Learning & Teaching 

LEARNING AND TEACHING - Vira Pirrotta

YEAR 1 & 2 PERSUASIVE WRITING 

During the last few weeks, the students in Years 1 and 2 have been learning to understand the features of Persuasive Writing. Persuasive writing is when an author tries to convince the reader of the writer's opinion. An author includes personal experience, arguments, evidence and language that appeals to the reader's emotions.  In short, the author tries to influence the readers’ opinions about a topic. 

To introduce Persuasive Writing to the Year 1 and 2 students, the teachers selected a range of picture storybooks as examples. Teachers used the author’s style of writing to plan engaging writing sessions. 

Some of the texts that the students have engaged with so far are: 

The Day the Crayons Quit  by Drew Daywalt 

Don’t Feed the Bear by Kathleen Doherty

I don’t want to wash my hands by Tony Ros

Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Williams

Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay up Late by Mo Williams 

I want an Iguana by Kaufman Orloff

As part of writing sessions, teachers and students created success criteria to help them understand how to write a persuasive text. Here is an example of the success criteria students used to help them create their interesting writing pieces.:

I can include a sentence to introduce the topic

I can state my opinion about the topic 

I can include up to 3 reasons/arguments to support my thinking/opinion 

I can use linking words like because, and, also 

I can use sequencing words to organise my ideas/arguments 

I can use emotive language 

I can use  interesting descriptive words

They are using the success criteria for peer and self-assessment. Teachers have supported students by modelling persuasive texts, language and sentences structures such as: 

• I strongly believe that             is best because 
• It is better than           because
• I feel
• I think
• I believe that
• In my opinion,            is better than
• Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly 

Here is some writing from the Year 1/2 students. 

Curriculum Overviews 

Dear Parents,

Please find attached the Term 4 Curriculum Overviews indicating the areas of focus for each year level.

Thanks, Vira Pirrotta 

SUSTAINABILITY - Annette Gasbarro

Our Sustainability learners are all very excited as we begin preparing and planting our summer vegetables in our garden beds. As researchers, we researched various vegetable plants that can be planted.  We discovered that some vegetable plants and herbs can be planted any time of the year and others are seasonal plants. We discovered that tomatoes, beetroot, broccoli, radishes and lettuce are all vegetables that can be grown.

Last week a group of enthusiastic gardeners had the opportunity to prepare our garden beds by weeding, feeding our worm towers and planting our summer vegetables.  We planted a selection of summer vegetables such as tomatoes, radishes, lettuce, beetroot and broccoli. 

Thank you

Thank you to the following families for the kind donations that they have made to help establish our vegetable garden.  We extend our thanks to the Bonacci family, Orlando (1/2AP) for donating tomato plants and the Muscara family, Patrick (FLW) for their kind donation of worm tea. Worm tea is a rich organic fertilizer that is used to assist in the growth of our vegetables. Also to the Callinan family, Gus (1/2SC) for their kind donation of succulents.  These succulents have been planted outside the SLA area. 

National Recycling Week

National Recycling Week (NRW) is one of Planet Ark’s flagship campaigns and every year it aims to educate and empower people to do the right thing when they are at the bin. Since the campaign was established in 1996, it has been held every year during the second week of November. 

As a school community, we are working together to eliminate packaging across the school. Last week in recognition of National Recycling Week, our learners had the opportunity to engage in learning focusing on ways in which we can eliminate packaging.  Each learning space was responsible for collecting all the packaging that comes to school on a daily basis. They counted and documented the amount collected. The aim of this is to make our learning community aware of the amount of packaging consumed on a daily basis and what we can do to eliminate packaging in order to help our environment. 

Over the next few weeks, our community leaders and our SRC leaders will be focusing on and reminding our school community about packaging and ways in which we can reduce it across the school. 

SPORT & PE - Michael Jennings

STEM - Joe Frazzetto

ST. FIDELIS STEM MAD SHOWCASE

STEM MAD acknowledges and promotes STEM learning initiatives that address real-world problems and demonstrates how students in Catholic schools take action that matters. 

Last Friday, the St. Fidelis STEM MAD students showcased their learning and designs to acknowledge their STEM initiatives. They showcased prototypes that addressed real-world problems that make a difference (MAD) through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics with the school community, staff and students.

Shelley Waldon, Science & STEM Leader at Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools and Patrick Watt, Facilitator, MC and Educator from Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, were our special guests for the showcase. They both had the opportunity to visit each group’s display and prototype to find out how their technological invention made a difference to humanity and the world.

Shelley and Patrick were impressed with our Year 1/2 students’ prototypes. They were amazed at how our young future Scientists, Engineers and Mathematicians spoke with great confidence about how their prototypes ‘The Animal Helper’ and ‘Camera Glasses for the Blind’ work. They confidently spoke about how they made a difference to animals and blind people. 

The parents were in awe. They couldn’t believe that our young children were able to explore, design, create, problem-solve and communicate their ideas to the school community, especially about how they can change the world using technology to solve today’s local and global issues. 

The showcase stimulated great discussions with parents about how education has evolved. The discussions highlighted that today our children come to school with a great deal of knowledge due to technology and social media and that the parents and school need to work in partnership to educate our children about what is fiction and non-fiction. 

STEM allows our students to explore, create, question, think, collaborate, express and make a difference in creating an inspiring future for all.

STEM is not only Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics!  At the showcase, families, staff and students witnessed literacy, arts, geography, mental and social well-being, astronomy, sustainability and much more. STEM connects students with real issues locally and globally. 

Congratulations to all STEM MAD Teams and Year 1/2 students. You all collaborated, explored, reflected, modified, tested, and displayed resilience and problem-solving skills. It was a long journey but it was a pleasure to watch your ideas evolve from a labelled sketch to a technological product or prototype. 

Well done to you all, I truly believe the future is in good hands. 

Joe Frazzetto

STEM & Visual Art Specialist

Message from one of our proud parents:

“Just wanted to say that the STEM MAD expo at school today was spectacular. Every project was unbelievable and the way the kids could explain their projects so clearly from start to finish was amazing. Thanks for putting so much effort into everything you do. I appreciate it so much.”

Regards,

Sharon Barrett 

ITALIAN - Rosa Fokianos

BUONGIORNO!

Salve a tutti! 

I hope everyone was able to enjoy il bel tempo (the good weather/sunshine) over the weekend. 🌞 This week’s newsletter article will be short and sweet. 

I would like to mention a few things about the upcoming Italian Day… Italian Day is only a month away! 

1. ITALIAN DAY REQUEST:

As part of the day’s festivities, I am planning for some of the older children to learn to play bocce, (Italian lawn bowls). I have a few bocce sets and will check with the school too but was wondering if there is anyone in the St Fidelis school community who may have a set that they could loan to the school for the day. It would be greatly appreciated. 

If you do have a set or know of someone, perhaps a relative who may even play, could you please contact me via my school email address and we can organise further details:  rfokianos@sfmoreland.catholic.edu.au     

Grazie 

2. ITALIAN PARADE:

As mentioned in the above Italian Day flyer, start thinking about a costume that your child/ren might like to make and wear for the day. Some costume ideas to assist your planning may include Italian food, a mode of transport, a famous Italian…You don’t have to make something but it would be nice for them to come in something Italian-themed. Get those creative juices flowing! 

I can’t wait to see what the children will be wearing! 

Buona Giornata!

Signora Rosa 🌹