What's Happening in our Specialist Programs

Please find below an overview of What's Happening in each of our five specialist programs during Term 4 - Visual Art, Performing Art, Environmental Science, Japanese and Physical Education.

Visual Art

Welcome Back to Term 4 in Visual Art

Welcome back to Term 4 in Visual Art!

This term in Visual Art, students will be creating in the areas of Threads and Textiles, Painting and Construction. Keep an eye out for our Year 6’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ceramics on display in the hallway early in the term, as well as their Year 6 self-portraits later in Term 4.

Keep an eye out for Parent Volunteer sign-up sheets. A link will be sent out via Compass, early in Term 4.

Please ensure your child has a NAMED art smock. Art smocks remain in a basket in each classroom and brought to the art room each week for their lesson. If your child does not have an art smock, they can be purchased via Primary School Wear, Kmart, Target, Big W, any craft store… Or even an old oversized shirt from home is fine too!

This term in Visual Art:

This term the students will…

Prep	Prep students will be exploring the Threads and Textiles skills of weaving and sewing this term. They will learn the terms ‘warp’, ‘weft’ and ‘loom’ when weaving a paper lantern. They will practise how to thread a needle and complete a simple running stitch. All learnt skills will be woven into a hessian placemat – a special keepsake for their Prep Christmas lunch in the last week of school. Keep an eye out, parent helpers!
Year 1	Year 1 students will be creating a self-portrait, linked to their Health unit of inquiry. Students will explore the Pop Art portraits and the work of Andy Warhol. They will explore links between emotions and art, facial expressions and photography by using iPads. Students will outline the facial features of their printed photograph and explore abstract art, colour theory and painting processes to create a colourful background for the underside of their portrait.
Year 2	Year 2 students will be exploring Threads and Textiles by creating felt emoji pillows to link to their Health unit of inquiry. Students will be exploring emotions in art and select an emoji to sew and stuff for a small soft pillow.
Year 3	Year 3 students will be constructing 3D fruit and vegetable sculptures to link with their Health unit of inquiry. Students will design their fruit shape and create an armature made from newspaper and masking tape. This will be followed be layers of papier mache and finished off with acrylic paint to give colour and details.
Year 4	To link with their Geography unit of inquiry, Year 4 students will explore the history of art in Egypt. Ancient Egyptian pharaohs and queens were buried in beautiful burial boxes called sarcophagi. Students will create their own, using construction techniques, plaster and paint to decorate
Year 5	Year 5 students will be developing their skills in Threads and Textiles by creating “Buddy Bears” for their 2025 Prep buddies. Each student will create a pattern for their Buddy Bear, cut out the fabric and sew the pieces together. Buddy Bears will be presented to their Prep buddies during ‘Meet the Teacher’ afternoon, a keepsake for their Preps to take home and
Year 6	Following the BPS tradition of creating an artwork that stays at our school for years to come, Year 6 students will begin to paint a mural at our school inspired by Dutch artist Piet Mondrian. With a focus on line and primary colours, the students will bring the walls around our school to life with bold and geometric designs.

Environmental Science and Sustainability

What’s been happening in Environmental Science & Sustainability

During Term 3 students in all year levels explored the concept of Energy in Environmental Science and Sustainability. Students in Years Prep to 3 learned about potential and kinetic energy and ways to save energy at home and at school. They also learned about renewable sources of energy. They had a lot of fun making their own “wind turbine”, which they have hopefully brought home.

The Year 4s to 6s experimented with conductors and insulators, creating electrical circuits. They explored renewable and non-renewable energy sources, global warming and climate change, and designed and built solar ovens.

Students enjoyed planting shrubs and small trees on our Tree Planting Day, and will hopefully return to BPS in the future to see the rewards of their work.

What will be happening this term in Environmental Science & Sustainability:

Along with Waste and Water, the topic of Energy is embedded in all that we do in Environmental Science and our Term 4 topic of Biodiversity will naturally incorporate all of these areas. We are looking forward to a term full of fun and learning as we build an understanding of what biodiversity is and study and work with a variety of plants and small creatures in our gardens and grounds.

Prep and Year 1

Prep and year 1 students will explore the meaning of biodiversity and investigate our outdoor environment to identify local ecosystems. They will observe native flora in our school yard, including the new plants they planted last term. Students will also observe our native fauna and learn to classify animals according to their features. We will learn about the cultivation of seeds, through planting and nurturing, and the students will hopefully bring home the plants they have grown.

