Learning and Teaching

Year 5 Camp - Merrick's Lodge

Students embarked on their 4 day camp to Merrick’s Lodge. Our focus at camp for the year 5’s was outdoor adventure education exploring our diverse marine environment in the Mornington Peninsula.

Students completed a range of activities including;

• Surfing
• Snorkelling
• Spotlight in the dark
• Kayaking

On arrival back to school, we explored descriptive writing and the way figurative language can be used to paint a picture to the reader.  Students explored similes and metaphors and how senses can be activated in language. Here’s a few reflections from our students;

“The fun filled site is located on the coast of the Mornington Peninsula.  And I have a million reasons why Year Five Merrick’s Camp is the most unforgettable camp.  We learnt so many new things like Gaga ball, orienteering. Personally orienteering was my favourite”

Peter 5D

“The waves clashed with icy cold weather against my humid, warm body soon to be

 cold and shivering.  With the heavy, weighted surfboard, my burning hand and aching arm, I heaved my board to the cold, freezing water which gradually became warmer.  Along the way, the heavy surf surfboard started to float, wriggling like a worm struggling to free itself from the ground.  It was time… The instructor told me to lean on the drenched and soggy board, goosebumps splashing all over me against my chilled body.  He lunged forwards to push me into the other instructor on the board”                                          Surfing by Matt 5A

“My next favourite activity was surfing.  The water was freezing but it was worth it in the end.  A few people were able to stand up. Surfing was harder than it looked but a bit of practice, we got the hang of it.  The worst part of surfing putting on and taking off the wetsuits because they were wet and sticky.  The ground was very jagged and uneven, making it hard to walk and we had to be careful”                                                     Caleb 5D

“We stepped into the icy bay, to the point my legs were about to freeze.  In the ocean, I smelt the salt water and as we were putting the flipper on, I felt the sand leaking through my flippers as they were on the ground whilst the instructor was speaking.  Just as we started snorkelling, we found a starfish sitting in the deep waters, acting like it was waiting for it’s prey.  While snorkelling, I found out that there was a little bit of water in my snorkel however, before realising, I accidentally tasted a little bit of salt water. It tasted line a very salty fish I’ve had before”

Snorkelling by Vanessa 5A

“Mr Webster tapped on my shoulder exclaiming, ‘There it is!’  As I was thinking it was something totally different, screaming and jumping on Valentina. And then I saw it… It was a huge stingray! It was just as my salty lips were turning blue when I froze like a rock in complete shock. 

As time slowly passed, my clinging wetsuit got warmer and the stingray drifted away slowly. I could hear the faint sound of chattering teeth.”

The Stingray by Samantha 5A

“Later that night we played a game of spotlight, which is when there are one or two people, with one of them has a flashlight while everyone else hides. We try to get back to the home base but if the people shine the bright light at you, you’re out. When we started, everyone broke into group and I was with Caleb and Liam. One of the games there were loads of people in one hiding spot, so we decided to sing ‘Baby Shark’ as a diversion which I thought was very funny”

Lian Ong 5A

St Mary’s Drama Workshop 

On the 21st of March, Year 4A and 4R took part in a drama workshop

 with St Mary’s College.  All the Year 4s took part and we had so much fun. I liked it because I got to experience new games that I have never played before.  It was fun because we got to do drama instead of playing normal games. The games included fish and chips and only question game. We would like to thank Alexander, Olivia, Addy and the teachers from St Mary’s College for coming to our school. 

Deio and Ollie (Year 4A) 

Layla Price - 'Empowering Hoops’ 

On Wednesday afternoon the Grade 5 and 6 girls had Layla Price come in a present and promote her business Empowering Hoops - The Fight for equality in Sport’ 

Currently playing semi professional basketball (NBL1) for renowned club, Melbourne Tigers, Layla is the captain of the Youth League team as well as the coach of the Victoria Championship U12 representative girls team.

Layla came and talked to motivate the girls to work hard to achieve their goals and fight through the barriers that females face. She shared her story and the knowledge she gained through her own ups and downs.  Layla went into a high performance mindset and how to set yourself goals to be successful and achieve your dreams. Creating core values, sharing what your values are, how can you continue to improve on those and also idolizing someone. 

This presentation and workshop from Layla was incredible for our young girls. 

Inclusive Books to Celebrate Harmony Day 

This week we celebrated Harmony Day. I have created a virtual library of inclusive books that you can use at home to celebrate Harmony Day. You might also like to check these books out at your local library.  Please explore some of these books as a family and use them to discuss examples of respect, belonging, inclusiveness, cooperation, collaboration, uniqueness and diversity. 

We Are All Equal: A diverse group of animals comes together to celebrate one very important idea: no matter our differences, we are all equal.

Our Home, Our Heartbeat: Adapted from Briggs’ celebrated song 'The Children Came Back', Our Home, Our Heartbeat is a celebration of past and present First Nations legends, as well as emerging generations, and at its heart honours the oldest continuous culture on earth.

Wide Big World: Difference is everywhere, just look and see. 

I love me: A celebration of individuality and joyous self-esteem. 

Same, but a little bit different: Same, But Little Bit Diff'rent is related by a child living in a southern city and her friend Normie, who lives in the top end. As they compare notes about their lives, activities and interests, they discover how very much they have in common, despite their contrasting environments.

Grandma’s Treasured Shoes: A story for young children about a grandmother's journey as a little girl from Vietnam to Australia

My Two Blankets: Following her arrival in a new country with its unfamiliar sights and sounds, Cartwheel creates a safe place for herself under an 'old' blanket made out of the memories and thoughts of home. As time goes on, she begins to weave a 'new' blanket of friendship and belonging that is different from the old blanket, but it is eventually just as warm and familiar.

Out: I'm called an asylum seeker, but that's not my name. A little girl and her mother have fled their homeland, making the long and treacherous journey by boat to seek asylum. Timely, powerful and moving, Out celebrates the triumph of the human spirit in the darkest times, and the many paths people take to build a new life.

When we say Black Lives Matter: Little one, when we say Black Lives Matter, we're saying black people are wonderful-strong.  That we deserve to be treated with basic respect, and that history's done us wrong.  From birth to the end of school, in joy and in sorrow, on the trumpet and the djembe, at home and in the community, a black child's parents.

A Bus called Heaven: When Stella discovers an abandoned old bus called Heaven in her street one morning she declares that it is ours. Everyone pitches in to clean it up, making it a special place for people in the neighbourhood to gather together. But when the bus is towed away, Stella must fight to save everything the community has worked so hard to create.

I’m Australian too: I’m Australian Too celebrates the diversity of modern Australia.

Whoever you are: A celebration of the world's diverse cultures, both our similarities and differences.