Specialist Overview of Learning

Art 

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the art room storeroom has been temporarily sealed closed. As a result, we are unable to deliver the regular art program until access is restored. In the interim, students across the school will continue to engage in meaningful art learning through a modified program, with a focus on art theory, digital art, and drawing. We appreciate your understanding and will provide further updates as they become available. You can learn more about the Art program through the fortnightly school newsletter.

Lauren Zahra / Evelyn Stavridis

Auslan

Continuing on from Term One, students will further develop their Auslan skills through the AES (Australian Education Services) program. This engaging program is designed to build connections between Deaf and hearing communities, using a variety of interactive resources such as videos, stories and games, alongside dedicated time for revision and practice. Students will also work with partners and in groups, providing meaningful opportunities to practise and strengthen their signing skills.

Prep: Students will revise the Auslan alphabet and begin to learn how to sign their name. They will revise signing colours and family members. As a whole class or with a partner, students will practise using everyday phrases, asking ‘How are you?’ and answering with simple responses, such as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Students will expand their vocabulary to include the signs for zoo animals and signs to describe the weather. They will learn a new song and continue to participate in Deaf Culture through stories, games and videos.

Antonietta De Melis

Year 1 to 6: 

The focus of Auslan learning will include using Auslan for:

• everyday activities and experiences, such as camping, museum visits and picnic lunches
• naming objects and items around the home, including appliances, medication and materials

• daily routines, communication and positional language, including concepts of shape, size, and location (e.g. inside and outside).

   

The below website is a great resource to extend your Auslan sign vocabulary:

https://signplanet.net/dictionary 

Evelyn Stavridis

PE (Physical Education)

Prep: Students will explicitly learn a variety of fundamental movement skills (FMS). FMS are basic movements that form the basis for physical activities and that provide the foundation for competent and confident participation in a range of physical activities.

 These include locomotor, non-locomotor and object control skills:

• locomotor and non-locomotor skills – balancing, running, leaping, jumping, hopping, dodging, galloping, skipping.
• object control skills – bouncing, throwing, catching, kicking, striking.

Years 1/2: Students will begin to develop their striking skills in modified games of Rounders and T-ball. They will also look at how invasion games work. Invasion games are games in which the aim is to invade an opponent's territory and score a goal or point, such as in Soccer or Lacrosse.

Years 3/4: Students will complete the 15 metre Beep Test, then repeat the test in Term 4 to note any improvements in their fitness and stamina. They will compete in our House Cross Country event on April 28th, hoping to make the top 10 and qualify for the district event on May 19th. Students will try out a variety of sports in different game classifications such as invasion (Lacrosse) and striking & fielding (Rounders).

Years 5/6: Students will complete the 20 metre Beep Test, then repeat the test in Term 4 to note any improvements in their fitness and stamina. They will compete in our House Cross Country event on April 28th, hoping to make the top 10 and qualify for the district event on May 19th. Students will focus on using strategies in invasion games like Lacrosse and improving their skills in striking sports such as Rounders and Tennis.

Amber Vincent / Evelyn Stavridis

Performing Arts

Prep: Students will explore the art of puppetry as a fun and engaging way to tell stories and express ideas. They will learn how to bring puppets to life through movement, voice and simple characterisation, using puppets as a tool for improvisation and storytelling.

Students will create scenes inspired by the theme of friendship, working collaboratively with their peers to develop ideas and practise their performances. 

Years 1/2: Students will explore Media Arts with a focus on animation. They will learn about different types of animation and have opportunities to create their own. As part of this, students will develop their interpretation and response skills by identifying key features of animation, including elements such as time, sound and colour, as well as story components like characters and settings. 

Years 3/4: Students will continue developing their understanding of the elements of music, including pitch, melody and dynamics. They will experiment with these elements as they compose their own original pieces using GarageBand. Students will also explore how music and visual storytelling connect in the Performing Arts. Through Media Arts, they will design an album cover for their song, considering their intended audience and how visual elements such as colour, imagery and layout can be used to reflect the mood, style and message of their music.

