Welcome to our Term 2 Edition of Inspiring Connections. We hope you all enjoy reading and viewing some of the rich learning experiences that have occured here at Holy Trinity. 

This Term we focused on the Learner Profile Attibutes of...

RISK TAKERS and COMMUNICATORS

Students will have the confidence to try new things. They try to solve problems in a lot of ways. They have the courage to tell people what they think is right.

Activities for Parents:
If your child is feeling uneasy about trying something, encourage them to attempt it and then reflect on both whether they liked the activity and how it felt to try something new.
You child might want to set some short-term goals. Consider activities that make him/her nervous. What are realistic goals for the week? Your child might set a goal to:
- Offer an opinion in class
- One recess with someone they might not usually play with
- Order something different from the lunch menu
- Try an activity they haven’t tried before
- Be careful to explain to your child the difference between being a risk-taker by trying new things and doing dangerous things.

Students who are COMMUNICATORS are able to think and communicate in more than one language.  They can express their ideas by speaking, drawing and writing.  They can also communicate using mathematical language and symbols.  

How can parents develop students who are communicators at home?

• Encourage your child to stay in touch with relatives and friends who live in other countries by writing letters, using the phone or sending email.
• When working on mathematics homework, encourage your child to explain his/her answer to you orally or by drawing a picture.
• Ask your child thought provoking questions and encourage them to discuss them with you. For example:
• What would you do if you were scared of someone at school?
• Is there anything you cannot buy with money?
• Should you get an allowance? Why or why not?
• Work with your child to improve his/her listening skills. Being a good listener is an important part of communicating with others. 

Have a wonderful break, and stay warm.

Katie and Brendon

PYP Coordinators 

Transdisciplinary Theme

How we Express Ourselves

Central Idea

Expression Requires Consideration of Self and Others

Lines of inquiry

• Ways humans express feelings and ideas
• How expression of ideas affects well being
• Why we need to consider others before expressing ourselves

Concepts

• Form
• Causation
• Responsibility

Learner Profile

• Reflection
• Thinkers
• Communicators

Learning Experiences

Identifying emotions in ourselves and others.

Exploring how artists such as Picasso, Kandinsky and Mondrian express themselves.

Used cooking to express ourselves when we made pizza’s, domino biscuits and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Explored Aboriginal symbol used in artworks as a way to express story. Celebrated Reconciliation Day with Sean’s grandmother and father.

Immersed ourselves in dance and song to explore musical expression.

Engaged in role play to express ourselves in job roles. Celebrated costume, accessories and jewellery to express ourselves.

Adventuring outdoors to express ourselves physically – active play, organised games, Athletics Carnival and neighbourhood exploration.

Read “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” and experienced how we could fill one another’s buckets in the classroom.

Participated in the Global Schools Partner fundraiser with Crazy Hair and Sock Day to express ourselves creatively and developing a Coin Heart with coins donated to raise funds for our GSP school.

Visited the residents of Fred Ward Gardens and presented them with handmade cards and gifts and performed a song.

Holy Trinity Primay School is proudly an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering the IB programme 'Primary Years Programme' (PYP) from ELC to Year 6.  We are one of 5,088 IB World Schools in 156 countries that shares in the vision of empowering young people with the knowledge, skills and values to create a better and more peaceful world.

Our PYP is universal in its outlook, providing an education that crosses disciplinary, cultural, national and geographical boundaries. As IB educators, we aim to develop internationally-minded people who recognise human commonalities and the importance of shared guardianship of the planet.

At the heart of the PYP is the IB learner profile, which consists of ten attributes that reflect the holistic nature of an IB education: inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers. These cognitive, social, emotional and physical well-being attributes are developed over time, helping our students learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them.

