Year 5 & 6 Excursion to N
Year 5 and 6 Student Reflections from NGV
On the 14th of July, the Grade 5s and 6s went on an incredible excursion to the National Gallery Victoria (NGV), where we learnt about Aboriginal culture, stories, and art. Throughout the gallery, there were many exhibitions, and we were lucky to have experienced guides helping us understand the deeper meaning of Aboriginal art, history, and lifestyle. Some of the things we saw and learnt about were:
- Aboriginal fish nets designed over thousands of years
- Eel nets made to let other fish escape to prevent overfishing
- Touchable artworks that you could physically interact with, like a photographic painting and a hot pink movable gate etched with words like Compassion, Settlement, and Love
- Shields used by the Aboriginal people
I was so fascinated by how well the Aboriginal people preserved the land for over 60,000 years. They only took what they needed, and they gave what they could back. The visit to the NGV has inspired me to take action. Don’t waste food, don’t take more than you need, and always be kind to nature. Overall, this was an amazing experience to allow us to learn and understand more about the Aboriginal people's history and culture.
Nicholas Fire Year 6 Carrier Leader
On the 14th of July, the Grade 5s and 6s went on an exhilarating excursion to the NGV National Gallery of Victoria NGV, where we were able to learn about the deep history of Aboriginal culture and art and how connected the Aboriginal people were to this amazing land. There were many exhibitions throughout the place, and many of them were connected in spiritual ways. While there, we saw fish catchers specifically designed to catch a singular type of fish while letting other species pass through the gaps, and how the Aboriginal peoples used every single part of every animal killed. This all shows that Aboriginal people didn’t take more than they needed and were able to preserve the land perfectly for 60,000 years. We were also able to connect to the land through the pictures and mesmerising paintings, and able to experience everything in our own way. In the end, this was an absolutely great experience for all of 5/6 and allowed us to understand Aboriginal culture just that little bit more.
Some different things we saw:
- Shields specially carved with animal teeth then painted with ochre, with different patterns and shapes for different purposes
- Hypnotic pattern paintings with ochre
- A sheep shearing painting with scissors, sheep, wool, and an old wooden barn
- Multiple possum skin cloaks connected, with images of people painted on the inside in black and white with their names
- A hot pink gate with multiple doors to walk through, and "Settlement" and various other words integrated into it
- Fish nets that have been specially designed and architected over a great many thousands of years
- A cot with a bunch of characterless dolls bunched in a cot with no room, symbolising the Stolen Generations
- A famous painting called The Pioneer by Artist Frederick McCubbin with 3 different sections: the first was a woman and a man in the Australian bush with undergrowth everywhere; the second was chopped down trees and the start of wooden houses with the man and the woman again together with a baby; and the third was (what I presume is the son all grown up) hammering a sign into the ground with a city in the background (I think the sign is the burial ground of the mother and father)
Spencer Year 6 Fire Carrier Leader
We went to the room with the shields and they were all different shapes, patterns, and sizes.
Cooper - Year 6 School Captain
Different things we saw:
- Gate artwork
- Shield art - where Indigenous people had symbols for their tribes
- They heated bark to use ochre for paint
- Famous original artworks
- Possum cloaks used for heat and warmth
- Eel traps
Xavier L- Year 6 School Captain
Today we went to an art gallery called the NGV. My favourite part about it was when I realised what the different shields represented. My kindest part was on the tram when there was a mum and a toddler and I decided to give up my spot for them. I loved the whole experience. They treated us well and the artwork was AMAZING. This is why you should hop on a bike, a car, or even a tram with your children and explore the NGV Art Gallery.
Xavier D - Year 5
Today our class went on an excursion to the National Gallery of Victoria and saw the beautiful artworks of the Indigenous times back then. I was amazed when we came along to The Pioneer artwork and learnt so much, like how there was an original drawing underneath the actual artwork. We were also learning about the different types of shields, like the battle shields to protect you and also the shields that make arguments go away. Then we saw an amazing eel trap with a little hole, and the lady said it was for the little fish who accidentally went in, and she also said they took what they needed and put back what they didn’t need.
Wolf - Year 5
We saw a big shield. The shields were real and they were used in battle. There were also eel traps so that they could get eels.
Daniel - Year 6
I really liked the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria). It was really cool because it shows how much the Aboriginal people saved their food resources and land. They showed us an eel catcher, and there was a little hole at the end of it so the baby fish can leave the net so they can start a new generation. It was really fun, and I would recommend going back.
Harry B - Year 5
On Tuesday, the Year 5 and 6 students went to the NGV. We had a fantastic day learning all about Aboriginal people and their clothes. There were lots of different shields.
