The final term is underway and it’s sure to be a busy one. We have the Footsteps Dance program, the school concert, end of year excursions and for the Year 7 students, their graduation to prepare for. More information about these exciting coming events will be forthcoming. Of course, our usual learning will be taking place with the term 4 overview attached below.

SCIENCE and HASS

Our Science and HASS topics cover issues about sustainability, water and resources. One of our first lessons for science was a discussion about mining resources. We simulated the process with our ‘Birdseed Mining’ task. Hidden in the birdseed were various resources that had to be mined with tweezers. The cost of these resources went up and down depending on availability, difficulty of extraction and demand. After 15 minutes each group had to total up the dollar value of the resources they had collected. We discussed a variety of reasons that some groups were able to mine more resources than others.

BOARD GAMES

Over the first 2 weeks for homework, the students worked on constructing a board game to reflect aspects of being a good sport. This week we began playing these games in groups. I was really impressed by the variety of ideas and the amazing creativity and effort put into many of the games. Peer feedback was most positive. We will continue to play these games over the coming weeks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

TERM 4 OVERVIEW

SCIENCE

Some of Earth’s resources are renewable, including water that cycles through the environment, but others are non-renewable.

GEOGRAPHY

Classification of environmental resources and the forms that water takes as a resource. The way that flows of water connect places as they move through the environment and the way these affect places. The quantity and variability of Australia’s water resources compared with other continents. The nature of water scarcity and ways of overcoming it.

BUSINESS and ECONOMICS

Tradeoffs, opportunity costs, limited resources, prioritising and making sustainable choices.

TECHNOLOGIES

Digital technologies – using Grok Learning to explore aspects of coding.
Binary systems for computer coding.
Design technologies – Pageant float with buddy class.

HEALTH

Investigating reasons why young people choose to use or not use drugs, and proposing strategies to make informed choices. Exploring how family, peers, popular culture and the media influence how individuals interact and the choices they make in given situations.

MATHEMATICS

Patterns and algebra. Order of operations. Chance and Data. Cartesian planes. Data representation and Interpretation.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Table tennis skills, PE week 5 celebrations, Adelaide 36ers visit, Tae Kwon Do and Gymnastics.

ENGLISH

Class novel – a variety of short stories focussing on human relationships. Use comprehension strategies, focusing on critical literacy, to interpret and analyse information and ideas. Identifying and discussing similarities and differences between texts, including those by the same author or illustrator. Reading independently as well as in pairs and groups.

Activities to continually improve and expand vocabulary in writing. Drawing on personal knowledge, text analysis and information from a variety of sources to express or challenge a point of view. Spelling will focus on rules, patterns and strategies, as well as focussing on individual spelling errors. Rereading, editing own, and others’ work. Genre writing focussing on reviews.

The use of clear, persuasive language to role-play situations such as scripting and rehearsing how to refuse drugs that may be offered, such as medication, tobacco product or alcohol. Sharing ideas and responding to issues in class meetings and general discussions.

JAPANESE

Japanese challenge (continued), Hiragana and
Reviews.

PERFORMING ARTS

Consolidation of music and dance concepts covered over the year. Opportunities for students to demonstrate their musical ideas in their own compositions. Preparation for the end of year concert.

 

VISUAL ARTS

Continuation of Project on World issues and Digital Art. Multicultural art forms around the world.

LUTA DVD

Two copies of the LUTA DVD are doing the rounds of the students in the class to take home. We request that the DVD is only at home for one night and then returned so that the next person on the list is able to borrow it.