Year 2

Students in Year 2 will explore and identify native flora and fauna found in our school grounds and local area. They will describe and classify living things according to their features, beginning to develop research skills and using appropriate websites. Students will also research how humans’ impact on our biodiversity and ecosystems, identifying and calculating humans’ carbon footprint. They will cultivate plants from seeds and hopefully bring home the fruits of their labour.

Year 3

In Year 3 students will build an understanding of biodiversity and learn key vocabulary as well as identifying threats to local biodiversity. They will explore the process of photosynthesis and describe the cultivation of seeds, as well as growing plants of their own from seeds. They will learn about the benefits of growing our own food and research fruit and vegetable growth in Australia. They will study local animals and describe their features, while also discussing ways to protect our local biodiversity.

Year 4

Year 4 students will be broadening their knowledge and understanding of biodiversity and identifying threats to our local biodiversity. They will identify and describe native flora and fauna within the school and will discuss ways to protect our flora and fauna, while also describing features of local animals. They will learn about the cultivation of seeds, photosynthesis and the benefits of growing our own food.

Years 5 & 6

The Year 5s and 6s will be broadening their knowledge of biodiversity through the study of native and indigenous flora and fauna, food origins, cultivating seeds and the benefits of growing our own food. They will also conduct experiments to deepen their understanding of photosynthesis. Students will explore the concept of the carbon footprint and how it impacts our environment, including on our threatened species.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Monday October 7 World Habitat Day

Saturday November 9 National Pollinator Week

Photos from Term 3 while we were learning about Energy..

Physical Education

Physical Education Term 4 2024

Term 4 will see students refocus on a variety of summer sports and the movement skills and teamwork required for them. Students will develop movement skills in water during the Swimming Program and consider the safety aspects of swimming and the beach environment. Years 4, 5 and 6 will train for and play the full range of summer sports, basketball, cricket, lacrosse, oztag, softball and volleyball in preparation for Term 1 next year. Venues will include Beaumaris Reserve and the school grounds.

Foundation

Practise fundamental movement skills and movement sequences using different body parts and in response to stimuli in indoor, outdoor and aquatic settings

Participate in games with and without equipment

Follow rules when participating in physical activities

Year 1 and 2

Perform fundamental movement skills in different movement situations in indoor, outdoor and aquatic settings

Incorporate elements of effort, space, time, objects and people in performing simple movement sequences

Discuss the body’s reactions to participating in physical activities

Year 3 and 4

Practise and refine fundamental movement skills in different movement situations in indoor, outdoor and aquatic settings

Perform movement sequences that link fundamental movement skills for sport skills

Adopt inclusive practices when participating in physical activities

Apply innovative and creative thinking in solving movement challenges

Year 5 and 6

Practise specialised movement skills and apply them in different movement situations in indoor, outdoor and aquatic settings

Propose and apply movement concepts and strategies

Participate in physical activities designed to enhance fitness, and discuss the impact of regular participation on health and wellbeing

Participate positively in groups and teams by encouraging others and negotiating roles and responsibilities

Apply critical and creative thinking processes in order to generate and assess solutions to movement challenges

Demonstrate ethical behaviour and fair play that aligns with the rules when participating in a range of physical activities.

Performing Arts

Welcome back to Term 4 in Performing Arts.

The excitement is building around next week’s Year 6 production of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”!

All students will be attending the dress rehearsals at Sandringham Secondary School – Years P – 2 on Tuesday morning and Yrs 3 – 5 on Wednesday morning. Please ensure you have read all the relevant correspondence (via Compass) in regards to permission and payment for the bus.

Productions such as this provide an amazing opportunity to build both music & drama skills, but develop confidence, self-expression, coordination and cooperative & collaborative skills for all involved. Watching students have the opportunity to shine outside the classroom gives me the greatest joy and provides a creative outlet unequalled.

I have directed over 30 school productions but Charlie & The Chocolate Factory has been my biggest undertaking in terms of the casting, staging and the musical score. I must thank the Year 6 team; Anthea, Keli, Allan, Max & Peter, and our Visual Arts Teacher, Ally Palermo for their ongoing & tireless assistance. Many other staff and parents have contributed to make this show a musical and visual feast.

The focus for Performing Arts this term is MUSIC.

All year levels will have the opportunity to sing, play percussion, create ensemble pieces and listen to a variety of music.

