Mentone Park Primary School acknowledges the Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners of the land on which we learn and play.

We value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and cultures’ and recognise their connection to lands, waters and communities.

We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Over the past 18 months, our staff have been committed to strengthening two key areas across our school, consistent routines and explicit instruction. These approaches are based on educational research and are having a significant impact on student learning, wellbeing and engagement.

You may have noticed some of the routines we have introduced and consistently reinforced across the school. Whether it is students lining up before class, entering learning spaces calmly, walking safely around the school, using SHINE, or eating together in class circles, these routines are intentionally taught and practised. They help create a safe, calm and predictable environment where students know what is expected and can focus on learning.

At the same time, our teachers have been implementing explicit instruction in every classroom. This approach ensures that learning is clear, structured and responsive to students' needs. Teachers clearly explain new learning, model skills and concepts, provide opportunities for practice, and regularly check for understanding.

Together, strong routines and high-quality teaching create the conditions for every student to thrive. We are proud of the progress our students and staff have made over the past 18 months, and we look forward to continuing this important work in partnership with our families.

Staff Professional Learning Day

At Mentone Park Primary School, we are committed to delivering a knowledge-rich curriculum using evidence-based teaching practices. We believe that when teachers continue to learn and develop their expertise, students receive the highest quality teaching and learning.

While students were enjoying a day away from school last Monday, our staff participated in a Professional Learning Day focused on the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0) and The Resilience Project. This professional learning strengthened our understanding of effective teaching practices and student wellbeing, supporting our ongoing commitment to ensuring every student can learn, thrive and succeed.

A special thank you to Mrs Free (Literacy Leader), Mrs Drummond (Numeracy Leader) and Mrs Guthrie (Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader) for leading these sessions and sharing their expertise with staff. Their leadership plays an important role in supporting continuous improvement across our school. 

Families may have noticed the strong emphasis we place on routines throughout the school day. These routines are intentionally taught and consistently reinforced across all year levels.

Examples include:

• Lining up calmly before entering classrooms
• Entering learning spaces quietly
• Walking safely when moving around the school
• Eating lunch together in class circles

While these routines may seem simple, they play an important role in creating a safe, calm and predictable environment for all students. Consistent expectations across the school help our students know what is expected of them, reduce anxiety, maximise learning time, and foster a strong sense of belonging.

Explicit Instruction: Supporting Every Student to Learn with Clarity and Confidence

Alongside our focus on routines, we have been implementing explicit instruction as a key teaching approach across the school. Aligned with the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0), explicit instruction ensures learning is clear, well-structured and responsive, enabling all students to engage deeply and experience success.

What is Explicit Instruction?

Explicit instruction means teachers:

• Clearly explain what students are learning and why
• Break learning into manageable steps
• Model new skills and concepts
• Provide regular opportunities for students to practise
• Check students' understanding throughout lessons and respond accordingly

These frequent "Opportunities to Respond" help teachers monitor student progress and adjust teaching to meet students' needs.

What Students Might Notice in the Classroom

When learning through explicit instruction, students may:

• Hear teachers clearly explain and model new ideas
• Respond frequently during lessons by thinking, speaking, writing or demonstrating their understanding
• Practise skills together before moving to independent work
• Receive timely feedback that helps them improve and succeed

By combining strong routines with high-quality explicit instruction, we are creating learning environments where students can focus, participate confidently, and achieve their best.

Learn More: What is Explicit Instruction?

Families who would like to learn more are encouraged to watch this short two-minute explainer video by Dr Nathaniel Swain, an Australian researcher and expert in teaching and learning.

Dr Swain clearly explains what explicit instruction looks like in classrooms and why it is such an effective approach for supporting student learning.

Video Link: Explicit Teaching Explainer Explicit Teaching Explainer - YouTube

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week was recognised from 27 May to 3 June. These dates are significant because they mark two important milestones in Australia's reconciliation journey:

• 27 May commemorates the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum, when more than 90% of Australians voted to amend the Constitution so that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples would be counted in the national census and the Federal Government could make laws relating to them.
• 3 June marks the anniversary of the historic Mabo decision in 1992. In this landmark case, Eddie Koiki Mabo and fellow plaintiffs successfully challenged the legal doctrine of terra nullius ("land belonging to no one"), leading to the recognition of Indigenous land rights and the development of Native Title law in Australia.

