Primary Specialists
Prep Art
Hello wonderful Prep families! I hope you’re all doing well and ready to embark on our Term 4 Prep art adventure. The past two weeks have been filled with fun in art class! As part of the Prep team’s final inquiry centered around the Central Idea: Journeys inspire our imagination, our Prep art students have begun the term by exploring their personal histories. They created a 'Life Journey Artwork' and self portraits that highlighted special key moments in their lives, such as their birth, first day of school, and favourite memories. Additionally, students worked on improving their communication skills by sharing these personal stories. Well done Preps!
Music
Grade Prep
This week in Prep, we focused on the importance of working together as a group by observing both performer and audience etiquette, which includes good manners and expected behaviours. As budding musicians, we learned about the two key positions: Resting and Ready. These positions help us stay organized and play effectively as a team.
Grade One: Peter and the Wolf
In Grade One we returned to the classic story of "Peter and the Wolf." The students listened attentively to how each character in the story is represented by different orchestra instruments. This exercise helped them understand how music can be used to narrate a story and distinguish the sounds of various instruments.
Grade Two students sang "Alligator Pie" with accompanying hand actions and continued practicing simple rhythms using claves and maracas. They are also working on singing "Do-Re-Mi" from "The Sound of Music," learning the Solfege symbols (Do, Re, Mi, etc.) to better understand musical intervals and pitch.
Grade Three is progressing with their recorder lessons, specifically playing "Hot Cross Buns." To aid their practice, they are completing written exercises on recorder theory, notation, and proper handling of the instrument. Emphasis is placed on correct breathing techniques and finger placement to produce clear notes and avoid developing bad habits.
Grade Four students are working on interpreting formal musical notation using Noteflight. Their current task involves creating a simple melody on the staff with Treble clef. This activity helps them understand the structure and notation of music.
Students in Grades Five & Six are advancing their ukulele skills by learning the third chord, G Major. They have started playing their first simple song, "You Are My Sunshine," which integrates the chords they have learned.
Physical Education
Dear Students and Families,
We hope you all had a wonderful school holidays and ready for an exciting Term 4 of school.
The first week back of Term 4, all students from Prep-6 participated in a Rugby Clinic hosted by the NRL. The students participated in a range of activities allowing them to learn some of the basic skills of rugby including the basic pass and kick. During the clinic the P.E teachers were so proud of the students engagement and willingness to learn new games and develop skills.
Moving forward, students from 3-6 will continue their fitness unit and students from P-2 will begin practising for the Mini Olympics coming up in November.
From the P.E Team.
Mandarin With Miss Xiong
Welcome back to the school! For new rotation of Mandarin, we use unique Accelerative Integrated Methodology (AIM) to help students to explore traditional Chinese culture and language. We have different focus on:
Year 1-2
We are exploring basic greeting sentences for different period. Students can express their feeling and make response by doing the gestures and choosing correct greeting sentences. They have participated in class activities, such as singing competition and several language games for improving their abilities and skills to listen and speak Mandarin.
Year 3-4
We are exploring how to ask personal information in a polite and appropriate way. Students can ask basic questions, for example, what is your name and how are you, as well as make the response. They have participated in class activities, such as singing competition and colouring worksheet for practising their speaking and reading abilities.
Year 5-6
We are exploring how to use full sentences to greet. Students can ask basic questions, for example, what is your name and how are you, as well as make the response. To improving the ability to recognize Chinese characteristics, students have been guided to practise writing by using the tracing sheet.
Considering there are different language level in one class, the focus for first language learners and second language learners will be different. In particular, first language learners will learn more about writing traditional Chinese characteristics while second language learners will focus on speaking and pinyin.
Spanish.
Welcome to Term 4 in Spanish! This term, grades 5 and 6 will continue exploring the rich cultures and celebrations of Spanish-speaking countries. We will also practise clothes vocabulary focusing on genre, numbers and make colours agree. Grades 3 and 4 will build on their conversational skills and describing clothes within a picture, while Prep to 2 students will dive into basic Spanish vocabulary, follow simple instructions, and learn through fun bilingual songs. We will play the guessing game about clothes. Let’s make it a fantastic term of learning and discovery!
Media Art with Mr Howarth
In Media, students are taking skills learned in prior lessons and applying them to new tasks. In particular, we have been focusing on:
Year One: In Year One, students are learning about a different Dreamtime story each week. We are making connections to the way stories survive over time, how they are told today, and the ways in which we can still share stories to help them thrive.
Year Two: Students are exploring different angles and perspectives when shooting, including how we have our subject pose.
Year Three: The Year Three students have thoroughly enjoyed taking their foundational knowledge of shot types and using in-device editing to make those shot flourish.
Year Four: We are continuing our analysis of Thalu to explore Aboriginal history. Recently, students have explored Indigienous bush survival methods.
Year Five: Year Five students are half-way through filming their short film projects. We have taken pause to review what we have shot and plan what we will still need to shoot as we resume next term.
Year Six: We are beginning our assessment task, where we will create an art piece that reflects one of our personal or community value.
Visual Art 1 - 6
Welcome back to Term 4 in Visual Arts! Students across all year levels have started exciting new projects.
Grade 1 and 2 students are exploring paper folding techniques and creating 3D paper sculptures, experimenting with form and structure. They are learning how to manipulate paper into creative shapes, enhancing their fine motor skills and introducing sculptural art concepts.
Grade 3 is delving into decoupage and mask-making, representing various cultural traditions in their designs. This unit allows students to explore symbolism in art while experimenting with textures and collage techniques.
Grade 4 students are focusing on landscapes and landforms, using paint to create backgrounds for future collage work. They are learning color theory and different painting techniques to represent the natural environment in their artwork.
Grade 5 is exploring themes of consumerism and sustainability, starting with detailed portrait sketches that will lead to cardboard sculptures. This project encourages them to think critically about the materials they use and the environmental impact of their art.
Grade 6 students are sketching dragon or animal eyes in preparation for creating clay sculptures later in the term. They are developing their skills in shading, proportion, and design as they prepare for their detailed clay work.
We look forward to seeing the creativity unfold across these exciting projects!
DANCE.
WAKAKIRRI...(Dance)
I’d like to send a huge CONGRATULATIONS out to every student and teacher involved in this years amazing Wakakirri journey in becoming national award winners for 2024!! Saltwater College was one of 20 national award winners out of 180 schools from every state around the country for this year, and one of only two awarded in Victoria! Our students and staff have excelled and exceeded any and all expectations going into our first year performing in Wakakirri, and we are beyond excited and grateful for this amazing outcome and prestigious award. This journey and result has had such a positive effect not only within in the dance extension program and everyone involved, but also the whole Saltwater community with over 10,500 views already on our school social media platforms.
Congratulations again to everyone involved on this huge achievement especially in our first year of entering, and thank you to all staff, parents and the community for the amazing ongoing support throughout, much appreciated. Special mention and thanks to our incredible staff who helped make this happen Amberly Morison, Megan Jefford, Tiarna Parnis, Danielle Colling, Lynette Taylor, Maria Nardo, Hayley Mann, Chris Mernik, Jayme Salem, for all your hard work and effort, thank you…and also our Principal Miss Jackie Daniali for the constant unwaivering support for the Performing Arts program here at Saltwater, much appreciated.We will embark on the Wakakirri journey once again in 2025, and we look forward to sharing this new journey with you then!
