Year 3 & 4 

APY Lands Pen Pals

This week, our Year 3/4 students have embarked on a journey of written correspondence with students from Mimili Anangu School and Ernabella Anangu School, two remote schools in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands of South Australia. 

By engaging in letter writing, our students are honing their literacy skills while learning about the daily life experiences of their pen pals. Through this exchange, they're gaining a deeper appreciation for diversity, respect for different perspectives, and empathy for others' lives and experiences. The students have been very excited when learning about some of the differences between life in Melbourne and life on the APY lands. For example, the fact that our letters will arrive in the communities on their mail plane, on a Tuesday or a Thursday only. 

This project beautifully integrates with our learning in the Humanities and Literacy. Students are applying skills learned in Geography and History to better understand the context of their pen pals' lives. They also get to practice effective communication and writing for real-life purposes. 

We are excited to send our letters off and are eager to receive some replies soon.

Eva - I’m excited to learn about the person I’m writing to. 

Taylor - I feel very, very excited about getting to know the people that are in the class. 

Will - I’m excited about talking to new people and learning about people who like the same things as me. 

Charlee B - I think it is going to be good to talk to new people.

Archer - I am looking forward to meeting new people.

Tanis O - I am looking forward to learning about someone new.

Bardia D - I am excited to learn about who the Pen Pal’s are.

Celebrating our Students

Students are nominated by their teachers to receive a certificate of acknowledgment. The below student's certificates will be presented at our next assembly. 

34A - Mrs Macrae

Tilly C

For reading our repetitive read so beautifully to the grade

34B - Mrs Pagliaro

Lola O

For the care and effort you put in to your pen pal letter.

34C - Mr Smith & Mrs Tonna

Hunter L

For his excellent prediction during our reading lesson.