What's happening in our learning spaces?
STUDENTS OF THE WEEK
FOUNDATION
This week, we welcome back the one and only Mrs Wenckowski as she makes her return from the 5/6 camp! This Friday, June 23rd, we say farewell and thank you to Olivia Krizmanic who will complete her teaching placement in Foundation LW. Olivia has done an amazing job during her placement and FLW and FAP wish her all the best for her future teaching career once she does her final year at ACU in 2024.
As writers, we are learning about adjectives and how we can use them to describe the things all around us. We have engaged in different language experiences to help us understand how we can use adjectives in our writing. Some of our eagle-eyed Foundation students have found a little nest up a tree in Saunders Yard. We then gathered to talk about what kind of bird could be laying their eggs in this nest. As thinkers, we came up with some great ideas like kookaburra, magpie, galah, lorikeet, pigeon and parrot. We then drew these birds and using our great sounding out skills, we wrote the name of the bird and came up with some great adjectives like fluffy, soft, and feathery. We now know that we can also use colours to describe things! We were also lucky enough to have Mrs Wenckowski bring some of her beloved Beanie Bears into the learning space so we could use our new knowledge on adjectives, to describe the bears. As learners, we used our success criteria to make sure we included all the things we need to be successful writers such as finger spaces, full stops, sight words and sounding out our words.
As members of the Catholic faith community, we have been exploring the story “Walk to Emmaus”. This story follows on from the events of Holy Week, we have used this to help us recount the important days leading up to Easter. As critical thinkers, we engaged in the thinking routine “See, Think, Wonder” as we looked at an image of Jesus and his disciples. This helped us wonder and predict about what the story is trying to tell us. As readers, we then came together to read “Walk to Emmaus” from the children’s storybook “Our Stories” and from the Bible. As a Foundation group we then had a deep discussion about what events are the same from the two versions of the story and what details are different. Take a look at the important things we have learned:
- Two friends invited Jesus to dinner - Ruby
- The tomb was empty when the people went to look - Henry
- The two disciples were named Cleopas and Mary - Arnold
- Jesus blessed and broke the bread - Adam
- The disciples didn’t recognise Jesus - Georgia
Next week is the last week of Term 2. We are so proud of how far each and every one of the Foundation students have come since their first day of school 80 days ago. Over the holidays, please continue to practise all sight words, writing and recognising upper and lower case letters and writing numbers 0-20.
We hope you have a safe and wonderful break.
Leanne Wenckowski and Alex Phillips
Foundation Team
YEAR 1/2
In 1/2 this week, we engaged in many wonderful learning opportunities and what a week to finish off this wonderful Term. A big congratulations to all of us for the hard work and continued persistence this Term, well done to each of us.
As inquirers, we continued tuning in to our Inquiry into Design and Creativity with an exciting scavenger hunt around the schoolyard for different materials. As curious researchers, we engaged in collaborative groups to read clues and find objects and materials that matched. We found Lego pieces, rocks and bark that were hard and bumpy and pieces of plastic that were clear and flexible. As collaborators, we took turns, shared our thinking and ideas and listened respectfully to one another. We then gathered in our learning spaces to share the materials we found and discuss their properties.
As people of faith, we began exploring the scripture story of Road to Emmaus. As thinkers, we engaged in the thinking routine Step Inside, to consider the perspective, thoughts and feelings of the different people in the story. We also shared some of our thoughts and wonderings. This week, we tuned in to the Sacrament of Communion. As thinkers, we activated our prior knowledge and identified different symbols and images that we thought may connect to this sacrament and shared our questions and wonderings. Congratulations to the Year Four students who received the Holy Eucharist over the weekend! As researchers, we emailed all of our wonderings about the Road to Emmaus and Holy Communion with our expert and seminarian Ian Vergel, who we look forward to hearing back from later this week.
Term 2 has been a wonderful and exciting time for all of us. A big thank you to all of the parents and carers for your ongoing support this term, and to those who volunteered their time in our Learning Spaces. We hope everyone has a fantastic break and a safe and happy holiday. We look forward to seeing you all back in Term 3 on Monday, 10th July.
Alycia Marsico, Vania Sparano and Vicky Karalis,
1/2 Team
YEAR 3/4
Term 2 has flown by!
As readers and writers, the Year 3/4 students engaged in the State Library of Victoria’s annual Book Bash. We participated in two online writing workshops hosted by two fabulous authors - Andy Griffths (the Treehouse series) and Maxine Beneba Clarke (When We Say Black Lives Matter, Fashionista). Andy shared his storytelling secrets and some of the funniest and silliest jokes from his stories. Maxine shared her love for poetry as well as her tips and tricks to write the best acrostic poems!
