Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning 

High Abilities Students (HAS)

This term we have been fortunate enough to have two HAS groups running. Below is a report from the HAS teachers themselves. 

YEAR 2 HAS

Year 2 students- Ryan and Cidalia 2C, Evan, Jobe, Alicia and Arve 2V were involved in a bottle flipping investigation. The investigation required them to find the perfect fraction of liquid in a bottle to assist a successful bottle flip.

We discussed the investigation, making our predictions as to what fraction from 1/8 to a whole would be most successful.

Next, we took all the labels off the bottles we had, and made measurement marks on them every 50-100ml, depending on the bottle size. From there, we calculated fractions for each bottle and marked them.

Then came the fun part, flipping the bottles to test our investigation. Each person attempted to flip each bottle 10 times and we collated the data.

Students had a lot of fun and used multiple Math concepts throughout their sessions.

•  Year 2 HAS teacher, Rachael Arkley

YEAR 4 HAS

On Mondays in Year 4, a group of High Ability Students engaged in a session of problem solving. These problems were based on Mathematical Inquiries into Authentic Problems. Students investigated the question 'Who has the best reaction time?' We looked at who might need good reactions for their jobs such as professional athletes, gamers and how we could measure this ourselves. Students used a test for reaction times, collected data and then plotted these on a number line. I would like to congratulate Declan C, Asher F, Zach H, Dhaani N, Luke O, Dominik P, Willow S, Toby S, Jaeden Z and Xibi Z for working collaboratively and approaching all the tasks and experiments with great enthusiasm. Well done!

• Year 4 HAS teacher, Sasha Goss 

The Amazing Race- Year 6

This term, the Year 6 team has been learning about Geography in their integrated unit, ‘The Amazing Race.’ Teachers have worked collaboratively to take their students around Asia to learn more about:

• Location of the major countries of the Asian region in relation to Australia and the geographical diversity within the region
• Differences in the demographic, economic, social and cultural characteristics of countries across the world
• Environmental and human influences on the location and characteristics of places and the management of spaces within them
• Factors that influence people’s awareness and opinion of places 
• Australia’s connections with other countries and how these change people and places.

“Students have engaged in both research and practical sessions. They have worked in their Amazing Race teams, breaking off to solve challenges and discover different countries in Asia. In total, the students have visited 8 counties. 

‘It has been really good to see how the students embraced all of the activities, even the ones that they were not so confident with. I loved writing the cryptic clues, which became even more cryptic as the unit went on. One of the clues was #Lamborghini which led students to India to engage in Bollywood dancing (the name of the Bollywood dance).” 

6A- Kane T

Every Tuesday and Wednesday we would research a particular country and find out about capital cities, the area and what surrounds it. Then on Thursdays it would be our race day where we would get a clue, giving us a little hint about where to go for the activity. The first team to complete all the activities would then check in. At the end, the team with the least amount of time will win. Our topic for integrated is Geography and this was more than looking at maps. It made it a bit competitive and fun. It helped people learn a lot more than they actually thought. My favourite activity would have been the water colour painting we did in the Maldives because it was a bit hard making different colours to create the scenery of water and huts. I would describe the Amazing Race as eventful, fun and a different way of learning. 

6D- Luca G and Isabelle C

The Amazing Race helped us to learn about Geography but still have fun! I now know a lot more about the world and feel confident in the subject area. Palestine was my favourite country because I am interested in building and all the buildings there are just amazing. It is so different from Australia. Making the mosques in Palestine was my favourite activity, which we made out of paper and straws. Probably the most fantastic fact is how the counties have evolved over the year from generation to generation to generation. The buildings have gotten bigger and bigger.  I hope that they keep doing it in Year 6 so that kids from all generations know all about this. It would certainly help students when they are older in the future. (Luca) 

I didn’t really know anything about the countries and now I know a lot more about China, India, Thailand, Palestine, Vietnam and Maldives. Maldives was my favourite because of all the little huts and the ocean. I liked making umbrellas in Thailand which are a symbol. The Amazing Race helped us learn about team work. Everyone had to do things. You have to work as a part of team and it teaches you to compromise. (Isabelle) 

6W- Kiara B and Molly F

The Amazing Race to me (and most the other year sixes) is a fun way to learn about all around the world, especially about Asia. It’s been really fun but also a bit stressful, because all the activities are very different.  The stressful parts are when it’s challenging and working out what to do, but it is fun at the same time. We have done a lot, its hard to say what was the best activity. At the time when we did Bollywood dancing, I hated it. We were in our second week and we were in India and I don’t like doing things in front of people (let alone dancing) but looking back on it now, it was really fun. My friends and I still remember the dance. We now joke around that we could have done it as our second graduation dance! At the time, I didn’t have a smile on my face, but it’s really funny to look back on it now. Three words I would use to describe the unit would be- adrenaline, stress and excitement. (Molly)

It’s just really cool to be able to do different activities with your friends and learn a lot about different cultures. The origami was great, my friends and I did it together. I’ve always been really interested in Palestine and would love to go visit there to see the different types of situations. I would describe the Amazing Race as fun, challenging and exciting. (Kiara) 

Tomorrow, Thursday 8th of December, the Year 6 students will present their Year 6 Travel Expo: ‘The Amazing Race- Asian Edition’ to the school community. The expo will be in the school gym from 3-3:45pm with parents invited to join us from 3:20pm.  I hope to see you there if you can make it. 

See you about the school, 

Ms Ashley Kuusela