Learning Areas

Kindergarten

Kinder News

The kinder children have been busy learning about volcanos. From Tyresse building a volcano in the sand pit to Benjamin and Muhammad wanting to see it become real and erupt. 

While making our paper mache volcano, we learnt that a volcano is a hill or mountain. The hole on the top of the volcano is called a volcanic crater. Volcano holds very hot liquid rocks called magna and when it is very hot it turns into lava. 

 Australian Animals

This term the children have been very interested in animals. We introduced Australian animals. The children learnt the names of the Australian animals, matching the cards to the animals in the tray. Also, describing the animals for example a spiky echidna, a long snake, a scary Tasmanian devil.

Prep

In Literacy, we have continued to work on segmenting and blending sounds in both Reading and Writing. We have been looking at different features of books; characters, setting, the problem and the solution, and have been practicing our Phonics through many hands on activities. Please continue to practice the chants as well as the ones below, which we will be practicing in the next two weeks:

Yellow yoyo, /y/, /y/, /y/

Vase in a van, /v/, /v/, /v/

Jumping jellyfish, /j/, /j/, /j/

In great news, our home reader program has begun and thank you to everyone who is bringing their Blue Home Reading Bag (with their name clearly marked on the front) and reading diary to school every day. For those who haven’t purchase a bag yet, you can purchase the bag through the uniform shop and the diary can be purchased through compass. The students change their readers every day and bring home levelled books to share with you. In other news, Library borrowing will occur every Thursday. Each student will receive a free library bag from school, which they will use to bring their books to and from school in.

In Mathematics, we have been exploring statistics and probability. We have been experimenting with collecting data and analysing data. Students have been asking yes or no questions to their peers and collecting data using tally marks. The students have had fun creating cool sandwiches and asking their classmates if they would eat it. In other maths news, we have been learning about friends of ten. We have been looking at all the numbers from 0-10 that can be ten. E.g (5 and 5) and (4 and 6). We have also been experimenting with different games to improve fluency with students. The students have been extremely keen on finding numbers that can make friends of 10. If you are keen to do some practice at home, you can always get your child to roll a 6- or 10-sided dice and then ask them what number they needed to make a friend of ten.

In Integrated, we are continuing to work on our unit of My Family. We have been exploring celebrations and where our families come from. As a part of this unit of work, the students will be creating a class museum about their families. We are asking that each family sends in a photo of an object that is special to your family and child. In past year we have had: (medals, momentos of special occasions etc). The idea is that students will be able to draw, write and talk about their special item. We ask that the pictures of items to be sent to your home group teacher no later than Wednesday 1st of June.  

From Abbie, Joe, Lexie and Sengul

 Grade 1

On Thursday 12th we had a great incursion by Labcoat Learning where we learned lots about minibeasts. 

We were able to look at some live butterflies and other minibeasts in a butterfly tent. We also got to catch and examine live minibeasts from mini terrariums.

“I got to hold a monarch butterfly on a stick!” ~Loreta

On the creation table, we could look at a caterpillar and a chrysalis while we made colourful wristbands, and on another table there were preserved minibeasts including monarch butterflies, stick insect exoskeletons and minibeasts in resin. 

Grade 2

Throughout the last few weeks, the Year 2 students have had hands-on opportunities to learn about minibeasts. From class discussions, readings, research and sharing knowledge to a minibeast incursion, we enjoyed each experience. During the incursion everyone had the opportunity to touch, look at, and use microscopes and other scientific kid friendly equipment to identify the features of minibeasts. Please take your time and enjoy our photos as much as we’re enjoying our learning experiences about minibeasts!

Grade 3/4

Grade 5/6

Grade 5/6 Solar Buddy Project Fundraiser update

We did it! We achieved our goal of $2,700!

Thank you to all the families and students who participated in any of our fundraising events. We are so proud of everyone’s hard work and so grateful that we had the whole school community involved. 

A special thank you to Gary Shaw, Bridget Smith and the Parent and Carers Association for offering to include our baked goods as part of the election BBQ. Nothing like a brownie to top off an exciting weekend! 

Also, the school disco was a particularly awesome event. Thanks to DJ Costa, students got to have a boogie and a laugh while burning energy and having fun.

Here are some photos of the action!

We are excited to start planning our project that will commence next term. This project is through Solar Buddy and focuses on energy poverty and global citizenship. Solar Buddy says that “Energy poverty impacts communities in a number of ways. From health & education to the economic health of families and communities, and on the environment. One impact that most do not consider is the basic ability for children to enjoy night time activities such as socialising or enjoying sport with other children. In remote communities with limited access to power, it can become dangerous to be outside. Without access to adequate lighting, communities are unable to take part in activities after dark that are conducive to physical and emotional wellbeing, improve social skills, and mitigate the risk of exposure to crime.We see this in a number of countries severely affected by extreme energy poverty, but this is also experienced in countries like Australia”. 

The Grade 5/6 students are excited to have a positive impact on this issue and to understand the power of compassion and care.

PE

Jiu-Jitsu Workshop

Dear families,

During Term 3 we will welcome back the team from Nexus Jiu-Jitsu to run a workshop during PE lessons. Previously students have really enjoyed participating in activities, warm ups and exercises related to the art of Jiu-Jitsu and learning about discipline, self-control and self-defence.

This workshop will run in Week 2 of Term 3 (Monday 18th July - Friday 22nd July) and is free of charge to students.

Cross Country Event

On Wednesday 18th May, MPS students participated in the District Cross Country Championships. All students participated to the best of their abilities and did an excellent job and should be proud of their efforts.

Congratulations to Orpheus Sidiroglou (4th), Andrzej Szczepanik (7th) and Will Ostberg (9th) who all qualified for the next stage of competition, the Division Cross Country Championships, to be held on Wednesday 3rd June.

A number of students also ran in races above their age group and did an amazing job. Those students were: Amelia Hunter-Healey, Billie Baring, Zoe Kotridis, Evie Wann, Rayanne Taha and Leonardo Inturrisi.