As curious researchers, we have begun researching information about an important person to find out about their story. We have been learning about the structures of Biographies and setting goals for ourselves when researching and writing our biographies.
Culture Day was so much fun! We would love to share some of the outfits and reflections the Year 3/4 students have written about Culture Day.
- Culture Day was really fun! There were 3 incursions. First, there was African dancing where we danced and played drums. Then there was an indigenous person who came in and taught us a wiggles song. (Estelle 3/4BZ)
- Today was Cultural Day. We went to African Drums, Indigenous culture and an Italian Comedian. My favourite was the African drums, because the music was good with the beats. I loved it! (Leon 3/4BZ)
- Culture Day was absolutely incredible! My favourite thing was the African culture incursion, we played the drums and danced. We learnt different rhythms and played a concert. (Erica (3/4BZ)
- Today's culture day was a blast, we did 3 incursions and it was full of fun. My favourite part was when we did the drums because we all loved performing and dancing to the music. At the last incursion, I was wearing a rooster mask and I had to throw a sword up in the air. (Zara 3/4BZ)
Congratulations to the Year 4 students who received their First Holy Communion on Sunday!
We will continue to place a weekly timetable on the window upstairs. Please pop your name on the timetable located upstairs in the Year 3/4 learning space window (use internal stairs) to share your availability (days and times). A current WWWC is required, as well as, participation in the Parent Help workshop. We look forward to welcoming you!
Year 3/4BZ did a great job when they presented at the assembly last week.
We hope you all have a wonderful and safe holiday!
Year 3/4 Teachers
Belinda Panzarino & Bianka Zorzut
YEAR 5/6
This week we welcome back our happy campers! What a wonderful time we had at Camp Weekaway last week!
Upon departure on Tuesday morning, there was much excitement in the air as we waved goodbye to our parents and set off to Camp Weekaway up in Benloch. The bus trip was filled with much chatter and laughter and even a few songs (Wheels on the Bus - a classic!). The drive up to Benloch included lots of sightseeing as the students took the opportunity to complete Mr Jennings' SPOT IT! activity. As we approached the camp there was lots of mist and fog but that cleared up when we spotted our home for the next few days.
When we arrived, the students were buzzing with excited energy as they were shown around their cabins and took a tour of the property. After morning tea we jumped straight into our activities.
Ms Pirrotta led our very own Robin Hoods in Archery, where the students showed off their skills and learnt how to land an arrow on the bullseye!
Ms Sargent took the students for an initiative course that tested the students' teamwork and problem-solving skills in order to complete the challenges.
Mr Jennings scooted through the camp on his eclectic scooter, ending up at the bottom of the Flying Fox where he caught our fearless flyers and unclipped them safely.
Mrs Wenkoswski was the queen of the Maze, standing high on her podium and leading our students through the puzzles to victory!
Ms O’Flynn was a force to be reckoned with out at the laser tag course, she dodged and weaved as she showed the students how its done!
Mr Troy led our adventures out on the water, canoeing and playing games - whilst getting a number of students very wet!
It was so wonderful to see the happy faces and laughter as the students engaged in all the fun activities. The teachers are so proud of the efforts made by all the 5/6 students and their positive attitudes throughout our time at camp.
On the first night, the students enjoyed a head-scratching trivia quiz, led by our QuizMaster Mr Jennings and lit up their torches for a night walk under the stars!
On the second night of camp, we enjoyed our very own St Fidelis Got Talent, where our 5/6 students showed off their skills. We had it all, from gymnastics to jokes to dancing and singing, as well as some brilliant keyboard playing. We sure do have a talented bunch in the SLA!
On the final day we participated in a series of Minute to Win it games, where our teams competed to see who would be named the Champions of Camp Weekaway!
We departed camp much quieter and much more tired than we left, but with so many brilliant memories to share.
We as teachers, would like to once again thank all our students for their positivity and can-do attitudes throughout the camp experience, and to our wonderful parents for placing their trust in us to care for your children. We are so grateful for the fun times we shared together.
This Friday, we see our Boys' Soccer team and Girls' Netball teams compete in the SSV District Finals! Congratulations to those teams who made it through and to all the students who participated in our Interschool Sports competitions this Term. Good luck to our teams going forward. Go, St Fidelis!
Thank you for a fantastic Term. We hope all our families and students have a restful holiday break. We will see you in Term 3!
Olivia Sargent, Graham Troy and Aoife O’Flynn.
5/6 Teachers