🌻 Botanist/Botanico

Botanists study the biology of all types of plants to increase scientific knowledge and apply it to the conservation and management of natural resources, agriculture, forestry, horticulture, medicine, and biotechnology.

👩‍🎓 Home Learning Science Supernova Awards

Congratulations to all the students who participated in science learning during home learning. Thank you for all the photos and videos that were uploaded and emailed to me showcasing the wonderful work the students were able to achieve at home. Thank you for supporting your children at home to enable them to continue their science learning journey. Please see the image below that congratulates our Science Supernovae recipients during the 2 home learning weeks.

❄️ Our Milk Bottle Igloo is taking shape!

We have started to map out and measure our Milk Bottle Igloo, as we begin to embark on our whole school STEM project in 2021. The Year's 3/4 students along with Ms Catherine and myself will be leading the project, which will take shape on the mezzanine level between the school library and the Year 3/4 classrooms. A big thank you to Crosier Scott Architects who kindly donated some corflute that was the material chosen as the base to support our igloo. Watch this 'Arctic' space!

🌏 World Environment Day: June 5, 2021

World Environment Day (WED) is an international day of environmental awareness and action that happens on 5th June each year. Started in 1974 by the United Nations, each year WED is hosted in a different country, with events focusing on a central theme. The theme for WED this year is “REIMAGINE. RECREATE. RESTORE”.

Ever since its creation, the United Nations has emphasised that WED should be seen as the "people's day" for doing something to take care of the Earth.

Australia is one country that regularly participates in World Environment Day. Local school and community events like clean-up campaigns, tree-planting drives, and trail walks are organised all over the country.

Because of the unusual situation all of Australia (not to mention the rest of the world) finds itself in 2021, the community events of previous years have not run this year. However, that does not mean you and your children cannot still take part in your own way. Read on for some fun suggestions of ways that you can mark World Environment Day 2021, no matter where you are. Below is a list of suggested activities you could participate in at home with your children:

Watch the video linked below with your children.
Plant native Australian flora for the bees: bee populations are dwindling all over the world, and ensuring that native Australian bee species have plenty of their favourite flowers and plants on which to feed goes a long way towards helping those populations build back up.
Plant native trees: teach students about ecosystems, sustainability, and the risks of environmental decline in order to turn them into little eco-warriors for the future.
Clean up the beach or your local park: our parks, coastal regions, and beach areas are at a critical point, and we need to actively keep them clean and plastic-free to support the plethora of unique and endangered wildlife in our environment.
Walk or bike ride: start the day in a sustainable way by encouraging your children to walk or ride their bikes to school. This also gives your children an opportunity to explore and appreciate the ecosystem on their doorstep.

🌊 World Oceans Day: June 8, 2021

On World Oceans Day, people around our blue planet celebrate and honor our one shared ocean, that connects us all. The ocean covers over 70% of the planet. It is our life source, supporting humanity’s sustenance and that of every other organism on earth.

The ocean produces at least 50% of the planet’s oxygen, is home to most of the earth’s biodiversity, and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people around the world. Not to mention, the ocean is key to our economy with an estimated 40 million people being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030.

“The Ocean: Life and Livelihoods” is the theme for World Oceans Day 2021, as well as a declaration of intentions that launches a decade of challenges to get the Sustainable Development Goal 14, “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources”, by 2030. World Oceans Day reminds us of the major role the oceans have in everyday life. They are the lungs of our Earth and a major source of food and medicine and a critical part of the biosphere. Over the last few weeks, Years 1/2 and 5/6 explored and researched our oceans to have a greater awareness of their importance.

🎱 Foundation

Physical Sciences Unit: On the move!

Biological Sciences Unit: Living Things

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to predict and identify bouncing, rolling, and spinning in a variety of different balls made from different materials.

Success Criteria:

Students can represent their understanding of movement through drawing and writing.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to think about and go about caring for a non-living thing.

Success Criteria:

Students can compare the needs of living and non-living things.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to investigate their school playground for living and non-living things.

