Learning & Teaching

Science Week 2024

This year we celebrated Science Week by engaging in a variety of Chemistry and Biology experiments. The children spent the week immersed in the idea that Science is all around us. They reflected on their understanding of what it means to be a scientist and engaged in the scientific process each day. Together we explored microbiology, chemical reactions, forensic science and the human body. At break times each day the children participated in different science activities and challenges including; making their own bath bombs, the Egg Drop challenge, science in the garden, the Rainbow Bridge experiment, the Jumping Pepper experiment and the Dry Erase Marker Magic experiment. A big thank you to the many parents who assisted this week, including Lydia, Maria, Emily, Cate and Anastasia for planning, facilitating and supporting all the activities and experiments - we all had a blast. 

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

If you would like to have a go at some of these experiments at home, please see the below attachment:

Parent Engagement Session: Dig into Discovery

This week we ran our second Parent Engagement Session with a focus on Discovery. To kick off the session we explored our Holy Cross Vision and our Image of the Child to highlight the link between our practices and our core values. Following this we explored the key elements of Discovery together before walking through a Discovery session in action.

What Lies at the Centre of Discovery?

Discovery:

• Fosters relationships.
• Provides opportunities for children to transfer their learning into new situations.
• Develops skills in all areas of the curriculum including Social and Emotional Learning.
• Helps children strengthen their learning dispositions.
• Honours the many different languages children embrace to communicate their learning, including art, role play, collage, writing etc.

How is Discovery Different to Free Play?

Discovery is highly structured play. It is based on the Victorian Curriculum and involves explicit teaching throughout. Learning experiences and stations are specifically designed to provoke certain patterns of thinking, draw out relevant learning strategies, and encourage the application of targeted skills. Alongside this, our educators use planned prompts to influence the learning at different stations and assist children in stretching their learning. Although Discovery experiences are highly structured and planned for, the practice of Discovery also keeps children's voices at the centre. This means, although we have planned for and anticipated certain learning moments, the children drive the learning. As a result our educators often pivot to harness teaching moments that the children have brought to the forefront.