Primary Specialists
Prep Art
Welcome back to Term 2! Our Prep students have had an exciting last two weeks in Art. In Week 1, they inquired into the importance of celebrating Anzac Day and learnt what the word, 'ANZAC' stands for. Through thinking about the elements of line, space and colour, they created poppies as a collaborative cohort activity. Each Prep classes poppies were added to a wreath which was presented in a whole school Anzac Day ceremony. In Week 2, students linked back to the Prep central idea: ‘Similarities and differences build relationships’ and aligned their learning by engaging in meaningful discussions and artistic expressions that explored personal identities, preferences, and emotions. Throughout these lessons, they delved deeper into the primary colour wheel. Well done on a great start to Term 2 Preps. Bring on the remainder of the term.
Visual Art 1 - 6
Welcome back, everyone! We hope you had a restful and enjoyable break during the Term 1 holidays. As we dive back into school life, our students have been hard at work finalising their outstanding pieces from last term. Additionally, we took time to reflect on ANZAC Day through various art activities, including creating beautiful poppies to honour and remember. It's wonderful to see our students engaging so creatively and meaningfully. Here's to a fantastic Term 2 ahead!
Spanish
¡Bienvenidos a Term 2!
Welcome back, Spanish language learners! As we go into Term 2, there's a world of exciting linguistic exploration awaiting us. Whether you're in Prep or grade 6, there's something new and fascinating for each of you to learn about.
Prep to Grade 2: For our youngest learners, this term is all about the fundamentals. We'll be immersing ourselves in the vibrant world of colours, learning family members in Spanish, the names of animals, and practising how to greet teachers and peer using basic greetings in Spanish. Get ready to add a splash of colour to your Spanish vocabulary!
Grade 3 and 4: As we progress through the grades, our focus shifts towards more intricate linguistic tasks. This term, we'll be perfecting the art of greeting people according to the time of day, familiarising ourselves with the names of buildings and rooms in a house, and engaging in simple yet meaningful conversations using short sentences in Spanish.
Grade 5 and 6: ¡Felicidades! You've reached a milestone in your Spanish language journey. This term, we're investigating the complexities of the verbs "ser" and "estar" - two pillars of the Spanish language. Through dedicated practice and exploration, we'll master these verbs and elevate our Spanish conversations to new heights. Prepare to unlock the power of expression in Spanish!
As we embark on this linguistic adventure together, let's take a moment to celebrate the dedication and hard work of our Spanish language learning community. Each one of you brings something unique to the table, enriching our collective learning experience.
So, here's to a term filled with growth, discovery, and endless possibilities. ¡Adelante, amigos! Let's make Term 2 a journey to remember.
Adios..
Media, with Mr. Brendan Howarth
As we progress towards the conclusion of our thirteen-week Media unit, classes are participating in various assessment pieces based on their prior learning.
Year One:
Having learned about several Aboriginal Dreamtime stories, and how those stories have survived over time, the Year One students are now branching out to explore creation stories from other cultures, including Chinese and Greek.
Year Two:
The Year Two students are beginning to learn about advertising and the role photography plays in it. Students will use the techniques they have learned to create print ads for a can of tomatoes.
Year Three:
Having extended their knowledge of framing shots for still-image photography, the Year Three students are beginning to explore basic shot types for filming. This includes camera movements, such as pan, tilt, dolly, etc.
Year Four:
Continuing their media analysis unit with the mentor text, “Thalu”, students have engaged in predictive writing and creating maps.
Year Five:
Year Five students have finished the filming portion of their short, short films. They will now break off from their groups and work individually to edit their footage into cohesive narratives.
Year Six:
In Year Six, students are progressing with their art assessment task. This involves students selecting either a personal, cultural or societal value, and representing it through an art medium of their choice.