Throughout National Reconciliation Week, our students across the school participated in learning experiences that explored the importance of reconciliation, truth-telling, respect and understanding.

We were also privileged to welcome Uncle Shane from the Bunurong Land Council, who led a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony for our school community.

This was a valuable opportunity for students and staff to reflect on our shared history and cultures, and to consider how we can continue to learn, listen and show respect for Australia's First Nations peoples. Together, we can all contribute to reconciliation and help build a more inclusive future.  






Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support.

Kind regards,

Leisa

Dear Parents, Guardians and Caregivers, 

With the end of Term 2 fast approaching, I hope that you and your families are doing well and looking forward to the upcoming Winter school holidays! 

Semester One Reports 
A reminder that teachers are currently completing final assessments and gathering evidence of student learning to prepare Semester One Reports. Reports will be made available to parents/carers via Compass on Friday 19th of June. 

Please note that, as detailed in a Compass Post on Thursday 4th of June, Semester One Reports will be modified in line with current Industrial Action arrangements. As a result, personalised comments will not be included in this reporting cycle. 

However, Semester One Reports will still provide valuable information about the curriculum experienced in each learning area, student achievement and growth and student self-reflection. They will also support meaningful discussions during the Parent/Teacher Conferences. 

Parent/Teacher Conferences 
Parent/Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Tuesday 23rd of June (last week of Term 2). Bookings are currently open on Compass, with timeslots available between 2-6:30pm. Bookings will close at 5pm on Sunday 21st of June. 

Please note that school will still finish at 3:30pm on this day and those parents/carers with conferences between 2-3:30pm will need to please enter the school grounds via the office. 

Due to the limited number of available timeslots, we please request that only one single booking per student is made for students from two households and that parents coordinate with one another the most suitable timeslot to attend that single conference together. This enables all parents the opportunity to meet with classroom teachers during the conferences. 

If you have any difficulties booking a timeslot, please communicate directly with your child's classroom teacher. 

Last Day of Term 2 
Friday 26th of June is the final day of Term 2. Please note that there will be an early finish at 2:30pm, with the final Assembly for the term being at 2pm. 

Yours sincerely, 

Nathan Hutchins 
Assistant Principal 

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview

Don't let the short weeks fool you - our Preps certainly made the most of every day! Across our 8 days of learning, we managed to fit in phonics, mathematics, writing, craft and some memorable special events. It was a busy fortnight and the students rose to the challenge beautifully. 

Smoking Ceremony  
To mark Reconciliation Week, our school community came together to participate in a traditional Smoking Ceremony led by Uncle Shane. This meaningful experience offered students and staff a chance to deepen their understanding of Aboriginal culture and the importance of customs that have been passed down through generations. Under Uncle Shane's guidance, students developed a greater appreciation for First Nations histories, cultures and their deep connection to Country. We were incredibly proud of how respectfully and inquisitively our Preps engaged with this experience.

Reminders

IMAX Excursion  
Our Prep–Year 2 students are very much looking forward to their upcoming trip to the IMAX Theatre, where they will watch Australia 3D as part of their Geography unit. Students will also take part in a nature hunt at Carlton Gardens, tying in with their Living Things learning in STEM. 

Please pack a small backpack for your child containing their water bottle, snack and lunch for the day, with all items clearly labelled (we will eat fruit snack before we leave). Given the wet weather forecast, we also suggest packing a named raincoat to keep students comfortable throughout the day. 

Parent-Teacher Conferences  
Bookings for Parent-Teacher Conferences on Tuesday 23 June are now open via Compass. Conferences will be held from 2:00pm–6:30pm and are a great opportunity to connect with your child's teacher to discuss their learning and progress. We encourage families to secure their preferred timeslot as soon as possible. 

Toys and Personal Items 
A friendly reminder that toys, including fidget toys (unless part of an approved support plan) and other non-essential items should be left at home. These can cause distraction during learning time and run the risk of being lost or damaged while at school.  

Tricky Words 
Yesterday your child should have come home with their Tricky Word keyring. Tricky Words are words that have tricky parts and cannot be easily sounded out. Tricky words play and important part in reading fluency. We are currently learning and reviewing sets 1 and 2. Thank you to Monika, Rachel and Martha for your help with these! 

Decodable Readers 
We swap these on a Monday. They may sometimes bring home the same book twice. If your child forgets their books on Monday, they can swap on another day – we don’t want anyone going without! 

