Strong Hearts Strong Minds

Grandparents and Special Friends Day

We were excited and blessed to have our Grandparents and Special Friends visit our classrooms on the morning of Thursday 9 November. Our visitors began with morning tea in our Pump Room before visiting our classrooms for over an hour. Class activities involved remembering and comparing what school was like 'then and now’, as well as preparing classroom displays for Remembrance Day on November 11. There was a wonderful hum across the Primary School as memories and stories were shared and these special intergenerational relationships were celebrated. 

Thank you to all the Grandparents and Special Friends who made this day so special. It was wonderful to host this special time and we look forward to hosting you next year.

Janet Anderson

Assistant Principal - Primary

Puffing Billy for JP

On Friday 10 November, Junior Primaries went on Puffing Billy. We travelled on Puffing Billy from Belgrave to Emerald Lake. At Emerald Lake, we did 3 rotations, one of them at the brand new Lakeside Centre. When we arrived back at MECS, the children stayed at school until 5:30pm. We played some games in the gym and shared dinner together. Here are some highlights according to the students: 

My favourite part of the Puffing Billy excursion was the Lakeside Workshop.

Izzy  

My favourite part was having a ride on Puffing Billy.

Adelyn  

I felt very nervous and excited because it was my very first time on Puffing Billy!

Ruben

My favourite part of the Puffing Billy Excursion was the train ride.

Maple 

My favourite part of the Puffing Billy excursion was seeing God’s creation!

Archie  

When we arrived there, we walked across the roundabout and I realized we were at Puffing Billy and I was so excited. A girl was talking to us while we were eating our fruit and snack. The Puffing Billy got ready to tow. It was the best day ever. We went back to school and ate sausage and bread, then we had icy poles.  

Taylor  

It was fun when Puffing Billy went on a curve so we could see the engine towing cars. Inside I liked being there because we got to see fake smoke from 3a (the first Puffing Billy train). I liked doing the treasure hunt because the parrot was pretty. I liked staying late. Hayul  

On Friday we went to Puffing Billy. I liked being towed in the carriage and I played on the playground. 

Rafael  

When we got to Puffing Billy we had a snack. The train we went on was 12a. When we got to Emerald Lake, we went to the Lakeside Centre and did a bunch of fun activities. Then we went on a bus back to MECS and had dinner. It was brilliant. 

Jamie 

I went on an excursion to Puffing Billy with JPE. It was my first ever time so I was really scared and nervous but my friends were with me. It was a lot of fun. The rotations were also fun. The museum was very cool, the steam coming out of the train scared me, but it was really fun. 

Clara 

I liked when the carriage went Thud! I loved going over the bridge as the carriage was towing us across. 

Vivian 

JP Team

Years 3 & 4 Middle Primary EAL 

Recently our Middle Primary EAL (English as an Additional Language) students explored the concept of air resistance and the pull of gravity. The aim of the learning activity was to develop oral language and communication skills. We did this by following a written procedure with a partner to create a parachute for a LEGO figurine.

Partner A had the instructions (the procedural text) and they had to read this to Partner B. Could Partner B listen carefully and accurately make and then attach a parachute to the LEGO figurine?

Once the parachutes were made and attached, we tested the parachutes outside to find out if the instructions were followed accurately. Would they float through the air or come plummeting down? 

What we discovered is that the written procedure had not given us enough information! For example, how long to cut the strings (we discovered that if the string was too long the parachute wouldn’t float). 

We re-visited the procedure and added in the extra details which we had learned where important. 

The EAL students had a lot of fun making and testing their parachutes!

We then wrote our own detailed procedures providing instructions on how to build and fly your own parachute with LEGO figurine.

As you can see, much fun was had! 

Daniela Repse & Stephanie Canov

Literacy Enrichment Advocate, EAL