Harry W - Year 5
On Tuesday we went to the NGV; it was really fun. All my friends had lots of fun together and it makes me want to hang out more. We saw lots of amazing things with our tour guide. My top two artworks were the eel catcher and the bark paintings because both of these pieces were very interesting.
Navy - Year 5
On the 14th, we went to the NGV with our class. We saw lots of amazing and interesting paintings. My favourite artwork was the Indigenous people using eel nets because they used a really cool weaving technique. My other favourite thing was the shields. I really liked the patterns and the symbols. I had a really great day.
Chelsea - Year 5
We went to the room with shields, and every single shield had different patterns and shapes, all there for a reason. The thin ones were for combat, or if you had a fight with a friend.
Benji- Year 6
Something I really enjoyed on our excursion was going into the gallery, looking at fish traps and bark art, and learning about famous Aboriginal artists and First Nations people. Another thing I really enjoyed was the tram ride there and back with my friends and teachers.
Franco- Year 5
Wanyara Indigenous Art Incursion P-6
NAIDOC Week Assembly
Sport during NAIDOC Week
Throughout NAIDOC Week, students enthusiastically participated in a range of traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander games, celebrating the rich cultures of Australia's First Nations peoples through movement and play. Students enjoyed Kai and Kai Wed, cooperative volley games where teams worked together to keep the ball in the air, developing communication and teamwork. They also played Wana Wana, where students used a cricket bat to strike an underarm-thrown ball around a circle, practising striking skills and coordination, and Wuli-jin-i, a partner volley game similar to tennis that encouraged cooperation and quick reactions. These activities helped students build movement skills while learning about the important role traditional games have played in strengthening community, sharing knowledge and connecting people to Country.
Ms Zoe D'Intini- Sport Teacher
Semester 1 Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews
Semester One School Reports were distributed to families yesterday via the nForma app. It was wonderful to share in and celebrate the learning growth, achievements and progress made by each child throughout the first half of the year.
These reports reflect the hard work, persistence and dedication shown by our students, as well as the ongoing support and encouragement provided by our dedicated staff and families. It has been particularly heartening to receive such positive feedback from parents, acknowledging the growth and progress of their children.
We encourage parents and carers to take the time to read through the report and celebrate the many successes and areas of growth highlighted. Each report tells an important part of your child’s learning journey.
We sincerely thank our teachers and students for their commitment and hard work throughout Semester 1. We are proud of all that has been achieved and celebrate the learning and progress of all our students.
We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with families as we support each child’s learning and wellbeing in Semester 2. We look forward to discussing each student's learning journey, achievements and future learning goals during our Parent Teacher Interviews on Thursday 16 July, as we continue to work in partnership to support every child's learning and wellbeing.
Pics
NAPLAN Student Reports
SRC Semester 2
Badges
Learning Overviews for Term 3
Glee Club
Junior Joey's Playgroup
St Joseph's Pre Prep Program
School Assembly
It was lovely to have so many families join us for our final school assembly for the term this morning.
At our assembly today, we once again, we warmly congratulated the students who received STAR Awards and for displaying the values of S- Stay Safe, T- Try Your Best, A- Act Responsibly and R- Respect Yourself and Others.
We also wish all of our birthday children a very happy birthday! Celebrating birthdays together is always such a joyful part of our week, and it is especially lovely hearing our students sing “Tanti Auguri” to the birthday children at our school assembly.
Principal Who Am I?
Each week one child is chosen from a 'Wheel of Names' in my office as the nominated person for the 'Who Am I?' This week Evie and Andre from spun the 'Who am I' wheel for this week's who am I after guessing our last student. This weeks Who Am I was Jaxsen C.
This week I had the pleasure of introducing to our school community! We found out lots of wonderful things about
P&F Meeting Tuesday July 22 at 6pm
SAC Meeting Thursday July 30 at 7pm
Working Bee - Save the New Date- July 18
Our next School Working Bee is scheduled for Saturday 25 July from 1pm to 3pm. We encourage all families to save the date and join us for an afternoon of community spirit and teamwork as we work together to maintain and enhance our school grounds.
Working Bees are a wonderful opportunity to contribute to our school community, meet other families and help keep our learning environment safe, welcoming and beautiful for all students. There will be a range of jobs available, and any assistance, whether for the full afternoon or part of it, will be greatly appreciated. Further details and a Sign Up Genius will be provided early next term. We look forward to seeing many families, and thank you in advance for your support of our school.
Staying Connected...
At any time, if you have questions or concerns regarding the wellbeing, care, or learning of your child, please do not hesitate to reach out. We encourage you to contact your child's class teacher in the first instance, or alternatively, one of our school leaders, Dean Butler (Deputy Principal), or myself, Annabelle Marinelli (Principal). Working in partnership with our families is incredibly important to us, and we are always happy to listen, support, and work together to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child.
With warmest regards,
Annabelle Marinelli
Principal