Learning & Teaching 

LEARNING & TEACHING - Vira Pirrotta

CELEBRATING SCIENCE AT HOME 

Science is at the heart of everything we do. It helps us understand the world around us, solve complex problems, and build a better future. National Science Week reminds us of how science impacts our lives and how we can contribute to its progress.

National Science Week begins Monday, August 12th, and ends Sunday, August 18th. This annual event is perfect for families to come together and explore the fascinating world of science! It offers a unique opportunity for parents and children to embark on a journey of discovery, creativity, and learning. Families can spend quality time together while learning something new and exciting. It’s a chance to ignite curiosity in young minds and inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators.

Family-Friendly Activities to Celebrate Science:

Science Experiments at Home: Bring the laboratory to your kitchen! Simple, fun experiments like making a volcano, growing crystals, or creating a rainbow with a glass of water can captivate children’s imaginations. 

https://funlearningforkids.com/science-activities-kids/ 

Nature Walks and Observations: Turn a walk in your local park or garden into a scientific adventure. Observe plants, insects, and weather patterns, and encourage children to ask questions and take notes. It’s a fantastic way to connect with nature and learn about the environment.

STEM Movie Night: Pick a science-themed movie or documentary and make it a family movie night. Follow it up with a discussion about the concepts presented in the film. It’s a fun and relaxed way to introduce complex ideas to children.

Build and Create Together: Use everyday materials to build something as a family, whether a simple robot, a birdhouse, or a model solar system. These hands-on projects encourage problem-solving and creativity.

Attend Local Events and Museums: Many communities host family-friendly events during National Science Week, including science fairs, workshops, and museum exhibitions. Check out the following local events.  

https://www.scienceweek.net.au/

Museums Victoria offers a jam-packed schedule of activities, exhibitions, and education programs. Scroll down to explore our selection of Museums Victoria’s science stories.

https://museumsvictoria.com.au/national-science-week/ 

National Science Week is just the beginning! Encourage your children to keep exploring and asking questions year-round. Whether through books, educational games, or family visits to science museums, there are countless ways to keep the spirit of science alive.

LITERACY - Bernadette Parnis

Reminders:

Week 6

• Book Week - commences Saturday, 17 August – Friday, 23 August.
• Book Fair - Week 6 commencing 20/08/2024 until 26/8/2024. Stay tuned for more information regarding opening times.
• Save the date:  Friday, 23 August Book Week Dress Up Day with a parade at 9 am. 
• Author Sofie Laguna is scheduled to visit on Tuesday, August 20th.

About Sofie Laguna

Sofie Laguna originally studied to be a lawyer, but after deciding law was not for her, she moved to Melbourne to train as an actor. Sofie worked for many years as an actor before she began to write books.

Sofie is now an award-winning author for children and adults. Her many books for young people have been published in the US, the UK and in translation throughout Europe and Asia. She has been short-listed for the Queensland Premier’s Award, and her books have been named Honour Books and Notable Books by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Titles include ‘Too Loud Lily’, ‘Our Australian Girl: Meet Grace’ and ‘Bird and Sugar Boy.’

Sofie has recently released a number of books for children, including the novels, The Song of Lewis Carmichael, and The Glow, both illustrated by her husband, Marc McBride.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like further information.

Bernadette Parnis

bparnis@sfmoreland.catholic.edu.au 

NUMERACY NEWS - Colleen Monaghan

I hope you have all been enjoying the Olympics. I certainly have. Waking up each day to see our medal count has been impressive. Australia has been doing so well.

There is so much Math in these games. I noted that a swimmer missed out on a gold medal by two-hundredths of a second. How much is that? I tried to hit start and stop on my iPhone stopwatch to check. It's very hard to get that. Try it! My challenge to you: Even trying to hit one-tenth of a second is difficult.

Several swimmers traded the lead throughout the race, but in the end Italy’s Nicolo Martinenghi in lane seven was the winner, touching in 59.03. Fink walked away with a silver medal in a ridiculously close race. Fink, 31, shared the silver medal with Peaty, both finishing just two-hundredths behind the winner in 59.05.

Here’s a newsletter item about the role of maths in the Olympics:

Maths in the Olympics: Where Numbers Meet Excellence

Dear Parents and Guardians,

With the excitement of the upcoming Olympics, it's a great time to explore the fascinating role that maths plays in the world of sports! From calculating scores to determining the fastest routes and perfecting techniques, maths is an integral part of the Olympic Games.

Did You Know?

• Timing and Scoring: Every split second counts in the Olympics! Precise calculations are essential for timing races, calculating averages in events like gymnastics, and determining the exact scores that separate gold from silver.
• Geometry in Action: Athletes rely on geometry to optimize their movements. Whether it's a diver calculating the perfect angle for entry into the water or a cyclist determining the most efficient path around the track, maths helps them achieve peak performance.
• Statistics and Predictions: Maths is also behind the scenes, where statisticians analyze data to predict outcomes, improve training techniques, and even develop strategies for competition.

In our senior classrooms, we’ll be tapping into the excitement of the Olympics to inspire our students with real-world maths applications. They will be learning about angles in the coming weeks, and students will learn how angles are used in sport. I  encourage you to talk with your child about how maths is not just in the classroom but all around us—even in the Olympic Games!

