Primary School

Classroom News 

Please see the classroom news below. Some fantastic experiences are happening in our classrooms; we hope you enjoy reading about them.

Djinda 

Last week we braved the elements, popped on our gumboots and strode to the Wild Space. We left with excited bodies and returned with happy, contented hearts, and lots of gumboots filled with harbour water! We learned to respect the environment and leave objects in their natural habitats, while taking pictures with our minds. On return we tried damper, with many unexpectedly loving it and requesting it on the menu at home. This week (weather permitting), we are off to the chickens with our FOGO Captain Jacko.  

Kindergarten 

Our classes are continuing to show such enthusiasm for our Talk for Writing story, The Little Red Hen. We have become fantastic storytellers and are now learning how to innovate stories by bringing in our own creative ideas and changing parts of the text. This week, instead of The Little Red Hen, we changed our character to a Little Pink Pig − complete with lots of hilarious piggy noises! We loved using our imaginations to create a brand new version of the story together. 

We have also had lots of excitement learning our new sound this week: Pp for popcorn! To help us remember the sound, we popped popcorn in a frying pan and listened carefully to the p-p-p popping noises it made. What a fun way to learn! 

Pre-Primary  

Last week we celebrated Science Week with a special focus on Indigenous Australian Science. As part of our learning, we went on an exciting adventure to the nearby Fish Traps, where students explored how Aboriginal peoples have traditionally used the tides to catch fish. Our Pre-Primary students shared that their favourite parts of the excursion were reading the signs, walking alongside the big kids (Year Eight and Year Nine VACS students) and observing the water. To continue our exploration, students also engaged in a hands-on chemical science experience by making damper over a fire on Friday. They experimented with different amounts of liquid and flour to create the perfect dough, learning through trial and observation. The highlight, of course, was enjoying the delicious damper together! 

Year One 

On Monday the Year One students got their gumboots on and walked to the foreshore with Mrs Teresa McAllister, who showed them two types of samphire (a crunchy, salty bushfood that divided the class − the children either loved or hated it!) They collected the samphire in groups and happily carried it back to the Hospitality room, where they excitedly discussed what they were going to do with it when they returned on Wednesday morning. They were delighted when they walked into the Hospitality room later that week to discover that the Year Ten students were there, too. These clever students showed the Year One class how to make damper, using the samphire collected on Monday and they even made their own butter (using whipping cream)! However, everyone’s favourite part of the morning was to taste the dampers – they were so yummy! Afterwards, the Year One students wrote procedures to recall how the dampers were made and they learnt about the grinding stones that Indigenous people used to crush seeds to use instead of flour. Everyone was amazed to learn that some grinding stones have been identified as being over 50,000 years old! 

Year Two 

In Mathematics, the class has begun to work on measurement, using both informal and formal units. We have discussed that for things to be an accurate measurement, they need to be a uniform unit, measured from the beginning of the object and have no spaces. We have enjoyed estimating and then measuring items in our classroom with blocks, paperclips and rulers.  

The students have chosen a significant person or place from our Magical Mystery History excursion and will learn some research and note-taking skills to then present a poster about their chosen person or place. They have also been doing some shared writing, using superlatives, conjunctions and exaggeration to persuade the audience that a farm is the best holiday destination! 

Year Three  

Students had the privilege of engaging with several guest speakers who generously shared their knowledge and expertise on Aboriginal science practices and their ongoing influence in contemporary life. These enriching sessions provided valuable insights into a range of topics, including traditional astronomy, the use and significance of native plants and cultural practices such as tracking. A particular highlight of this learning experience was the exploration of how First Nations Peoples interpret and understand the night sky. Students were fascinated by the ways in which stars are read not only for navigation but also as indicators of seasonal changes and animal behaviour. This deep connection between celestial knowledge and the natural environment broadened students’ appreciation of Indigenous perspectives and scientific understanding. 

As the term progresses, students are now approaching the final stages of their information report writing. They have worked diligently to develop their research and writing skills, and we are excited to see them apply this learning in their upcoming ‘hot tasks’, where they will showcase their knowledge and progress. 

