Around the Junior School
Magic Milk Experiment
Guess what? We did an awesome science experiment called the "Magic Milk Science Experiment," and it was super cool!
To complete this experiment, we first poured milk into a dish and added different food colours. Then, we put a drop of dish soap in the middle, and the colours started swirling and mixing like magic!
We learned that milk is made up of fat and water, and the soap made the fat and water mix in a special way. This irreversible change helped us see how different materials have their own properties and how they interact with each other.
During the experiment, we made guesses about what would happen, watched carefully, and talked about our ideas. When we mixed the soap with the milk, it changed how the colours moved. We saw firsthand how combining materials can create new effects, which is exactly what we study in our lessons.
We had so much fun doing this experiment and learning about science in a real and exciting way! If you want to see the magic for yourself, we are in Rooms 40 and 41!
By Year 2 Yindyamarra and 2 Lorax Scientists
Write a Book in a Day
After months of fundraising, planning and preparation, Year 6 students, Miss Hamblin, Mr Whitehead, Ms Dodson, Miss Boland and Mrs Seedsman embarked on their challenge of writing a book in a day to support The Kids Cancer Project. With seven teams each writing a book, every hour of the 12 hour day was carefully mapped out to ensure plot development, writing, editing, illustrations and publishing were all thoroughly covered. Working together as a team to write a book involves critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, digital literacy and effective communication. We were incredibly impressed with the focus, direction and effort each team demonstrated.
The books will be shared with hospitals across Australia and funds raised will go towards research for more gentle and effective childhood cancer treatments. An anthology of the books is also available in the library and Junior School classrooms for all students to enjoy.
We are incredibly proud of all our Year 6 students, who succeeded in their challenge and raised $7214.50 for The Kids Cancer Project.
Novels, Authors and Illustrators:
“The Gourmet Academy” by Mason, Zara, Jack C, Angus, Lucie, Saskia and Lucy
“The Party Pandemonium” by Joshua, Andie, Lachlan P M, Alice, Amara, Tom K and Lachie
“Swim for Stringrays” by Willa, Will, Reg, Evelyn, Benjamin and Tom R
“Tennis Tournament Terrors” by Georgiana, Faustine, James, Cripin, Hugh and Grace
“Valerie and the Vampire” by Daniel H, Ellie, Charlotte, Audrey, Leopold and Saxon
“Opera in the Bakery” by Daniel K, Mya, Henry, Jack G, Sam and Nixie
“The Important Delivery” by Oscar, Harriett, Prayan, Anna, Charlie, Harper and Jessica
Pre-Kinder Science Week
Science week in Pre-Kinder was very exciting. The children explored, experimented, investigated, and discovered.
We were lucky enough to see the Mini Beasts show and excavate dinosaurs from swamp fossils with Mrs Gibson. Throughout the week the children explored magnets, bubble blowing, making balloon rockets and doing the mentos experiment.
The children were curious about their environment asking questions and investigating their world about them.
Ann-Margaret Gunther, Director of Pre-Kinder
Pre-Kinder Visit from Orange Fire and Rescue Team
On Monday 26 August, we had a memorable visit from the Orange Fire and Rescue team. Our Pre-kinder students were treated to an engaging and informative talk from the firefighters. They learned important safety tips, including calling 000 in case of a fire, and the "Get Down Low and Go, Go, Go!" method for escaping. They also told what to do if their clothes catch fire: stop, cover, and roll.
As part of their homework, the Pre-kinders have been tasked with counting the number of smoke alarms at home. If they can't find any, they need to ask their parents to install some!
The visit concluded with a fun turn on the fire hose, which the children absolutely loved.
Junior School Book Week
A Magical Adventure
This year’s Book Week at our School Library ran from Monday 19 to Friday 23 August. The theme for the week was "Magic," and it was nothing short of spectacular! The week was filled with magical adventures, enchanting stories, and fun activities that made us feel like we were living in a fairy tale.
