Positive Climate for Learning

Year 7-9 Learning Community

In Term 2, Year 7 to 9 students are participating in some new and exciting Electives, these include Robotics, Sport and Outdoor Education.

Students are having the opportunity to participate in sport activities to showcase ACS values: Care, Commitment and Collaboration. This term students will be learning to practise fundamental motor skills such as catching, kicking, striking and throwing. Students will apply their skills to a variety of sports including hockey, tee ball, volleyball as well as participating in traditional Indigenous games and challenges. 

In Robotics, students have the opportunity to complete hands-on and block coding tasks using a range of coding tools including Blockly, Scratch and the Sphero app. Later in the term, students will complete a range of block coding activities using Spheros to paint, play mini golf, drive over cardboard bridges, bowl and play battleships. Students will have the opportunity to utilise technology and robots to complete these tasks.  

In Term 2, we are also continuing our outdoor education program focusing on survival. Students are learning about how to keep themselves safe in the outdoors by building shelters, packing essentials and bush cooking. Last week, students were presented with a task to plan and build a shelter that could protect them from the sun should they get lost in the woods. Students loved this hands-on activity and designed some amazing structures! Students will have an opportunity to put all these skills into practice later in the year when they attend camp. 

Performing Arts

This term in Performing Arts we are focusing on Drama in all year levels. Each year level has been exploring their ability to create a character and use the elements of drama to expand their knowledge. 

In Prep, students will develop their ability and understanding of imaginative play, character choices and what they each like and dislike when it comes to drama. So far in the term, all the Preps have been very engaged in their learning and look forward each week to using a selection of resources, such as props, puppets, costumes and storyboards. 

The Year 1, students are exploring and developing their use of voice, gesture and body movement through group and partner workshops using puppets. It has been wonderful to see students enjoy these activities with puppets. In Year 2, students will take this a step further and focus on script reading and working as a team. Their stories of the ants and the grasshopper are really starting to come to life. 

In Year 3, students are focusing on the element ‘dramatic action’ and exploring how our senses can aid this element in performances. Students will also be looking at story structure and understanding how a script is developed. Year 4 students are developing their ability to improvise and work collaboratively as a team when performing. Later in the term the focus will move to developing their understanding of the dramatic elements of drama. 

The Year 5 students are working together to create and develop their own short films/movie trailers. Students have been set the challenge of using one of the five elements of tension to base their piece around. Classes will be presenting the pieces in class in a few weeks.  In Year 6, students have a lot of creative licenses.  They are working in small groups to create their own storylines and to develop a script. Students are looking forward to putting their scripts into action in the next couple of weeks. 

Secondary students have been continuing with their ‘Beetlejuice’ script work and dance scenes. It has been wonderful to see all secondary students demonstrating our ACS value of commitment through their dedication and hard work. The have been pushing themselves out of their comfort zones and trying new things, which has been amazing to see.

All students should be very proud of their efforts in Performing Arts.  I am excited to see all of your creations unfold as we progress through this term.

Bec -  Performing Arts Teacher