Specialist Subjects:

Term 3, September 2026 Newsletter

Science

Prep

This term, our inquiry topic is “What’s It Made Of?” and the students have explored different materials, investigating how they feel, look and what they are made of. They have explored which materials float or sink and used their knowledge to decide which materials would be best for making their own boats.

The students then tested their boats in water to see whether they would float, making observations and discussing what made a successful boat. They were encouraged to make predictions, test their ideas and think about how they could change or improve their designs.

As part of our learning about materials and sustainability, the students also wet newspaper, added seeds and rolled it into seed sticks. This activity gave students the opportunity to explore how a material can be changed and reused while creating something that can help plants grow. Through this hands-on investigation, students have developed their understanding of materials, while also using problem-solving, communication and design skills.

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This term, our focus is “Earth’s Resources”, and it has been a busy term of exploring renewable energy, water, animals, fossil fuels, food and the importance of water in our world.

The students have been investigating how we use Earth’s resources and why it is important to care for them. As part of our learning about decomposition, we dug up an item that had been buried in the garden to see what had happened to it. We were surprised to find that there was only a small piece of elastic remaining! This was a wonderful opportunity for students to see firsthand how effectively decomposition occurs in our healthy garden environment.