Middles and Seniors Semester Overviews

English

This semester in English, we have explored texts that instruct, persuade, entertain and inform. Students identified the features of these texts in both reading and writing and applied their new and prior knowledge to create texts. When writing students were explicitly taught to use the COPS strategy for editing to check for correct sentence and paragraph structure, spelling and punctuation. When handwriting, students worked hard on their formation and size of their letters through explicit weekly practice. Students worked to improve their reading comprehension by practising retrieving information, interpreting implied and literal information, with a focus on inference, and summarising texts they have read. Students applied their knowledge of phonics and morphology to read and understand words in text. They developed their vocabulary through weekly targeted vocabulary teaching within shared reading lessons. Students consolidated these skills in targeted reading and spelling groups. Students developed their speaking and listening skills in various ways, including presentations to the class and many think, pairs share opportunities. Regular opportunities to practice respectful listening, turn taking, clear communication, and social language conventions were provided in all subject areas. 

Mathematics

This semester in Mathematics, students have continued to build their understanding of place value through regular games, reviews and explorations of problems, with a specific focus on multiplication and division. They applied this knowledge to explore the concepts of area and volume. They were supported to use a range of strategies, and explored and described patterns arising from number sequences. Students developed their knowledge of fractions and decimals, representing them in numbers, words, and models. Their decimal understanding was applied to investigations into money and measuring the length and capacity of objects. Students engaged in measurement tasks, solving problems involving time and making connections between the capacity and volume of objects. They explored the concept of chance, conducting experiments and describing the probabilities of events occurring. 

Religious Education and Inquiry

During Term Three, students engaged in the inquiry Thinking Outside the Box. They applied their critical and creative thinking skills to invent and create, reflecting on God as a creator. They utilised their design and technology skills to create an invention to help our local community. This learning was further extended by examining the mystery of the Triune God- Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

The Term Four inquiry, Walking Together, focused the students’ attention to the ways in which they can help others at a local, community and global level. They explored the concept of Catholic Social Teaching, and what the Catholic faith says about human dignity and providing hand ups, not hand outs. Students investigated real world applications of this idea, including the Referendum and refugees. 

Physical Education

During Semester Two, the students have continued to practise and refine fundamental movement skills. They performed various movement sequences, which linked several fundamental motor skills such as running, jumping, throwing, striking, catching and kicking. During Physical Education lessons, the students applied and practised these in different fitness based activities. There was also an emphasis on the importance of inclusion as well as fair and safe play whilst participating. Students were expected to learn and apply basic rules and develop innovative and creative thinking to problem-solve through a range of sports, including newcombe, cricket, basketball, circus skills, surfing, tennis and team-building games. 

Visual Arts

MIDDLES- Throughout Semester Two, the students continued to explore ideas and artworks from different art periods as inspiration to create their own artworks. They looked at the works of sculptor Alberto Giacometti and created a wire sculpture based on the artist’s work. The class also worked with clay using coils, slabs, pinch pots and the joining techniques: score, slip and blend. They applied these to create a 2D clay beach box. The class also looked at textiles and how artworks can be created using fabric.

SENIORS- Throughout Semester Two, the students continued to explore how and why artists express their ideas through different visual forms, practices and processes. The class looked at various art periods including Fauvism, Cubism, Post Impressionism and Pop Art and students then created an artwork based on the fauna and flora of Phillip Island. This artwork was part of the Cup Weekend Art Exhibition held at the new Cowes Cultural Centre where students could chose if they wanted to have their artwork exhibited. The class learnt clay hand building techniques such as coils, slabs, pinch pots and the joining techniques: score, slip and blend to create a 3D structure that represented a well known Melbourne landmark.

Science

MIDDLES- During Science this semester the students have focused on the Chemical Sciences and Physical Sciences, Science inquiry skills and Science as a human endeavour. The students examined ‘Kitchen Chemistry’ and how a change of state between solid and liquid can be caused by adding or removing heat. The Physical Sciences identified that heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another. The students enjoyed drawing on their science inquiry skills through exploring fair tests as well as accurately recording and analysing results. They planted crops including tomatoes, cucumber and capsicum to share with the school community. The students also participated in National Science Week and National WaterWeek activities.

SENIORS- During Science this semester the students have focused on the Chemical Sciences and Physical Sciences, Science inquiry skills and Science as a human endeavour. Within the chemical sciences they investigated that solids, liquids and gases behave in different ways and have observable properties that help to classify them. During the Physical Sciences the students investigated that light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted. The students also participated in the Kids Teaching Kids initiative, National Science Week and National Water Week.

Performing Arts

MIDDLES- This Semester in Performing Arts the students focused on dance and drumming. They rehearsed a routine as a class and the OLSS dance presentation provided an opportunity for students to perform. They also explored the significance of dance in Aboriginal culture. 

In Music, students further developed drumming rhythms and explored song writing. In Drama students worked in small groups to create a mock ‘news report’ focusing on script writing, character development and role-play.

SENIORS- This Semester in Performing Arts the students focused on dance and drumming. The students rehearsed their routine as a class and the OLSS dance presentation provided an opportunity for students to perform. We also explored the significance of dance in Aboriginal culture. In Music, students further developed rhythms and fundamental drumming techniques on the djembe. In Drama students worked in small groups to create a mock ‘news report’ focusing on script writing, character development and role-play.

Digital Technology

MIDDLES- This Semester in Digital Technology the Middles explored how data can be collected and represented digitally in a variety of ways including spreadsheets, graphs and charts. They also created digital books about a chosen topic using the program ‘Book Creator’ and contributed to an online library. 

SENIORS- This Semester in Digital Technology the Seniors explored how data can be collected and represented digitally in a variety of ways including binary. They also created digital books about a chosen topic using the online program ‘Book Creator’ and contributed to an online library.