PREP Newsletter Item

Maths this term!

As part of our Math unit on capacity, students designed and built their own boats! Inspired by the book Who Sank the Boat?, they engaged in hands-on exploration to see how much weight their boats could hold before sinking. Students thoroughly enjoyed constructing their boats and observing their classmates’ experiments during the sinking test. It was a fun and interactive way to learn about capacity and buoyancy!

Prep B showcased their readiness for Year 1 and have done an impeccable job at consistently demonstrating our school values. A number of our Prep students represented our school in our choir performance at the Cardinia Aged Care facility and performed proudly in front of a large audience. Their bravery and resilience earned them a delicious sweet treat on a warm day!

Prep A enjoyed a Zooper Dooper each, for their fantastic effort in showing our values! Every student in Prep A has spent their individual spark bucks to purchase a voucher of various kinds. What an amazing effort you have put in this term!!

Writing

This term, our students have been revising the learning they have done throughout the year in Core Literacy. They have practiced writing tricky words and working hard to make sure their writing is on the line using correct spacing. Many students have transferred their letter sound knowledge into the sentences they are writing in English and are reminding themselves of the correct punctuation along the way!

In Class

Students have been focusing on building their kindness vocabulary as part of our social-emotional learning activities. We explored a range of positive words related to kindness, discussing their meanings and how they can be used to uplift others. As a practical activity, each student had the opportunity to use these words to "fill a bucket," symbolising acts of kindness and encouragement. They took turns complimenting their classmates by highlighting personal attributes they admire, fostering a supportive and caring classroom environment. This activity not only strengthened their vocabulary but also encouraged empathy, respect, and positive peer interactions.

We’ve loved watching every one of you grow this year and we look forward to seeing all the wonderful things you are going to do as you begin the rest of your primary years of learning!!

Mrs Barley, Mrs Bunker and Miss Koulouris

Prep Teachers

PE

This term in Physical Education, students have been focusing on skills associated with striking sports.

In the senior school, students enjoyed exploring sports such as golf, badminton and table tennis. Middle school students had a focus on sports like cricket, hockey and teeball, while the juniors explored lots of modified equipment from various striking sports. Students were able to practise the striking skills associated with these sports and have had the opportunity to apply what they've learned in modified games. A key part of our lessons has been teaching students how to use sports equipment safely, ensuring they understand the proper techniques for handling the equipment, such as bats and sticks. It's been an exciting term filled with fun, whacking things around the gym!

PA

Prep: In Prep this term, all students have been continuing to develop their skills and knowledge in Music & Voice Performance. We have been focusing on playing and moving to the beat using percussion instruments as well as our bodies, distinguishing between high and low sounds, playing simple beat patterns with percussion instruments and body percussion, practising matching pitch to sing in tune, exploring how to breathe when singing and adding movement to our Christmas class songs to enhance our performance.

Year 1: In Year 1 this term, all students have been continuing to develop their skills and knowledge in Music & Voice Performance. We have been focusing on playing and keeping a steady beat, learning and playing given rhythm patterns and exploring the musical rest ‘zaa’ which is a beat of silence. Students also explored breathing techniques for singing, matching pitch with their voices to sing in tune, singing loud and soft and adding movement to our Christmas class songs to enhance our performance.

Year 2: In Year 2 this term, all students have been continuing to develop their skills and knowledge in Music & Voice Performance. We have been exploring playing and creating our own single and double note ‘ostinati’ which are repeated musical patterns, developing techniques to play tuned instruments, creating our own sound stories and learning and performing given rhythm patterns using tuned instruments and body percussion. Students also explored breathing techniques for singing, matching pitch with their voices to sing in tune, singing loud and soft and adding movement to our Christmas class songs to enhance our performance.

Year 3/4: In Year 3/4 this term, all students have been continuing to develop their skills and knowledge in Music & Voice Performance. We have been exploring playing and writing our own vocal and musical ‘riffs’ which are repeated musical patterns, learning and performing vocal instrumental harmonies and learning and performing chordal harmonies on the keyboards. Students also explored breathing techniques for singing, exploring dynamics when singing, matching pitch with their voices to sing in tune and place the voice and adding movement to our Christmas class songs to enhance our performance.

Year 5/6: In Year 5/6 this term, all students have been continuing to develop their skills and knowledge in Music & Voice Performance. We have created and been rehearsing an original song to be performed at the year 6 Graduation ceremony. Similarly, we have used our learning of rhythm patterns, learning lyrics and practicing choreography to get our Christmas concert performance up to par.

O.P.P.S Choir Performance at Cardinia Aged Care and Pakenham Carols by Candlelight

On Friday the 22nd November, 33 members of the OPPS choir walked in the heat to Officer Aged Care determinedly and responsibly. We arrived and many of the staff or the care home met us with ice cold water. We then performed a few songs we have been practicing that we thought the residents might recognise, such as "Que sera, sera", "Hey Jude" & "Waltzing Matilda". We were met with great applause after each song, and students even had the opportunity to go and introduce themselves and talk a little bit about their interests with the audience. A big thank you to Miss Koulouris, Mrs Morgan and Mrs Sutherland for assisting on the day. We’re extremely proud of not only the way the choir performed but spoke to the residents and hope to return again.

On Saturday the 7th of December, our incredibly talented school choir performed ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ at the Pakenham Carols by Candlelight at the Toomuc Reserve in Pakenham. They performed on the stage in front of hundreds of people and a full orchestra led by a conductor. Well done you legends, Mrs Downie, Mrs Banfield and all of our school community are incredibly proud of you!

VA

This term in Visual Arts, our Year 3/4 and 5/6 students have been learning how to use Technology and Visual Art together to create Stop Motion Animation Videos.

They had to create a story in small groups, construct 3 dimensional characters from coloured clay and collage a background for their story settings. Once all these elements were completed, students used the Stop Motion Animation App on the ipads to develop a short movie.

In Prep-Year 2 students have been learning about Japanese Artist Yayoi Kusama. They created artworks inspired by her art that encompassed shapes and dots. They created drawings of pumpkins, mushroom paintings, shape collage, and 3 dimensional magiclay flowers. Yayoi Kusama is bringing her art exhibition to the National Gallery of Victoria later this month. Students were excited to learn about her art works.

STEM

This term in STEM has been jam-packed!

The Junior students designed, planned and created a variety of simple paper & Lego buildings required within a city. For example, you can see that this group (Nate & Kaiser in 1D) planned a city layout with roads, a hospital, a grocery store, and a police station.

In this picture, you can see Rihanna from Prep C who designed and built a farm in Lego with animals drawn on paper. In the background, you can see the city the preps built and displayed on the window. This even included an amusement park with water slides.

The Senior students have been learning about the engineering design process by generating, planning and developing design ideas which they then built and refined in 3D environments such as TinkerCad and Minecraft.

Below is a fantastic example of a house Ava Bell in 2B designed and built in Minecraft.

Happy Holidays everyone and I hope you have a fabulous summer! - Mr. Pattison

Important dates to remember