Whole School Activities
ACOS Preparation - Combined School Orchestra & Combined Choir Rehearsals
The Armidale Community of Schools has been a hub of creativity and collaboration as students across a range of year levels prepare for their upcoming performances at Armidale Secondary College (ASC). Over the past few weeks, students have dedicated themselves to daily rehearsals, showcasing their commitment and enthusiasm for the performing arts.
At Ben Venue Public School, students have taken part in formal lessons that have helped to refine their skills and enhance their confidence on stage. This structured approach has allowed them to not only learn their pieces but also to understand the importance of teamwork and collaboration in a performance setting.
In addition to the vocal preparations, our talented orchestra students have been hard at work under the guidance of esteemed music teacher, Paul. Every Thursday afternoon, Paul has been leading the orchestra through their music pieces, helping students to develop their musical abilities and work together harmoniously.
School Sport | Skate, Bowl and Play
Our students are continuing to have a fantastic time participating in sports at the Armidale Skate, Bowl and Play! This vibrant venue has provided an excellent opportunity for students to build and consolidate their skills in both skating and bowling, all while having fun with their peers.
The excitement and energy is infectious as students build on their skating techniques, learning to navigate the rink with confidence. Whether they are mastering basic skills or trying out new tricks, each session allows them to push their boundaries and improve.
In addition to skating, students are honing their bowling skills, engaging in friendly competition and team-building activities. This experience not only promotes physical fitness but also encourages cooperation and sportsmanship among students.
We are thrilled to see our students enjoying these activities, developing their skills, and fostering a love for sports in a supportive and fun environment. We look forward to more exciting sessions at Armidale Skate, Bowl and Play as they continue to grow and thrive in their athletic pursuits!
LD | Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley
Unit of Learning | Understanding Characters Through Illustration
In our English unit, we have been reading the delightful book "Pearl Barley and Charlie Parsley," students have been diving into the concept of mental models to better understand how authors represent characters. Through engaging discussions and brainstorming sessions, students are learning how illustrations and colour symbolism help bring characters to life.
LD Mathematics
Unit of Learning | Patterns in Mathematics
Our Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 students have been learninig about patterns. Through hands-on activities and collaborative learning, they have deepened their knowledge, understanding, and skills in patterning, a fundamental concept in mathematics.
Students have learnt that patterns repeat and that this repetition is known as the "repeating core." They have engaged in activities that have allowed them to identify, create, and extend patterns using various materials, such as blocks, beads, and drawings. By recognising how patterns are formed, students will develop critical thinking and analytical skills.
LD Science | SILO PROJECT | Prof Brendan Jacobs
In an exciting science lesson, our students had the opportunity to experiment with ‘Brain Box Electronic’ kits, providing a hands-on introduction to the world of electronics. While electronics are typically introduced in Stage 3, we took a proactive approach by discussing the Spiral Curriculum, highlighting how early exposure to key concepts can enhance future learning and build confidence in young learners.
The main focus of our activity was understanding electric circuits and the crucial concept that circuits need to be closed to function properly. Students engaged in hands-on experimentation with various components, including batteries, switches, motors, light bulbs, and buzzers. This practical experience allowed them to see firsthand how these elements work together to create a complete circuit.
Throughout the lesson, students collaborated, problem-solved, and engaged in critical thinking as they built and tested their circuits. Their enthusiasm was palpable as they witnessed the immediate results of their efforts, whether it was lighting up a bulb or making a buzzer sound.
Stage 2 | Ned Kelly | Mental Models
Stage 2 students have been diving deep into their study of the mentor text 'Ned Kelly and the Green Sash' by Mark Greenwood. Through this engaging narrative, students have developed a rich understanding of the text, examining its form and function while considering its intended audience.
As part of their exploration, students have engaged with the concept of 'mental models,' allowing them to visualise and internalise the story's themes and characters. This technique has encouraged students to express their personal connections and feelings about the narrative, fostering an emotional engagement with the text.
Through discussions and activities, students have shared their insights and reflections, showcasing their ability to connect with the story on a personal level. This process not only enhances their comprehension but also encourages empathy and critical thinking.
Visual Arts | Beatrix Potter
Students thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Tale of Peter Rabbit' by Beatrix Potter, a classic story that captured their imagination and sparked creativity! The heightened interest and engagement with the story provided the perfect opportunity to integrate art into our lesson.
Inspired by the charming illustrations and delightful characters, students were encouraged to express their understanding of the story through various artistic mediums. They explored their creativity by creating their own interpretations of Peter Rabbit and the vibrant world around him, using colours and materials that reflected the story's whimsical nature. The combination of literature and art fostered a dynamic learning environment where students were able to express themselves and enhance their appreciation for storytelling.
Stage 2 Lake Keepit Excursion
Stage 2 travelled to Lake Keepit Sport and Recreation Centre on Monday for a camp with students from the Thunderbolt Alliance (Kingstown, Kelly's Plains and Kentucky). After boarding the bus on Monday morning we arrived in time for lunch before heading off to the Keepit Kommando mud run. Following a lot of muddy fun and a quick rinse in the lake it was time to enjoy the biggest slip and slide that anyone had seen. Showers and free play took us to dinner and then to some indoor games before bedtime.
Tuesday morning saw some early risers see the sunrise, before we all went for a walk before breakfast seeing some wonderful views of the lake from the top of the biggest hill we could find. We then split into two groups who did canoeing on the lake and group activities like frisbee golf before swapping after lunch. After dinner we made damper and had a well deserved good night's sleep.
Wednesday was our last morning and we made a video call back to the students at Rocky River before we tried archery and the bike course . Then we started our trip back home with some tired but very happy students.
