Teaching and Learning

Active Schools

When one sport ceases, another one starts. Now that our gymnastics sessions have concluded, we have been participating in two weeks of Golf as part of our Active Schools Program. Our wonderful tennis coach, Milo, has been recently accredited as a Golf in Schools Instructor and so we organised two trial sessions to see if this is a sport that is suitable for us to participate in over a term (in 2025). 

Mr Collins also put himself in the firing line to give the kids a bit of 'motivation.' (He was not harmed).

Our students loved their first session last week and are extremely excited to be having their follow-up session this afternoon. 

P-2 News from Miss Duffy

As part of our Integrated Studies unit on Indigenous Australian Culture, students have been learning about Dreamtime Stories and Myths. We learnt about a mythical being called Yorkyork who was woven from grasses and painted and then hung near waterways such as billabongs. This creature was to serve as a warning to others not to go into the water (especially children who might drown in deep waters) and legend has it if you do enter that you will be turned into a creature with flipper like feet and have to stay in the water for ever. Students made their own Yorkyork, decorating them in the style we learned about- we even saw the image of a Yorkyork on our recent visit to the Melbourne Museum! 

The students have also written their own Creation Stories from the Dreamtime. They then set about making a model of their creature and they are extremely proud of their work.

Year 3-6 News from Mr Collins

Solving Problems

When learning about maths and mathematical concepts, we always aim to make the work relevant to the kids. By doing this we raise the kids have a real sense of purpose in why they are learning the theory and what it can be used for. One of our projects has been solving mini problems involving the 4 different operations and then sorting them into which operation was primarily used to solve the problem. 

On Monday the problem posed to the class consisted of only 3 words... 'We need oranges'. From there sparked conversations and a lot of questions between the kids: Who for? How many? Why? Is it for a particular event? Where do we get them from? Who is paying? Etc. 

Ultimately, the kids decided they were as a treat for when we got back from the Art Gallery. The kids then surveyed all students to see how many they would eat (some only a fraction of an orange) and collected all the data. They then each researched a place where I could buy them from to see where I could get the best deal. In the end, I was asked to go to Coles and buy 13 oranges for 62c each, totaling $8.04 which would give me change of $1.95 from a $10 note. They may not have nailed the prices (it was an online price only), and Coles just happened to be the furthest supermarket from my house, but the mathematics and groups conversations made this task extremely worthwhile. 

Our wall celebrating Indigenous Australian Culture is really building into something special. Our latest additions include our own study of historical Indigenous Influencers and our own versions of artwork using Symbols that represent us. I can't wait to see it at the end of term!

Art News from Miss Duffy

The pictures of our students sewing do not do the artworks justice. Our students have all worked so hard over recent weeks to finish their stitched designs and the results have blown us all away. These designs are on display in the main building (for all to enjoy) and if you are calling past, please drop in to have admire the hard work and skill that has gone into producing these pieces. 

Bendigo Gallery Excursion

Earlier this week we visited the Bendigo Art Gallery to view the Indigenous Artworks and take part in a session with their Koorie Educator. Students were able to view a range of art works completed by Indigenous Artists, using a range of styles and materials. Our students were then able to get creative and use modeling clay to make their own representations of abstract art using line, shape and colour.