Specialist Subjects

 Physical Education

Term 1 has been flat out as usual. Our Grade P-2 students have experimented with some fitness testing and continued to build their motor skills and coordination during PMP (Perceptual Motor Program) sessions. They completed a week of gymnastics at Jets Gym and continued to build their game sense and understanding in modified activities and worked to improve their endurance in preparation for next term's cross country. 

Our Grades 3-6 students have also been running on the bike track to get ready for cross country in Term 2. They completed fitness testing to get an early indication of their fitness levels before comparing at the end of the year. They attended swimming lessons at Gurri Wanyarra in week 5 and have been practicing their Gaga skills in preparation for our EPS Gaga Tournament. 3-6 students also spent two weeks focusing on improving their tennis skills. 

GYM P-2

Our Prep, Grade 1 and Grade 2 students took part in the Gymnastics program at Jets Gym. The students engaged in a variety of activities that emphasized balance, coordination, and flexibility, developing essential skills such as tumbling, jumping, and stretching.

Students had the opportunity to work in pairs and small groups, encouraging them to support one another and develop teamwork. It was great to see so many smiles. 

SWIMMING LESSONS 3-6

Our Grade 3 to Grade 6 students completed our swimming program at the Gurri Wanyarra Centre. The students focused on enhancing water safety skills and improving swimming techniques. Certified swimming instructors provided personalized attention, focusing on key areas such as stroke improvement, breathing techniques, and water safety. Through fun drills and engaging games, students built confidence in the water and improved their swimming abilities. Students learned essential safety tips, enabling them to make informed decisions when participating in water activities both in and out of the pool. A highlight for many students was playing in the splash park. 

GAGA TOURNAMENT 

We are currently in the middle of our inaugural EPS Gaga Tournament. Students competed in their houses to get the top two players. Next week (week 10), the top eight players from each year level will compete in the Grand Finals. Each grand finalist has earnt 100 House Points, with the eventual winner earning a further 300. Good luck to all finalists! 

Important Dates Coming Up:

Term 2

• EPS X Country - Thursday, May 1st. All students.
• P-2 Swimming lessons @ Paul Sadler - May 12-16 (week 4)
• Division X Country - Friday, May 16. Selected grade 3-6 students. 
• 3-6 Athletics Day - Friday, June 27. Flora Hill Aths Track
• P-2 Athletics Day - Tuesday, July 1st. School. 

Enjoy your holidays, 

Mr. Smyth and Mr Jacobs

Music

Reminder, we have Our Pizza for Production day coming up!

Please order your choice of pizza via the canteen compass app.

Grade 3-6: 

Term 1 is our "Taste Tester" program, where Grades 3-4 students learn the fundamental skills required to play various instruments, including guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums and ukulele. The Grade 5-6 students refresh over this knowledge and begin to explore more advanced concepts that will have them be able to use the instruments more independently and to learn songs of their own choosing in Term 2. 

They've learned how to read chord charts (ukulele and guitar), tablature (music written as numbers for bass, ukulele and guitar), some basic drum beats and how to work out any and every major and minor chords on the keyboard. 

Grade 1- 2: 

Grade 1-2 students have been exploring the concept of beat and how we measure music in bars (sets of 4 beats). They've used this knowledge to create rhythms, dances, actions and short compositions where group members are either playing at the exact same time, or following each other at appropriate times based on the beat.

They have also begun learning about music notes that contain sharp or flat symbols (e.g. A#), the order of all notes and how to find them on several instruments. They have begun experimenting and exploring how to play some popular songs using the full spectrum of notes and will soon be playing more complex compositions, both of their own and well known. 

Grade Prep:

Preps have had a wonderful start to their Music sessions this year! They have explored the concept of beat, using call and response and listening exercises to know when and what to play. 

They have looked at how other countries and cultures use dance and music to express themselves, and where possible, students have attempted some elements of these dances (such as The Nutbush).

They have had weekly opportunities to dance, sing and play games based on the style of music and have a chance to explore a variety of our instruments, including making lots of different sounds on the keyboard (many giggles were had when some figured out how to make a deep tuba sound!!!).

