The Anchor

Primary School

Welcome back! 

We hope you had a restful (or at least mildly organised) school holiday. If your household was anything like ours, there were probably a few road trips, lots of snack requests and the occasional moment where no one had any idea what day it was. You are not alone; many of us are still remembering how to set alarms again!

 

Now, here we are, Term Three; not quite the beginning, not at the end, with a busy term ahead! And what a line-up we have …

 

First up is Camfield Day, where our school unites for a fun community walk. It is always a slightly chaotic but heartwarming morning, and yes, socks and proper shoes are a must: no Crocs, no slides, no unicorn slippers, no matter how fabulous.

 

Then we are off to Bunbury with selected students in Year Three to Year Six to take part in the Cross Country because nothing says team spirit like running long distances in a new location (do not worry, we will bring snacks and spare enthusiasm).

 

We will slow the pace just in time for our always-colourful Book Week Parade, where students bring their favourite characters to life. Get those costumes ready; there is no such thing as too creative!

 

We will also be celebrating Father’s Day, recognising the wonderful father figures in our students’ lives, whether they are mastering the school drop-off or battling flat-pack furniture.

 

Then comes the much-anticipated Kingfisher Concert, a celebration of music, movement and talent (and proud faces in the audience!). Finally, we wrap up the term with the Kingfisher Fair & Open Day, a chance to showcase the joy and excellence happening across our school.

 

It is a big term, but one filled with connection, creativity and community spirit. We cannot wait to share it all with you.

 

Here is to an exciting and memorable Term Three!

Classroom News

We hope you enjoy reading about the upcoming inquiry focuses and learning for Term Three from our Early Childhood and Primary School classes.

 

Kindergarten

This term, our Kindergarten inquiry is all about Under the Sea, and our big question is: What lives under the sea, and how does it connect to our world? We will spark students’ curiosity by exploring sea creatures from various places around the world and then linking those wonderings to our own beautiful Wild Space during our weekly walks. By investigating what lives both in the water and around our local environment at Kalgan, students will begin to see the connections between the ocean and our backyard. Through hands-on exploration, asking questions and sharing what they notice, our young learners will develop a deeper understanding of the natural world around them. 

 

Pre-Primary

This term, our Pre-Primary inquiry is based on Biological Sciences. We will be inquiring into: How we can care for living things to ensure their survival. We will continue to explore our Wild Space and investigate the plants and animals that live there, before linking this to our inquiry. The students will be encouraged to make careful observations, pose questions and share their awe and wonder about our natural world.

 

Year Two

Term Three will be another exciting one in Year Two, as we investigate people and places of significance. We will inquire into the question, What makes someone or something significant? and delve into places and people in our local community that are significant and finally further investigate these understandings on a broader global scale. The students will enjoy our Magical Mystery History Bus Tour early in the term, but I cannot give away too many details about that, as it is − as the name suggests − a mystery as to our chosen destinations.

 

Year Three

Relax, everyone, Year Three is learning how to understand this bizarre world through observing, grouping and labelling. No longer will waves of new ideas and information overwhelm us, as we develop organisational strategies to make sense of the endless randomness of existence. What are all of these living things, and should I be concerned about their spiky teeth? We will learn to classify the mammals, carnivores, livestock and more. What are all of these shapes, and should I be concerned about their spiky corners? We will learn to sort, rotate, tesselate and calculate the area of shapes like experts. What are these flags, and should I be concerned that this one is trying to copy ours? We will learn all about Australia’s states and neighbours, how we are different and the things we have in common. 

Like Gulliver on his travels, we look forward to the unknown; strange things are only strange until we have come to understand them.

 

Year Four

This term, our Year Four students are diving into an exciting inquiry: How does our local government help make Albany such a great place to live? Each student will explore a specific service or facility provided by the City of Albany, examining how it impacts our community, environment and future. To deepen our understanding, we have already begun learning about the role of local government in class. This week, we will build on that knowledge with a hands-on excursion to the City of Albany Council Chambers, where we will have the opportunity to meet the Mayor and the CEO. We will also visit key community facilities, including the Albany Public Library, the Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre, and the Aware Centre, where the Waste and Sustainability Team will share their insights. Meeting the Council Ranger will also help students see how local government supports safety and wellbeing. Through these experiences, we hope students will gain a deeper appreciation for the vital role local government plays and recognise the many people working behind the scenes to support our quality of life in Albany.

 

Year Five

This term in Year Five, we are exploring our place in the world. We will research, design and develop a Primary School market stall/fete in which the Year Five classes will sell goods they have made by hand or baked at school. They will need to keep a check of labour hours, money spent and profit made at the end. In Science, we will plan, design and create a replica solar system using sustainable materials. At the market stall, students and teachers will vote on the most innovative designs. Students will also be marked on their customer service skills (speaking and listening), advertisement campaigns and letters (persuasive texts/viewing), design concepts and food preparation (Technologies), measurement, budgets and financial plans (Mathematics).

 

Year Six

This term in Year Six, we are diving into our inquiry question: How do big changes like new technology, natural disasters, or social movements impact the way people live and work in our community and why do people see these changes differently? We will be exploring how natural disasters impact communities, what Earthships are and how they work, and how science helps us understand living things, including ourselves as we go through puberty! We will also be learning how to write informational texts, and thinking about how facts and opinions shape what we believe. It is going to be a term full of discovery, discussion and big ideas!

 

Languages

In the first part of the term, students will be wrapping up their cultural inquiries that they started in Term Two. Our Years Five and Six students will continue to explore the French-speaking world, while Years Three and Four classes will delve more deeply into the benefits of learning another language. Meanwhile, our ECC students will be getting to know names from around the world and discovering their meanings.

 

Having all students explore a common theme worked wonderfully in Semester One, sparking meaningful and fun conversations across different year levels. So in the second half of the term, all students will once again come together under a shared theme: food − a favourite for all! Younger students will build vocabulary related to café foods, while older students will take it further by learning conversational phrases to order food and understand typical interactions in a café setting.

 

To round off the term, we will take a global tour of breakfast foods and explore what mornings look like in different cultures.

Upcoming events

Term Three, Week One

  • Friday 25 July, NAIDOC House Activities (House shirts)

Week Two

  • Wednesday 30 July, Kindergarten Storytime, presented by Albany Public Library, 11.30am to 12.00pm
  • Wednesday 30 July, Camfield Day, 'Socks and Kicks' for a gold coin donation, 11.00am to 2.00pm
  • Wednesday 30 July to Thursday 31 July, Year Three to Six selected students SWPS Interschool Cross Country Event, Bunbury Cathedral Grammar Depart 9.30 am | Return 7.00 pm
  • Thursday 31 July, Term Three Tour Morning, 9.00am to 11.00am

Week Three

  • Thursday 7 August, Denmark Regional Roadshow Su, Boston Brewery, 5.00pm to 7.00pm
  • Friday 8 August, Music and Leaders’ Assembly, all welcome to attend, 9.00am in the Hall

Have a wonderful weekend.

Ms Leah Field | Head of Primary and

Mrs Hayley Ranger | Head of Early Childhood