Years 5/6: Students will continue developing their understanding of what is involved in bringing a production to life. There will be a focus on important behind-the-scenes roles, including directing, stage management, technical crew, and costume and set design. 

Students will also begin working on special Media Arts projects that will be included as part of the production, giving them the opportunity to contribute creatively to the final performance that will be shared with the school community next term.

Bec Zappia / Alessia Cesario

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics)

This term in STEM, Preps will be focusing on chemical sciences – the study of substances, and Years 1 to 6 will be focusing on physical sciences - the study of how non-living things move and change form. All students will participate in ‘hands-on’ investigations and group work to build their inquiry skills.

Prep: What are objects made of? Students will gain an understanding of common materials and their observable features. They will explore, through hands-on activities, what objects are made of in the school environment and the properties of the materials used to make them. Students will consider why particular materials are used to make different objects. They will develop the skills of observing, describing, comparing and communicating. 

Years 1/2: How are different sounds produced? Students will learn how sound is a form of energy that travels in waves and causes vibrations. They will investigate how the properties of sound waves affect pitch and observe how changes in vibrations affect the sound produced. Students will demonstrate their understanding about how different sounds are created through experimentation and investigation.

Years 3/4: How is heat energy generated and transferred? Students will identify heat as a form of energy that can be sensed. They will describe different heat sources and understand how to measure heat. Students will learn that heat energy can transfer from one object to another and explain the difference between conductors and insulators. They will conduct fair testing to investigate how different materials conduct or insulate heat.

Years 5/6: What is light, and how does it travel and change? Students will identify that light is a form of energy. They will classify materials as transparent, translucent or opaque and investigate how light can be transmitted and refracted through different materials. Students will explain how light is absorbed or reflected when it hits different surfaces and will conduct fair tests to investigate reflection.

Sandy Brewerton

Bands

Hello to our wonderful RGLPS music community.

Senior Band

We have made a fantastic start to the year, with a strong group of enthusiastic and committed music students. Our early morning rehearsals have been full of energy, with plenty of smiling faces and focused music-making. Each Tuesday, the Senior Band continues to grow in confidence as we develop reading and listening skills, with a focus on dynamics, musical phrasing, and blending sound. The band is currently preparing an exciting and engaging program for the mid-year concert. This repertoire is designed to both inspire students and support their musical development. We look forward to seeing you at the mid-year collaboration concert at Montmorency Secondary College, where our students will perform with Montmorency students and also as part of the combined Superband.

Intermediate Band

The Intermediate Band, rehearsing on Wednesdays, has made an excellent start to the year. These young musicians are building a strong, cohesive sound and are working together with great focus and enthusiasm. It is wonderful to see their progress as they continue to develop as a team. We are excited for them to showcase their efforts at the mid-year collaboration concert at Montmorency Secondary College, including their performance in the combined Superband.

Junior Band (commencing Thursday 14th May at 7:30am)

Our Junior Band is ready to begin its musical journey, with small group lessons starting  in week one of term two. This is an exciting time for our newest and youngest musicians as they take their first steps in the band program. Teachers will collect students from their classrooms for weekly instrumental lessons according to the following schedule:

• Flute – Thursday 
• Clarinet – Thursday 
• Saxophone – Tuesday 
• Trumpet – Thursday 
• Trombone – Thursday 
• Electric Bass – Thursday 
• Drums – Wednesday 

• Xylophone – Thursday 

   

The Junior Band method book will soon be available for purchase from the front office, with further details to follow. With your continued encouragement at home—through regular practice and opportunities to perform for family and friends—these students are set up for a bright and rewarding musical future. While the early weeks may bring a mix of excitement, challenges, and new experiences, your support will help them grow in confidence, develop their skills, and discover a love of music-making. We are also excited to see our Junior Band participate in the mid-year collaboration concert  at Montmorency Secondary College as part of the combined Superband.

A final note

Regular practice at home and sharing music with others greatly supports students’ confidence and familiarity with their instruments. Thank you for your ongoing support in helping our young musicians thrive.

Please refer to the schedule below for this year’s rehearsal days.

Michael Rochford

Band Co-ordinator and Music Teacher