IB programmes provide a curriculum framework that is broad, balanced, conceptual and connected. In the PYP, learning aims to transcend traditional boundaries between subject areas. Content (knowledge and skills) is drawn from the Australian Curriculum and explored under six transdisciplinary themes of global significance: Who We Are, Where We Are in Place and Time, How We Express Ourselves, How the World Works, How We Organize Ourselves, and Sharing the Planet. As IB educators, it is our aim to create a transdisciplinary curriculum that is engaging, relevant, significant and challenging.

The approaches to teaching in an IB school are grounded in contemporary educational research. In all IB programmes, teaching is based on inquiry and focused on conceptual understanding. Students are provided with opportunities to engage in sustained inquiries into a range of local and global issues. Conceptual understanding allows students to make connections in their learning and transfer understanding to new contexts. We focus on effective teamwork and collaboration - between students, and also between students and teachers. 

Learning how to learn is fundamental to a student’s education. To support the development of self-regulated learners, there are five categories of transdisciplinary skills in each programme: thinking skills, research skills, communication skills, social skills and self-management skills. The development of these interrelated skills helps to foster students’ sense of agency, their metacognitive skills, and their understanding that learning is active and dynamic.

As an IB school, we are committed to fostering inquiring, knowledgeable and caring students, in the hope that they will build a better world through intercultural understanding and respect.

How The World Works

An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; humans and their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.

Central Idea:

Observations lead to understanding

Lines of Inquiry:

An inquiry into patterns in the natural world

An inquiry into using patterns to make predictions

An inquiry into the consequences of disrupting a natural cycle

Provocation

Kinder began this unit with a provocation, where they were asked to make a pinwheel but were not given instructions. The students were shown the end product and left to work out how to do it by themselves. Some children felt very frustrated, others worked in teams to work it out. Afterwards, with many confused students, we discussed how they could have been more successful in creating their pinwheel. Most students said they would have been successful if they had listened to instructions and watched someone else make one first.

Patterns in the Natural World

After the provocation, Kinder discussed which skills they needed to be able to understand the instructions. They discussed using observation skills to gain an understanding. Then, they applied these skills to find patterns. The students found patterns in the natural world, around our school and created their own patterns. The students also explored patterns in cycles such as the seasons, day and night, days of the week and the water cycle.

Using Patterns to Make Predictions

With their new knowledge of patterns, seasons and the water cycle, Kinder made predictions about the weather.

The Consequences of Disrupting a Natural Cycle

Kinder explored what the consequences would be if we disrupted a natural cycle, such as the water cycle. They looked for reasons why the water cycle would be disrupted, the impact on the environment and people and ways to take action to help the environment.

This term in Italian the students have continued to practice their ability to speak, read, listen and write. Kindergarten has been learning about numbers, days of the week, seasons and the weather. Year 1 studied about Italian currency and shopping at the markets in Italy, while Year 2 was busy discovering about Italian housing. Years 3 and 4 have been inquiring about the human body systems and have written and performed role-plays. 5/6 created Italian alphabet books and learnt about the schooling system in Italy.

Questo trimestre in italiano gli studenti hanno continuato a praticare la loro capacità di parlare, leggere, ascoltare e scrivere. L'asilo ha imparato a conoscere i numeri, i giorni della settimana, le stagioni e il tempo. L'anno 1 ha studiato la valuta italiana e lo shopping nei mercati in Italia, mentre l’anno 2 era impegnato a scoprire l'edilizia italiana. Gli anni 3 e 4 sono stati informati sui sistemi del corpo umano e hanno scritto ed eseguito giochi di ruolo. 5/6 ha creato libri di alfabeto italiano e ha studiato il sistema scolastico in Italia.

How the world works

An inquiry into how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and the environment.

Central idea: The application of scientific principles leads to efficient use of energy.

Key concepts

• Form
• Function
• Causation

Learner profile

• Thinkers
• Inquirers
• Risk-takers

Lines of inquiry

1. The understanding of forces and energies
2. Practical use of forces and energies
3. Efficient use of energy

Provocation: Year 1 were set a challenge! In small groups, students were provided with a selection of everyday materials and had to use the materials to create something that moved. They had to plan and label a design; collaborate in a group; demonstrate and explain the materials they used; and demonstrate how their creation moved.

