Year 4 News

From Kaajal, Year 4 teacher

NGV Visit

Last Friday the Year Fours visited the National Gallery of Victoria to participate in two activities. Each one supported our Term 3 and 4 History focus and Visual Literacy unit in Reading. During the visit, we participated in the Ways of Looking program, led by NGV educators, where they explored how artists use elements such as colour, line, shape, and movement to communicate ideas and meaning. We also connected to our study of Australian history, by examining artworks that reflect key moments from first contact to Federation.

Lily and Arya were inspired to write this poem after they sat under the beautiful stained-glass ceiling.

Glints of sunlight peek through the tinted glass, 

I count the seconds as they pass. 

I reach with my hand for the stars, 

That seem quite ever so far.

Streaks of blazing pink and scarlet red, 

All the colours fill my head. 

Turquoise blue like smooth moonstone, 

Reflecting the ocean’s sea glass tone.

By Kai and Oliver

Our trip to the NGV was amazing; the highlight for us being the eel trap. It gave us a better understanding of the aboriginal peoples' way of life. It comprises of a big, woven net, usually made of grass in which there is a small hole at the end. The net would be placed in the water, with rocks blocking all other ways of things passing through. The eels would then go in, but the opposite current would prevent them from coming out. Due to the aboriginal's kindness, a small hole would be placed at the end, so baby eels could come out. In our trip we learned of the aboriginal peoples' way of life. It was astounding.

By Chloe

The excursion at the NGV was great. We got to look at fluffy possum skin cloaks and even got to hold one! It had a tinge of red and was very warm. We learnt that when the First Nation people were young, they would skin possums as clothes. When they were older, their possum skin cloaks would still fit them because they would keep adding to it. We also learned that when they die, they would wrap the dead person with the dead person’s cloak. So I learnt that their possum skin cloaks were very important to the First Nations people and their culture. They would make the cloak, live with the cloak, and die with the cloak. It was excellent exploring the NGV. We learnt loads of interesting facts that we never knew about before!

By Yvette and Sarah

As we wandered into the gallery, excitement and interest filled our minds. Our favourite thing was looking at the 16 hundred artworks where we had to find the names of the people in the painting and their jobs. We really enjoyed this work of art because it was so interesting and made you stay focused on it instead of your eyes wondering off onto another painting. Thank you to the NGV staff for having us there. We are so grateful and hope to see you again!