Monday: Sami Bayly’s Enchanted Workshop
On Monday, we were lucky to meet Sami Bayly, a fantastic author and illustrator who creates magical books. She shared stories from some of her books, which was like opening a portal to another world! Sami showed us how she draws unique magical creatures, making it look so easy and fun. During her workshop, we got to create our own living things drawings, from fish that looked like flat pancakes to smelly plants. It was amazing to see our ideas come to life!
Wednesday: Alan Robinson’s Spellbinding Stories
Wednesday was a day of spellbinding tales with Alan Robinson. He’s an incredible storyteller who knows how to make magic come alive through words. Alan shared stories about his time on the farm and how he related these experiences to his writing. His dramatic readings and live drawings made the characters and places feel real, and we were all captivated by his storytelling. We even had a chance to ask him how he creates such magical worlds in his books, and his answers were as fascinating as his stories!
Friday: The Grand Magical Parade and Assembly
The week wrapped up with a dazzling Parade and Assembly on Friday. Everyone dressed up as their favorite magical characters, like wizards with glowing wands, mystical creatures, and even magical objects. The parade was a blast, and we got to see a fantastic array of costumes that truly brought the magic theme to life. Led by our Year 6 Leaders, the assembly was equally exciting, featuring live book reads to the theme of magical stories. At the assembly, we celebrated the Book Week with cheers and congratulate our friends who participated and showed off their creativity throughout the week.
Book Week was absolutely magical! We met amazing authors, heard incredible stories, and got to express our own magic through lots of experiences. The theme made everyone feel special, and we all left with a newfound excitement for reading and discovering more about magical worlds. It was a week we’ll never forget, and we are forever grateful to the Library Team in Mrs Pengilly, Mr Ryan and Ms O for their dedication, wisdom and hard work in making the magic come to life! We were also so lucky to have the magical and talented Mr Barrett MC the parade. We were captivated by his impromptu rhyme and questioning of our characters.
‘Not All Heroes Wear Capes’ Art Competition
Recently, the Association of Independent Schools New South Wales held an art competition, Not All Heroes Wear Capes, in celebration of World Teachers’ Day.
Sophie Kerdic (Year 4) and Lily Jackson (Kindergarten) submitted artworks with focus on the theme.
Sophie’s artwork included a radial pattern and changing colours that emanated outwards to represent the lifelong impression a teacher has on their many students, a student’s learning, their families, and the wider community.
Lily’s artwork involved weaving, showing the successes and challenges our superhero teachers face in their vocation.
Both students are extremely proud of their efforts, and each received a Certificate of Participation.
Well done Sophie and Lily!
Mrs Alicia Holmes, Visual Arts Specialist Teacher
Junior Science Week
National Science Week is Australia’s annual celebration of science and technology, highlighting the incredible contributions of Australian scientists to the world of knowledge.
This week aims to spark curiosity in younger generations, encouraging them to explore the fascinating world around them. As part of the festivities, scientist Jacqui Love visited the Junior School, bringing along various invertebrates for students to study and understand.
Kindergarten students made a special trip to the Senior School Science Lab, where they took a closer look at living things under the microscope. Meanwhile, our budding paleontologists in Pre-Kinder engaged in fossil fieldwork, making some exciting discoveries.
Year 1 students explored cloud patterns and 4 curious students in Stage 1 have delved into concepts arounds density, temperature, and fermentation as part of the Young Scientist Award Program, fostering a deeper understanding of scientific principles.
Kindergarten Goes to Cook Pa
On Monday 26 August Kindergarten enjoyed a wonderful morning at Cook Park. The morning's activities were based on our recent storybook focus "Where is the Green Sheep" by Mem Fox. Students used their mapping skills to find the hidden green sheep dotted all over Cook Park and record their locations on a map. After all the searching the students were very hungry so it was lucky that the last discovery of green sheep were edible- in the form of green sheep cupcakes.
Thank you to our gap students for assisting in this fun morning of learning.
