Spotlight on Learning

Stage 1

What a fun-filled term it has been so far for 2B, packed with exciting activities both inside and outside of the classroom!

Ultimate Frisbee Fun!

This term, 2B have been enjoying the thrill of Ultimate Frisbee during our sport lessons. Our coaches have been guiding us through a variety of drills each week, helping us to master our throwing and catching techniques, improve our hand-eye coordination and develop our teamwork skills.

Schoolhouse Museum Excursion

On Monday 4th November, students in 2B, along with the rest of Stage 1, had the fantastic opportunity to step back in time with an excursion to the Schoolhouse Museum. Students engaged in a range of hands-on activities that highlighted what school life was like for children in the past. They explored historical teaching methods, learned about classroom etiquette and the evolution of educational tools. One of the highlights of the day was dancing around the Maypole and participating in traditional games and drills, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed!

Writing

Back in the classroom, our writing lessons have been buzzing with creativity as we dive into the art of persuasive writing. We took on the important topic of trees and their vital role in our environment. Students have been encouraged to express their opinions on the significance of trees, creating compelling arguments about their contributions to air quality, wildlife habitats and food resources. 

Miss Betty – 2B Classroom Teacher

Stage 2

This term, 3S students have been thriving with creativity and critical thinking! Our students independently constructed rectangular prisms and cubes, showcasing their designs with neat sketches on isometric paper. They demonstrated their mathematical understanding by accurately describing the properties of their shapes using precise language, such as "two layers of four threes."

In addition, 3S explored data representation by creating column graphs on Microsoft Excel, ensuring they included key features like titles and labels for both the x and y axes, all while adding vibrant colours for visual appeal.

Our young writers also excelled in crafting engaging conversations between characters, employing persuasive devices such as high modality words, the rule of three and hyperbole. Inspired by the text ‘Diary of An AFL Legend’ by Shamini Flint, they brought their stories to life in comic strips, paying careful attention to the size of speech bubbles and the proper use of capital letters to start each dialogue.

We are proud to see 3S students evolving into independent, responsible and reflective learners.

Mr So - 3S Classroom Teacher

Stage 3

Stage 3 Writing: Characterisation in Focus with August and Jones

In Stage 3, our students are delving into the art of characterisation, a vital aspect of storytelling that brings characters to life and engages readers on a deeper level. This term, we are using the novel August and Jones as a model to explore how authors effectively convey the traits, motivations, and emotions of their characters.

The learning intention for our students is clear: to master the craft of writing characterisation that resonates with readers. Our success criteria guide them in this journey:

• Detailing Personality and Motivations: Students are encouraged to explore their character’s unique traits and the motivations driving their actions.
• Utilising Speech: Dialogue is a powerful tool in characterisation, allowing students to reveal their characters’ traits through the words they choose.
• Employing Literary Devices: Incorporating similes, metaphors, and vivid imagery helps to enliven characters and make them memorable.
• Explaining Character Influence: Understanding how a character affects and influences others in the story adds layers to the narrative.

Catherine, from 6L, produced this writing, achieving all success criteria:

This school was big. Bright. Overflowing with kids. Balls flashed past my eyes and the sound of chatter raked the air. I pressed my lucky rock into my palm, and reminisced of the other tough situations it brought me through. Learning to ride a bike; saying goodbye to preschool; the car crash; the funeral; St Greten’s orphanage for girls. I shivered, and forced my leg to go toward a group of girls. 

I stood there, hoping that one of them would notice my presence.

“Ewww,” said a cold voice,” What is that?” 

Disobediently, my eyes strayed to what they were leering at. 

Me. 

I flushed. They snickered. 

“A new girl. Huh” said the same cold, clear voice. The speaker seemed to be the leader of the group. Probably the wrong group to familiarise with. More snickering. 

“Being new is not an excuse to dress like a dog. Even my dog dresses better than that.” 

“Good one Gigi!" said another voice.

That was rather rude. But I mean, who could blame them? I was dressed like a runt.

Put me next to this sassy Gigi girl, and some serious comparison would be done.

Gigi’s blonde locks had been slicked back into a neat bun. Meanwhile, my uncontrollable dusty brown hair looked like a bird’s nest. Gigi was slim and her skirt wrapped around her waist perfectly. My stomach churned when her piercing blue eyes looked me up and down, sneering at my oversized jumper and tattered shoes. What a way to make a good impression. 

Mr Love - Relieving Stage 3 Assistant Principal