Classroom News

STEAM Expo 2025

As you may know on Wednesday last week we had the STEAM Expo. 

It was great to see parents and students coming to school to look at all the amazing projects. Students in Prep presented the life cycle of butterflies and plants. The grade 1s created habitat dioramas. Year 2 made pinball machines that looked at force and friction. Space projects were a highlight in Year 3, where students worked with a partner on their information report. Year 4s studied the life cycle of plants and chickens, created 3d printing mazes and made a creature. Year 5 explored the properties of state of matter and made a dark room, where they experimented with light by reflecting and refracting. They also exhibited their explanation texts. Finally, the Grade 6s produced a science magazine on electrical circuits and reversible and irreversible changes. And if that wasn’t enough, there were also a number of students who created some marvellous science artefacts at home and brought them in to share.

Thank you all for coming to the STEAM EXPO ! 

STEAM Captains (Jacob & Ben B)

Art Captain Challenge

The DIY Art Challenge was a huge success, with lots of students getting involved during the STEAM Expo. As you will remember, Grace and I set up a science related art project for anyone who wanted to try. Thank you to everyone who had a go. We are planning to showcase all of the paintings soon!

 Art Captains (Jasmina & Grace)

Intergenerational Action Team

Hello guardians and students of APS,

Just a reminder that over the past few weeks we have been having loads of fun Tuesday sessions, and last week we decorated cookies! 

They were so yummy and we all had a blast.

We came up with some categories and added them to a digital wheel spinner. 

Then we all had a go at spinning the wheel to find out how we were going to decorate our biscuits. I wonder if you can guess the categories from the pictures below?

 Next week on Tuesday the 17th (2:45-3:15 pm) we are doing some fun quizzes together! We would love it if you could invite someone you know! 

Please email if you are interested and we can’t wait to see you there!

 Here are some pictures from last time if you would like to see!

Jayden, Eloise, Clem, Finn & Liam

alan.gallagher@education.vic.gov.au

      megan.tsilemanis@education.vic.gov.au

Supporting Inclusion in Our Specialist Classrooms

At A.P.S. specialist teachers are dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where all students are challenged and given opportunities to succeed in their learning. Here’s some of the ways in Mandarin and Physical Education ensure that every student has the chance to develop and thrive across various specialist areas.

In Physical Education, the focus is on creating activities that are both achievable and challenging for all students. One strategy that is used is the CHANGE IT Principle, which helps adapt activities to meet the individual needs of every student. 

The CHANGE IT Principle stands for:

• Coaching Style: Adjusting how instructions are delivered, such as using clear instructions, providing demonstrations, and questioning for understanding.
• How to Score: Modifying the rules around scoring or measuring success in an activity. 
• Area Used: Adjusting the size of the playing area to suit the activity and learners. 
• Number of Players: Adjusting the number of participants involved in a game or task. For example, reducing the number of defensive or offensive players when exploring game sense principles allowing for greater engagement and understanding.
• Game Rules: Adapting the rules of the game to create a safe, fun learning environment. 
• Equipment: Modifying the equipment used in an activity such as using different balls, targets, to ensure all students feel confident in their learning.
• Inclusion: Engaging students in modifying the activities to maximise their involvement. This includes asking students for feedback on what would improve the game and offering options they can choose from.
• Time: Adjusting the amount of time spent on activities to suit each learner.

By applying the CHANGE IT Principle, PE lessons are both inclusive and challenging, providing every child with the opportunity to participate and experience success in each lesson.

In Mandarin, we create an opportunity to develop language skills and cultural awareness from a young age. Lessons are designed with a variety of activities like songs, games, group work, and visual aids, to cater to different learning styles and needs. We use strategies such as peer support, scaffolding, and differentiated tasks to help all students engage with the language at their own pace. Cultural activities, like celebrating Chinese festivals and exploring different cultural activities during Multicultural Day, allow students from all backgrounds to connect, share, and learn together. By promoting curiosity, respect, and collaboration, Mandarin classes become a space where every child feels included and encouraged to explore both language and culture.

We also focused on giving students choices in activities during Mandarin lessons. It encourages engagement, independence, and a sense of ownership in their learning. By offering a range of tasks such as role-playing conversations, creating posters, designing games and so on students can select the way to present their learning and knowledge that match their interests and strengths. This approach supports different learning styles and allows students to demonstrate their understanding in ways that suit them best. For example, some might choose to act out a dialogue using new vocabulary, while others might prefer designing a visual project to show what they’ve learned. Providing choice not only boosts motivation but also fosters confidence, creativity, and a deeper connection to both the language and Chinese culture.