “My favourite part of the excursion was learning about how sugar gliders make their nests in the hollows of gum trees and painting on myself with white ochre.”
Year 4 Excursion to Goat Island
Goat Island, also known as Me-mel by the local Cadigal people, played an important role in housing convict work gangs and gunpowder stores during the 1800s.
Closely aligned to what we have been studying in History, Goat Island was the perfect location for Year 4 students to head to for their excursion. Travelling by bus and then boat, the journey was certainly an adventure!
Upon arrival at Goat Island, we became embroiled in a Convict chase which led to us all being taken to the Old Bailey for sentencing. Upon sentencing, we were dressed in costume for the convict’s plight and spent our time learning about some well-known convicts who had lived on Goat Island. Being introduced to Charles Anderson and William Buckley made us very grateful that we were not convicts on the First Fleet. Before returning home we were given our tickets of leave.