-Mr. Mayes

Visual Arts

                                                     🎨 Welcome Back to the Art Room! 🎨

We are thrilled to welcome all students back to the art room, where creativity, color, and fun are at the heart of everything we do! This term promises to be an exciting journey as we explore new techniques, experiment with vibrant materials, and develop artistic skills that will inspire confidence and imagination.

The art room has been buzzing with excitement as students watch each other grow, supporting and celebrating their progress. From bold brushstrokes to intricate designs, every creation tells a unique story, and it’s wonderful to see our young artists take pride in their work.

Whether sketching, painting, or working with mixed media, every student has the opportunity to build their skills while expressing their creativity in new and exciting ways. We can’t wait to see the masterpieces they’ll create this term!

So what have we all been learning about this term?

Grade 5/6 Pop Art.

The Grade 5/6 students have been diving into the vibrant world of Pop Art, exploring its history and impact on American culture. They studied the bold, eye-catching works of Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol, learning how these artists transformed everyday images into powerful, colorful statements. Inspired by Lichtenstein’s comic book-style paintings, students created their own Pop Art masterpieces using only primary colors, black outlines, and Ben-Day dots to mimic his signature style. Through this hands-on experience, they discovered how Pop Art challenged traditional ideas of fine art and celebrated popular culture. The excitement in the classroom was contagious as students experimented with color, pattern, and bold design to bring their own modern Pop Art creations to life!

Grade 3/4 Fabrics and Textiles.

The Grade 3 and 4 students have been exploring the exciting world of fabrics and textiles in art, learning how to cut, design, and create with different materials. They have practiced cutting simple shapes, experimenting with color combinations, and using fabric shears safely to refine their designs. To better understand this medium, students worked on introductory textile projects, such as decorating fabric totes with layered patterns and bold colors. Their enthusiasm and creativity have brought their fabric artworks to life, making for a fun and hands-on learning experience!

Grade 1/2 Colour, Reko Rennie and the elements of art.

The Grade 1/2 students have been exploring color combinations, shape, and line in art, learning how these elements work together to create exciting designs. They studied the bold and expressive work of Australian artist Reko Rennie, discovering how he uses vibrant colors and geometric patterns to tell stories. Using their base knowledge of abstract art, students experimented with different shapes, lines, and colors to create their own unique and dynamic artworks. Their creativity shone as they layered patterns and explored new ways to express themselves through art!

Grade Prep An introduction to Art.

Congratulations to our Grade Prep students for completing their very first term of art lessons! 🎨✨ This term, they explored the wonderful world of color, creating fun and exciting artworks using materials like tissue paper, vibrant paints, and oil pastels. From experimenting with textures to mixing bright colors, they embraced every activity with enthusiasm and creativity. It has been a joy to watch them express themselves through art, and we can’t wait to see what they create next term

-Mr.Pocock

 Auslan

Preps - WOW these students can sign!

How clever are of our preps as most of them can now sign their own name independently. 

Below we have Jasper, Lily and Hudson recording their fingerspelling of their names. 

We have had so much fun in the Auslan room we are confident signers of the story - 

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, we are awesome at signing our numbers, foods and colours in this book. We also love signing the song The Five little ducks together :) 

Senior students have continued to consolidate their current skills around common phrases.

 Students have had to survey their classmates each week with common phrases such as: See you later. We have had a challenge each week to bet our personal goal and as a class complete this in a certain time with no voice. 

We will continue to do this next term with different phrases. 

Here we have Alfie and Lewis completing the survey in the below photo signing (How are you?)

We have had plenty of discussion around the difference and similarities between a hearing family and deaf family 

Recently students have also been looking at how to interpret a hearing test graph. We were able to analyse Miss E's hearing test results from last year against Ce Ce Bells we learnt how to classify the results:

Normal: -10 to 20 dB

Mild: 25 to 40 dB

Moderate: 40 to 55 dB

Moderately Servere: 55 to 70dB

Servere: 70 to 90 dB

Profound: 90 to 110 dB 

Thanks for a wonderful start to the year- have a safe and happy Easter !

-Miss E