Mandarin
你好! For Mandarin, a combination of the Accelerative Integrated Methodology (AIM) and traditional teaching techniques is keep employing to facilitate students' exploration of both the language and cultural nuances of China. The curriculum is strategically designed with distinct focal points:
Year 1-2
In Years 1-2, students concentrate on the fundamental topic of family members. They learn to articulate basic familial relationships utilizing fixed sentence patterns ‘This is my… (family members)’, bolstered by the incorporation of unique gestures representing each family member. Through the creation of finger puppets and drawing of family members, students deepen their comprehension of familial dynamics while also developing proficiency in writing Mandarin pinyin.
Year 3-4
As students’ progress, students delve into the body parts and facial parts. Utilizing engaging resources such as the Mandarin rendition of the "head, shoulders, knees, and toes" song, students not only memorize specific body parts but also refine their pronunciation and character recognition skills. Supplementary activities, including labelling exercises and pinyin word searches, serve to consolidate students' understanding of the targeted vocabulary.
Year 5-6
The curriculum transitions towards linguistic expression of personal preferences, particularly regarding colours. Through activities cantered on colouring words and employing expressions such as "I like" and "I don't like" in Mandarin, students articulate their individual colour preferences. Interactive games like "Simon Says" and "Magic Word" complement these linguistic exercises, providing opportunities for oral and written practice. Moreover, tasks involving the creation of colourful bookmarks and Chinese character word searches further reinforce students' writing and recognition capabilities.
Physical Education
Welcome back all Saltwater students from your easter break.
We have a jam packed term ahead for all primary students. For our prep-year two students we will be beginning our throwing, catching and kicking units and our year 3-6 students will be engaging in winter sports programs. Some of these include AFL, soccer and netball.
Throughout term 2 we will be holding our Athletics carnivals for years 3-6 as well as having AFL clinics for all students.
We look forward to everyone participating in what will be a fun filled term of winter sports.
Music
Welcome back to Term 2! As our Music program progresses, our learners are delving deeper into various aspects of music composition and performance.
In Grade Prep, students are engaging in creative exploration by crafting "Sound Stories," using symbols and shapes to represent patterns of sounds, thus initiating their journey into organizing sounds visually to compose their own music.
In Grade One, students are honing their rhythmic skills through experimentation with traditional musical notation, challenging each other to perform and interpret rhythms from notation.
Moving up to Grade Two, students are beginning to craft simple melodies by drawing notes on a music staff, focusing on articulating the correct pitch as they share and interpret each other's creations.
In Grade Three, students are bringing their compositions to life using glockenspiels, refining melodies through self-reflection and peer feedback after performances.
In Grade Four, students are exploring melody creation using the web-based application 'Noteflight,' which provides instant playback and allows for adjustments not only in notation but also in instrument selection, providing composers with a satisfying and interactive experience.
Finally, in Grades 5 & 6, students are embracing technology by utilizing GarageBand to create soundtracks for dramatic videos, setting aside their ukuleles temporarily to experiment with sound loops and immerse themselves in the world of digital music production.
DANCE.
Term 2 is off to a great start with the Year 4, 5 and 6’s embracing everything that has been set out. We have started off our classes covering range of movement and power, while also addressing contrast in motion, energy and levels along the way. During these exercises we have also discussed and made observations between these important elements, and their relationship and connections to the outside world. This especially connects to those who play sports or anything active, as well as giving students insight to a positive mindset and how it can effect future outcomes in all areas.
Our amazing VSSS dancers have stared off with great energy and enthusiasm heading into a jam packed term, before heading into our second VSSS combined schools Hub rehearsal next week. Revision of routines and choreography set out has been on the agenda and improving on our performance quality also. The students improve every rehearsal getting stronger and more experienced with all they learn, and will be prepared and all set to go come the big show in September!
The Wakakirri dancers have started the term in fine form applying themselves in rehearsals as we head into a big few weeks ahead. The students are eager to learn and know more, and can’t wait to see the finished product and our vision come to life. The theme is presented by Wakakirri to all schools and it’s our job to create our interpretation and storyline from that and bring it to life on stage. These students are so committed to the project and process and I couldn’t be anymore prouder of them all!