From the Assistant Principal's Desk

Another fabulous fortnight has just passed at St Aidan’s. 

EXCURSION TO THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDEN SYDNEY

The students in Kindergarten and Year Three have been able to develop their understanding in Geography and English in a real life setting, the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney. Each class participated in a different learning experience with the Botanic Garden educators. 

Kindergarten explored the Royal Botanic Garden just as Alexander, the duck from Alexander’s Outing did in the book they enjoyed in their English lessons. They have also been learning about places they live in and belong to, special places and the importance of looking after places. The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney is a heritage-listed botanical garden. 

Year Three have been learning about the different ways to be sustainable and participated in a workshop at the Botanic Garden investigating watering systems. They also learnt about the world’s most important pollinators, bees, and built bee hives. 

Kindergarten

Year 3 

GRANDPARENTS AND GRANDFRIENDS DAY AND NEWMAN  SYMPOSIUM

Thank you to all our grandparents and grand-friends who were able to join us for our annual Grandparents' concert, open classrooms and Newman Symposium. It is one of our favourite celebrations of the year. The children thoroughly enjoyed entertaining our very special guests and sharing their school work. 

The Newman Symposium is an opportunity for the children to share how they excel when engaging in their interests and favourite subjects. Today we showcased students who are gifted singers, dancers, musicians and athletes. We had students who were eagerly awaiting to share their knowledge and thinking in English, Mathematics, Science, History and Geography. They even had questions they wanted to ask their guests!  

I am sure everyone enjoyed the time they spent with the children today and were amazed by their knowledge and enthusiasm for their learning.  

STAGE 3 STEM EXCURSION

A few students in Year 6 are keen to share their experience of the STEM workshop they have just attended.

Yesterday, Stage Three went on a Stem excursion at the International Convention & Exhibition Centre in the city. We watched three people talk about their jobs and how it connects to STEM. We learnt so much about mining and rehabilitation and we even got to go around later to stalls and talk about mining. We received many fun gifts.

During the activities, we learnt how to do some coding to make things fly or sing songs or problem solve. We made cars run on oxygen and water and connected paths to make marbles run down. I think everyone enjoyed using VR ( virtual reality) to see what it is like inside the mines. Ainsley Year 6

At the STEM excursion we participated in a variety of activities such as, role model talks where people who worked in the convention centre talked about their jobs and the impact it has on society. After the talks we participated in five different activities all to do with problem solving. The best activity which I am sure everyone would agree with was the virtual reality headsets that took us through the stages of the mines. On top of that we walked around the exhibition where there were several tents with mining companies that talked us through how they and other companies work together to rehabilitate and form mines in the most eco-friendly way. Sophie Year 6

We all had so much fun at the STEM Exhibition and enjoyed all the activities and games that they had planned for us. The one thing I know everyone found exciting was using the VR headsets. With them, we got to explore the mining world underground and above. 

I particularly found it interesting learning about the AI machines that were invented to help in the mining institute. They talked about how they use the AI to scan where all the rocks, minerals, and gold were. This amazed me because they could tell the miners exactly where they needed to dig. Stage 3 students really enjoyed this excursion. 

Zoe Year 6

Have a wonderful fortnight

Warm regards,

Robyn Green