Spotlight on Learning
Stage 1
Kindergarten had an amazing visit to Calmsley Hill City Farm last Thursday.
KW & KR spent the day exploring the farm and learning about the variety of animals there. Both classes rode on a tractor, milked a cow, saw a sheep get sheared, patted baby farmyard animals, saw a dog round up sheep and so much more. We were all very exhausted by the end of the day!
Celina (KW) - I liked seeing the goats because one of them ate Oliver’s name tag.
Ethan (KW) – The rabbits and goats were so cute. I liked petting the baby chicks.
Chloe (KR) - My favourite part was riding the tractor.
Hudson (KR) – Milking the cow at the farm was so fun!
Mr Widjaja - KR Classroom Teacher
Stage 2
We have been working diligently in our 4J class to ensure your children are well-prepared and confident in their learning journey. Recently, our focus has been on revising important reading and comprehension strategies. The students have been practicing these skills regularly, which will be especially helpful as we approach our upcoming check-in assessments. We are identifying areas where students may need additional support and tailoring our lessons to address these needs.
In mathematics, the class has been actively engaged in exploring multiplication and division problems. The students are not just solving these problems but also explaining and sharing the different strategies they use, particularly focusing on partitioning methods. This approach helps deepen their understanding and build a solid foundation for more complex mathematical concepts.
While some students were attending PSSA last Friday, the rest of the class participated in their first badminton lesson. It was a great experience filled with fun, as students learned new skills and worked together as a team. We look forward to playing more in the next few weeks.
Mrs Jones - 4J Classroom Teacher
Stage 3
Stage 3 students are well-balanced students who have been incredibly busy with balancing our academics, sports and social interactions at school.
Let’s take a look at some highlights from our Year 5 students of these few weeks, with contributions from 5J students.
English
Poetry
In lessons on poetry in stage 3, we are spending a lot of time reading, writing and learning about poetry. Year 5 has been reading a book called 'Spotlight', by Solli Rapheal. In his book, he talks about his passion and types of poems, including quatrains and slam poems. We have read poems such as ‘Ignite Your Spark’ (Quoetry), ‘Food Trauma (Limerick), ‘The Place That We All Know’ (Shakespearean Sonnet), ‘The Power of Connection’ (Slam poem), ‘The Smell of Warmth’ (Haiku) and many more.
Solli has inspired us, 5J, to learn more about poetry and gave us joy reading, planning and writing poems. We are excited to travel deeper and discover more about poetry.
Livia, Joanna, Habishika and Jia 5J
Mathematics
As part of extension work, Year 5 has been learning about Pythagorean Theorem in mathematics including finding areas and perimeters of many different shapes and sizes either 3D or 2D. In Mathematics we have been mainly focusing and spending some time on learning how to do long division, using longer and harder numbers for example three to four digit numbers divided by larger numbers, the same with multiplication but finding different strategies to work it out such as using algorithms and charts. We have been exposed to understanding the method of Pythagorean Theorem.
Joanna & Livia 5J
History
Thursday was our second session of live Dart interactive learning straight from Canberra. We went right into the Parliament House, talking about democracy. First, we virtually entered the Senate room. We learnt that the Senate is one of the two houses of the Australian Federal Parliament. It consists of 76 senators, twelve from each of the six states and two from each of the mainland territories. It shares the power to make laws with the other House of the Parliament, the House of Representatives. Students were asked about who entered the room and what rules they made.
Next, we went into the House of Representatives. We saw the golden mace, the crown and the gallery in the room. The House of Representatives, or lower house, has 151 members and is the house in which government is formed. Each member represents an electoral division. Members are elected by a system known as preferential voting.
The colour scheme of the House reflects the green associated with British Parliament’s House of Commons and the eucalypt green of the Australian landscape. The main political parties represented in the House are the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party of Australia and the National Party of Australia. In recent years there has also been several independent parties and members.
Students responded excellently to questions throughout the session. We even listened to a radio broadcast in 1946 from the sound room built into the House of Representatives. We shared the changes we want to make in our country to make this, such as to stop global warming, lower house prices, and how we could make these changes to make Australia a better place.
We saw where First Nations have the right to have their say at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, first established in 1972 under a beach umbrella, located on the lawn opposite Old Parliament House in Canberra. The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is made up of signs and tents. The Embassy has been a site of protest and support for grassroots campaigns for the recognition of Indigenous land rights in Australia, Aboriginal deaths in custody, self-determination, and Indigenous sovereignty.
Finally, we had the opportunity to ask questions about Parliament House.
Students in year 5 have been learning about parliament for a day. Sally, our guide, has taught us a few things. So much has been learnt including places throughout the parliament building. The lessons have also taught us about how a law is approved and makes its way to the public. We learnt about how there used to be a different parliament house as well. The students behaved well during this parliament session, talking politely and listening to the speaker. We loved this parliament session.
