St Joseph's PS Newsletter

INQUIRY: Connections

Connections are everywhere in our lives. Our brains are made up of billions of connections that help us talk, walk, think and dream. We make connections with other people, places and things all the time.

During term 4 students will connect with people and places in our Rochester community. Students will work in multi age groups (Foundation to Year 6 ) twice a week to engage in a learning experience of their choice.

Students will have the opportunity to choose between the following learning experiences;

  • Active
  • Arts
  • Sustainability
  • Cooking

The sessions will occur on Mondays and Thursday afternoons from 12:40 -1:40 and will be facilitated by a variety of different school staff and community members. 

There will be two activity blocks  - Weeks 1- 4 and Weeks 5 - 8. During Weeks 9 &10 students will focus on our History and Geography component of the curriculum. They will have the opportunity to explore and learn about  many different locations in the Rochester community such as Rochester Sports Museum, Wirima playground, Murals and Silos and our beautiful river walk to the Red Bridge.

 

MULTI SPORTS

During Term 4 students will participate in a 4 week Active learning block during our Inquiry connections unit. Students will work on developing their gross motor skills of kicking, throwing, striking a ball, reaction time and jumping/hopping. Students will also be working on self-umpiring, teamwork and showing sportsmanship. This will be done through a variety of cooperative games such as extreme rock-paper-scissors, T20 cricket, golden child, Everybody's It and Dodgeball games to name a few. 

 

ARTS - crochet with Ingrid

During Term 4 students will participate in a 4 week Arts learning experience during our Inquiry connections unit. This unit will be facilitated by Ingrid West. Crocheting is a fantastic activity for teaching various skills and fostering creativity. Ingrid West's approach to teaching the basics of crochet, including different stitches, is a great way to introduce students to this craft.

Below is a breakdown of what the students are learning and experiencing during this 4-week Arts learning block:

Patience: Crocheting requires patience, as it involves intricate hand movements and the creation of detailed patterns. Students will learn to take their time  to achieve their desired results.

Creativity: Choosing what to create, whether it's a bookmark, headband, or bracelet, allows students to express their creativity. They can experiment with colours, patterns, and embellishments to make their projects unique.

Fine Motor Skills: Crocheting involves precise hand movements and coordination. Learning different crochet stitches helps develop fine motor skills and dexterity in the hands.

Collaboration: Working in community learning groups encourages collaboration among students. They can help each other troubleshoot and share ideas, fostering a sense of teamwork.

Inclusiveness: Crocheting can be enjoyed by people of all skill levels and abilities. This inclusiveness promotes a sense of belonging and diversity in your classroom.

Throughout the 4 weeks, students will progress from basic stitches like the slip knot and chain stitch to more complex ones like single crochet, double crochet, half-double crochet, and triple crochet. This approach ensures that students build their skills gradually and gain confidence. 

 

COOKING

During term 4 students will participate in a 4 week Active learning block during our Inquiry connections unit with a focus on Cooking and relatable tasks such as preparation, safety, and hygiene.

TASK:

In week one the students came together to identify and engage in discussions regarding essential hygiene and safety practices when working in the kitchen. Following this, they proceeded to review the detailed steps of a recipe, in the creation of rainbow smiley biscuits. These delightful treats were decorated with colorful icing and smarties, turning the entire process into an enjoyable activity that was thoroughly appreciated by everyone involved.

During week two, our students had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with Michelle Acocks in an exciting culinary adventure where they created scrumptious Tortilla pizzas. Together, they embarked on a culinary journey by reading through the recipe steps and understanding the ingredients and processes involved in pizza-making.

The students were given a variety of pizza toppings and could choose from a delectable array of options, including cheese, ham, pineapple and spinach. It was a hands-on, flavourful experience that not only tantalised their taste buds but also enhanced  their teamwork.

 

 

 

SUSTAINABILITY

In Term 4 students will participate in a 4 week block of sustainability lessons. Students will be beginning to set up our school garden space. In the first week students did some initial research into gardens by going to the Rochester Community Garden where they explored the variety of herbs, fruits and vegetables that have been planted and looked at other elements of the garden including pest control and watering systems. Students brainstormed a wish list of what they would like in our space which was narrowed down by looking at what can be grown locally and seasonally. Jodie Beltz is supporting us to develop our Sustainability space at St Joseph’s.  Students worked alongside Jodie in setting up garden beds, building climbing frames for beans and making plant labels where they then were able to do some planting including beans, potatoes and zucchini.  In the coming weeks students will continue to tend to the garden through watering and weed management. They will also  design and build scarecrows to protect our garden.