Questacon: All of Year 1 participated in an excursion to Questacon to enhance their understanding of the six scientific principles and how the world works. The students enjoyed exploring all the hands-on displays, watching the colour show, creating rockets and some even enjoyed the challenge of braving the big drop slide!

We investigated the six scientific principles through a series of mini lessons where we researched and recorded our ideas. We also looked at examples of simple machines and organised them based on their scientific principles.

We engaged in the scientific process to design and create a range of games. These included; marble run, straw roller-coaster, foosball tables, paper planes, catapults and the Archimede’s Screw.

Lastly, we explored our school playground, the inside of our school, the kitchen garden and our classrooms in search of practical uses of the six scientific principles. We discovered that our school is full of examples of levers (to open doors and turn on taps), incline planes (ramps and slides), screws (they are everywhere holding everything together), wedge (bike racks and the parallel bars we love to slide and swing down, wheel and axle (the wheelie bins and the teachers desk chairs) and pulley (classroom blinds). We also worked hard to try to explain how each of these six scientific principles make our lives easier and are an efficient use of energy.

Throughout term two, students from year one and the three/four classes have been undertaking outreach singing excursions to the local care facility, Fred Ward Gardens. During these visits the students do not ‘perform’ but instead reach out to the residents through song with the intention of encouraging the residents to sing with them. By singing together, our young people are able to connect with the residents through shared music making.

Prior to these excursions students explore the idea of outreach with a particular focus on the concepts of connection and responsibility. Students look at how music connects people in our community, the types of songs that are best for outreach singing and how our song choice will impact on our ability to make connections with the residents at Fred Ward Gardens.

Students also explore the concept of responsibility and look at why visiting residents in care facilities within our community is important.

They are encouraged to reflect on how their visit will impact on the lives of the people they are singing with.

• They might feel lonely
• They might be bored
• We can sing with them to make them feel better
• If they miss their families or are sad, we can cheer them up
• So they can remember when they were kids
• So we can bring them happy music
• We are a big group of kids and they don’t have kids live there
• So they know they are not forgotten
• To make them happy and feel better
• We can make them feel welcome
• To sing songs they used to sing
• So they get happy

Reflections from Year One on why visiting residents at Fred Ward is important       

Outreach singing visits are an authentic and powerful means of students taking action and making change in their community.  The response of the residents provides students with immediate feedback. The students can clearly see the effect of their visit and their singing on the residents. Being part of an activity which brings such joy to others is an empowering experience.

Lines of Inquiry

• Different forms of housing 

• The properties of different materials

• Materials are chosen to meet a particular need/purpose

Function                   Form                 Causation

Provocation - Build a structure using select material

Check out this great resource we used in our UOI.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF HOUSES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Form: Building a structure 

Students built structures using natural resources outside (sticks, stones, dirt, leaves etc)

They used their knowledge of types of structures from around the world to build a structure that could withstand certain environmental influences.

How to make a mud brick

Student voice 

"My group and me could have added streets to our house. We also could have added a door and windows". 

"Having a warm house is good if you dont want to get sick". 

"Bricks and concrete are strong materials and if it snows or rains the rain will slide off the roof and the snow will also slide off the roof". 

"In our house design we would be comfortable because it would be warm inside and no one would get sick". 

"People don't get wet because of the walls and roof. People won't get hot or cold in Summer, Autumn, Spring and Winter because of the insulation". 

Building Materials and Properties

A material is any substance that has a name. For example: paper, wood, iron, water, clay, plastic.Everything is made up of materials. When we want to make something we need to choose the best material for the job.

The property of a material is something about it that we can measure, see or feel and helps us decide whether or not it is the best material.

