Positive Climate for Learning
Year 2 Learning Community
In General Studies this term, our topic is Science. The essential question we are investigating is ‘What are the similarities and differences between cycles in our world?’. During this topic, we have explored and compared the life cycles of many different living things.
During our investigations of life cycles, we have learnt a lot of new vocabulary such as ‘lava’, ‘pupa’, ‘metamorphosis’ and ‘chrysalis’. Our students have developed multiple displays of different types of animals, showing how they change throughout the stages in their life.
In addition to this, we have also been recognising what these living things need to survive. Over the last few weeks of this term, the Year 2 students will be developing a diorama showing an animal of their choice in its habitat, along with everything that it needs.
Year 6 Learning Community
English in Grade 6
During English we have been studying different texts from a range of authors. This term we have read “Clockwork, or all wound up” by Philip Pullman, and “The BFG” by Roald Dahl. We discovered the different ways authors can write and entertain us as readers.
We have just finished reading The BFG and have watched the movie this week to compare the book to the movie. Within the first 30 minutes of the movie, we already had found heaps of things that were different to the book, including how quickly things happen in the movie compared to the book. We are going to write about the similarities and differences next week with our writing sessions.
We discovered some of the elements of author's craft that Roald Dahl uses including character development and descriptive language. We loved learning how he uses words to make up his own words within the books he writes. One activity we completed was creating words like Roald Dahl. We selected 2 normal words and mixed them together to create some new words which we used in our writing.
We also created our own dreams, just like how the BFG does in the book. We used a bank of ideas and mixed them together to create our dreams. We have included some of the pictures of the dreams we created.
Here are some of the things grade 6 have enjoyed learning about Roald Dahl and reading his books.
Toby: He has a lot of experience as an author, and he makes the books fun. He reuses some of his made-up language in different stories to make them funny and entertaining.
Bea: I have enjoyed reading Roald Dahl's books because of the way he uses descriptive words. It makes the books more fun, and you can imagine and visualise what he is describing.
April: He is very descriptive and wants to captivate his readers. He makes up fake words by using two real words and putting them together, which makes his writing better to read. He writes in a way that makes you not want to put the book down.
Esmail: Roald Dahl books makes more sense than other books because they are more fun. He is a fun person and makes funny words and characters. He described the BFG as having big ears and I can visualise when I read.
Cooper W: I like the words he makes up because they are interesting and descriptive. It helps me to visualise what is happening in the book and I could see that when we watched the BFG movie.
Hahana: I have enjoyed comparing The BFG book and movie to see the differences and similarities. I have enjoyed taking notes which have helped my writing, and it has been great to get to know more about him as an author.
Cadi: He is interesting to read and learn about his made-up words. I like the characters he creates, and the descriptions he uses. The twits and some of the giants were described as being very ugly.
Solar squad
On Wednesday, the Grade 6’s had the RACV solar squad come to school for an incursion. We learnt about electricity and solar power. Solar power is important in times like natural disasters like the bushfires 2 years ago. During this time towns that were cut off from power had to use solar panels to get electricity to power their homes.
We got to use solar panels, which is tricky in winter because there is not as much sun. A lamp can mimic sunlight to power the solar panels to get the power to make things move. The presenter showed us how the solar panels worked with a lamp and made a motorised fan move.
During the session we investigated different electricity conductors. We discovered that paper, paddle pop sticks and plastic straws don’t conduct electricity, but tin foil and a piece of copper do conduct electricity and the fan moved.
We also discussed how to be safe around electrical items. We learnt that even though some items are called “safe” they can still hurt us if we are not responsible.
We made electrical circuits to make a lamp turn on. This connects with our Science unit for the term, where we have been looking at electricity. We also are heading to Science works next Thursday to continue learning about light reflection and circuits.
Here are some of the things grade 6 enjoyed about the solar squad incursion.
Arizona: I enjoyed making the circuit to get the fan move.
Kingston: I enjoyed putting the solar panel up to the sky to get the fan working. I learnt that only metal can conduct electricity.
Hahana: I enjoyed making the fan work using a range of different metals including Michelle’s ring, jacket and keys. I also liked using the sunlight to make the solar panel work.
Ella Mo: My favourite part was that we got to make a fan start with a battery and we got a free pen.
Kolbi: My favourite part was when we went outside so the sun rays could reach the solar panels to power the fans.
Hope: I learnt how the sun's energy turns into electricity. You also save money with solar panels.
Visual Art
Hi Everyone,
Term 2 has been amazing in the art room. Students are enthusiastic to express their creativity. It has been a pleasure to see their smiling faces every lesson.
In 2022, all students in Prep to Year 6 will be participating in Visual Arts for 12 months. The Year 7 to 9 students will participate in 6mths of Visual Arts. This means if your child's 7 to 9 home group is participating in Visual Art and Auslan in Term 1 and 2, they will participate in Performing Arts and P.E. in Terms 3 and 4 and vice versa.
Within learning time, the year levels have been focusing on the following:
Prep
The preps are having a wonderful time in the Art room this term. As they are all experts in colour mixing, we have been learning about primary and secondary colours and how to make a secondary colour by mixing two primary colours together. Red + Blue = Purple, Yellow + Blue = Green and Red + Yellow = orange. Students have created little bids and icy pole painting by colour mixing and have begun to learn about the colour wheel creating their own umbrella colour wheel piece.
Year 1
Students in Years 1 have been exploring the history of Asian art. Students have had a wonderful time blowing ink to create their cherry blossom scrolls. They have learnt about the accent Ming dynasty era in China painting their own Ming inspired vase painting. The students discover the history and symbolism behind the Koi fish in Japanese history, they painted a water paint Koi fish and made their own Japanese wind sock kite.
Year 2
Year 2 students have been exploring colour, line, pattern and mixed media artworks this term. Students have been extending their knowledge of warm and cool colours, by creating their own seascapes and landscapes paintings using warm and cool colours. They have also been working hard on their hot air balloon collage pieces, with the focuses on creating interesting lines and patterns on their balloons.
Year 3
Year 3 students and been exploring simple Op Art (optical illusion art) through the creation of a Op art swirl illustration. This graphic drawing introduced students to the concept of a vanishing point and recurring pattern to create and optical illusion. Students are now creating mono prints using zentangle designs. Zentangle designs are a miniature abstract collection of patterns and can be used as a for of creativity and mindfulness.
Year 4
Year 4 students have just completed a focused study on Op Art (optical illusion) creating a floating sphere illusion. This graphic illusion required students to create a 2 coloured checkered board pattern and a curved checkered pattern within a circle. This creates the effect of a sphere not a flat circle. Including shadows and highlights finished the illusion. Students are currently exploring a mixed media self portrait creating a canvas made from torn newspapers. This piece will involve learning how to draw a face using perspective and painting on non traditional media.
Years 5 and 6
In Years 5 and 6, students have been exploring textiles, leaning how to make their own felt toy. They designed, made patterns and are all busy sewing their toy monster or ugly doll together. The Year 5 Students will also create a radial print by creating a foam printing plates to create their unique pieces. The grade 6s Students will also begin their entries into the Lions Club Peace Poster competition creating a Peace themed poster.
Secondary
Secondary students have been enjoying exploring learning about the element of form. They have begun creating a series of sculptures inspired by the movie Alice in Wonderland. They have used paper plates, cardboard rolls and tape to form a mushroom and applied magical unexpected colours and designs to reflect the world down the rabbit hole.
