Specialist News 

Physical Education

How did it already get to week 6?! Time flies when you're having fun! 

In the PE space, the P-2 students have been working through a ball bouncing unit. Prep and 1's are applying these skills through mini games and collaborative activities whilst the grade 2's are applying these in mini basketball style games. Our focus is to maintain the height of the bounce by keeping it at hip height and using our strong arms and fingertips to push the ball downwards. Students have also been challenged to use their non-preferred hand, dodge and change direction whilst dribbling. 

In the 3 - 6 space, our coach-led netball sessions have been very engaging with our coach Carnie from Netball Victoria. Within these sessions, the students have practised a variety of passes, shooting, pivoting and applying these in competitive netball games. It's been a wonderful opportunity to welcome a guest coach into our school and for our students to model our school values and always show 100% participation. 

In the sporting news, we celebrated our House Cross Country event on April 30th which seems like forever ago. It was a great day to see so many students push themselves to run the cross country course with determination, perseverance and positivity. After the races concluded, the students participated in a house vs house soccer round-robin. Inside the school grounds, the P-2 students participated in rotations such as hurdles, longest throw and egg and spoon races and finished off with a 10 minutes run where they were joined by the 3- 6 students. The day finished with a whole school picnic on the oval and some quiet activities in the afternoon. 

The District Cross Country event was next on our calendar, where we had 19 students represent Bittern PS at Hastings Foreshore. Our students ran their little legs off to the best of their abilities and were exceptional on the day. It was such a proud moment to see each of them on the course, striving for their best, supporting or encouraging those around them and showcasing how talented and kindhearted our students really are. 

One of our Grade 5/6 students, Alana was very successful in her event and finished 1st in the 12/13 year old age group. She will progress to the next event, representing the Crib Point District at the Division Cross Country event held on June 3rd at Hastings Foreshore. We wish you all the very best Alana and cannot wait to hear all about it.

Mrs Berthet

P.S: We started our run club last Thursday and here's our inaugural photo. 

P.P.S: I hope the 100 jumps a day challenge is still going strong!  

DIGI TECH

Students across all year levels have continued developing their understanding of algorithms and computer programming through a range of engaging and hands-on digital learning experiences. These lessons are designed to help students build important computational thinking skills, including sequencing, problem-solving, logical reasoning and creativity.

Students in Prep and Year 1 have been exploring the concept of algorithms using ScratchJr. Through this introductory programming platform, students use colourful programming blocks to create simple sequences that control characters and animations. Students have been learning how to give clear, step-by-step instructions to make characters move, jump, speak and interact within digital stories. This learning helps students understand that digital systems follow precise instructions and that programs must be carefully sequenced to work correctly. Through these activities, students are developing early coding skills while also building confidence, creativity and persistence when solving problems.

Students in Year 2 have recently completed their unit of work using ScratchJr and have now transitioned to the more advanced Scratch programming platform. This progression allows students to further extend their understanding of block-based coding and digital problem-solving. Through Scratch, students are beginning to use more complex programming features, including movement controls, loops and interactive elements. The purpose of this learning is to prepare students for future Digital Technologies units, particularly in Term 3, where they will apply their programming knowledge to coding and controlling robotics equipment such as Blue-Bot robots. By developing these foundational programming skills now, students will be better equipped to understand how algorithms can control physical digital systems and devices.

Students in Years 3–6 have continued using Scratch to further develop their coding knowledge and computational thinking skills. Throughout this unit, students have been creating a variety of digital projects, including interactive games, musical compositions and simple animations. Students have explored how different blocks of code can work together to produce specific outcomes, while also learning the importance of testing and debugging programs when issues arise. These projects encourage students to think creatively while also applying logical and systematic problem-solving processes. Students are beginning to recognise that coding is not only a technical skill, but also a creative tool that can be used to communicate ideas, tell stories and design interactive experiences.

Code for Jimmy's Reaction Speed Game

Jimmy's Reaction Speed Game

River's Basketball Clicker Game Code

River's Basketball Clicker Game

Across all year levels, these Digital Technologies learning experiences are helping students develop the confidence and skills needed to become thoughtful, capable and creative users of technology in an increasingly digital world.

Mr Durrington

Auslan (Australian Sign Language)

It has been a wonderfully busy time in Auslan across the school, with a special focus on preparing for our Grandparents Afternoon performance. In particular, our senior students worked incredibly hard as they helped prepare and practise a range of important signed pieces for the event. Together, students learned to sign We Are Australian, they practise their signing of the National Anthem, our school oath, and our Acknowledgement of Country. It was great to see students demonstrating such enthusiasm, commitment, and pride as they developed their signing skills and worked towards sharing this meaningful performance with our school community.

Across the classrooms, students have also been actively building their Auslan vocabulary and communication skills through engaging learning experiences. Our Grade 3 and 4 students have been exploring signs related to school and transport, helping them communicate about familiar places, routines, and ways of getting around.

Our Year 2 students have been enjoying learning signs connected to meal times, using the engaging Auslan story My Family Lunch to support their learning. This has provided a wonderful opportunity for students to connect language learning with storytelling and everyday experiences.

Our Foundation students have been focusing on signs for feelings and emotions, learning how to express how they are feeling in Auslan. It has been lovely to see our youngest learners enthusiastically practising signs to communicate emotions such as happy, sad, excited, and tired.

Miss Bacon

Visual Arts

This term in Visual Arts, students across all year levels have been exploring the elements of shape and form through exciting hands-on construction projects using paper mâché. Students have experimented with building in three dimensions, developing their creativity, problem-solving skills, and artistic confidence.

We also had the pleasure of welcoming students from our local kindergarten to experience a Visual Arts session at the school. During their visit, the kindergarten students created bright and colourful sun collages, enthusiastically exploring shape, colour, and creativity while becoming familiar with the art room environment.

Our Foundation and Year 1 students were inspired by the nursery rhyme The Green Grass Grows All Around. After listening to and discussing the song, students imagined what the tree from the rhyme might look like and have begun creating whimsical paper mâché tree sculptures full of personality, colour, and imaginative detail.

Year 2 students have been exploring the work of artists Yayoi Kusama, Henri Matisse, and Moritz Moll. Students compared and contrasted the artists’ unique styles, discussing similarities and differences in colour, pattern, and shape. Using these artists as inspiration, students designed and begun to create vibrant 3D paper mâché flowers.

In Years 3 and 4, students have been learning about artist Kim Sielbeck and exploring how artists can build careers in creative industries. Students discussed the many ways art can be applied in areas such as fashion, packaging, illustration, and design. Inspired by Kim Sielbeck’s colourful and playful style, students are currently constructing imaginative paper mâché cactus sculptures.

Our Year 5 and 6 students have been investigating Mexican culture through the tradition of Alebrijes — brightly coloured, fantastical creature sculptures rich in symbolism and creativity. Students explored the work of artist Pedro Linares López and examined the history and meaning behind Alebrijes in Mexican folk art. Students have designed their own unique creatures, constructed armatures, and begun the paper mâché process for these exciting large-scale projects.

It has been wonderful to see students across the school embracing experimentation, creativity, and resilience while working through the many stages of the artistic process. We look forward to showcasing these incredible sculptures once completed!

Mrs Roberts