Learning & Teaching
Josy Reeder
National Science Week: Get Ready for Some Chemical Chaos!
National Science Week: Get Ready for Some Chemical Chaos!
On Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th August, our students eagerly participated in Chemical Chaos!
As a lead in to our Term 4 Inquiry units on Chemical Science, students immersed themselves in the world of chemistry through a variety of fun, hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity, experimentation, and discovery. This exciting event served as a provocation to ignite their interest and set the stage for deeper learning throughout the term. Parents and carers were invited to join in the fun with their children, sharing in the wonder of science and learning in action.
Thank you to everyone who participated and made the week such a colourful, exciting, and chaotic success!
Australian Mathematics Competition
On Thursday 7 August, 31 enthusiastic students participated in
the 2025 Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC). This competition provides unique problems designed each year by leading educators and academics to challenge and extend students’ problem-solving skills. We congratulate the OLA students who were fully engaged and worked solidly for 60 minutes to complete the test.
Author Visits
Over the past two weeks, we were lucky to welcome two wonderful authors to OLA, Morris Gleitzman for our Grade 3–6 students and Zanni Louise for Prep–Grade 2.
Morris spoke about the writing process, sharing that while starting a story can be the hardest part, it’s also the most important for capturing a reader’s attention. He encouraged students to stay curious, be persistent, and use their imaginations to create.
Zanni captivated our younger students with her warmth and storytelling, sparking their enthusiasm for reading and writing. She invited them into her stories with fun dress ups and role play, making the experience interactive and memorable.
Both visits left students buzzing with ideas and inspired to create their own stories.
'I love his stories and enjoyed listening Morris Gleitzman. He explained to us that at the start of a story you need to give a glimpse of the main characters life to keep the reader intrigued and wanting to know more!'
'He taught us how important the start of a story is to grab the reader's attention!'
'I loved getting my book signed, Zanni inspired me to write my own book'
'I got to be Errol and when Zanni read the book, I had to do the actions. The funniest part was when I hid behind the whiteboard'
Book Week 2025
Book Week 2025 will run Monday 18 August - Friday 22 August with the theme 'Book an Adventure'. We are excited about all of the activities we are running to celebrate and promote a love of reading. Please take note of the upcoming dates and events.
Book Week Activities
Week 5 Book Week | |
| Monday | Lunchtime - Book Week Kahoot! (Prep-Grade 2) Students in Grades P-2 are invited to the Library to put their book knowledge to the test in a fun, fast-paced Kahoot quiz! Come on your own or team up with a friend as you answer questions about popular books and well known characters. |
12:40pm - Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee (Grade 3-6) The Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee is a free, online competition for students in Years 3-8. Students are asked to spell 30 randomly selected words from their competition level and have 25 seconds to type each answer. The students with the most correct words in the fastest time progress to finals. The national champion in each age group wins a trip to Canberra to meet the Prime Minister, an iPad, HarperCollins book pack and a $1000 voucher for their school! | |
2:30pm - Buddy Reading Each class will pair up and share a book they love with a student from a different year level. | |
| Tuesday | 9am - Book Week Parade Come dressed up as your favourite book character and don’t forget to bring the book with you! Remember you don’t have to go spending any money, we love a costume made out of recycled goods! |
Lunchtime - Kahoot! (Grade 3-6) Students in Grades 3–6 are invited to the Library to put their book knowledge to the test in a fun, fast-paced Kahoot quiz! Come on your own or team up with a friend as you answer questions about popular books and well known characters. | |
| Wednesday | Lunchtime - Library and Chess Club Students are invited to explore the books in our Library or play a game of chess |
Snacktime - Make a Bookmark Students are invited to mark their own bookmark. | |
| Thursday | Lunchtime - Kahoot! (Prep-Grade 2) Students in Grades P-2 are invited to the Library to put their book knowledge to the test in a fun, fast-paced Kahoot quiz! Come on your own or team up with a friend as you answer questions about popular books and well known characters. |
| Friday | 10:30-11am - Whole School Genre Picnic Students are all invited to a ‘Genre Picnic’ outside (weather pending) complete with rugs, baskets and books where they have the opportunity to come together and share a love of reading with their peers. Students will bring their lunch and eat together outside. |
Lunchtime - Book Week Kahoot! (Grade 3-6) Students in Grades 3–6 are invited to the Library to put their book knowledge to the test in a fun, fast-paced Kahoot quiz! Come on your own or team up with a friend as you answer questions about popular books and well known characters. | |
As part of Book Week, students in Grades 3–6 are invited to participate in the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee on Monday 18 August. This free, online competition challenges students with a timed quiz of 30 spoken words, helping build vocabulary and confidence. Participation is optional and requires parent consent; permission forms have been handed out and must be returned by Friday 15 August. All students receive a certificate, and top spellers can progress to the national finals where prizes include an iPad and a trip to Canberra to meet the Prime Minister! For more information, visit spelling-bee.com.au.
Shelby Turner - Literacy Leader
Josy Reeder
Learning & Teaching Leader