Welcome to the first edition of our Inspiring Connections for the 2021 school year. 

Engaging with, and building relationships in the school community is very much a two-way process between school and home. This reciprocal process with the student, school and the family supports everyone in the community. It is essential therefore, that together we understand and support, with effective communication, the important learning that happens here at Holy Trinity. 

To help strengthen this relationship, you would have been aware that we are now sending home at the beginning of each Unit of Inquiry an overview, outlining the curriculum focus for that UOI as well as other key information. With a strong belief that parents/ carers contribute to their child’s joy of learning and growth as successful learners, through sharing insights with the learning community, we have been driven to make these key changes to our overviews.

We hope you have found this shift in focus to learning and teaching informative, as we strive to continue this strong partnership with you.

Another key way you can support your child as a PYP parent is by supporting your child to take their learning deeper. Here are 5 simple ways you can support your child’s learning at home. Whether it is the more formal learning connected to their schooling, or the incidental, unplanned learning through play, exploration and life experience; these 5 strategies will help you, help your child become a lifelong learner.

We hope you enjoy the opportunity to journey through the amazing learning and teaching that has occured here at Holy Trinity during the this term. 

Wishing you and your family a peace-filled Easter and enjoyable break. 

Katie and Brendon

PYP Coordinators 

Who We Are in the ELC

Transdisciplinary theme

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.

Central Idea

What Makes Me Me

 Lines of Inquiry and concepts

  - Personal growth and the growth of others (Change)

  - Individual personality and characteristics (Form)

  - Personal Identity (Perspective)

 Throughout this term we have been focusing on getting to know each other, learning names and building trusting and respectful relationships with one another.

The children shared Who We Are through posters, photos, stories, mini-interviews and the sharing of personal items.

We explored many books and compared the characters from stories to ourselves.

We were interested in height and compared our heights to others in our class.

We looked at our individual characteristics such as eye, hair and skin colour, exploring the similarities and differences we have.

We explored books about facial features and created faces from natural loose part materials such as buttons, pebbles, feathers, wool and clay to represent our thinking.

We celebrated where we come from on Harmony day with cultural dress, language, dance and baking damper.

We looked at baby photos and discussed the physical changes from then until now.

We played a game of ‘Guess the Baby’, noticing the similarities in the features of the baby to our classmate.

We have done ALL this as well learning new routines, building relationships, learning and exploring our environment.

This term in Italian, Kindergarten has been learning about greetings, numbers and different types of groups including family. Year 1 has started the term by revising introductions and numbers. This was followed by looking at different emotions. Year 2 has been busy learning about adjectives. They have written and illustrated a booklet about their friends. Year 3 and 4 have inquired into systems in particular Italian road regulations and signs. 5/6 has been learning about values, comparing Italian and Australian values and have researched about famous Italians which have influenced the culture.

Questo trimestre, in italiano l’asilo ha imparato a conoscere i saluti, i numeri e diversi tipi di gruppi, tra cui la famiglia. L’anno 1 ha iniziato il trimestre rivedendo le introduzioni e i numeri. Questo è stato seguito dall’osservazione di emozioni diverse. Il secondo anno è stato impegnato nell’apprendimento degli aggettivi. Hanno scritto e illustrato un opuscolo sui loro amici. Gli anni 3 e 4 hanno indagato sui sistemi in particolare i regolamenti e le indicazioni stradali italiane. 5/6 hanno imparato a conoscere i valori, confrontando i valori italiani e australiani e ha fatto ricerche su italiani famosi che hanno influenzato la cultura.

Central Idea

Our differences make us who we are 

Lines of Inquiry

 An inquiry into:

• different types of groups
• responsibilities when interacting with others
• identity affects relationships

Concepts

Learner Profiles 

• Principled

  • • Caring 

      • • • Balanced 

For our provocation we engaged in role play centred around roles in our community. The Kinders had the opportunity to imagine what it was like to take on a new role. We latter discussed what different responsibilities these people might have had such as a chef making sure his kitchen was clean, or a doctor washing his hands. 

Taking this initial learning further we began examining what makes us unique from others. First we looked at our physical differences such as eye colour and hair length. We then started sharing what experiences and beliefs make us unique. For example, some families have Grandparents living at home, some families go to church on the weekend, some families speak a language other than English at home. Students also had the opportunity to discover what they were good at and what was challenging through a series of learning experiences.