Thank you for your ongoing support and for helping us make learning engaging and relevant for our students.

I am publishing some of the 3/4 students' thinking when given 4 numbers in the game 24. They have to use the 4 numbers to make 24 and can use any operation. These students have been playing this game all year with me, but I am constantly surprised at just how they manage to make it and in so many different ways. Try it yourself! The numbers this game were 7, 6, and 2.  

Solutions are here from our brilliant students.

SPORT & PE NEWS - Michael Jennings

SSV COBURG DISTRICT ATHLETICS CARNIVAL 

The SSV Coburg District Athletics Carnival was held on Wednesday, 07 August 2024, at the Coburg Athletics Track. Using a handicapped points system, St Fidelis' Primary School finished in fourth place out of 12 schools.

Congratulations to all members of the St Fidelis' Athletics Team on great performances and wonderful sporting behaviour throughout the carnival.

Thank you to the St Fidelis emergencies for their efforts during trials and for being prepared in case they were called upon for events. Thank you to Olivia S, Sebastian F, Chris M, Patrick K, and Tanya C  for supervising and guiding the students throughout the day. Finally, thank you to the parents, relatives, and friends who were able to come along and support the team.

OUR ST FIDELIS' ATHLETICS TEAM 2024

Congratulations to the following students who came 1st or 2nd in their respective events. These students will represent the Coburg District at the forthcoming Inner North/Moreland Division Championships to be held at Meadowglen Athletics Track, Epping, on Wednesday 11 September 2024:

ST FIDELIS DIVISION ATHLETICS QUALIFIERS

SAVANNAH A 12 GIRLS LONG JUMP

ZITA M 10 GIRLS SHOT PUT & 100M

CHRISTIAN L 11 BOYS SHOT PUT

MIA N 11 GIRLS 100M, 200M & 4 X 100M RELAY

VIOLET A 11 GIRLS RELAY

ZARA A 11 GIRLS RELAY

OLIVIA S 11 GIRLS RELAY

Michael Jennings

Sport Co-ordinator

ITALIAN NEWS - Rosa Fokianos

BUONGIORNO!    

    Salve a tutti! (Hello to everyone!) 

Mamma mia what a lovely weekend we have had, especially weather wise…Il tempo è stato meraviglioso! (the weather has been lovely). Primavera (spring) is certainly fast approaching! Apart from enjoying the sunshine, you may have also watched some of the final events of the 2024 Olimpiadi Estive (Summer Olympics). 😃

Le Olimpiadi, are now coming to an end - fine, with the Cerimonia di Chiusura (Closing Ceremony) having taken place early this morning, too early for most of us to watch it live! Perhaps you may watch some of the highlights later today/ tonight? We should all be very proud of gli atleti australiani, they have done an incredibile (amazing) job at these Olimpiadi, the most successful games for Australia to date. 🤩

At the time of writing this newsletter article, the atleti australiani were in 4° posto (4th place) on the medal table, behind Cina, (China) America e Giappone (Japan). Italia didn’t do too badly either, coming in 9° posto (9th place), their last medaglia d'oro (gold medal) being won at the Women’s pallavolo (volleyball) game, competing against gli Stati Uniti d'America, (USA). I have included a medal count below of both Australia e Italia. 

Ask your children: Quante medaglie in più ha ricevuto l'Australia in confronto all'Italia? 

(How many more medals did Australia get compared to Italy?) 

Please note: these results may have changed slightly, due to the time of writing this article. 

Australia:

diciotto (18) medaglia d'oro (gold), 

diciannove (19) medaglia d'argento, (silver) 

sedici (16) medaglia di bronzo (bronze medal) 

Italia:

dodici (12) medaglia d'oro (gold), 

tredici (13) medaglia d'argento, (silver) 

quindici (15) medaglia di bronzo (bronze medal) 

Auguri to all the atleti that competed in the 2024 Olimpiadi a Parigi. Bravissimi.

LAST NEWSLETTER’S RISPOTE / ANSWERS: 

1. Quanti atleti italiani alle Olimpiadi del 2024? How many Italian athletes in the 2024 Olympic Games? Quattrocentodue (402) atleti
2. Quante volte l'Italia ha ospitato le Olimpiadi estive? / Dove?How many times has Italy hosted the Summer Olympics? / Where?Una volta (once) - Roma (1960)
3. Chi ha disegnato le divise degli atleti italiani per le Olimpiadi del 2024? Who designed the Italian athletes' uniforms?  Giorgio Armani (as well as the 2024 Paralympics) 
4. Cosa è successo al portabandiera italiano durante la cerimonia di apertura?What happened to the Italian flag bearer during the opening ceremony? The Italian Olympian/flag bearer: Gianmarco Tamberi’s wedding band flew off his hand and into the Seine River below, lost forever. He apologised to his wife for the mishap.

National Week against Bullying

This week marks the Settimana Nazionale contro il Bullismo(National Week against Bullying). During this week, teachers will discuss bullying and include various anti-bullying activities within their classes. I, too, will discuss this topic with each grade during my Italian sessions. Stay tuned to see what the classes will get up to in relation to No al Bullismo!

Saluti. Alla prossima volta…Until next time, buona settimana! 

Signora Rosa 🌹