Teaching & Learning
Parent Teacher Interviews and 3 Way Conversations
Thanks to the many parents who have attended these important sessions over the past two weeks. The conversations that these opportunities provide are a wonderful way to reflect on your child’s learning and be part of the planning for future goals. It is also a great way to acknowledge your child as a learner and value the effort they make every day.
Victorian Premiers Reading Challenge
Thanks to all those students who have taken the time to register for this challenge. This week we have had a big increase in the registrations and also a number of students who have already completed the challenge.
A huge congratulations to the following students who have read the required number of books to complete the challenge. They have qualified for a certificate, which will be presented at the end of Term 3.
Collaboration Learning
Yesterday the Year 5 and 1 students worked collaboratively on a project about Robots. The writing that the students completed was a way of finishing off a project that the Year 1 students have been working on throughout the term. Please see a few examples of the robot descriptions below.
Grade 5 Camp
Last week the Grade 5 students and staff set off to Norval in Halls Gap for their camping experience. This experience for the students is based around giving them opportunities to develop team work through initiative games and take part in challenging tasks that require grit, determination and a little bit of courage. It is so pleasing to hear all of the positive reports that come back from this camp. A huge congratulations must be given to the students on the way in which they uphold our school values while away.
Congratulations and a big thankyou to Mrs Dekok, Miss Eustice, Mrs Anderson, Mr Spalding, Miss Connor, Mr McGlynn and Mr Conlan who took time away from their families to make this experience a positive one for the students. Thanks also to all our parent helpers, we really appreciate the efforst you made to support the school camping program.
In the first newsletter of Term 3, we will see all the reflections and pictures from the camp.
ICT News
This term in digital technologies, we have been learning about what it takes to make a number one selling game. When we think of games on iPads, phones and computers, we normally just think about playing them and probably a couple of games come to mind.
This term however, we have been looking at what’s involved in creating a game and what work needs to be done to produce something that’s playable and enjoyed by others. Here’s a small list of some of this areas that we’ve investigated this term;
- Character development
- Storyline
- Settings
- Game play
- Coding
- Object movement
- What’s the challenge?
Students have been having a go at designing and developing their own games and we have seen some amazingly creative games being made. Learning through the process of creating a game is engaging and relevant and there are links to many other parts of our curriculum.
The students have also been involved in discussions around game classifications, how much is too much, what makes a game addictive and other topical subjects.
In grades 4-6 students have had the opportunity to learn more about an app called Hopscotch which allows them to create a range of different game types using object-oriented coding. In the younger years we have been using Google Slides to create a “chose your own adventure” type of strategy game.
Please have a look through the photo gallery for some screen shots of the Crossy Road type games created by Flynn, Blake, James and Zane in 5PD. There is also a screenshot of a special dance game made by Gaye.