Focus on Learning  

Stage Three

"You are never too small to make a difference" Greta Thunberg. 

This term Stage 3 has had a Cross Curriculum focus on how they can have a positive impact on our environment and be "Climate Heros". Earlier in the term, students (in small groups) co-constructed multi-genre (imaginative, persuasive and informative) texts based on a threatened environmental area within Australia. The links to these amazing presentations were shared in the Week 5 Focus on Learning section of the Newsletter. Please take the time to view these presentations. 

Since then students have had to choose another significant environmental area that they feel should be protected and individually construct a multi-genre text outlining their reasons why. After reading the fabulous stimulus text "Dry to Dry" by Pamela Freeman and Liz Anelli, students were challenged to step away from the text conventions of normal informative/persuasive texts and include story telling/imaginative elements to their texts.

 Below are some samples of opening paragraphs, highlighting the obvious writing growth of Stage 3 students. 

Flowing Waterfalls, the sweet harmony of a thousand forest birds singing in chorus among the lush canopy. The smell of dense vegetation flooding the jungle, vines and ferns twisting, climbing, crawling up branches, a crowd of bustling people eager to take a closer look. This is the Gondwana Rainforest, claiming some of Northeast NSW and Southeast Queensland...

Billie Peach

Waves crashing on the shore, kangaroos scratching and fur seals rolling in a sunbaked haze. The sugar gum tree leaves blowing calmly in the wind, these ancient giants only found in two other places in the world. Kangaroo Island lays 13 kilometers of the coast of South Australia. Kangaroo Island is seven times the size of Singapore. It's environment is classified by forest, grasslands, sea grass and meadows...

Phoebe Farrant-Wills

The Twelve Apostles, a series of stunning limestone stacks located off the shore of the Port Campbell National Park in Victoria, Australia, are one of nature’s most captivating spectacles. Imagine standing off the coast of the world looking down; sand, sea, animals and that fresh smell of the salty air. The wind pushing against your body jostling you further back, the sea birds chirping in distant sunset and the waves crashing against the stone stacks. Now imagine one apostle standing lonely in the sea with marine pests, diseases and polluted water, not very dazzling now is it? 

Alex Davis

Can you hear that? The rustling of the eucalyptus trees in the wind? The burbling of the river? The chirping of the northern rosellas and masked finches? This is the South Alligator region of Kakadu National Park, where saltwater crocodiles, magpie geese, red-tailed black cockatoos, barramundi and many types of trees reside. Despite its extensive list of beautiful wildlife, South Alligator is in trouble...

Rosie Lee

Crashing waves, eucalyptus fumes fill the air, birds chirping, relaxing walks in the beautiful grasslands. Well that's just a few of the amazing, relaxing and calming activities you can do at Bruny Island. Bruny Island is located in Tasmania, Australia about one hour and forty nine minutes from Hobart. The significance of the Island is that Bruny is the only location where you will find the adorable albino Wallabies. Bruny island might be classified as small with only 600 people calling it their permanent  home. However there are estimated to be 150 000 visitors each year, making it an amazing place for tourists and boosting our economy. 

Jorja Jamieson

RELIGION - CREATION

Inspired by their work in English, students have recently completed individual pledges to the environment. In Religion we have been focusing on creation and how we are called to be stewards and leaders of creation, even in the "small" things we can do for each other and the environment in our daily lives. Below are the pledges students wrote as promises to the environment. They may need encouragement from you at home to keep these promises!

MY PLEDGE TO EARTH

Dear Planet Earth,

I promise to respect the dignity of the homosapien by..

Helping others, respecting others and showing kindness and compassion,

I promise to never litter and show care toward others and the earth,

I promise to always be faithful in all things. 

Alex Davis

My Pledge To Planet Earth     

I promise to value your beauty by…. 