We can use many natural materials and by working with them change them into man-made substances, for example paper is made from wood.

flexible     strong weak     waterproof soft     brittle smooth rough

fire resistant    water repellent insulator   light   

We carried out science experiments around insulation and absorbancy. 

Art - Streetscape and one point house drawing

Each group was given a picture of a type of house in Italy. 

“We see…” and “We wonder…”

“Ecco il mio trullo.”

 La pietra, il tetto, la finestra, la porta, il simbolo

Decisions have a range of consequences

An inquiry into:

1.The process of decision making 

     2. Consequences of decision making

3. Evaluating ideas and opinions of others    

Quotes from Students after the provocation. 

“you tricked us”

“that’s not fair”

“I would have made a different choice if I had known the rules” 

Excursion to Ginninderry 

Advertisments for Ginninderry

Decision Making Processes

Rather than make no decision at all or a snap decision, in Year 2 we are learning about how to make responsible decisions by following this process. 

We look forward to applying our decision making steps to make improvements to the Kitchen Garden area. 

After a quick look through my day book for term 2 I can see that we have been rather busy. We have read many, many beautiful books that tie into all the different Units of Inquiry. Topics covered include:

Digital technologies – past present and future, designing and redesigning a range of buildings, natural disasters and services to help, the purpose of pulleys and levers, predicting outcomes, changes in the environment over time, diversity and cultural awareness, the different systems in the human body, decisions made and consequences that result, explorers across the world, the concept of ‘from little things big things grow’ with scientific discoveries, researching effectively using google and finally writing a bibliography citing sources used.

Lots of children are borrowing every single week and love reporting back on books that have ‘hooked’ them. I take a roll each week and praise the 100% borrowers. I remind others to read more to grow more.

Next term we have Book Week (check out the CBCA website to find out the theme for 2019) and a Book Fair to look forward to.

God Bless,

Kate x

Year 3/4 Inspiring Connections Term 2 2019

 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: Survival relies on interconnected systems.

Lines of Inquiry:

• The workings of systems
• The consequences of interrupting a system
• The interdependent and interconnected nature of systems

 Learner Profile:

• Caring
• Inquirer
• Balanced

Students discussed the attributes of the Learner Profiles to be focused on in this UOI. Students unpacked the actions and qualities demonstrated through each Learner Profile.

Concepts:

• Function
• Causation
• Connection

Provocation: 3/4 Questacon Excursion - Students participated in activities and investigations into the human body and its systems. Students explored the new ‘Born or Built’ exhibition which examines similarities and differences between humans and machines as well as our shared future and the choices we will make to get there.

Students completed a reflection about the excursion and how it connected to the key terms in our central idea.

Students came up with Burning Questions. They then answered their own or others and presented their findings to the class through differnt ways including oral presentation, posters, kahoot and keynote presentations.

Breaking Open Central Idea: Students investigated around the school, to locate artefacts (symbols, items, images, objects) that represent the words ‘survival’, ‘relies’, ‘interconnected’ and ‘system’.

Exploring Human Body Systems: In collaborative groups, students prepared a mini-lesson for the class about a system of the human body. Students included information on the function of the system and key facts.

Maths: Learners looked at the Guinness Book of World Records to see records of the  length of various human body parts. They then had to be creative in how they represented this information.

Maths: Learners took measurements of their body parts, put them into order from shortest to longest. They then created the real length of their body using pieces of paper.

Maths: Learners watched clips of how typically our body made a square (arms are as long as our legs). We then looked at how some elite sports people who have longer arms than legs or vice versa. We then brain stormed what sports they would be good at. Learners then tested their bodies outside to see if their arms or legs were longer.

Assessment: Learners chose a system of their choice. They descirbed how the system worked. They then used their analytical skills to assess if something interrupted their system what would the consequences be. Students presented their work through different ways.

