Junior School

Genius Hour

Article by Jane Palfrey, Year 4 Leader

During Term 3, Year 4 students immersed themselves in Genius Hour, an inquiry-based project that integrated learning across Reading, Writing and CCL. The project challenged students to think beyond the obvious, develop their own questions and investigate the relationship between technological change and the environment.

Using the central idea, The evolution of technology impacts the environment, students created thought-provoking questions that could not be answered with a simple Google search. Their inquiries covered a range of topics, including transport, packaging, plastics, energy and fashion, encouraging them to consider how technology has evolved and the potential environmental consequences of these changes.

In Reading, students researched the history and current developments of their chosen topics, synthesising information from different sources to form ideas about what the future might hold. They then communicated their findings through detailed information reports in Writing. In CCL, students worked collaboratively to develop engaging presentations, sharing their research and ideas with the wider community at the Genius Hour Expo in the final week of Term 3.

Throughout the project, students demonstrated many of the College Learning Dispositions, particularly collaboration, creativity, resilience, risk-taking and critical thinking. Their ability to ask meaningful questions, explore different perspectives and work together towards a shared goal highlighted their growth as independent and collaborative learners. The Genius Hour Expo provided a wonderful opportunity for students to celebrate their learning, share their discoveries and demonstrate how technology can influence the future of our environment.

Junior School Art Exhibition & Collaborative Artwork Auction 

We warmly invite our school community to the Junior School Art Exhibition, celebrating the creativity, curiosity and artistic achievements of our Prep to Year 4 students. 

The exhibition showcases the diverse ideas, materials and techniques explored by students throughout the year, highlighting the many ways they observe, interpret and respond to the world around them. 

A special feature of this year’s exhibition will be an auction of collaborative class artworks, with all money raised donated to Anglicare. Each Junior School class has worked together to create a unique artwork, bringing individual ideas and contributions into a shared piece. These artworks celebrate the creativity, connections and collective imagination of our students, offering families and friends an opportunity to take home something truly special while supporting a meaningful cause. 

A closer look at the Artworks 

Prep – Inspired by the Natural World 

Prep students explored the textures, forms and patterns of the natural environment to create a sculptural clay artwork. Designed to hang as a chandelier, the piece can be displayed indoors or outdoors, bringing an organic, playful quality to its surroundings. 

Year 1 – A Cityscape Inspired by Paul Klee 

Responding to artist Paul Klee’s Castle and Sun, Year 1 students experimented with printmaking to create a collaborative cityscape. Through colour, shape and repeated forms, the class brought together their ideas to imagine a vibrant, abstract city. 

Year 2 – Symbols of Family and Connection 

Year 2 students explored the work of Aboriginal artist Yaritji Young, learning how art can represent family, relationships and connection. Using symbols to represent themselves, students developed a collaborative class artwork that celebrates the special bonds they share and their sense of belonging within their class community. 

Year 3 – Australian Landscapes Inspired by April Nulgit 

Inspired by Gija and Ngarinyin artist April Nulgit, Year 3 students explored ways to represent Australian landscapes through rich earth tones and bold lines. Drawing inspiration from Nulgit’s use of natural earth pigments, including ochre, to depict Country, waterholes and Ngarrangkarni (Dreamtime) stories, students created a collaborative work celebrating the colours and forms of the Australian landscape. 

Year 4 – Mapping Meaningful Places 

Year 4 students responded to the work of Aboriginal and First Nations artists, including Wingu Tingima, exploring aerial perspectives and the ways places can be represented through art. Students identified places of collective significance to their classes and used mapped, aerial-inspired imagery to create an artwork reflecting their shared connections to place. 

We look forward to welcoming families and friends to celebrate the students’ work, explore the exhibition and take part in the collaborative artwork auction.  

Thank you for supporting the creativity, ideas and artistic growth of our Junior School students. 

Exhibition Details 

Junior School Art Exhibition 

Opening Night Event Friday 27 November 2026

• Session 1- 3.30 - 4.30pm

• Session 2 - 5.30 - 6:30pm  - as a part of the exciting P&F Twilight Carols Evening

Come along, celebrate our young artists work and discover the wonderful collaborative artworks created by each class. We look forward to sharing this special celebration of creativity with our school community. 

Auction Details 

Each class’s collaborative artwork will be available to view both online and in person at the Junior School Art Exhibition. The online auction catalogue will be releasedtwo weeks prior to the auction, giving families and friends an opportunity to explore the artworks ahead of bidding. The auction will close the week following the exhibition. 

All money raised through the auction will be donated to Anglicare, supporting their work in the community. We look forward to sharing these special collaborative pieces with our school community and thank you for supporting our young artists and this meaningful cause.