Curriculum Matters
Foundation
Our Foundation students had a fantastic time at their first incursion, ‘Proud To Be Me!’ Through engaging performances, they learned about self-esteem, the power of positive self-talk, friendship, acceptance and diversity. The students were in hysterics while watching and learning to appreciate themselves and others in a truly special way.
Over the last fortnight, our Foundation students have been working hard to identify, count, order and build numbers. Using hands-on manipulatives, they’ve been gaining confidence in their counting skills as they explore and interact with numbers in a fun and engaging way.
Level 1
In Numeracy, Level 1 students have been exploring skip counting by 2s, 5s, and 10s. They've had a great time bringing their skip counting patterns to life by creating colourful designs with chalk in the courtyard.
This hands-on activity has allowed them to reinforce their skills while enjoying the outdoors!
Level 2
On Thursday, the Level 2 students had an exciting excursion to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne, where they took part in the Shared Country experience.
This special program helped students learn about the deep connection the Boonwurrung people have with the land and the importance of caring for the environment.
Throughout the day, students discovered how plants are traditionally used for fibre, medicine, tools, and food. They also had the opportunity to explore First Peoples' tools and Indigenous plants, use ochre to create paintings and handprints, and taste native bushfood tea.
It was a fantastic hands-on learning experience, and everyone had a wonderful time!
Level 3
The level 3’s have been developing their ability to read clocks, understand time intervals and connect the concept of time to their daily routine. We have been working on telling time to the quarter to/past and are becoming experts.
During our literacy time, we have been learning about writing persuasive pieces and expressing our opinions clearly. They’ve been practicing persuasive techniques, building strong reasons, giving examples and using emotions to persuade others.
We have written some GREAT persuasive arguments!
Level 4
Inquiry Focus:
Level 4 students have been diving into independent research projects about the Southern Hemisphere! They have been exploring different countries and discovering unique aspects of their cultures, including popular sports, traditional clothing, and famous musicians. Students have been using their inquiry skills to research and present their findings in creative ways. It’s been fantastic to see their curiosity and enthusiasm shine through in their work!
Numeracy Focus:
In Numeracy, Level 4 students have been mastering the concept of time!
Over the past two weeks, they have been learning to read time to the exact minute and solve problems involving elapsed time. Through hands-on activities and real-world examples, students have been developing a deeper understanding of how time works in everyday life. Their confidence in telling time has grown, and they are becoming experts at solving tricky time-related challenges!
Level 5
Cultural Infusion Incursion
Level 5 students travelled on an exciting cultural journey as part of their ‘Passport to the Continents’ Inquiry topic. Through an engaging incursion, they explored the rich traditions of different cultures around the world.
Students experienced the energy of Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines dance, music and acrobatics. They also stepped into the vibrant world of Bollywood dancing, learning expressive moves inspired by India’s famous film industry. Students also delved into the traditions of African and Middle Eastern cultures, gaining insights into their music, stories and customs.
This hands-on experience helped bring our learning to life, fostering appreciation and understanding of diverse cultures. It was a fantastic way to travel the world without leaving the school!
Level 6
Level 6 Leadeership GRIP Excursion
It was a bright early morning. The newly elected Level 6 leadership team was ready to go to the most exciting excursion - GRIP leadership conference.
You may be wondering, what is GRIP?
Well, GRIP stands for G-Generosity, R-Responsibility, I-Integrity, and P-People. A practical and interactive training conference for student leaders. Let me tell you more about it.
The conference was to be held at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Center in the city. We all assembled by 7:45 am at the Glen Waverly train station and we could hardly wait for the day to begin. Soon enough, we bid goodbye to our parents and boarded the train. Nobody could stop talking about the day ahead, and when our train arrived at the destination, we were all ready to jump outside.Inside the Melbourne Exhibition Centre. there were around 3,100 students from schools across Melbourne. We found a little booklet from underneath our seats. Everyone was excited. The event started off with an introduction telling us what we were about to learn!
Firstly, we learned about The Responsibilities of a Student Leader and how to set an example for others. We even exchanged our ideas with students from other schools. Later, we watched some clips of characters that demonstrated what a good leadership is, i.e. Chump from Migration, Wade from Elemental, and Roz from The Wild Robot!
In the next topic on Leadership through Friendship, we learned:
- how to make new ideas feel fun, not forced.
- showing responsibility is more important than showing off responsibility.
- conversations are more effective than instructions.
Students from different schools were invited on stage to act out small scenes reinforcing the above message.
In between the sessions, we had fun filled games and activities where students from different schools participated, including us from JPPS.
Towards the end, we had a Q&A session, which was quite inspiring.
Time flies when you are having fun. Ever heard of that saying? Well, that is true—it does fly! And that’s why we must manage our time properly.
It was already time for our return journey, where everybody was talking about how much fun they had throughout the day. There was a big story to tell our parents.
Thank you to Mrs T, Mr Jenkins and all the parent helpers for making this an exciting time!
Written by Aaradhya S 6P
Engineering Visit
A couple weeks ago, two engineers named Dan and Laurie came to our school and explained to the level sixes what engineering is and what they do.
Dan is an environmental engineer and his job mostly includes advancing buildings to make them more eco-friendly and clean. Dan also helps the world be more healthy, clean and environmentally stable.
After Dan's visit, we had a go at making our own rocket catchers and tested them outside. We found that the most successful ones had a large catch net and four pillars to support them.
Laurie is a civil engineer and her job includes fixing, stabilizing and improving infrastructure like railways, buildings, bridges etc to make them efficient. We learnt so much and are really grateful to have had these professionals come in and encourage us to explore different career options that use Design & Construction.
Scarlet, Yun Xi & Ana (6P)