Specialist Reports

Visual Art

Prep Community:

Our Visual Arts program has taken an exciting turn as our young artists have been delving deep into the enchanting world of textiles. Students have enjoyed creating different textures, weaving intricate patterns, and crafting wonders with hand sewing and stitching.

The magic of texture has come alive as our students have been adding tactile dimensions to their drawings, making their artworks burst with life. Things with wings have been created and forests have been textured and sewn as our artists bring their imagination to life through their textile creations.

Textiles have proven to be a captivating medium for our Prep students, offering endless possibilities for self-expression and ingenuity. These young minds are not only learning about the art of visual storytelling but also developing fine motor skills and patience as they weave, sew, and stitch their way to masterpieces.

Junior Community: In our Junior Visual Arts class, we have been sticking to our Threads and Textiles theme. We have been using soft felt fabric to make unique gifts for loved ones. The kids have created cute love-heart plushies using skills like threading needles, tying knots, and sewing with running stitches. They have filled their plushies with soft stuffing and decorated them with felt shapes and letters. It has been a delightful journey of creativity!

Middle Community: In Middle School Visual Arts, we are still exploring Threads and Textiles. This month, we have been crafting thoughtful gifts from felt material. Our students have made nifty sunglasses pouches. They have learned how to use the running stitch to attach letters on the pouch's front and the blanket stitch to seal it up. We have also started to dabble in fabric printing, with students trying their hand at block printing. Soon, they will use these skills to design their own fabric pencil cases.

Senior Community: In Senior Visual Arts, we are sticking with our Threads and Textiles theme, too. This time, our focus has been on creating felt gifts. The senior students got to choose what they wanted to make, with many opting for 'AirPods' cases and sunglasses cases. They have been working on mastering the running stitch to attach shapes and letters, and they have been sealing their creations with the blanket stitch. To add a finishing touch, they've been attaching snap buttons. Next week, we'll dive into fabric design, letting our imaginations run wild as we create different designs for different purposes, like aprons. It is going to be a blast!

Digital Technologies

Junior Community

The Junior School have been learning about digital safety and how to be great online citizens. We have explored how to keep details private and confidential, how to create strong passwords and what to do if things go wrong online. To celebrate National Science Week, students also created binary code bracelets because digital technology is one of the main branches of science. Binary code is the system of 0s and 1s that computers use to display things on screens. Students learned that even letters have a binary code and used this new knowledge to replicate the first initial of their name. Most recently, students have been learning how to use key words to search for specific information and practising their typing fluency skills.

Middle Community

The Middle Community were absolute superstars when it came to the game design process. They dived in with eagerness and curiosity as we stepped our way through creating a game called ‘Star Hunter’ on Scratch. The general feedback seemed to be that students really enjoyed this process and I heard lots of reports of students furthering their learning by exploring this in their own time at home. After successfully building the game, students began an investigation of how to be safe online and be responsible internet users. Students were challenged to create a ‘safe’ online profile on Seesaw, the goal being to provide general, true information without revealing any personal, confidential details. As we near the end of the Term, students are going to attempt some online collaboration by completing a research project using the apps in Google Suite (Docs, Slides and Sheets).

Senior Community

Students in the Senior Community have been immersing themselves in the many features that the apps of Google Suite have to offer. Highlights for the Term have been the pixel art unit, writing if/then adventure stories using Google Slides and most recently, learning about formulas in Google Sheets to calculate totals. Students were then asked to use their new knowledge to complete a ‘Managing our time with Google Sheets’ CAT where they had to account for all their activities over a 24-hour period. The wonderful 5/6s could then use the formulas to both calculate (numbers of minutes or hours doing things) and convert (minutes into hours). As we quickly approach the end of the Term, students seem eager to finish their adventure stories and present them to others for all to enjoy.

Physical Education

Prep and Junior Learning Community

Over the past few weeks, the Prep and Junior Learning Community have been on a fantastic journey, mastering the art of leaping, hopping, skipping, and dodging.  We've tackled zigzag hopping, bean bag skipping, leaping over hurdles, and even challenging dodge activities. We'll finish the term on a high with lots of fun PMP activities planned for the next couple of weeks!

Middle and Senior Learning Community

Over the past few weeks, the Middle and Senior Learning Community have been honing their Athletics, Volleyball and Newcomb skills.  They have learnt how to throw a discus, shot put and how to get the best out of themselves when performing a long and triple jump.  They've even delved into the exciting world of relay racing, where teamwork, speed, and baton passes make for heart-pounding competition! 

Athletics Day

On Monday the 28th of August, our school was represented by some wonderful grade 4, 5 and 6 children at the District Athletics competition.  They all did an amazing job and represented our school magnificently, showing what the Wollert Way truly means.  They all competed to the very best of their abilities and I was extremely proud of each and every one of them!

Dig2Dine

In Dig2Dine, our Senior and Middle students have continued their delightful culinary journey, exploring cuisines from various corners of the world. This immersive experience has not only piqued their taste buds but also fostered an appreciation for the rich traditions surrounding global culinary arts, as well as the unique ingredients that define each culture's cuisine.

During our culinary adventures, we've engaged in insightful conversations about how geographical locations and changing seasons profoundly influence the culinary choices of people across the globe. This has led to our students developing a keen curiosity about world geography. They have thoroughly enjoyed poring over world maps, identifying the countries we've been studying, and discovering their proximity to other nations. This newfound knowledge has added depth to their understanding of global cuisines and the cultural significance of food.

The countries and cuisines we have experienced include:

• Afghanistan: Bolani (Flat bread) & Sheer Pria
• Italy: Pizza
• Samoa: Sapa Sui (noodles) & Pani Popo (Sweet Coconut Buns) 
• Germany: Pretzels & Black Forest Cake
• Greece: Kourabiethes (cookies) & Spanakopita (Spinach and Feta Pie)

Performing Arts

Prep Community

In Prep, we're diving deeper into the magic of music. Our students are embracing rhythms with "ta," "ti ti," and even the mysterious "za" (rest). They're also exploring an array of percussion instruments – cymbals clash, bucket drums beat, maracas shake, and triangles chime. Together, they're crafting not just melodies, but teamwork and expression. It's a symphony of learning and laughter!

Junior Community

In the Junior Learning Community, our recent Men of Wollert Performance was a spectacular showstopper! Our talented students rocked out to 'Sweet Child of Mine' with shaky eggs and cups. The students conquered drum rhythms to 'The Final Countdown' and 'Wipe out,' and created musical magic in perfect unison. 🎶🥁🎸 Bravo to our young stars!

Middle Community

In the Middle Learning Community, we've ignited our musical passions by harmonizing together in perfect sync. But here's the twist – we've turned everyday household items into instruments, adding an exhilarating twist to our melodies. And to up the ante, we've taken on the challenge of creating rhythms with basketballs, pushing our musical boundaries to new horizons. 🏀🎶🌟

Senior Community

In the Senior Learning Community, students have embarked on a thrilling rhythmic adventure using humble pencils as their instruments. They've delved into the art of crafting melodies with notes, blending precision and creativity. What's more, they've united their left and right brains, synergising as a drumming dream team, ensuring every beat resonates in perfect harmony. 🥁🎼🧠

Playscape

In Playscape, our students have been discovering the power of collaboration through play. They've explored the importance of listening skills, sharing, turn-taking, and problem-solving, and have practiced these skills as they navigate social situations through play. Through these playful experiences, our children are not only having a blast but also developing lifelong skills that enhance teamwork and understanding.