Around the Primary Classrooms

Kinder

This week, Kinder visited the Kingborough Sports Centre for their first KinderGym session. We jumped, rolled, balanced and rocked our way around the different stations, building our gross motor skills. 

Prep

Recently the Preps enjoyed exploring the Royal Botanical Gardens on a beautiful autumn day!  We went for a big walk around the gardens looking for signs of autumn and enjoyed a play in the leaves. 

Year 5 White

Year 5 White recently had the opportunity to step into the shoes of wilderness survival experts during a hands-on STEM workshop! The session was led by visiting STEM specialists, Jakki and Chris, who challenged the students to think critically about Tasmania’s spectacular yet unpredictable wilderness. 

During the session, students worked in collaborative teams to create a survival kit that could help bushwalkers in trouble. Students considered and ranked the most essential emergency survival items, designed and selected specific box shapes to maximise volume and tested the thermal insulation and heat retention of various blanket materials.

A huge thank you to Jakki and Chris for bringing such an engaging STEM experience to MCC!

Year 6 Students inspired by Shaun Tan

As part of their immigration unit, our Year 6 students had the wonderful opportunity to attend the Island State Readers and Writers Festival and hear acclaimed author and illustrator Shaun Tan speak about storytelling, creativity, and imagination.

Shaun Tan shared how he combines words and illustrations to create powerful stories. He spoke about the importance of curiosity, imagination, and embracing the unique ideas that make each person different.

For our students, the event was much more than an author talk. It provided a valuable opportunity to see how stories can convey complex themes such as belonging, identity, and migration, which they will explore in their classroom learning. Students were fascinated by Shaun's creative process and enjoyed seeing how simple ideas can develop into extraordinary stories and artworks.

Students left the presentation feeling inspired, and the experience encouraged them to view their imaginations as a strength and reminded them that everyone's perspective has value.

The excursion was a memorable and enriching learning experience that deepened students' understanding of storytelling while supporting their studies of immigration and personal identity.

Year 6 White

What a fantastic and busy term it has been in Year 6W! We have had lots of fun learning together, sharing ideas, and discovering new things from each other along the way. It has been wonderful to see students supporting one another, taking on challenges, and celebrating their successes as a class community.

In Mathematics, we have been exploring graphing, prime and composite numbers, fractions, and mass. Through investigations, problem-solving activities, and class discussions, students have developed their mathematical thinking while learning from each other's different approaches and strategies.

In English, we have expanded our vocabulary with interesting new words, including esoteric (did your daughter come home and use this word?) and explored new grammatical rules. We have also been developing our persuasive writing skills by learning techniques such as modality, graduated language, rhetorical questions, and attitude. Students have enjoyed experimenting with these techniques and sharing their writing with their classmates.

Our HASS learning has taken us on a journey back to Tasmania in the 1890s. We created monologues to help us understand what life may have been like during that time and investigated the Suffragette movement, designing posters to promote the fight for voting rights. More recently, we have explored Australia's system of government and learned about its five key components: the Constitution, constitutional monarchy, federation of states, democracy, and representative democracy. Students worked collaboratively to create podcasts, helping each other to deepen their understanding of these important concepts.

Science has been full of hands-on learning and exciting discoveries. One of our highlights was making Oobleck and investigating its unusual properties while learning about the different states of matter. We have also learned how to write scientific reports, develop thoughtful hypotheses, and reflect on our findings. Another memorable challenge involved thinking creatively about how to survive using only duct tape and intelligent design principles. Students impressed us with their innovative ideas and teamwork.

In Drama, students have been developing their skills in expression, performance, voice, body language, collaboration, and teamwork. Through a range of activities and performances, they have built confidence and learned the importance of working together to create something special.

Our most recent art lesson was inspired by the work of Kandinsky. Students explored synesthetic art, using colour, shape, and pattern to express the way sounds and emotions can be experienced visually. The creativity and imagination on display have been incredible. We also looked at Shaun Tan's style. We are in the process of recreating his book The Rabbits which we will give to him when it's complete!

This term has been filled with curiosity, creativity, laughter, and learning. Most importantly, we have learned not only from our teachers but also from one another. We are proud of the way our Year 6W students have worked together, supported each other, and embraced every opportunity to grow. We look forward to all the exciting learning still to come this year!

Primary Debating

Mount Carmel were proud to host the second round of the Junior School Debating Roster on Wednesday the 17th of May. Year 5 and 6 students from across Independent and Catholic primary schools participated in 13 debates throughout the evening, debating the topic ‘YouTubers are great role models for children’. Congratulations to all students involved on their debating and the effort they put into their preparation. We would like to recognise the many student volunteers who were incredibly welcoming and eager to help visiting students and their families. Special thanks must go to Ms Nicola Smith, Ms Imogen Gray, Mrs Sharon Himson, Mrs Kate Murphy, Ms Emily Fitzallen, Mrs Michelle Wall, Mrs Anna Cazaly and Mr Callum Brown for adjudicating the debates.