To wrap up our unit we put all our learning together to imagine how our own behaviour would change as we move from different situations. We unpacked the roles of pilot, paramedic, teacher, builder, and athlete to explore what these people might think and say when undertaking that role. We then projected ourselves into these roles and imagined what it would be like to act in that way. 

 Central Idea

Creativity can Inspire a response 

 Lines  of Inquiry

• what inspires people 
• the process of creating and expressing ideas 
• how people respond to creative works 

Key Concepts

• Perspective

  • • • • Function

          • • • • Connection

 Learner Profiles

We will be exploring How We Express Ourselves over the entire year by investigating the central idea: Creativity can inspire a response. For the moment we will be focusing on creativity and what it means to be creative. We discussed what creativity may look and feel like, and looked closer at the creativity of famous innovators. 

This term we are also looking specifically at portraiture. We kicked this off with an incursion from the National Portrait Gallery. It was amazing! We then had a go at creating our own self portraits using a range of artistic styles. This term we are trying our hand at cubism, impressionism , and pop art. 

WHO WE ARE

An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.

Central Idea

Actions affect well-being.

Lines of Inquiry:

An inquiry into:

1. The domains of wellbeing (Form)
2. The different way choices impact lifestyle (Causation)
3. How actions contribute to a positive wellbeing (Responsibility)

Learner Profiles:

Knowledgeable: I use information in my life for global and local issues. I am always trying to learn more.

Balanced: I balance different parts of my life (mind, body and emotions).

I understand that taking care of myself is important.

Principled: I take responsibility for my actions and their consequences.

Approaches to Learning:

Self-Management Skills - I am aware that people need their own space. I also know that things take up space in the environment and I am aware of that space.

I am starting to plan and carry out activities on my own.

Communication Skills - I am aware that my body language and facial expressions can give others lots of information.

Social Skills - I am developing positive interpersonal relationships and collaboration skills. I am developing social-emotional intelligence.

Provocation 

The students arrived at school on Monday morning and observed Mrs Hanlon, Miss Joy and Mrs White in bad moods, super tired, littering, poorly dressed, eating junk food for breakfast and fruit break and watching and playing games on their devices!

The Year 1 Teachers set up these scenarios in their classrooms to demonstrate the effects of an imbalanced lifestyle and what might happen if you make poor lifestyle choices. This was done to provoke thinking and discussions about personal wellbeing!

Provocation Student Reflections

Students completed a reflection after the provocation based around the questions: What do I see? What do I think? What do I wonder?

‘The teachers were making bad choices.’ Hugo C

‘I think the teachers were not behaving normally.’ Roman G

‘I think the teachers were making bad habits.’ Arthur W

‘I wonder why the teachers were so grumpy?’ Eloise G

‘I wonder why the teachers were eating junk food and being weird?’ Eva V

‘I wonder why the teachers were so sleepy?’ Amelia P

Unpacking the Central Idea 

Students unpacked the language of the Central Idea: Actions affect wellbeing. We discussed the importance of our actions having both a positive and negative affect on our wellbeing.

Choices We Make Influence Our Health 

Students discussed what they considered to be the most important elements necessary to live a healthy lifestyle. After discussion students’ suggestions were grouped under 5 main areas of Wellbeing: exercise, nutrition/hydration, hygiene, spirituality and social. Students recorded their thinking on a ‘Healthy Hand Mind Map.’ Students considered two or three examples of healthy choices or habits that they are already following (for example - drinking water, playing sport, washing your hands and eating fruit and vegetables).

Healthy Choices & Unhealthy Choices

Students explored catalogues from supermarket chain, Coles. Students looked through the catalogues to find examples of healthy and unhealthy choices that can be purchased at Coles. Students justified and explained their thinking for putting items as healthy or unhealthy. For example - Chocolate is an unhealthy choice as it has a lot of fat and sugars in it. Carrots are a healthy choice as it is a vegetable with lots of nutrients that give us energy. The students also categorised and organised the content of their lunch boxes. They decided the categories were: ‘healthy’, ‘unhealthy’ and ‘both healthy and unhealthy’. This activity generated rich discussions about the foods we eat at school, how we can improve our choices to support our learning, and that it is important to eat from a range of food groups and allow a treat every now and then.

Nutrition - A Balanced Diet

Students recorded what information and facts they knew about nutrition and healthy eating. Students discussed what they considered to be important components of a nutritious diet. Interesting to note most students commented on some consequences of unhealthy eating.

