Specialists

LOTE

Over the past fortnight, students have been delving deeper into their term topics in Indonesian, expanding their understanding of language and culture. 

Prep

In Prep, students enjoyed the story of 'Mouse Deer and the Crocodiles', and showed their school spirit by cheering for their house teams using Indonesian colours!

Year 1/2

Year 1/2 students practised recognising numbers in any order (without counting) and discovered fascinating facts about the Komodo dragon.

Year 3/4

Year 3 and 4 students continued developing their skills in saying the day, month, and year, while learning new time expressions like, yesterday, tomorrow, and last month.

Year 5/6

Year 5/6 students worked on translating a text about Indonesia using different translation strategies, and explored the country’s future with its new president and upcoming capital city, Nusantara.

Great work, everyone! Keep practising your Indonesian! Bagus sekali!

Performing Arts

Over the past fortnight, our music classes have been buzzing with creativity and excitement! Here's a glimpse into what each year level has been working on... 

Prep – Exploring Rhythm

Our Prep students have been busy developing their understanding of rhythm. They’ve been using their voices to create rhythmic patterns and discovering how emphasising rhyming words can help create a steady and engaging beat. It's been wonderful to see their confidence grow as they explore the power of rhythm!

Years 1 & 2 – Tuned vs Untuned Instruments

Students in Years 1 and 2 have been learning about the differences between tuned and untuned instruments. They've been experimenting with creating sounds by hitting, shaking, and scraping various instruments. This hands-on exploration has helped them better understand how different instruments contribute to the overall sound of music.

Years 3 & 4 – Pitch + Rhythm = Melody

Our Year 3 and 4 students have been diving into the concept of melody. They've learned that a melody is a sequence of single notes played in a rhythmic pattern — and that a beat helps give the melody structure and meaning. They've also discovered that some songs can have more than one melody working together to create a richer sound. It's been exciting to see them put their knowledge into practice!

Years 5 & 6 – Creating Song Hooks

Creativity has been front and center for our Year 5 and 6 students, who have been working in small groups to create their own song hooks. They've explored how to craft catchy and memorable musical phrases, and it's been amazing to hear the impressive and creative results!

Choir

Our school choir has been hard at work preparing for upcoming performances next term. They've been focusing on blending their voices and improving their pitch. Their dedication and teamwork are shining through, well done Choir students!

It's been a fantastic fortnight of music-making, and we’re looking forward to building on these skills in the weeks to come. 

Physical Education

Prep

Our Preps have continued working on their throwing and catching skills through different activities using a variety of balls. They also enjoyed an obstacle course, where they worked on skills such as leaping, balancing, hopping, and jumping. 

Year 1

Our Year 1 students have continued  working on hand-eye coordination and ball skills. Last week we practised rolling by playing mini games of six pin bowling. I was very impressed with the rolling techniques demonstrated by our students as they aimed to knock down all of their pins. We talked about adjusting direction and force to increase our chances of success.

This week we worked on overarm throwing techniques to achieve distance. We practised throwing vortexes to make them whistle in the air. I was especially pleased with the way our Year 1s  cooperated with each other to  improve each other’s throwing actions. Great work Year 1s!

Year 2

The Year 2s worked on improving overarm throwing techniques to achieve distance. They demonstrated terrific cooperation when coaching each other to refine their overarm throwing techniques. They then applied rolling, overarm, and underarm throwing skills to a minor game called 'Sink the Ship'. The aim of the game is to work together to knock down the cannons on all of the opposing team’s ships.  Nearly all of the ships lost their cannons and were sunk! Great work Year 2s!

This week we practised running at different speeds in preparation for Cross Country. We discussed creating our own individual race plans and discussed how our bodies react to exercise, such as breathing and heart rate.

Year 3/4

The 3/4s have been working on their striking skills. We have practiced forearm strikes using a tennis racquet, and a baseball swing using tee ball stands for support. 

This week, the 3/4s will have a training partner from Melbourne Victory come out and share their soccer knowledge. The first week’s focus will be on foot-eye coordination, dribbling, and trapping skills, which will then be applied to a variety of game situations. This program will run over the next 2 weeks. 

Year 5/6

Melbourne Victory Visit

Over the last two weeks our students have continued to work with Eden from Melbourne Victory. Last week the focus was on footwork and dribbling control, while this week’s focus was on passing and striking skills. We have one final session where skills will be applied to modified and larger  game situations.

Gala Day Special Mention

Congratulations Year 5 and 6 students for your fantastic efforts during the Gala Day Sports Event. The feedback I received from all of our supervising teachers and also from many teachers from opposing schools was extremely positive, complimenting our students on their sportsmanship and manners. Well done Yarra Road senior students!

I would also like to thank those parents who gave up their precious time to assist with coaching and supervising. We could not go ahead without you!

Cross Country coming up!

Don’t forget the whole school House Cross Country is rapidly approaching. The event will be conducted on Tuesday, April 1st at Lilydale Lake, so make sure you’re working on your endurance running!

STEAM

Celebrating Women in Art Month

This month in STEAM, students explored the incredible contributions of famous women artists, drawing inspiration from their unique styles and techniques. From the bold, colorful abstractions of Alma Thomas and Sonia Delaunay to the mesmerising patterns of Bridget Riley and Yayoi Kusama, students experimented with vibrant compositions and optical illusions. They also explored the sculptural assemblages of Louise Nevelson, creating layered artworks with found materials, and the stunning floral close-ups of Georgia O’Keeffe, using rich colors and soft blending techniques. These lessons encouraged creativity, artistic exploration, and an appreciation for the groundbreaking women who have shaped the art world.