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State Parliament Excursion

Yesterday we headed to Sydney for our excursion to State Parliament. We were lucky enough to get a surprise visit from the Premier during our tour and role play of the lower house. After our parliament visit we enjoyed a lunch break in Hyde Park, followed by a trip to the Australian Museum. A big thank you to the wonderful parents who attended – Karen, Monique, Kristen and Mary. Check out the photos and video below. 

Canberra – Day 2

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Our day began early with a visit to the Australian War Memorial. In small groups, students were taken on a tour and learnt about all the different aspects and history of the War Memorial. Some of the highlights were visiting the tomb of the unknown solider, the wall of remembrance and the light and sound shows. Students were able to place their poppies which they made at school in the tomb of the unknown solider. I was so impressed by how well our students conducted themselves, showed respect and represented our school with pride.

We then visited the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House where students wore some white gloves to explore historical artefacts and learn about the history of federation.

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Next we headed to the CSIRO. Students got to participate in a variety of hands-on science workshops and also got to watch a 3D film.

After a long day it was time to return to camp. Students enjoyed dinner and then rugged up for an evening visit to Telstra Tower. It was absolutely freezing at the top of the tower but the amazing views of the city was well worth it.

Coming up… Day 3!

Canberra – Day 1

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After a couple of comfort stops and lunch in the Rose Gardens, our first Canberra activity was a visit to Parliament House. Before our tour, we visited the roof to check out the amazing view. We were then taken on a tour by a lovely guide named John, who shared his wealth of knowledge with us and answered some excellent questions from students. At the end of the tour we participated in a parliament role-play (video below) where students certainly got into character! When leaving Parliament House, some of our group made a beeline for the camera crew who happened to be filming outside. The students were excited to meet and get some photos with Seven political reporter Mark Riley. I wonder if we made the 6pm news?


It was then time to set off for our accommodation at Camp Cottermouth. After settling in and enjoying dinner and dessert, it was time for Games Night – organised by the one and only Mrs Bowman. Students got into groups of 5 and selected 1 team member for each cryptic clue given: most fashionable; the strongest; the bravest; biggest mouth; and most wrapped up in themselves. Each clue corresponded to a challenge to complete – the strongest took part in a ‘plank-off’; the biggest mouth had to eat a dry weetbix; the bravest had to blow up a balloon until it burst; the most fashionable had an outfit and accessories designed for them out of newspaper and the most wrapped up in themselves had to make themselves into a mummy using toilet paper (the video below is priceless!). Bonus points were also awarded during 2 dance-offs. Once all the toilet paper and newspaper was cleaned up, it was Milo and biscuits for supper then off to bed!


Stay tuned for the next post… Day 2!

Lions and Tigers and Bears- Oh my!

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Yesterday we had our Stage 3 excursion to Taronga Zoo as part of our Global Environments unit. We were able to explore the zoo in small groups thanks to our wonderful parent helpers – Mr Tregilgas, Mrs Eastwood, Mrs Cooper, Mr Rodger, Mr Wasson and Ms Harris. Some of the highlights were the amazing flight show, the new Lemur adventure trail and watching the elephants get a hose down. Well done to everyone for their terrific behaviour. Enjoy the photos below!

Rainforest Competition

This week students combined art with HSIE to participate in the Wet Tropics rainforest poster competition. This involved creating a poster to persuade visitors to sustainably explore the rainforest and reef whilst being mindful of the area’s unique plants and animals. Winners will receive prizes from the competition sponsors Skyrail and Big Cat Green Island Cruises and also have their work featured in next year’s calendar. Well done to the students who completed a poster for entry.

Taronga Zoo

We’re going to the Zoo! Our end of term excursion, as part of our Global Environments HSIE unit,  has been confirmed for Wednesday 9th April (Week 11) at a cost of $40 per student.

Attached below is the permission note and medical information form.

Taronga Zoo Excursion Note 2014          MEDICAL INFORMATION for excursions 2014

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I will be contacting parents this week, who indicated that they would like to attend this excursion with us.

Global Environments

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As part of our study of the HSIE unit Global Environments, students learnt about rainforests this week.

Below are several examples from our talented students who have done an amazing job writing descriptions about this type of environment. Enjoy!

 

The fern green leaves dripped with moisture, hot and humid, sticky and alive.

Ants the size of erasers march alongside decaying tangerine leaves… beetles and crickets beware!

