PRESCHOOL

INQUIRY: How The World Works  

This term, in our How the World Works unit of inquiry, Preschoolers are exploring different life cycles using their five senses. Each class has a water tank with tadpoles, generously provided by ICON Water through the ACT Frogwatch program. The children are observing the tadpoles closely and will continue to follow their transformation throughout the term.

They are excited to see the changes and have been expressing their observations through beautiful drawings and thoughtful conversations. This hands-on experience is helping them connect with nature, spark curiosity, and deepen their understanding of how living things grow and change.

Transition to Kindergarten

Preschool transitions to Kindergarten will begin in Week 3, starting on Wednesday. Children will visit their future Kindergarten cohort classrooms every second Wednesday, giving them time to gradually adjust and become familiar with their new environment. These visits are designed to help them explore their surroundings, and build confidence as they prepare to step into Kindergarten next year.

During Preschool sessions, the children have begun exploring the wider school environment, enjoying the warmer weather and having picnics. They will be visiting the playground, music room and other learning spaces throughout the term.

Preschool Assembly by Rock Wallabies and Wombats

Our Preschool recently hosted its very first assembly, proudly led by Rock Wallabies and Wombats. The event was a success, filled with excitement and pride as our young students took the stage. They began by singing the Preschool’s Acknowledgement of Country, to show their respect for the traditional owners of the land. The children then performed two lively World of Wonder songs, complete with expressive actions that brought the songs to life. We are proud of all the students for their participation and confidence! Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce that Gang-gang Cockatoos and Long-necked Turtles will be hosting our next Preschool assembly in Week 8.

KINDERGARTEN

Kindergarten certainly began Term 4 with a snap and a hiss! We have been learning about the distinguishable features and needs of plants and animals in our inquiry into ‘Sharing the Planet’, so we invited Peter from Canberra Reptile Zoo to visit and bring along a few friendly reptiles. We met two turtles called Cookie and Pancake, some beautiful blue tongue lizards and a shingle back, a snake called Vegemite, and our favourite, a 6 year old crocodile called Chopper. Peter described some of the features of each reptile and how these features help them to survive in their habitats. Peter later mentioned he was very impressed with the interesting questions our students came up with, and most were very brave enough to get up close and personal with each of the reptiles.

YEAR 1

In phonics this term we have been exploring split digraphs! We have learnt how the magic ‘e’ helps the other vowel say its name in words like make, athlete, kite, phone and cube. 

“And now it’s time for some more AMAZING ANIMALS!”

As part of our inquiry into how environments sustain living things, Year 1 has enjoyed watching Amazing Animals videos by National Geographic Kids. These funny yet informative clips have taught us fascinating facts about animals and their different habitats, diet and weird behaviours. Have you heard of the Gila Monster or Gentoo Penguin before?

We have also been learning about how animals adapt and change to the seasons. Some animals ‘migrate’, which means they travel to a new place to find food, warmth or a safe place to raise their young. We tried to recreate the ‘flying V’ just like birds and ducks do.

We want to show off all our amazing work to our families at our How the World Works Learning Journey. Please read the invite below for more details.

YEAR 2

How we express ourselves 

Central idea:
Shapes and art express the significance of local places. 

In Year 2 we have been learning about significant places in Canberra and around the world. We are learning to identify cultural significance in different buildings and are excited to visit some local places during our excursion on Friday. The students have enjoyed making different pieces of art work demonstrating their understanding of line, shape, texture and colour. 

English

Building on our understanding of culturally significant buildings, Year 2 has been busy writing information reports about places in Canberra. We have been learning about the language features of information reports, including topic specific vocabulary, present tense and pronouns. 

We have been using the books Camp Canberra by Krys Saclier and Our Bush Capital by Samantha Tidy to guide our learning.

In Maths, the Year 2 students have been learning about shape. We have been learning to describe and categorise shapes by their attributes. We have worked hard to learn some complex and new vocabulary such as vertices and parallel. We have also begun to solve additive and multiplicative word problems. The method we are using to tackle these tricky problems is called POLYA. By using this method, we break down word problems so we can understand, plan, solve and check.

YEAR 6 BAND

Year 6 Band Shines at Llewellyn Hall

On Tuesday night, our talented Year 6 Band, along with their dedicated teacher, Jan Lloyd-Jones, took to the stage at Llewellyn Hall for a truly memorable performance. Playing in such a prestigious venue was a wonderful opportunity and an unforgettable experience for our young musicians.

Their performance was beautifully received by parents, carers, and the wider audience, who were impressed by the band’s skill, confidence, and teamwork. 

As our Year 6 students prepare to transition to high school, we wish them every success in their future musical journeys. A heartfelt thank you to Jan Lloyd-Jones for her expert guidance, encouragement, and dedication in nurturing the musical talents of our students.

This term in Performing Arts we are concentrating predominantly on Dance. Students in Years 1 and 2 will learn a range of dances from the past and present: some nineteenth-century country dances  (such as the “The Sweets of May” and “The Bridge of Athlone”) and some folk-song dances (such as “Down in the Valley” and “La Raspa”).  They will also practise some choreographed contemporary-style dances for performance within class. Kindergarten children will learn a variety of dance steps and formations, with an emphasis on dances related to stories and songs (for example, “The Shoemaker’s Dance” and a ribbon dance to “A Million Dreams” ).

All students in Dance classes practise moving gracefully and expressively to music. They learn how to move safely within a space, and how to change partners smoothly.

The Dance and Drama Club meets during break two on Fridays in the Performing Arts Room and all students in Years K-3 are welcome to come along to experience a range of dances and  drama games.