Effects of Exercise

Students explored the effects that exercise has on the human body. Students participated in cardiovascular exercise to increase their heart rate and get their muscles pumping. Students were able to articulate the changes they observed and felt, including breathing getting harder and louder, sweating, face becoming red, heart beating faster, legs feeling heavy and getting thirsty or dehydrated.

Student Final Reflections 

Students completed a reflection based around their new learnings about wellbeing from this Unit of Inquiry. Students reflected upon how they had demonstrated the Learner Profiles of Knowledgeable, Balanced and Principled.

Student Voice:

‘I learnt that to take care of yourself, you need to eat healthy foods.’ Ana

‘I know that sleep is important for our wellbeing and health.’ Henry

‘I learnt that we need to drink water, exercise and eat healthy to look after ourselves.’ Lilliana

‘We need to make healthy food choices so we don’t get sick. We need to make sure we don’t get dehydrated.’ Ella

‘To contribute to a positive wellbeing, I can go to bed straight away, eat healthy good and exercise.’ Natalija.

‘To contribute to a positive wellbeing, I can try to sleep well, laugh with my friends and exercise.’ Martin

‘To contribute to a positive wellbeing, I can clean my house before I eat healthy food’. Frankie

Hi we are the sustainability group,

During this term we have changed the Waste free Wednesday system by making our school waste free everyday. We have also helped our school by giving Sustainable tips each morning for students to use at school at home or in any public places. We have been teaching Holy Trinity about what can go in each bin and we are excited to hopefully run some special events this year such as making beeswax wraps, Gardening Club and a fundraiser to celebrate Earth Hour.

We are looking forward to making our school more sustainable. Thanks for all your help this term.

Kind regards,

The sustainability group.

Library Smiles:

Every week in the library we see around 430 children from the ELC to Year 6. They are all gorgeous and have lovely manners – well done to our fabulous parents, grandparents and significant others who help this happen.

A big thank you also to the families who consistently remind their children to pack their library bags. Our library statistics show that HT children often borrow and return up to 600 books per day in the library (impressive stuff ?).

To begin the school year, we have spent the first two weeks in each grade unpacking the how and why of the library. We talked about Early Fiction, Older Fiction and Non Fiction. Mr Dewey is mentioned and the alphabet becomes a big part of our lessons. Essential Agreements are displayed, and the library comes alive.

Each grade then jumps into their Units of Inquiry. Every week we read, discuss and complete work on a selection of fabulous books, technology and websites that tie in with the various UOI.

We have looked at: relationships and behaviour, who we are, having a balanced lifestyle, our actions, well-being, diversity, innovations, decision making, explorers, our values and digital technology. There is a book for every situation.

Happy Easter,

Kate M, Simon B and Penny F (your friendly library team) x

Year 3/4 How We Organise Ourselves

An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organisations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.

Central Idea: Informed decisions leads to appropriate action.

Lines of Inquiry:

• Why humans create systems 
• The formation of relationships through networks
• The role of awareness in decision making

Learner Profile:

• Principled
• Caring
• Open-minded

Concepts:

• Function
• Connection
• Responsibility

Provocation

When students arrived at school on Monday of Week 2, they were told that their teachers were too busy to teach them. They were given a list of tasks to complete and were required to take charge of their own learning for the morning session. 

During this time some students decided to take charge, while others chose to do their own thing. When reflecting on their decisions during the provocation several students commented on the roles different students adopted. Some of the comments were about the lack of structure without a teacher, and the chaotic feeling in the room. This provocation was referred to during the unit.

Informed Decisions Leads to Appropriate Actions 

Students re-wrote the central idea in their own words following a word inquiry. 

Sensible actions leads to appropriate choices. (Maggie, 3/4B)

Doing the right thing will lead to positive outcomes. (Aminda, 3/4B)

Good behaviour is expected, specific to the situation. (Giuliana, 3/4G)

Equal is dividing up what you have unevenly, but fairness means giving students what they need when they need it – Pia 

Lines of Inquiry

Students discussed ‘Why humans create systems?’ We emphasised the use of key concepts to discuss what a system was. We connected the knowledge we had from Year 1 and 2 to understand what a system was. We discussed the systems we have in place within the classrooms such as ‘teacher helpers’ and ‘compost bin’ to keep our classrooms orderly and working well. 

Students asked their ‘Burning Questions’ after we discussed the first line of Inquiry: ‘Why humans create systems?’ Students were encouraged to ask questions about this line of Inquiry or the Central Idea. 

