What's Been Happening? 

Year 5/6 News

It has been a busy and enjoyable few weeks in Year 5/6, with students involved in a range of learning, leadership and sporting activities.

We recently finished reading our class novel, Fish in a Tree. Students thoroughly enjoyed following Ally's journey and exploring the themes of friendship, resilience, kindness and believing in yourself. The novel sparked many rich discussions in class and encouraged students to think about the different ways people learn and the importance of recognising everyone's unique strengths.

Our Year 5/6 students, along with students from five other schools, recently took part in the Kidsview program, where we were encouraged to think deeply about social issues and the factors that can affect people’s access to health, education and opportunity. Students engaged thoughtfully in activities that helped them explore fairness, equity and global citizenship, and were challenged to consider how they can make a positive difference in their own community. It was a valuable experience that encouraged empathy, reflection and action.

“Overall, the Kidsview conference made me feel upset because people around the world are struggling to get the basic necessities, while we have more than enough. It also surprised me because a lot of the information I had not heard about. It also made me think deeper about the problems around the world, especially poverty and homelessness, as they taught us in such interesting and interactive ways.”  Genevieve

In Inquiry, we have continued our Moving Stories unit. A highlight has been hearing from a number of guest speakers who shared their personal migration stories. Students were fascinated to learn about the different reasons families move to Australia and the experiences they have had settling into a new country. These real-life stories brought our learning to life and helped students develop a greater understanding of the diverse backgrounds that make up our community.

Our Year 6 leaders have also begun visiting Bowen Street Childcare as part of their leadership program. The students have loved spending time with the younger children, reading stories, joining in activities and building positive relationships. It has been wonderful to see our Year 6 students step into their leadership roles with confidence and enthusiasm.

We were also incredibly proud of the students who represented our school at the District Cross Country. It was inspiring to see so many students demonstrate determination, perseverance and a genuine "give it a go" attitude. Whether they were aiming for a personal best, competing for a place in the next round, or simply challenging themselves to complete the course, every student showed resilience and courage. Their willingness to push through difficult moments and support one another along the way was a wonderful reflection of our school values.

Thursday mornings continue to be a favourite time of the week as students take part in Interschool Sports. Whether playing netball, soccer or softball, students have represented St Cecilia's with pride. We have been impressed by their teamwork, sportsmanship and willingness to give their best effort each week.

As always, we are proud of the way our Year 5/6 students approach new challenges and opportunities. We look forward to an exciting few weeks ahead as we continue our learning and leadership journey together.

Foundation News - Mem Fox Author Study Unit

In Term 2, we began our Author Study in Foundation where we have been exploring some of our favourite books by children’s literature author, Mem Fox.  After reading the texts, we respond and explore through a wide range of art and craft activities. The activities have a different focus such as characters, themes and personal connections; reinforcing the skills they are learning in literacy. Most importantly we want our children to love reading and Author Studies are a great way of fostering a lifelong love of reading in a fun and engaging way.

This week we read The Magic Hat by Mem Fox and then created our own magic hats using our school house colours.  Have a look at the photos below to see our magical creations!

Foundation F

Foundation G

Year 3 News

Birthday letters to Sir David Attenborough

To mark the recent 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, and to conclude our studies of natural Australian landmarks, the Year 3 students wrote letters of congratulations to him. 

Sir David loves wildlife and natural places very deeply, and we learned that his favourite natural site outside of England is Northern Queensland, and in particular the Great Barrier Reef. In recognition of his 100th birthday, we learned that Australia named a special coral from this area in his honour.

In addition to birthday wishes, in our letters we explained some of what we have been studying this term. Some extracts from our letters are below…

“Congratulations on reaching your 100th birthday! While we have been learning about you, I have enjoyed watching how close up you can get with animals. Your messages have inspired me to be more like you…” Tami

“In our class we have been studying fascinating Australian natural landmarks. My favourite place is the Daintree Rainforest because it has awesome animals, tall trees, rushing rivers, wild waterfalls and terrific tropical weather. It’s amazing how some animals have adapted to be able to live a better life in the Daintree Rainforest.” Archie 

“In class, we have been studying natural places in Australia, such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Daintree Rainforest and many other beautiful places. My favourite place is the Great Barrier Reef because it is such an amazing place! I’ve been so inspired because of the films that you’ve made and now I would love to go there some day.” Lucy M.

“We should protect these places because some of them are landmarks and some are of cultural importance to indigenous people. You remind us how important it is to look after the plants and animals that live there.” Lucy H.

“Thank you for looking after and telling people to look after our wonderful world.” Luca

Year 2 News

As part of our Sustainability Inquiry Unit, our Year 2 students have been busy designing

 and creating their very own wind-powered cars using only recycled materials. Working collaboratively, they demonstrated fantastic teamwork as they planned, built, tested, problem-solved and refined their designs along the way.

The students embraced the engineering design process, learning that successful creations often require perseverance, creativity and plenty of tweaking! It has been wonderful to see their innovative ideas come to life while exploring how recycled materials can be repurposed in meaningful ways.

We are excited for tomorrow when we put our wind-powered cars to the test and discover just how effective our designs are. We can't wait to see which cars travel the furthest and to celebrate the effort, determination and learning that has gone into each unique creation.