Learning Across the ELC
Loreto College
Term 2 with Banksia
In Banksia, we have been embracing children’s current interests, the rainbow, through our provocations, our group times and our conversations. To understand children's existing knowledge of the rainbow, we asked children some questions. Where have you seen rainbows before? What is a rainbow? What colour can you see in the rainbow?
Where have you seen rainbows before?
Willian- Here, outside
Elliot - I was in the car going to kindy and I saw lots of rainbow colours
Elicia - I saw one outside
Anna - Outside
Thomas - When I was driving up there I saw a rainbow
Flora - Out there one day when coming here
What is a rainbow?
Charlie - Yellow, Blue, purple and red
Ada - I like yellow and orange
Billy - Pink, orange, red, yellow, purple
Elliot - They’re made of colours and with the sun
Elicia - It’s made of dark colours and rain
Audrey K - The sun
Jace - When it rains and then the sun comes dries it all up and the rainbow comes
Flora - It’s a special thing
Millie - its sometimes like plastic rainbow colours
The Rainbow Serpent
We also read The Rainbow Serpent, one of the Dreamtime stories to help children understand that the ‘rainbow’ can represent symbolic meaning to other cultures and traditions. The Rainbow Serpent visually communicates how the Rainbow Serpent came from beneath the ground and created huge ridges, mountains and gorges as it pushed upward.
Read aloud is vital as it engages children visually, modelling sounds, words and language, and develops early literacy skills, sparking children's imagination and stimulating curiosity. Furthermore, links to First Nation culture and the Dreaming timed stories are crucial as it provides children with opportunities to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the First Nations, by engaging with the world’s oldest continuous living cultures. The children made connections to the text by sharing the animal they liked in the story.
What animals do you remember from the story?
Jack - Koalas
Stevie - Snake
Francesca - Kangaroos
Maddie - Birdie
Charlie E - Rainbow snake
Mila - Rainbow snake
Bobbie - Snake Rainbow
Ada - Rainbow snake
Hannah - KoalasElle - Koalas
Olivia - Rainbow
Chloe B - Froggie
Sophie - Froggie
Rainbow Collage
To extend their interest in the rainbow through art experiences, the Banksia children were invited to create a collage to create their own version of the rainbow. Various collage materials in rainbow colours and glue were provided so that the children can decorate a cardboard arch. By creating a collage, the children experimented with different resources and explored design, patternmaking, dimension and composition while developing their awareness of colour and texture. These beautiful artworks will be displayed in the Loreto College Art Exhibition in Term 3.
Rainbow Light Table
Furthermore, the light table was also set up with the rainbow-coloured gemstones and contact rainbow templates to encourage children to explore the concept of light and colour and to create patterns with the gemstones. Patterns occur in everyday life, in both natural and man-made forms, and children are naturally exposed to the many patterns around them. It is because of this that working with patterns can help children to begin to make sense of many different mathematical ideas that they encounter in their words. Patterns help children to discern structure, identify relationships and make predictions about what might happen next.
Nominations for the Loreto P&F Committee, Volunteer Pool and Year Level Representatives
We have many great opportunities for Parents and Caregivers to become involved in our College Community. We are currently seeking nominations for the following roles:
Year Level Representatives ELC-12
The Year level/Class representatives act as the primary liaison between Class and year level Parents and the P&F Committee. These roles play a crucial part in maintaining and developing our Community spirit as they:
Parents & Friends Committee
The Parents and Friends of Loreto is a Parent group whose purpose is to promote and encourage Community Spirit within the College.
Parents and Friends Volunteer Pool
The Volunteer Pool works closely with the P&F Committee to assist with the various events and fundraising activities conducted throughout the year. This provides an opportunity for Parents and Carers to contribute as their schedule or time permits.
To register your interest in any of the above, please click here and complete the form.
We look forward to welcoming you to our wonderful College Community,
Charmaine Binns and Tanya Smith
Co P&F Presidents