HEADING 8 13th September, 2018

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LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM

FOUNDATION: SHARING THE PLANET

In Reading, the Foundation students have been learning the

different features of non-fiction texts. Prior to reading a book,

they have been identifying what they already know about a

topic and then listing new information they have learnt after

reading. Students are beginning to use text features such as

a contents and index page so as to know where to go in a

book in order to re-read and clarify information. Focusing on

non-fiction texts has been a wonderful backbone to our new

writing genre- information reports. Students have been using

various graphic organisers in conjunction with various

mentor texts to demonstrate how to write a title, draw a

labelled diagram and write 3 facts about a topic. Once the

students are

familiar with the

layout of a graphic organiser, the next step is to

use the organiser as a planning tool when

writing. Here you can see that Ella from 0SB is

showing the information she has just learnt

about giraffes.

In Maths, the Foundation students have been

learning about 2D and 3D shapes. We have

looked at their properties and

where they can be found in

the environment. The

students learnt a rap song to

remember examples of each

shape and completed a

number of activities in the

classroom to consolidate their

learning. Here you can see

students from 0DW using

playdough and matchsticks to

make their 3D shapes, while

looking at the number of

faces, edges and vertices on each.

13th September 2018

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As a provocation for our new Unit

of Inquiry-Living things use their

senses to understand the world

around them, the Foundation

students went on a nature walk.

We walked around school to think

of all the things that we can see,

hear, smell, taste and touch. We

were fascinated to see that in the

short time that we were outside,

we could list a whole chart of

things! We could all agree that the

best part of the whole experience

was watching the clouds go by

and seeing all the different

formations.

The students are learning about each of their senses and have

generated so many questions out of curiosity! To learn more about

how different life would be if we couldn’t see, we paired students up

and had one partner close their eyes while the other partner safely directed them around

the class. The students learnt that without our sense of sight, we rely on our sense of touch

to help us with spatial awareness!

JUNIOR SCHOOL: HOW THE WORLD WORKS

Curiosity

To begin our new Unit of Inquiry on ‘Experimenting is

one way to understand how the world works’ we

experienced the PYP Attitude – Curiosity.

The students in 1CP had to solve a mystery – what had

Miss Panton brought in and hidden under her yard duty

jacket? We predicted, we hypothesised, we explained

and we justified – just like real scientists do!

Different parts of the mystery item were revealed slowly

and students continued predicting what it could be,

explaining their thinking and ideas each time. All the while,

their curiosity grew and grew!

Finally, the mystery was revealed – it was a real Warthog

skull, all the way from Africa.

Only one person had guessed what it was correctly, but it

didn’t matter. We learnt that experimenting is all about

testing your ideas and it is okay to make mistakes. Some

of our favourite ideas about what the item was included – a Walrus, a puppy, a deer and

even a dinosaur.

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Everyone experienced the ‘magic buzz’ you feel when you are curious about something

and all the students are excited to continue being curious about the world and our unit of

Inquiry.

Division

In the Junior School students have begun exploring the concept of Division. When we learn

about Division we talk about sharing equally between groups. We always begin with talking

about real life situations and applications, acting out problems using materials, drawing

pictures to match the problems and finally, recording

the number sentences – using repeated subtraction

and the division symbol.

In 1CP, Ms M brought in lollies that we had to work

together to share into equal groups.

Students had to count the lollies out one by one and

share them between different numbers of people.

There were left overs or ‘remainders’ in some of the

problems and students learnt that this is an important part of division.

Some children were able to record the number sentences to

match the problems and some even made the link to our previous

learning about Multiplication.

Great Maths learning

everyone and thanks Ms M

for the delicious lollies!

MIDDLE SCHOOL: HOW WE ORGANISE OURSELVES

Numeracy

During our unit on perimeter and area, the Middle School students participated in many

hands on activities. This included making a square metre

out of newspaper and then measuring

areas around the school with it, after first

estimating. Students also estimated and

then measured how many students

would fit sitting, standing and lying in one

square metre.

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Reflections on where area and perimeter.

Codi – I learnt that perimeter is measuring all the outside areas of a shape. I would use it if I

was building a new fence.

Madi – I learnt that in area

it is measuring all the

floor or a surface. I would

use it if I was getting new

carpet.

Nathan – Perimeter: I use

plus to solve and Area, I

can use multiplication to solve it.

Unit of Inquiry

The summative task for our previous

unit of inquiry involved students

writing an information report on a

natural phenomena that shaped the

earth’s surface. They then

rehearsed their presentations and

presented them to the class, some

complete with models and

demonstrations. Cody to the right is

explain a how a volcano has

impacted on humans and gives a

demonstration of a volcano erupting.

CyberBusters Incursion

Middle and Senior School were fortunate to participate in an

incursion from Cyber Busters. Through role play they

informed the students of what cyber bullying is and what

consequences it can result in. Students also learnt what

steps to take should they find themselves in the situation of

being bullied or being the bully.

Janadi – First I thought Cyber bullying was not a problem,

but then Cyber Busters taught me that it was a really big

problem because things can easily get spread around.

Rickesh – I learnt that Cyber bullying can affect people even

if you think it’s just a joke.

13th September 2018

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SENIOR SCHOOL: WHERE WE ARE IN PLACE AND TIME

Heany Park Primary School Science Visit

Written by Liam, Chrysa, Charlotte and Cooper

On the 20th of August 2018 a science teacher from Rowville Secondary College came to

talk to the Year 5 and 6’s about science and showed us some experiments. The

experiments were about PH, BASE, fire, oils, diet coke, Mentos, water and yeast. The first

experiment was about solids or liquids. Some students volunteered to go up and stick PH

testing strips in solids and liquids. Some of the results were: Vinegar, orange, 4. Coffee,

orange, 4. Another experiment was when the teacher poured flammable liquid down the

metal contraption. There was a candle at

the bottom and the liquid flamed up a bit.

Another experiment was with diet coke and

Mentos. There were cylinder boxes and

they had to be filled with diet coke. Then we

put in the Mentos, after 2 minutes the lid

exploded. The last experiment was called

“Elephant toothpaste”. She poured in water

and put in the yeast. She put in food

colouring and detergent. She mixed it

together and it blew up with foam like

substance.

The time was awesome and I would love to do it

again sometime.

13th September 2018

6

Numeracy

To finish our unit on fractions, decimals and percentages, 6BD

complete a Maths investigation into dominoes. First, they

learnt about the history of dominoes and discovered the

pattern to a domino set, then created their own game of

Dominoes with a difference. Instead of having dots students

picked different fractions, decimals or percentages eg ¼ is

25%,or 2/8 or 0.25 as well as using pictures and number lines.

Students from Grade 6 then went to the Grade 4’s and taught

them how to play

normal dominoes

and their version

of dominos.