I promise to set a 3 min timer in the shower 

I promise to not waste power/electricity by switching off the powerpoint 

I promise to throw my rubbish in the bin 

I promise to help Mum and Dad by cleaning up without getting paid

Signed Bradley 

Dear planet earth

I promise to value your beauty by protecting any forbidden trash from being spread

I promise to respect this stunning planet by repeating the word ’’Please throw that in the bin’’ If they don’t follow, I will pick the trash up and place it where it belongs.

I will try to act like a professional trash cleaner.  

Signed By Marshal.

My Pledge To Planet Earth

Dear Planet Earth, 

I Promise to value your beauty by recycling more 

Things instead of putting it in the red bin to stop 

More pollution happening

I promise to respect the dignity of my parents by 

Always doing chores they tell me to do and respect

All their alone times when they are doing meetings

And work at home

I promise to act as a steward of creation by

Turning the power off every night and not 

Waste water by having shorter showers

Signed Dani 

Dear Planet Earth 

I promise that I will not litter when I have rubbish

I promise that I will pick up rubbish from the ground.

                                  I promise that I will help the earth when it is needed.

From Logan 

Dear Planet Earth

I promise to value your beauty by picking up rubbish in the garden.

I promise to respect the dignity of the human person by talking more respectfully.

I promise to act as a steward of creation by planting more plants.

Signed Babesh

My Pledge to Planet Earth 

Dear planet earth, 

I promise to value your beauty by having showers under three minutes 

I promise to respect you by trying to not use the rubbish bin as much

I promise to respect the dignity of my other classmates by trying to be more helpful in any way I can

Signed by Phoebe Farrant-Wills

My Pledge to Planet Earth 

Dear planet earth, I promise to value your beauty by picking up my own rubbish and chucking it in the bin. I promise to respect the dignity of the human person by respecting God's creation. I promise to act as a steward of creation by having gratitude in God's creation. 

From, Braxton Hand 

Dear Planet Earth

I promise to value your beauty by reducing the amount of plastic that I put into the world,   I promise to acknowledge what people are doing and how they feel,

I promise to take care of plant life and animals.

Signed: Ricky 

My Pledge To Planet Earth

Dear Planet Earth,

I promise to act as a steward of creation by recycling my rubbish. I will install two bins in my house, one for general waste and the other for anything that can be recycled.

I promise to value your beauty by unplugging the tv or any other devices in my house. I will turn off the lights if going out, to save power.

I promise to respect the dignity of the human person by when I am going to the beach, park or outdoors, to pick up rubbish or any waste people have dumped and to put it in the right bin.

Signed Jorja

My Pledge to Creation

Dear Planet Earth,

I promise to value your beauty by using less fossil fuels and ride to school using public transport (such as the bus) more. 

I promise to value your beauty by using less plastic in places like my lunchbox and other areas.

I promise to value your beauty by recycling and composting my rubbish more. 

From, Rosie Lee

My Pledge to Planet Earth.

Dear planet Earth,

I promise to value your beauty by not wasting any water and taking 5 minute long showers. I will try to pick up rubbish and put it in the right bin. My final promise is that I will not waste food. May the spirit of our planet be united as one in peace!

Signed Shivansh.

My Pledge To Planet Earth

Dear Planet Earth,

I promise to value and respect your beauty by cleaning up after myself.

I promise to act as a steward of creation by not picking grass out of the ground.

I promise to value and respect another persons dignity by helping my peers or parents.

Sienna

Dear Planet Earth, 

 I promise to respect you by not throwing rubbish on the ground. 

 I promise to respect people's feelings by helping people when they need it.

 I promise to act as a steward of creation by leaving a place clean after I've used it. 

Signed Harold

My Pledge To Planet Earth 

Dear planet earth, I promise to have two  minute showers, I promise to value your beauty by being kind to people and I promise to act as a steward by improving my behavior. Sincerely Hendrix O’loughlin

My Pledge To Planet Earth 

Dear earth Ipromise to stop littering on you 

Dear earth I promise to  help at my friend by acting as a leader to help

Dear earth I promise to respect people by listening to them      

By Bailey