At our Junior School Assembly this week, we recognised personal best efforts in classrooms and specialist subjects for Semester Two. As Head of Junior School, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about what students had been doing in Terms 3 and 4 and this prestigious award acknowledges students who are consistently displaying our CGGS School Values of Respect, Integrity, Commitment, Hope and Courage in all aspects of their learning at Ormiston.
Congratulations to the following students.
CLASS AWARDS
Foundation – Mia S
Year 1 – Eugenie L
Year 2 – Alexandra L
Year 3 – Ajab Z
Year 4 – Annabelle Z
Year 5G – Ada L
Year 5S – Madeline L
Year 6G – Ava P
Year 6L – Elsa W
SPECIALIST AWARDS
Art F-3 – Isabelle-Rose S
Art 4-6 – Kyla C
Physical Education F-3 – Evangeline H
Physical Education 4-6 – Ivy X
Music F-3 – Madison A
Music 4-6- Ellie L
Library F-3 – Ruby L
Library 4-6 – Miah K
STEAM F-6 – Shreya S
Chinese Heritage F-4 – Faye L
Chinese Mainstream F-4 – Kenolee H
French 5-6 – Aanya R
Have a lovely weekend.
Paul Donohue
Head of Junior School
“If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it. Perhaps this is what Thoreau had in mind when he said, “the more slowly trees grow at first, the sounder they are at the core”, and I think the same is true for human beings.” – David Sobel
This year the children’s ‘kindness’ inquiry has led them on a complex journey of exploring and learning how to be kind to ourselves, people in our community, our environment and finally to all living things. This term, the children have been observing, caring, and engaging with silkworms. From tiny speckle eggs to long fat caterpillars and hopefully, silky cocoons, the children have learnt about the process of metamorphosis.
Scarlett captures their life cycle through a narrative shared during group time, “once upon a time there was a tiny little egg, it was so small you couldn’t see it and you needed to look in a microscope or else you might miss it. And then it hatched into a tiny little caterpillar, and it ate and ate and ate and ate until it was so fat, so fat it looked like a sausage, and then it made a soft and sticky cocoon and then it got so old it turned into a moth and flew to the moon. The end.”
Within the classroom, children are responsible for caring for and sourcing mulberry leaves to ensure their survival. Through intentional actions such as these, children develop their skills to care for all living and non-living creatures. These tiny creatures continue to have a huge presence in our classroom, creating space for children to observe and have moments of mindfulness and wonder; a space for singing and sharing; and a space for lively discussion with peers.
Wire is an interesting material and a rich medium that has inspired many artists and sculptors. The children were introduced to the medium of wire, as another language through which to express their thinking and ideas. They were encouraged to be researchers and to make observations about the wire and explore the possibilities of this material. They discovered how their hands could be used as tools to move and change the shape of the wire, fold, twist, and bend it, and join pieces together. The children had access to dowel and discovered how wire could be shaped into coils, loops, and spirals.
Wire was provided each day so the children could develop an understanding about the qualities of this material. Initially, the children explored the sensorial nature of wire and developed an understanding about the wire and what they could do with it. With time and opportunity, the children became more deliberate with their wire exploration and experimentation. They discovered the properties of wire – that it’s malleable, flexible, open-ended, and responsive. Using their new knowledge and acquired skills, the children began to create with intentionality.
The children were provided with an opportunity to view some photographs of the wire work of the sculptor Alexander Calder. The children were inspired by Calder’s sculptures Cirque Calder and Calder Faces and as open-minded thinkers, and creative communicators, used these as provocations as they created their own wire sculptures about birds and nests, people dancing and fishing, a bike in motion, and snails moving. The children used wire tools to shape and cut pieces of wire and this was challenging and required time, effort, and persistence.
During this learning opportunity, the children demonstrated their ability to think flexibly, creatively, and innovatively, within their own wire sculptures and to be risk takers and problem solvers as they engaged and expressed their ideas with an unfamiliar material. It is through these types of learning opportunities, that we cultivate a growth mindset and learning dispositions such as curiosity, enthusiasm, persistence, and imagination.
Angela Follacchio
Early Learning 4 Teacher
The children in Early Learning 3 have continued to show an ongoing interest in the seasonal changes that they have observed in the garden as they learn and play in the outdoor environments. The perfume from the sweet pea flowers has filled the air and bought many bugs and insects to visit. In particular, the children noticed the moths and butterflies visiting the garden. These observations have led us to explore the life cycle of a butterfly in more depth. As a part of this inquiry we have been observing the changes to a caterpillar and how it transforms into a butterfly.
We have observed the metamorphosis of the chrysalis using a kit, eagerly watching the transformation of a butterfly. We have been actively engaged in observational drawing centered around the chrysalis kit. This hands-on experience allowed them to express and document what they had witnessed, fostering a deeper connection with the transformative journey of the butterfly within the educational environment.
The children were able to see the changes to the chrysalis over time, watching a time lapse of a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly. This has helped the children grasp a deeper understanding of this process and how a caterpillar is able to change into a butterfly.
The children were captivated by the process and observed a beautiful Monarch Butterfly emerge, spreading its wings ready to take flight.
Archan – It wiggled around and then it hatched from the chrysalis. It grew its wings.
Vianna – We took it outside with the flowers so that it could go to its Mummy and Daddy butterflies.
Alison – The butterfly flew up to the tree. It used its wings.
Giselle – They turn to the cocoon. The caterpillar turned to a cocoon and then a butterfly came out and then it flew away. She’s going to find it’s Dad and Mum.
