SCHOOL OF WONDER

We’ve reached the middle of Term 1 already - how time flies!

It has been a hive of activities in the School of Wonder this fortnight.

FOUNDATION:

Foundation children have continued to practice their school routines; the various activities that happen each day and their role within those activities. Children have been collaborating and communicating to build friendships and share their thinking with their peers.

In Wonderplay a focus on fine motor skills has seen Learning Mentors deliberately set up stations to encourage the development of finger and hand strength, accuracy and detail. Strengthening our fine motor skills enable us to have stamina when we draw and write, as well as strength to hold and carry items and flexibility to manipulate materials as we play throughout our day. Fine motor skills are life long skills. 

Foundation will begin coming to school on Wednesday’s from this week, Wednesday March 13.

YEAR 1/2

Lots of learning has revolved around ‘How we Organise Ourselves’, and the idea that Communities depend on effective systems to meet the needs of the people.

Cleanaway Visit

On Tuesday March 5 Cleanaway came to St Anne’s College to talk about the rubbish collection system. Children in Year 1/2 heard from Bill and Robert, and were able to see how a garbage truck works to pick up and empty the rubbish bins.

This connected to their current learning around Systems in our Community.

Lake Victoria Excursion

Children in years 1/2 were fortunate enough to take the bus to Lake Victoria on Wednesday to look at Systems in our Community. In groups, children saw the pool cleaning system at Aquamoves and spoke with Sean, watched the traffic light system near the corner of Sobraon Street and Wyndham Street, and other community systems such as the waste and water systems by the lake. Children enjoyed their lunch at the All Abilities Playground.

A big day out in the sun for all with many happy reports of an enjoyable time!

YEAR 3/4

Children have had a focus this fortnightly around Place Value. Card and dice games have been enthusiastically enjoyed by children as they collaborate, communicate and think about how to best solve the problem.

100 Laugh was a popular game that children enjoyed, using cards to make two 2-digit numbers that added to equal 100. You had to laugh if you could make the total correctly. No laughing allowed if you didn’t! 

Target 100 enabled children to choose between the tens or the ones column as they rolled the dice, adding their totals to ‘target’ 100. Only eight rolls were allowed!

The jump strategy has been practiced when adding numbers together, a small jump for each ‘one’ and a large jump for groups of ‘ten’. Seesaw has some great examples of the jump strategy.

Maybe some fun games and activities to try at home!

As children continue reading ‘Wonder’ they are beginning to connect to the text in various ways. Text to self - how they are able to relate to topics discussed; uniqueness, costumes and dress ups, school settings, siblings, family dynamics, feelings and emotions. Children have been enjoying the class text and have made valuable connections to their own lives.

VISUAL ART AND STEM

The Foundation, Years 1 and 2 children have all been looking at construction and problem solving. They have built bridges for the Billy Goats Gruff; straw, stick and brick houses to withstand the 'huff and puff' from the Big Bad Wolf (the hairdryer) and worked in groups to make the highest standing tower out of paper, foil and pasta. 

The Year 3 and 4 children have been learning about aerodynamics and have made paper planes, helicopters and gliders to demonstrate how objects move through the air. They have recently been set the task to build a space lander to land on Mars. After discussing the thin atmosphere of the planet, they were set with the challenge to modify a spacecraft to enable it to slow down in the thinner atmosphere and land softly without the astronauts (ping pong balls) being thrown from the ship! 

To observe the engagement and listen to the discussion within the working groups has been wonderful!!  The ideas, trials and practises of these ideas , followed up with modifications to their constructions, has demonstrated the students creative and critical thinking. It has been outstanding!

Visual Arts has seen an explosion of creativity from each and every student! All classes have been working on exploring lines, shapes and colour with a variety of different mediums. These artistic creations have been collected and stored in each student's individual art folder and will be shared at an upcoming Art Exhibition later in the year.

- Cath

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Children in Years 1, 2, 3, and 4 have just completed their soccer unit with Ryleigh. Ryleigh has reported that everyone did a great job, with a focus on teamwork and encouragement of their classmates. Children will now move onto Cricket for the rest of the term.

I wonder who our budding future cricket stars might be!

- Ryleigh

ITALIAN

All children have been using the text ‘Brown Bear Brown Bear What Can You See?’.

Foundation children have been listening to the story and are moving towards working with ‘Old MacDonald had a farm’, identifying farm animals and learning some of their names in italian.

The 1/2 children are focusing on animals and learning their names in Italian.

The 3/4 children have a focus on animals as well as colours.

They will be re-writing the text with a choice on their own farm animals and colours.

- Sarah

SOW Assembly

Next SOW assembly - Monday, March 25 - Week 9 and led by 3/4 AW. 

We look forward to seeing you there. 

Prior to our assembly - and each assembly week - Emma and I will be holding an information session between 8.30am - 8:55am. The theme for Week 9 will remain as Reading (week 6 did not go ahead); what it looks like in the SOW at St Anne’s College and what Home Reading can include. These sessions are not compulsory, they are informal, an opportunity to hear and see examples, and ask any questions. Information shared will be communicated to families through PAM.

Arriving at school:

Please support our staff, and remember that drop off for children is from 8:30am. This is when staff are on duty. Prior to this any staff onsite are preparing for the day ahead, duty of care requirements mean children onsite require supervision and doing this takes staff away from their important preparation time.

Kara McCann & Emma O’Keeffe - School of Wonder Leaders

kmccann@sackialla.catholic.edu.au

eokeeffe@sackialla.catholic.edu.au

Foundation students brainstormed play equipment St Anne's College could add to our college, then designed and created their play equipment out of different materials, practising literacy/maths and fine motor skills through wonderplay.

Safely landing on the red planet 

Year 3/4 students were asked to create a spacecraft landing for the thinner atmosphere on Mars. The thin atmosphere on Mars is made mostly of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and argon. To do this safely, the students needed to make additions to their spacecraft to slow down the landing and ensure that the astronauts (the ping pong balls) remained safe within the spacecraft.

They did an exceptional job! Check out our future astronauts in the making.

Hats and Sunscreen

In Term 1, it is a school expectation that we are all wearing hats when we are outside. If a student does not have a hat, they are required to stay under the covered areas provided. Please ensure that hats are clearly labelled with your child’s name. 

All students are reminded and encouraged to bring their own SPF30 (or higher) broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen to school. Staff will oversee the safe use of sunscreen.

We are committed & dedicated educators

Teaching and Learning:

Our aim as Educators is always to improve student learning outcomes for all our learners. We continue to strive to improve our professional practice to ensure that our learners get the very best learning opportunities and outcomes. Our SOW team works collaboratively to provide thought provoking learning experiences to our learners. Our learner assets (collaboration, communication, self-management, thinking and researching) are life long skills that set our young people up to life long learners and to continually question, explore and challenge their thinking. Please direct any teaching and learning inquiries to Kara McCann kmccann@sackialla.catholic.edu.au

Wellbeing:

Wellbeing is a holistic term that encompasses all aspects of a student's life, including their physical, social, mental and emotional state. It is often defined as a sustainable state of positive mood and attitude, resilience, and satisfaction with self, relationships and experiences at school.

Wellbeing at St Anne’s is driven by the themes of doing our best, allowing everyone to succeed. Please direct any wellbeing inquiries to Emma O'Keeffe  eokeeffe@sackialla.catholic.edu.au