The smell of rotting flesh stifles the scent of fresh rain, but in the shallows, sanctuary is found as the waterfall pounds the rocks below.

 
Anteaters, ocelots, jaguars and panthers crawl, pounce and trot.  Eating ants and each other, silent and deadly.

 
A gigantic fleshy flower the size of a car tyre, rose red with alabaster spots, smelling like rotting flesh, attracting flies like a beacon from miles around.

 
Gigantic trees tower into the sky like giant green skyscrapers, hosting life, like their city counterparts. Vines hanging to and fro, tree to tree, caramel and tawny-coloured wood dotted with pickle-coloured moss and tan lichen.

 
Tarsiers hunt in darkness, gigantic eyes, never blinking , always watching. Snakes hunt for marmosets, while the eerie ‘tap, tap, tap’ of the aye – ayes search for wood grubs in complete darkness.

 
Dawn comes as tree frogs jump and dart away from predatory tarantulas. Bromeliads host life in tiny pools amongst the boughs of giants.

Toucans pluck fruit from the boughs that grow upon the trees, epiphytes leech nutrients from their gigantic hosts, while some merely grow upon pockets of collected earth, such as the magenta bromeliads forming tiny pools in-between their leaves, but to their inhabitants it is a gigantic lake, although still full of life.

Eagles soar above the tree tops, hunting their quarry with telescope like vision. Bats roam the skies at night – silhouettes across the inky black sky, dotted with millions upon millions of stars, but not for long – the age of man has come!

Written by Oliver

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The Rainforest

The fresh, cool rain drizzled, revitalising the dark green forest, slowly trailing down the leaves, only to fall onto the trunk of the tree. It found its way to the roots of the magnificent redwood tree, where it would then be absorbed into the soft moss that carpeted the forest floor.

The usually small creek that puddled in the middle of the forest now cuts through like a cold, metallic knife. The cold, refreshing water eventually pounds over a forceful drop, ending up at a calm and tranquil lake, where all the native forest animals, such as leopards and jaguars drink, if the rainfall is good.

The dark green canopy of trees stood above the forest like silent protectors, ready to take the weight of anything nature had to throw at them, such as ferocious lightning, rain-storms, and extreme wind.

Written by Rory

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The thunder rolled around the lush shamrock-coloured ferns that lived all around the rainforest.

The 350 year old beech trees sheltered a lot of the heavy downfall from the younger, more vulnerable shrubbery beneath.

The swift speeding rapids of the freshly made stream tumbled over the rocks adding to the amplified sound of the thunder as lightning flashed across the sky, striking trees alight, only to be extinguished by rain and the saturated mossy wood.

The animals scampered around the trees looking for some substantial shelter beneath the undergrowth. Even the jaguars stalked away from the usually irresistible smaller game running around helplessly to escape the extreme downpour.

This is the rainforest.

Written by Dan

Welcome back for Term 4!

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Welcome back to what is shaping up to be another busy and exciting term for the OC!

Next week (Tuesday) our Stage 3 students will enjoy a trip to the movies and lunch at the Foreshore as their reward for running last term’s Year 6 Fair. Notes were handed out first day back and need to be returned to the office by tomorrow. The cost is $5 and they may bring spending money for the movies on the day if they wish.

Coming up in Week 3 is our Very Short Film Festival screening night at Hamilton Public school. Our students worked really hard making these films last term so fingers crossed we have made it into the top ten. Students and families are invited to attend this screening night and I will send home more information closer to the date.

In our Literature Circles this term students will be studying the novel Mao’s Last Dancer as part of our HSIE topic on China. Students have already begun their preparations for NaNoWriMo – National November Writing month. To get us ready for novel writing, students will be publishing some of their writing each week on their blogs so make sure to have a look!

Our excursions this term will include a visit to the CSIRO where our class scientist Dr Graeme works. Later in the term we will be taking part in a regional OC program called Thinkfest which will involve an excursion to Jewells Public school to present our work.

The other big events taking place this term are of course Presentation Day and the Year 6 Farewell in Week 10. Be sure to check the OC Event page as I will be updating this regularly to keep you up to date.

HSIE Term 3

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This term students will be studying the HSIE unit Gold! which will culminate with our 3 day excursion to Bathurst at the end of this term. Thank you to the families who have already made substantial or full payments for our excursion. If you have any questions regarding our excursion please let me know.

Below are some tagxedos and glogs students have made to begin our work on Gold!
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