Teaching and Learning
Term 1 Specialist Program
Our Specialist programs run every week with students involved in a wide array of activities. This week we are going to have a snapshot into the activities that are happening in term 1 across the school in Specialist programs.
Physical Education
PE happens in all year levels across the school. Our Primary age students have been working on their throwing and catching skills and playing games involving those skills. The Secondary age students have also been honing their throwing and catching skills, playing more formal games like cricket and testing their endurance against the Beep test.
Visual Arts
Visual Arts also runs across the school. In Lower Primary students have been working on painting portraits. Upper Primary students have spent the term exploring painting techniques and have worked on creating Eric Carle inspired collages. Secondary 7/8 students have been introduced to Arthur Boyd and have been experimenting with his techniques in their painted artworks. Students in the Secondary 9-12 elective groups have been working on Ceramics learning about glazes, the potter’s wheel and honing their skills using clay.
Performing Arts
At Lower Primary students have been learning songs and telling stories through movement and mime. UP students have finished learning their song called “Sunflower” and have started learning some chords on the guitar. The Secondary students have chosen their own song to learn and perform using instruments and vocals.
Library
Our students in Lower Primary have dedicated Library specialist times each week where they learn about caring for books, identifying the parts of a book and spend time listening to stories for enjoyment.
Food Technology
Students in Upper Primary have been introduced to Food Tech in Term 1 and have explored the concept of Food for Fuel. They have worked on identifying different types of food and have tried a variety of healthy foods such as dips with vegetable sticks. SFH and SSO have extended their learning on healthy eating and have cooked a variety of healthy food options including muesli slice and healthy McMuffins. Elective groups in Secondary 9/10 and 11/12 have worked on seasonal and community foods. They have cooked dishes like corn fritters, Malaysian laksa and apricot chicken and chickpea tagine. The students in 11/12 have also spent some time getting the Kitchen Garden in shape so that they can use the produce in their cooking across the year.
Outdoor Education
Students in SSO and SEW have spent the term working on water safety and engaging in Swimming lessons at La Trobe Indoor Sports Centre while students in the Secondary 9/10 and 11/12 elective groups have been bushwalking in local parklands including Plenty Gorge and Gresswell Park.
Science
Students in SMO & SJH have focused on chemical and physical science including concepts like static electricity. The Lab Legends in Secondary 9/10 elective groups have explored plant cells and microorganisms and explored concepts such as fermentation. The Mythbusters in Secondary 11/12 elective groups have tested myths such as can the sun really cook food and is it possible to pull a tablecloth off a fully set table without breaking anything?
Digital Technologies
SKH, SVI and Secondary 9-12 elective groups have been exploring movie making techniques in Digital Technologies. They have created backdrops to film their movies and have explored editing techniques to bring their movie together.
Construction
Students in SFH & SAL have worked on constructing a variety of objects including bridges using lego and straws and glider planes using balsa wood.
Careers Education
Students in SMB have been involved in a Shark Tank activity during the term where they have developed a product that they had to pitch to the Shark panel. They will be making slushies in the coming weeks and will be raising money for charity. In SMV the class has been working through A Job Well Done focusing on Occupational Health and Safety in the work place
Cyber Safety
In Cyber Safety students in Secondary 9-12 work through strategies to keep personal information safe when using social media and email to communicate as well as being able to identify cyberbullying behaviour & strategies to cope with it.
Supporting Learning at Home
Numeracy: To continue the theme on time tune your child into different times of the day, eg. What time is soccer training today? What time does the school bus pick you up? How long is the trip to or from school? How long does it take to brush your teeth?
Literacy: Describing things with interesting words. Ask your child to describe an item using descriptive words and phrases. What does it look, sound and feel like?
Sam Birrell
Acting Assistant Principal