Student Voice:

I have learnt a lot about how all the organs and parts of each system work together. (Alessandra P S, 3/4 Green) 

The immune system doesn’t only keep you healthy it also fights off bacteria. (Felix H, 3/4 Green) 

The heart beats roughly 15,000 times per day. Plasma makes up roughly 55% of human blood. (William H, 3/4 Green) 

The circulatory system is responsible for transporting nutrients and oxygen throughout your body. (Xavier I-G, 3/4 Green) 

I discovered that digestive system is connected to all the systems in the body. (Elizabeth L, 3/4 White) 

I discovered that eating healthy food and exercising is important as this is a way to look after the systems in body. (Sara W, 3/4 White) 

Smoking can cause lung cancer, asthma and emphysema. (Tom B, 3/4 White) 

I discovered that the human body does not produce more muscles they just get bigger as you get stronger. (Adelaide, 3/4 White) 

I realised that your heart has its own process. For example the brain does not tell the heart to beat. (Avalon, 3/4 White)

 I discovered that our hair is actually dead, the only part which is alive is at the root of the hair stem. (Katie, 3/4 White) 

I enjoyed having the opportunity to listen to my heart beat. (Juliet H, 3/4 White)

“I found the skeletal system very interesting because I learnt a lot of new facts including how many bones we have in our body and analysing various research for my information report.” (Lucas 3/4 Blue)

“I enjoyed the digestive system research as I learnt the process of where our food goes after we eat it. As well as other systems that take part in its function.” (Liam Nash, 3/4 Blue)

“I found creating my pamphlet engaging because I enjoyed listing my opinions and facts.” (Robert, 3/4 Blue)

“I loved writing the information report. I learnt lots of new things like where my heart is located and how big it is.” (Neha, 3/4 Blue)

“Doing my newspaper report was the best part of the unit because I could make my bones come alive.” (Alice, 3/4 Blue)

“I enjoyed learning about what made up our Skeletal system. I found it hard to find all the bones in the skull.” (Emily Hanley, 3/4 Blue)

What we enjoyed the most?

Daniel: Just having the leadership and at the carnivals we got to help out such as bring back the equipment. 

Ella: Being able to have responsibility and to hire out the equipment plus talking to the kids. 

Rachel: Having the opportunity to talk to new kids and also having some responsibility plus doing all the carnivals with the sports group!

What we do?

As a sports group we hire out equipment as responsibility. We also pack up and set up tennis. We put out the pole protectors for safety and we look after the sports shed for the school community.

When we do it?

We do lunch times and recess equipment hiring as a team. We clean out the sports shed on Fridays. We have team meetings on a Friday every two weeks and we are always open to new ideas and suggestions plus for some feed back. 

How we take on the leadership role through the sports group?

We like to talk to the school about what we do in the sports group. We helped and organised activities during the “walk to school week”.

The sports group thank and praise Mr Feerick for all the opportunity’s, support, and trust he gave the group over this semester. We also thank Mr Bugden and Ms Lee for helping out and attending the meetings with new ideas.

Written by: Ella Swales, Daniel Barbertano and Rachel Hofmeier

GLOBAL PARTNER SCHOOL- EVALAND HEKMA

By The Christian Outreach Team

This term The Christian outreach group has been fundraising and promoting for our Global Partner School, Evaland Hekma in Kenya. We are raising money for them to get new ELC toilets and new metal frame beds for the boarding school. Every two weeks the Christian Outreach team has been running different fundraisers for all the students and teachers to get involved and help us reach our goal of $2000.

 

The fundraisers we have done this term are:

- CUPCAKE STALL - $562

- The MOVIE DAY - $556.50

- CRAZY HAIR AND SOCK DAY - $425.10

- COIN HEART - $1347.10

Bringing our total to: $2891 with one fundraiser to go!!

We would like to say thank you to the Holy Trinity Community for supporting Evaland Hekma. We look forward to sharing the outcome of out fundraising with you all later in the year!