Success Criteria:

Students can identify living things and non-living things.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to explore living things around us.

Success Criteria:

Students can understand that living things have basic needs.

🌊 Year 1/2:

Chemical Sciences Unit: Bend it! Stretch It!

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to celebrate World Oceans Day and explore an ocean animal for a day.

Success Criteria:

Students can research, imagine, write about and draw representations of what it would be like to be an ocean animal for a day.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to brainstorm ideas, demonstrate curiosity and show inventiveness.

Success Criteria:

Students can use problem-solving strategies and used recycled materials to build a marble run.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to investigate how easy it is to change the shape of a ball of playdough, the longer it is left to dry out.

Success Criteria:

Students can discuss the observations and results of the investigation.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to create a playdough model in teams.

Success Criteria:

Students can reflect on their learning journey within the "Bend It! Stretch It unit".

👩‍🦽 Years 3-4:

Problem Based Learning Unit (STEM for Humanity)

Physical Sciences Unit: Heat Energy

Learning Intention: Students will be able to continue brainstorming solutions to real-world problems.

Success Criteria: Students can create a prototype for an assistive device to help children with a disability.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to you explore Mars Helicopter: Ingenuity, and why it was necessary to send it to Mars with the Mars Rover.

Success Criteria:

Students can build a paper helicopter. Then, just as NASA engineers had to try out different versions of the Mars helicopter before coming up with a final design, students will experiment with the design of your helicopter to see what works best.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to brainstorm ideas, demonstrate curiosity and show inventiveness.

Success Criteria:

Students can use problem-solving strategies in building a simple structure/container to protect a raw egg from a high fall.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to investigate and describe the different ways that heat can be produced.

Success Criteria:

Students can choose a question about 'heat' that they can answer and then turn and teach their buddy.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to explore animal behaviours related to heat energy.

Success Criteria:

Students can PLAN a science investigation into how heat moves through different materials.

Please support your child to enter the 2021 3/4 Science Classroom, code: 353e

🚁 Years 5-6:

Mars Helicopter: Ingenuity

Chemical Sciences Unit: Matter Matters

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to you explore Mars Helicopter: Ingenuity, and why it was necessary to send it to Mars with the Mars Rover.

Success Criteria:

Students can build a paper helicopter. Then, just as NASA engineers had to try out different versions of the Mars helicopter before coming up with a final design, students will experiment with the design of your helicopter to see what works best.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to brainstorm ideas, demonstrate curiosity and show inventiveness.

Success Criteria:

Students can use problem-solving strategies in building a simple structure/container to protect a raw egg from a high fall.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to use the properties of solids, liquids and gases to classify matter.

Success Criteria:

Students can understand that properties are used to describe and classify matter.

Learning Intention:

Students will be able to perform short investigations to explore the properties of gases.

Success Criteria:

Students can relate observations of gas behaviour to its properties.

Please support your child to enter the 2021 5/6 Science Classroom, code: sm47vvf

🛒 Fun Science Shop

Earn funds for our school and be entertained these school holidays!

Check out www.funscience.com.au for some engaging educational science projects. Check out our STEM kits, Science gifts, chemistry items, and much more.

Enter discount code STRAPHAEL to obtain a 5% discount for you and we will also give *10% back to the school to spend on Science equipment.

*Minimum spend $20 to obtain discount and rebate for school - a delivery charge applies.

Any questions email info@funscience.com.au

Thank you for your support! Fun Science (A division of Science Supply Australia).

🍞👩‍🦽TAKING ACTION!

This year we will continue to collect bread tags for 'Aussie Bread Tags for Wheelchairs' and we will also begin collecting plastic bottle tops. Last year, the students were moved to action when they discovered that many young shearwater birds hatching on Lord Howe Island were dying because of the plastic they were consuming which includes plastic bottle tops. There are collection tubs in the Science Room, so please encourage and support your children to collect bread tags and plastic bottle tops to care for Our Common Home.

📧 Contact Details

Patty Luna: pluna@srprestonwest.catholic.edu.au

Please note, I will respond to emails Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8 am and 5 pm.

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