All students showed wonderful behaviour on camp and are to be congratulated for giving their best at all times and for pushing themselves out of their comfort zones. I hope that the photos give an indication of how much fun everyone had!
Stage 3 Debating Vs Westdale Public School
Our Stage 3 students participated in their penultimate round of the Premier's Debating Challenge this week. Our team consisted of: Henry, Harrison C, Charlie and Lola. We thank members of the team for supporting each other through the challenges of the event and Anna who stepped in at the last minute as Chairperson. Toby also did a thorough job as timekeeper on the day with a clear record of everyone's speech duration. We recorded the debate and for the first time had to wait for our feedback and result from the adjudicator. the next day. Rubi-Lea Hogan from ASC was our adjudicator and we appreciate the time she took to provide in depth feedback on our debate. Unfortunately we didn't get away with a win this time, however, the feedback was constructive and our students have learnt a lot in the process. The comradery of our students shone through on this particular event, pulling together as a team and supporting one-another through the on-the-spot pressures of public speaking.
ASC Taster Day
Some of our Year 6 students who are attending Armidale Secondary College for high school next year ventured out to their first "Year 7 Taster Day" yesterday. ASC staff and students warmly welcomed us at the gates and guided us around the school. Rocky River students were a stand out during the science experiments, followed by a Mathematics lesson, both run by fabulous teachers. Our students demonstrated a high level of respect through their participation in the lessons, and their energy and excitement for the lesson content rubbed off on those around them. It was great to see our students work so confidently in a large space with a lot more students, and already beginning to make social connections with their future peers. We think Henry's quick mental computation of the average time taken to dissolve sugar in hot water to inform his verbal analysis of the data set during Science took the ASC teachers by surprise... another example of our students demonstrating their love for learning and Mathematics!
Mathematics in the Garden
Thank you to Mr Hine who has installed our rain gauge and thermometer in the vegie garden space. These implements provide additional tools for measurement in mathematics, making learning tasks for students even more meaningful and valuable. Stage 3 are using these tools to collect discrete data over a long-term period, looking to create credible graphs which represent the data appropriately toward the end of term. We have discussed the value in measuring rainfall over the calendar year to calculate tank water supply and coordinate resources on farms or larger properties outside of town services. The thermometer will help us track and find potential correlations between plant growth and number of eggs the chickens lay each day. Thank you Mr Hine for helping our students develop our agricultural skillset by setting up these practical resources for us!
Stage 3 - Parli-Flicks Short Film Competition 2025
Our Stage 3 students have recently submitted their films for the Parli-Flicks Short Film Award, and we're excitedly awaiting news on any shortlisted entries! For this year’s Parli-Flicks competition, students from Years 5 to 12 in NSW were invited to create a one-minute short film addressing the question: What do I value about democracy? Film entries are being judged on the following criteria:
- Showcase your creativity! Student films were created in either live action or animation, and could take the form of drama, comedy, or documentary style. They also had the option to simply speak directly to the camera.
- Entries needed to reflect student understanding of Australian democracy.
- Students could participate individually or in groups of up to three.
- Each film must not exceed one minute in length.
- Judges sought short films that effectively engaged their audience.
You can see the final video products below created by our talented students! Each film was unique and followed the writing cycle process, including research, storyboarding and digital creation to bring their ideas to life. Students have written a short blurb to describe their process, to further appreciate the talent and skill required to create these films.
Phoebe - An Animation Through Time
To make my parliflicks animation, I first downloaded an app called Ibis Paint where I drew the characters for my animation. I put those drawings into PowerPoint and set them up how I needed them then inserted text above. I wrote the text slides then put them all into Canva and I arranged the music over the top then downloaded the video and sent it to Mrs Clyde-Smith before we entered it.
Henry, Toby, Harrison C - What Do I Value About Democracy?
Our team consisted of Harrison, Henry and Toby. Our media was animation, though since all the professional sites either cost money, or were blocked, so we used PowerPoint. It was a bit unconventional, but it worked. We weren’t done yet though, for we still needed a editing software. After scowling though the depths of the internet, we stumbled upon the best thing we could have, Canva (I know, crazy.)
After that, it was just a progress of making people in PowerPoint, transporting them to Canva, and then shorting then to fit into the 1 minute time limit. After that we wrote the script, and then there was only one more thing, voice acting.
It wasn’t all that bad, using Harrison’s idea of doing it in segments, instead of all in one take, otherwise it would have taken the next ten years. All in all, it was a fun, exciting, stressful experience, and over all, we enjoyed it.
Anna & Charlie - Democracy Puppets
To make our Parli-Flicks film we created little paper puppets. First we drew and coloured characters with pencils. Then we put them on paddle pop sticks. Once we wrote a script we filmed! We filmed on the ipads only to realise that they didn't have Imovie! Mrs Clyde Smith sent us our videos and we put them together on Microsoft Clipchamp on our computers. We then added some music and sent it to Mrs Clyde Smith to upload into the competition!
Harrison S - Democracy Flicks
So I came in late so I had to come up with something quick so I went on paint did a quick drawing on that then did a voiceover on what I value about democracy and I used Canva for the voiceovers and editing so I could use 1 minute but mine went for 20 seconds and well that's it really.
Lola & Ivory - Bertie & Clementine Talk Democracy
First, we drew illustrations of Bertie and Clementine and wrote their lines. We decided that we would do Claymation and do voice overs later. We made them out of playdough so we couldn’t leave them out overnight. It wasn’t too hard to take photos but when it came to editing, we struggled. Soon we figured to use Canva and that worked. While Lola was editing the photos that were already taken, I was taking more photos. The deadline for getting them in was Friday and we got them in on Friday. I thought we did a pretty good job.