Jacqui Laird
Early Learning 3 Teacher
Last Wednesday 15th November, the Year 6 Band students took part in the Victorian School Band Festival held at the Hawthorn Arts Centre. They performed very well and received very encouraging feedback from the adjudicators. The group was awarded a Gold Shield in response to their performance and the adjudicators provided some really helpful tips on how to improve as an ensemble. The students also had the opportunity to listen to other schools perform a wide variety of pieces, and really enjoyed the opportunity to engage as listeners in the audience.
Rohan Mack & Kate Savige
Directors of Music
All Foundation – Year 6 students were involved in a range of choirs and ensemble performances at the Choral and Instrumental Concert in the Barbara Sutton Hall last week. The CGGS community of family, friends and staff enjoyed a wide variety of performances, with all students presenting an entertaining evening of music. We thank the Semester 2 Music Leaders, Kasey H and Alina X for being wonderful hosts and congratulate our Music staff and all ensemble and choirs members for their high quality performances. The concert was a positive end to a productive year of music-making at Ormiston!
Rohan Mack & Kate Savige
Directors of Music
This term, Year 1 students have been investigating the farm to plate process and exploring different types of farms and growing conditions. As part of their learning, they took part in an excursion to Myuna Farm. Throughout the day, students participated in were several hands-on experiences and had the chance to see aspects of a working farm.
Some of the activities they enjoyed were, seeing baby animals in the nursery, learning how to milk a goat, looking at different poultry and comparing egg sizes, feeding animals in the paddocks, grinding buckwheat into flour and looking at the process of making bread. The train ride to the wetlands was also a highlight and seeing a colony of 18, 000 fruit bats! The students were able to use some of the new vocabulary they learnt this term and make connections with the learning that has already taken place in the classroom.
The following students were keen to share their thoughts on the day:
Ruby – I liked feeding the camel because it tickled my hand.
Eugenie – I enjoyed the train ride because it was fun and bumpy.
Isabella – I enjoyed the train ride to the wetlands because the bats were amazing to see.
Charlene – my favourite part was the nursery because a lamb licked me and butt my hat.
I would like to extend my sincerest thanks to our parent helpers on the day and congratulate the Year 1 students on their enthusiasm, curiosity and teamwork.
Angela Columbine
Year 1 Classroom Teacher
Year 3 students have been studying Space in their Inquiry this term, focusing on understanding how the rotation of the Earth on its axis causes day and night. STEAM sessions using torches and balls to model the movement of the Earth helped the students reinforce their learning in a hands-on way.
Each student had the opportunity to use the Clips app on their iPad to create a short animation using the prompt ‘I used to think… but now I think…’. This encouraged them to reflect on how their thinking developed and changed over the course of the unit.
To finish the unit, the class took part in a timed escape room challenge, ‘Destination Moon’, using teamwork and critical thinking to solve a series of puzzles related to space exploration: calculating the distance a spacecraft had travelled, putting together electrical circuits, building rockets, exploring the phases of the moon and much more! Thanks to the excellent collaboration and problem solving skills the Year 3s displayed, we were able to solve the challenge as a class with only moments to spare.
Penny Dumsday
STEAM Teacher
Year 6 students have designed, carved into lino and made multiple prints of a scene from their time in the Ormiston playground. Students were inspired by Australian artists – Ethel Spowers and Charles Blackman.
The Year 5 students learnt about staircases, drawn detailed sketches of various staircases, explored the staircases at Junior school and finally designed and built, out of different construction materials, a ‘Staircase to somewhere’.
Year 4 students have studied tigers, in particular their facial features. Over the term they have created a range of tiger artworks. The final art task was a mixture of drawing, painting, printing and collage.
Year 3 students have looked at the artwork of Indigenous artist, Minnie Pwerle. They created artworks in her style using magiclay and they also used poly sheets to make prints with acrylic paints.
Year 2 have been creating artworks with a ‘sweet’ theme. Here are their bowls of various delicious sweets made from air dry clay.
Year 1 Art Club students have been completing artworks relating to The Sea. One of the tasks was to study an assortment of sea shells, looking closely at each shell to enable them to draw all the small details.
Foundation students have been looking at dragons, in particular their special features and abilities. They have used markers, paints and clay to create artworks on this theme.
Over many weeks the EL4 students have worked hard at a Christmas sewing piece. First they discussed and drew Christmas symbols, then traced and coloured a symbol onto a piece of hessian fabric. Then they used a needle and wool to sew simple running stitches around the outside of their design.
Fiona Gibson
Art Teacher
Once again, our Year 5 and 6 Junior School students demonstrated their interest in the scientific world through participation in the Science Talent Search, a long running annual competition created to foster a love of all things Science.
31 students participated in the competition, with a diverse range of entries, including research into insulating homes effectively, a scientific poster about robots saving lives, a computer program to teach students about smart homes and scientific photographs exploring leaf transformations.
Congratulations to all of the students who worked hard to create high quality entries while enjoying the process at the same time. Along with merit and distinction awards, the following students were awarded bursaries and medals.
Major Bursary
Minor Bursary
Dr Charlotte Forwood
Director of Learning Design and Development
Junior School Science Talent Search Coordinator
This semester we were the Social Service Leaders. Some of the projects that we hosted, helped and created were the Winter Warmth Appeal, Drawing Club, Games Club and the Christmas Toy Appeal. The reason for doing the two appeals was so that we, as a community, could help the less fortunate during hard times that they are going through. The Winter Warmth Appeal was created because we could help the less fortunate during the harsh weather. We also held the Toy Appeal because it’s almost Christmas time and we would like to give joy to the children that couldn’t receive any gifts this year. Our Games Club and Drawing Club were created to bring people from different year levels together so they can make new friends. It was fun to have this role because we get to interact with others, as well as having some funny times this semester. We also thank Mr. Goodwin and the Student Council for helping us, as well as attending the meetings at lunch.
Alina H & Claire N
Year 6 – Semester Two Social Service Leaders
