STEAM

STEAM Newsletter

Foundation

This term in STEAM, our Preps students have been exploring how the shape of an object affects the way it moves. We started by thinking and talking about different objects like marbles and stamps, and predicting how they might move and create art. Students experimented with rolling marbles through paint to make abstract art and using different shaped stamps to see how sliding or pressing changed the marks they made.

Through this hands-on investigation, students learned to observe, describe, and question — noticing that round shapes roll while flat shapes slide. They particularly enjoyed making their own art pieces using these techniques! Next time, we’ll refine our painting setup with less paint to help students better control their movements and results.

Year 1/2

Our Year 1 and 2 students are diving into the world of digital systems this term. They’re learning that devices like tablets, phones, and computers are made up of hardware (the parts you can touch) and software (the programs that make the hardware work).

After exploring real devices and discussing how each part functions, students began designing their own “Digital Buddy.” In this creative project, they’re combining hardware and software ideas to invent a brand-new device — complete with labeled parts and unique features.

Through this, students are beginning to understand how technology works together to solve problems and make our lives easier. 

3/4s

Carrying over from last term, students have continued to learn living things. They learned the difference between living, non living and once living things and the characteristics that set them apart. They learned about different ways that living things get their energy  and the groups producers, consumers and decomposers and their roles within food chains and food webs. Students learned how decomposers play an important role in the production of fossils and had a great time making own fossils out of plaster. 

56s

We finished our learning last term about light with the final master piece of shadow puppets. We hope you had the opportunity to enjoy making shows with your children during the art show. 

This term we are turning our focus to chemical changes. We will be doing this through cooking and cookie decorating. They will learn about states of matter, reversible and irreversible changes and mixtures and solutions.