Prep students will be preparing for their own concert which will be staged at school later in the term. It will include songs and dances and they will even perform an item with their buddies.

Year 1, Year 2 and Year 3 students will continue to work on rhythm structures and melodic dictation; listening to a sequence of notes and placing counters on a music staff in the corresponding ascending or descending pattern. Year 1 and 2 students will listen to and watch various orchestral pieces such as Peter & The Wolf, beginning to identify instruments by sight. Year 3 students will resume work on their recorders, continuing to build their note repertoire and learning simple songs.

Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 students will listen to a variety of genres and periods of music, learning about famous composers and forming opinions.

Students in these levels will also create simple compositions using digital technology.

Japanese

This term in Japanese, each year level will be exploring the following language skills and cultural activities:
Prep	The Prep students will learn some more Japanese songs this term (ookina taiko, minasan and the kobuta song). They will learn about the shichi, go, san festival and how Christmas is celebrated in Japan. They will continue to learn how to count to 10, say colours, shapes and some adjectives to describe people and animals. They will learn how to say the weather and the date each lesson as well as sing the happy birthday song.
Year 1	The Year 1 students will continue to create stories in the class using only Japanese. They will exchange greetings and share information about self, using simple language and gestures. They will continue to read simple hiragana books and practise writing hiragana characters using the correct stroke order. They will practise reading to partners in class. In November, the students will celebrate shichi, go, san (7,5,3) festival and look at Christmas in Japan and how it differs to Australia.
Year 2	The Year 2 students will participate in ‘nazonohito’ (mystery student) to find out information about class members by using only Japanese language. They will enjoy guided group activities such as games, readings, songs, and origami activities. They will answer questions about the date, day, weather and how they’re feeling during each Japanese class. They will continue to read hiragana mini books and take some home to read. In November, the students will celebrate shichi, go, san (7,5,3) festival and look at Christmas in Japan and how it differs to Australia.
Year 3	The Year 3 students will consolidate their hiragana recognition and begin using ikana app on the ipads to test their knowledge. They will continue reading hiragana mini books and practise writing Japanese characters using the correct stroke order. They will participate in and respond to interactives stories with the class using the verbs ‘imasu’ (exist), ‘hoshii’ (want), tabemasu (eat) and ikimasu (to go) adjectives, questions, conjunctions and possessions.
Year 4	The Year 4 students will recognise the systematic order within the Hiragana character set by using ikana on the ipads. They will participate in and respond to interactive stories with the class using the verbs ‘imasu’ (exist), ‘hoshii’ (want), tabemasu (eat) and ikimasu (to go) suki (like), adjectives, questions, conjunctions and possessions. They will continue to participate in Mystery Seito (student) and Sensei( teacher). The students will use their hiragana knowledge to read hiragana mini books, series 1,2,3 and begin series 4. They will work independently and with a partner to practise their reading. Students will understand how traditional Japanese script is written vertically and books open right to left.
Year 5	The Year 5 students will participate in and respond to interactive stories with the class using high frequency verbs such as ‘imasu’ (exist), arimasu (have), ‘hoshii’ (want), tabemasu (eat), nomimasu (drink), suki (like), shimasu (play/do) and ikimasu (to go) as well as expressive language to describe feelings. They will engage in Japanese communication by responding to questions and responding orally or physically using the correct gesture/movement when acting out stories. They will continue to work through the hiragana mini booklets and try to achieve level 5.
Year 6	The Year 6 students will continue to work through their ‘belts’. They will participate in and respond to interactive stories with the class using high frequency verbs such as ‘imasu’ (exist), arimasu (have), ‘hoshii’ (want), tabemasu (eat), nomimasu (drink), suki (like), shimasu (play/do) and ikimasu (to go) as well as expressive language to describe feelings. They will use adjectives such as big (ookii), small (chiisai), happy (ureshii), sad (kanashii), hot (atsui), cold (samui), questions such as doko (where), dare (who), nani (what), douyatte (how), donna (what kind of), conjunctions such as but (demo), and (to), or (soretomo), additionally (soshite), therefore (dakara) and possessions when creating stories together in class. They will continue to read hiragana mini books and complete an ikana test each week. The students will have an opportunity to write to our sister school in Yokohama and participate in a Skype session with them towards the end of the year.
Festivals & Special events	This term, the younger students will learn about the festival shichi, go, san (7,5,3) festival in which Japanese people celebrate children who are 7,5 and 3. They will learn the rituals and customs behind this festival.