Specialist Reports

Visual Art

A Mondrian influence

Over the past couple of weeks the Prep students have been influenced by the work of Piet Mondrian. First they learned about printing and printed black vertical and horizontal lines using a ruler. After learning about Primary Colours – red, blue and yellow – students used their cutting and gluing skills to fill squares on their printed grid. 

Healthy Bodies

In the Junior Learning Community students have been linking their art to their inquiry of the "Healthy Body". Students created a Mosaic placemat that they were able to use for their 1/2 Breakfast. In creating their placemat students explored a range of skills of cutting, pasting and being creative to make theirs unique.

Surrealist Art

The grade 3 and 4 students have just started learning about the Surrealist art movement. Surrealist art is known for its out-of-this-world feeling as it tends to be concepts brought forth from dreams and is used to express oneself. Students have been using the observational drawing skills they have learned over the past term and their imagination to elongate, skew and transform real images to those that come from their minds.

Anime Portraits

The Grade 5/6 unit on Anime Art is finishing up in the art room but it has been great to see how many students are continuing to use these skills both when doing work in other classes and enthusiastically bringing in work to show me that they have done at home. Even though I know that popular culture and Anime TV productions have inspired students to create, I am really impressed with the drawing skills acquired. Students have gained some of the many skills needed when drawing portraits, from observing the changes in the external structure of the skull when faces are seen from different angles to refined detail in facial features when observing different expressions.

STEM

We have had a wonderful Term being Curious in STEM this month! All of our classes have been continuing their investigations into the physical sciences.

On the Move!

This month our Prep classes have continued their investigation into how things move. They have made brilliant observations of how their own toys move and have had a great time learning to build ramps and testing how different balls and cars move over different surfaces. 

Machine Makers!

Our year 1/2 classes have been continuing their work on simple machines. Taking inspiration from Rube Goldberg, they have used pushes and pulls, ramps, and levers to make their cars, balls and blocks move in different ways. Their curiosity is endless as they work towards making their own Rube Goldberg machines!

Magnetic Moves!

Our year 3/4 classes have continued to bring their curiosity to their investigation into magnets. They have tested a magnet’s strength through different materials of different thicknesses, measured how far magnets can repel each other, and made a paperclip float using their magnets. Their real brilliance has shown in their ability to take their observations and turn them into scientific data!

Light Shows!

This month the curious year 5/6 classes have been continuing their investigation into light. In the last few weeks they have investigated different materials to see if they are opaque, translucent, or transparent, and to investigate refraction, they observed what pencils look like when they are in a cup of water. They have made brilliant connections between their everyday world and the science of light. I'm incredibly proud of the way they have challenged their initial thoughts about light as they found and evaluated new evidence.

What's coming in Term 3?

Next term in STEM we are celebrating Science Week with a whole-school investigation using marbles. We will need some more marbles to make this happen so if you have any that you are not using and would like to donate, we would love it if you could bring them in!

Have a great term break!

Ramona 🧑🏻‍🔬

Physical Education

This Semester in Physical Education, Prep students have been developing their physical movement skills by playing basic games like Line Tag and Red Light.  Preps have been engaging in activities related to the physical skills of run, catch, kick, vertical jump and throw.  They have been able to practice these skills during rotational activities and have had lots of fun in the process! They have been able to learn how to work cooperatively in small groups and how to use the sports equipment safely and correctly. I have been super  impressed with their willingness to give everything a go and have fun with it which is definitely the Wollert Way!!

This Semester in Physical Education, students in the Junior Learning Community engaged in physical movement activities with a focus on learning and practicing the skills of run, catch, overarm throw, punt, vertical jump and kick. They practised these skills in rotational group activities where they learnt to be safe and respectful with equipment and to work cooperatively in small groups when completing activities.  The students have enjoyed the many games they have learnt throughout the semester and have been able to show their brilliance, kindness, curiosity and most importantly joy in every session!

This Semester in Physical Education, the Middle Learning Community students participated in physical movement as they spent several weeks on the skills of catching, overarm throw, bounce, punt, two-hand side-arm strike and kick.  Through their participation in games focusing on these skills, students learned how to play safely with each other and the equipment, play by the rules, play as a team and use strategic thinking to better their game play. To enhance the skill development of kick, Football Australia provided a clinic which focussed on the many skills and game play of Soccer.  The students played mini games, completed skills and drills and were able to put it altogether with some match play at the end.  I was really impressed to see our school values in full flight during the clinic, the students all actively participated and displayed what the Wollert Way embodies!

This Semester in Physical Education, the Senior Learning Community students participated in whole class games of Cricket, Basketball, Football, Tee Ball and Soccer.  They spent several weeks being introduced to the rules and skills of the games, including how to play as a team and used strategic thinking to better their game play.  They also engaged in whole class minor games and were able to demonstrate our school values and what it means to embody the Wollert Way!  We were lucky enough to have Carla from Football Australia come out and provide a clinic which focussed on the many skills and game play of Soccer.  The students especially loved the match play at the end of each session and it was so great to see the overall skill development over the four week clinic.

Dig2Dine

In Dig 2 Dine we have been learning about food and how it connects to ‘The Human Body’, our whole school focus. 

Preps

The Prep students have been looking at everyday and sometimes foods, building their knowledge of why it’s important to eat everyday foods each day and to only eat sometimes foods on special occasions. The Preps have also been exploring the different types of fruits and vegetables and have practised grouping the foods into the correct groups. Another fun part of our lessons has been cooking with a variety of different foods and practicing a range of different skills including juicing lemons and oranges.

Junior School 

Our Junior school students have been building on their knowledge of everyday foods by looking at the 5 food groups found on the ‘Australian Guide to healthy Eating Chart’. We have discussed the different nutrients found in the foods we are cooking with and the role they play in our body. These nutrients have included irons, calcium, fibre protein and vitamin C. The Junior school students have also enjoyed practicing new cooking skills including grating. 

Middle School

In Middle school we have been looking at food labelling and advertising, and how they play a role in our food choices. They have built their understanding on a range of different nutrients and the role they play in their body. The students have also enjoyed comparing different foods using their nutritional panels. A favourite part of our session is always the cooking where the students are continuing to develop their ability to follow a recipe. 

Senior School

The Senior students have been exploring the environmental impact our food choice have on the environment. Investigate how much land and water is used for agriculture and how much edible food goes to waste. They have been brainstorming ways that they can minimize their impact including having meal plans and only buying what you need, putting leftovers in the freezer if they won’t be eaten straight away and giving scraps to their pets. The students also enjoy cooking with a variety of foods and practicing correctly following a recipe.