What's Happening in Upper Division

Term 4, 2023 Teaching and Learning

English

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda, my darling.

Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me.

Students will be delving into poetry, in particular Andrew Barton Paterson. We will be studying and embedding poetic devices such as personification, metaphor, simile, onomatopoeia and alliteration in our writing. Our book focus will be Mulga Bill’s Bicycle written by Banjo Paterson in 1896. It was written at a time when cycling was a relatively new and popular social activity. It tells the hilarious story of Mulga Bill, who thinks he’s much better at cycling than he turns out to be.

Mathematics

This term we will finish our units of measurement with mass and temperature. We will also be covering division written strategies, 3D objects, problem solving, collecting and interpreting data as well as grids and maps.

Science

'The Living World' strand focuses on the growth and survival of living things and how their adaptations over time suit their environment. Last week the class and Mrs Buettel learnt about "extremophiles".  Students will be investigating how and why food and fibre are produced in sustainable, managed environments that enable people to grow and be healthy. This strand further develops students’ knowledge and understanding of the environmental and biological sciences.

Geography

We will continue to study our unit ‘Places are Similar and Different’ with a focus on Australia’s neighbours. Students will examine natural and human features of Australia and the diverse characteristics of Australia’s neighbouring countries. They will explore the different climates, settlement patterns and demographic characteristics of places and use this information to imagine what it would be like to live in different places. Students will also consider how people’s perceptions of places are the basis for actions to protect places and environments.

Visual Arts

As well as creating props, costumes and masks for our Lion King play, students will be creating a 3D model of their chosen tourist destination in Sydney using clay, wood, cardboard and other recycled materials. With Mulga Bill in mind…. we have already sketched a bike of personal chose and will use this sketch as a reference to plan and construct a bike using wire. 

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

The strand 'Healthy, Safe and Active Lifestyles' will centre on the interrelationship between health and physical activity concepts. Students develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to empower them to make healthy and safe choices and take action to promote the health and wellbeing of their communities. Students engage with a range of health issues and identify strategies to keep them healthy, safe and active.

The strand 'Movement Skill and Performance' will concentrate on active participation in a broad range of movement contexts to develop movement skill and enhance performance. Students will develop confidence and competence to engage in physical activity by participating in touch football, dance and swimming. Through movement experiences, students will also develop self-management and interpersonal skills to support them to strive for enhanced performance and participation in a lifetime of physical activity.

Leah Miller

Classroom teacher