• Why did humans want to be more organised? (Justine, 3/4G)
• I wonder if everyone knows how to act appropriately, then why would we have rules? (Maggie, 3/4B)
• I wonder if we don’t have systems then would we still survive and what was the first system made? (Mary, 3/4B)
• I wonder how many systems are in the school? (Joseph, 3/4B)
• I wonder what happens when a system breaks? (Rigsel, 3/4B)
• Why do we have to bring our own device to school? (Sarah 3/4W)
• Why do vaccines get put into a needle? (Theo 3/4W)
• Why do hospitals make you fast before surgery? (Grace 3/4W)
  

When exploring the second line of inquiry, ‘the formation of relationships through networks’, students discussed fair and unfair decisions and what impact their decisions have on others. 

We discussed fair and unfair, and investigated the meaning of the words equity and equality. Students considered various scenarios and whether those involved were treated fairly or unfairly. 

Fair: Tom wants to go on an exciting new ride at the theme park. People under 1.6 m are not allowed to go on it and Tom is only 1.3m high. He is told he is not allowed to go on the ride and he is upset.

Unfair: Kate doesn’t want to be a goalie if Vin is on the other team.

• To be fair, it should be fit for their needs. (Tesia, 3/4R)
• Different ages might be more fit or can do things better. (Connor, 3/4R)

When discussing the third line, ‘the role of awareness in decision making’, students considered the need to be ‘responsible’ and make wise decisions as every decision has a consequence. They discussed how some of these consequences can be good and some consequences can be bad. It is necessary that we are responsible when making decisions. Students explored rules and laws that we have in the community and the consequences of systems not working. 

Term 1 Youth Ministry, kicked off with the Year 6 Journey With Jesus retreat run by CSYMA (Catholic Schools Youth Ministry Australia). Our Year5/6 students were then extended an invitation to continue diving deeper in their faith and doing mission in their own school through the Youth Ministry Team. This is run during Thursday lunchtimes.

So far, we worked on team building and developing peer to peer support networks so that everyone feels included, that their voice is heard and that they are a part of God’s BIG family.

In Week 8, three of our Youth Ministry Leaders, Lucy, Sara and Emilia beautifully shared their experience of the Sacrament of Reconciliation with the Year 3 students for the Reconciliation Retreat Day. In Week 9, the Youth Ministry Team were given the task of creating freeze frame dramas to illustrate the stations of the cross as a form of prayer. They were very excited to perform it for the younger students as a form of prayer for Holy Week.

Have a safe and peaceful Easter on behalf of the Youth Ministry Team, we hope to share more of our joy and faith with the school as the year progresses!

Students then spent some time inquiring into behaviour. Burning questions from students.....

• What are the different types of behaviour?
• How do I influence others?
• How does my behaviour connect to my family/ School/ Friends etc
• Do others influence me? 
• How can I influence my own behaviour?
• When/ why do I change my behaviour? 
• What environmental factors affect people’s behaviour?
• Is it nature or nurture that shapes someone’s behaviour?
• How can I be aware of others changing behaviour?
• What does it mean to self regulate?

Students spent time discussing how how values, rules and expectations are influenced by our parents, friends and school. These help us to regulate our behaviour.

I really liked going to Jindabyne because it was really fun to be outdoors for once and we got to do so many activities together as a class and that helped us build our trust skills together and partner up with someone different every time. When we were climbing Mount Kosciuszko there were a few people who were scared a bit of how high it was and how steep it was but they finally got over and they showed courage all the way to the top and back. - Declan

I enjoyed the food from camp and the activities such as climbing Mount Kosciuszko. I also enjoyed the movie night. - Emilia W

During camp I enjoyed the sliders, archery and the Kosciusko walk. Being at the top of Mount Kosciuszko was a big achievement! - Hollie

Camp was great fun! At camp we did many activities some highlights were definitely, getting to the top of MT Kosciuszko, archery, the slider trikes and hanging around the cabins. It was great to be with our friends and having so many new experiences. Freya 

At Jindabyne I loved the environment and the space around me. A challenge at Jindabyne was climbing Mount Kosciuszko. I thought it was a challenge because at some parts of the walk it was really tiring and hard to catch up with the whole group.
I also really loved the food. - Anastasia

At camp, I really liked spending time with my friends in our cabins and doing activities together. A highlight for me was the kayaking, and making it to the top of Mt Kosciuszko.   - Alessandra