Myesha, Charlie and Benjamin 5J
Leadership and PDH
Beyond academics and extracurriculars, many of you have shown outstanding kindness and leadership. Whether it’s helping a friend, leading a project, or volunteering for a good cause, you’re making a difference.
Peer Support
In the past few weeks, we have been connecting to new people and making new friends in Peer Support groups. The year 6 students are the leaders guiding their groups and teaching them new skills. We have been focusing on friendship, kindness and expressing voice to one another. Our friendly leaders show how and why we have to pay respect to others, and show them support. Every single student is enjoying connecting with others and getting to know each other.
Joanna & Livia 5J
Belonging and Bullying Prevention
Last week was Bullying No Way week and we learnt all about discrimination and bullying. This can happen because of race, gender, beliefs, culture and even the way you look. Most bullying is happening these days on social media and mostly with high school students. Mrs Janssen has taught us that if it happens to you, you must tell someone. This person can be a teacher, a parent, even a friend and a person who you really trust. She also taught us that if someone is bullying you it's not your fault and you are not alone. Some of the ways she taught us this is by showing us videos, showing us websites and sharing interesting information about bullying. Roselea students should be Upstanders and not Bystanders when we see bullying!
Book Week
Roselea had our annual BOOK WEEK PARADE 2024 on Monday under the COLA. The topic was ‘READING IS MAGIC’.
Mandalorians, princesses and unicorns! Book Week is a haven for imagination. On Book Week we get to dress up and do parades. Book Week is when Year 1-6 get to have their imagination come to life and get to show their true form.
Habishika, Jovy, Chloe F, Annabeth 5J
PASS Program
For sport this term, Stage 3 students have been doing the PASS program. This is a sports program taught by the Year 10s at Carlingford High School. Students go into the high school and play sports like Oztag, basketball, soccer, frisbee or touch footy. This is so students can discover new sports and will hopefully encourage kids to play MORE sport to be more healthy. The PASS program is a lot of fun and we enjoy the program!
Charlie 5J
Camp
In Week 6, Year 5-6 students are going to camp at Milson Island! Stage 3 are over the moon and can't wait till camp. Teachers have already chosen who is going to be in our cabin and the fun activities we are going to do. Stage 3 is definitely and desperately looking forward to camp. So pack your bags and get ready for camp Stage 3!
Joanna S 5J
Thank you, students, for responding to what we have learnt so far. You are 'Super Stars' and we are proud to be teaching you!
Mrs Janssen - 5J Teacher
National Science Week 2024
This year, the theme for National Science Week was Species Survival - More than just sustainability. It aims to highlight the importance of science and innovation in ensuring the survival and thriving of different species in an ever-changing world. The students at Roselea have been busy studying the Living World strand this term in their weekly science lessons, which teams perfectly with the theme. To mark National Science Week, find out what the students have been up to so far this term.
Science Fun for Kindergarten!
In our latest science unit, our young explorers are diving into the world of living and non-living things. They’re investigating the school grounds to discover what makes a living thing and what living things need to survive.
Our curious scientists are learning to identify, compare, and understand the needs of plants, animals, and humans. Through observation and investigation, they’re developing important science inquiry skills.
Exciting times ahead as we explore the wonders of the world together!
Mrs Dong
Stage 1
Years 1 and 2 have been studying the important external features of living things and are learning to describe features of both plants and animals. The students used their observation skills to study the intricate parts of different plant species using magnifying glasses. They then created some beautiful botanical illustrations using pencil and watercolour paint.
We then moved on to our zoo design project. For this activity, the students worked in collaborative groups to re-design a zoo and consider how the animals could be grouped according to their classifications, appearance and/or habitats.
Stage 2
Our friends in Stage 2 have gone deeper into the study of living things, learning how to formally classify different animal and plant species. They participated in a research activity on the observable features of insects and presented their information in some very creative ways!
Students have also been studying the dichotomous key for plants and have used their independent research skills to compare the four major plant species. Through their hard work, students have been refining their skills of creating scientific diagrams, exploring and asking questions, and communicating research findings.
Stage 3
So far this term, Stage 3 has delved into the world of animal adaptations and have examined how structural and behavioural features of living things support survival. Students have had fun testing whether opposable thumbs are really all that important to humans and have experienced how bats use echolocation through playing a game, only relying on their senses of hearing and touch.
Researched-based activities have encouraged students to learn further about particular animals and adaptations of interest, see below! In the second half of the term, we look forward to exploring the unusual world of plant adaptations.
Mrs Mulholland - Science Teacher