Teaching and Learning Areas
Foundation
Early this term foundation students celebrated their very exciting 100 days of prep. Students loved making their “1” “0” “0” cakes decorated with 100 smarties, counting their 100 items, running 100 metre races and parading their fabulous dress ups that linked to the number 100.
We’ve begun our exploration of the Merri Creek, finding out what students already know and would like to know and learning about indigenous seasons and creation stories and how these link to our local waterways.
In maths we have been exploring the concept of place value giving students the chance to show 10s and ones with various materials building towards ordering and reading 2-digit numbers.
In literacy students have been loving reading and writing a variety of information texts and considering how these are different from fiction texts with stories and characters.
Grade 1/2
Merri Creek Walk
Last Friday, our students enjoyed a local walk to the Merri Creek as part of our Inquiry unit. The excursion gave them the opportunity to learn about the creek and use their senses to reflect on what they saw, heard, and smelled in the environment. It was wonderful to see their curiosity shine through in their conversations and questions throughout the day.
We were also very grateful to the parents who joined us on the walk. Overall, it was a terrific day of learning in nature, and we look forward to our next visit on Friday 22nd August.
The following week, the students learnt about how the seasons affect the creek's fauna and flora, and created their own Kulin nation season calendar.
Grade 3/4
Merri Creek Walk
Last Friday, our students enjoyed a local walk to the Merri Creek as part of our current learning unit. The excursion gave students the opportunity to engage in bird watching, create detailed micro and macro sketches, take a guided walk, and complete a flora scavenger hunt.
It was a fantastic day of hands-on learning in nature, and we look forward to our next visits to the creek in the coming weeks.
Grade 5/6
Overview:
Hi wonderful 5/6 Community!
We had a wonderful wrap up to last term’s learning, and now have started at a cracking pace for Term 3. Read below to learn about what we’ve been up to.
PBL Merri creek:
We finished up last term with a massive exhibition of all the Year 5/6 projects, with four classrooms each dedicated to an era of Australian history. Students, teachers, school leadership, and many members of the 5/6 community came to have a look and learn from students about their varied projects and what they learned. We also had a fundraiser of students’ clay crafts and raised money for the 5/6 area. Thanks to the community members who helped us to successfully raise about $200!
We started our new unit on the Merri Merri (Merri Creek) this term and have begun to make connections between our learning about the Six Layers of Wurundjeri Country and our visits down to the creek. We have explored On Country, Below Country, and Wind Country. Next Wednesday we head out on our second excursion to the creek, where the organisation Water Watch will teach us about caring for Water Country at the Merri Merri.
Literacy:
In Literacy this term the students have been exploring non-fiction information texts and learning how authors use images, diagrams and subject-specific vocabulary to inform readers. They applied these skills to create their own information posters by hand drawing images, adding detailed diagrams and using research to include accurate subject-specific terms. Students actively sought feedback from their peers and provided constructive feedback in return. They enjoyed improving their work through collaboration and took pride in refining their designs to produce engaging and informative posters that showcase both creativity and deep knowledge of their chosen topics.
Wellbeing and RRRR
This term the students have continued participating in the Respectful Relationships, Rights and Responsibility programs. Our focus has been on identifying situations where they should seek help in working through problems, recognising a list of trusted people to turn to, and normalising help-seeking behaviour. Students have been highly engaged in learning about different strategies for asking for help and have shown respect and responsibility when discussing these important topics. These lessons are aimed for students to understand the value of supporting friends and the importance of speaking up if they or someone they know needs help. Alongside this, students were taught about important contacts that they could access if needed.
Kids Helpline contact info:
Science Week:
During Science Week, the 5/6 students took part in two exciting incursions. On Monday students had the opportunity to explore the world of maths through a fresh lens. They investigated a range of real-world problems using hands-on materials which encouraged them to think creatively and critically. Working in teams, students applied effective communication, resilience and teamwork to solve challenges. They enjoyed experiencing maths from a new perspective and sharing the problem-solving journey with their peers.
On Thursday the 5/6 students attend another exciting incursion run by the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, where they explored the fascinating world of stem cells and stem cell medicine. Researchers and experts from the institute shared how they use advanced bioengineering technologies to model complex disease mechanisms and develop new stem cell-based medicines. Students thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on experience, conducting practical experiments to replicate the process of studying stem cells in a lab. They also examined a variety of cells under a microscope and even invented their own stem cell designs, making it a memorable and inspiring learning experience.
Student Reflection
The Math Incursion
On the 11th of August we had a math incursion. The grade 5 went first and it ran from 9:40-11:00. The teacher in charge made us get into groups of 3-4. Hussein, Wayan, Nick, Jay, and me Aarav. It was held in the library. There were various math science problems. Me and my group did this game where you needed to make a massive square out of 9 triangles and 1 square. There was another activity where you needed to do a worded math problem. Overall there were many fun activities. My favourite was to make a massive square one. We loved the incursion and would love to do this again
PE / Sport
On Monday 4th August, students attending TheirCare were treated to a special visit from the Essendon AFLW players. The session was all about developing skills and having fun, with students taking part in a range of engaging activities and enjoying a classic kick-to-kick with an AFLW player. To top it all off, every student received a signed poster as a keepsake of the day.
It was a fantastic experience, and our students walked away inspired, smiling, and full of team spirit.