Year Four 

With our whole world revolving around materials, it was wonderful to learn about the materials used by Indigenous people from time immemorial. While investigating ochre, we learned a lot about soil and clay, and how simple materials can be processed to create more useful ones. Although our school grounds are not home to vast sources of beautifully coloured ochre deposits, we were able to process some common brown clay of our own from nearby. We learnt about extracting impurities and diluting for tone. We learnt about fixatives from back in the day, and those that we are more likely to use ourselves. We even learnt how artistic cultures around the world are influenced by their access to different materials. All thanks to ochres. 

Year Five Camp 

A long trip to Perth, some bus trip antics and makeshift mass card games were definitely a fun way to pass the kilometres. Camp and its expansive grounds were certainly explored thoroughly as we scouted the grounds in the darkest night by torchlight, playing ‘escape from quarantine’. These camp rites of passage are all part of the experience and teach children about teamwork, perseverance and how to nurse your small battery-powered torch. Dinner was a well-received butter chicken, complete with jelly pudding. Importantly, everyone settled into their dorms, showered and made the place feel like home.  

Yesterday we had a big day of adventure, as we mingled with the public on both the bus and train networks. We started the day off with a cooked breakfast before heading to Fremantle Prison for a fabulous, guided tour. 

Year Six 

Phew, what a time we had last week! Our focus was on celebrating Science Week with an incredible focus on Indigenous Australian science. Our week started with learning about the history and significance of granite outcrops and lizard traps to the Noongar Menang people and how we can all play a part in caring for our local environment from Dr Susie Cramp from UWA. This was followed by learning about the science behind the woomera from Dr Paul Mitrovski and we were all a little surprised at how difficult it was to accurately throw long distances using tools. Our week was wrapped up with a workshop with Larry Blight, where we were able to construct our very own throwing stick. Can you imagine our surprise when we learnt one of the ingredients was kangaroo poo! We finished off with an opportunity to share our learning with each other and were lucky enough to visit Years Two, Four and Five and see the incredible projects everyone worked on during this exciting week. We were so impressed with everyone’s creativity and learning.  

In Mathematics, we have been working hard on measuring and calculating perimeter and area, and in Humanities have started our inquiry journey into the fascinating stories of people who have migrated to Australia and how their stories have shaped the Australia we live in today. 

Languages 

If you were a little mouse in one of our Middle or Upper Primary French classes, you might hear words like definite article, indefinite article, subject pronoun, conjugation, masculine, feminine, singular and plural floating through the room! In other words, we are really knuckling down on grammar this term. We discussed how French students are introduced to grammar concepts from a very young age, often more explicitly than their Australian counterparts. While grammar may sound challenging at first, students are beginning to see how understanding the ‘rules’ of the language actually makes learning easier. Rather than memorising every single word or sentence, we can apply grammar patterns and formulas to work things out independently. It has been wonderful to see students growing in confidence as they deepen their understanding of how the French language works. 

ECC Briefing  

The following superstars have worked exceptionally well and received a Star Award for their outstanding efforts.  

Kindergarten A: Daisy Ball 

Kindergarten B: Kiana Jensen 

Pre-Primary A: Margo Hodge  

Pre-Primary B: Sebastien Chen 

Year One: Rosie Pearce 

Year Two A: Kobi Finaughty 

Year Two B: River Melia  

The following students have stood out for their ability to show courage.  

Kindergarten A: Noah Marsh 

Kindergarten B: Abigail Mears  

Pre-Primary A: Aleeza Asad 

Pre-Primary B: Ludovic Pyle 

Year One: Hudson Sutton 

Year Two A: River Williams 

Year Two B: Isla Johnstone 

Primary School Briefing 

We were blessed with warm weather, so we held our briefing out on the leaf deck. Thank you to Noah and Bonnie from Wilson for hosting. We awarded our ten-minute tables certificates and wished our Year Five campers well, ahead of their three-night stay in Perth.  

The following students have stood out for their ability to show courage.  

Year Three: Maria Grosshans 

Year Four A: Payton Palmer 

Year Four B: Amaya Kiddle  

Year Five A: Elizabeth Maw 

Year Five B: Xavier Palmer 

Year Six A: Jackson Kirkpatrick 

Year Six B: Archie Lowe 

Have a wonderful weekend.

Ms Leah Field | Head of Primary and

Mrs Hayley Ranger | Head of Early Childhood