Literacy: Our writing focus over the fortnight has continued to build on adjectives and sentence expansion. In Week 7, students practised expanding simple sentences by identifying the noun and adding one or more adjectives to describe it, for example, turning ‘I cut the tomato’ into ‘I cut the juicy tomato.’ Students also used adjectives to describe and label a pineapple, exploring number, shape, colour, size and texture. To close the week, students wrote a sentence inspired by the story The Dot, practising sounding out words independently and using the tricky words ‘is’ and ‘my’ in their sentences. 

In Week 8, students continued expanding sentences with adjectives, this time learning that when using two adjectives, size comes before colour (e.g. ‘a little, green bag’) and that a comma separates the two. Students also wrote a full description of the pineapple, putting their adjective labels from Week 7 into complete sentences. To close the fortnight, students focused on identifying and using correct punctuation, circling capital letters and underlining full stops to ensure their sentences are complete. 

InitiaLit: In InitiaLit, we have continued to build our phonics knowledge at a great pace. In Week 7, we focused on reading and spelling words with the /h/ sound (Henrietta Hippo), and introduced the tricky word ‘to’. We also met our new friend Eric Elephant and began exploring the vowel sound /e/, linking it to the letter ‘e’. Our storybook for the week was Superworm, which the students absolutely loved, especially making their own Superworm with Miss Oates!  

In Week 8, we consolidated reading and spelling with the /e/ sound and introduced tricky words ‘they’ and ‘that’. We also welcomed Nigel Numbat and began learning the /n/ sound, linking it to the letter ‘n’. We were amazed to find out that if you pinch your nose you cannot make the /n/ sound – try it! Ourstorybook this week was My Two Blankets — a meaningful and beautifully illustrated story that sparked great discussion. 

Mathematics: In Maths, our learning has continued to focus on number relationships and building flexible thinking about numbers. 

In Week 7, students worked on identifying how many more are needed to reach a target number, first using five-frames to find ‘how many more to make 5’, then using ten-frames to find ‘how many more to make 10’. We also completed Maths Assessment tasks, giving us a valuable snapshot of each student’s current understanding. Subitising, instantly recognising a quantity without counting, has remained a daily warm-up throughout. 

In Week 8, students began exploring number pairs, finding two numbers that combine to make 5, then to make 10. We used dice, counters, and five- and ten-frames to explore all the different ways a number can be made. Students finished the fortnight comparing and ordering collections to 20 using ten-frames and base-10 blocks. 

Recognising TIER Role Models

Week 7: Hugo W: For demonstrating our school value of Respect to his friends and teachers each and every day. You are kind and wonderful member of our class community, Hugo! 

Week 8: Sienna B: for demonstrating EXCELLENCE in Maths by comparing and ordering numerals to 20. Superstar!

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview

School Disco  
Our MPPS School Disco will be taking place this evening, and excitement is building across the school! Students are looking forward to a fun-filled night of dancing, music, games, prizes and spending time with friends. We can't wait to see everyone in their creative outfits and enjoy what promises to be a fantastic community event. Thank you to our staff, volunteers and families whose support helps make events like this possible. 

Smoking Ceremony 
As part of our Reconciliation Week learning, students and staff gathered to take part in a traditional Smoking Ceremony led by Uncle Shane. This special experience gave our school community the opportunity to learn more about Aboriginal culture and the significance of cultural traditions that have been practised for generations. Through Uncle Shane’s guidance and sharing of knowledge, students gained a deeper appreciation of First Nations histories, cultures and connections to Country. 

Reminders

Prep–Year 2 Excursion 
Our Prep–Year 2 students are looking forward to their upcoming excursion to the IMAX Theatre to watch Australia 3D as part of their Geography learning. Students will also participate in a nature hunt at Carlton Gardens to support their Living Things unit.  

Students are asked to bring a small backpack containing their water bottle, snack and lunch for the day. Please ensure all items are clearly named. 

With wet weather forecast, we also recommend that students bring a named raincoat to help keep them comfortable throughout the day. 

We are excited for a fun and engaging day of learning beyond the classroom! 

Parent-Teacher Conferences 
Bookings are now open via Compass for Parent-Teacher Conferences on Tuesday 23 June. Conferences will run from 2:00pm–6:30pm and provide a valuable opportunity to discuss your child’s learning and progress. Please ensure you book your preferred timeslot as soon as possible. 

Toys and Personal Items 
A reminder that toys, Pokémon cards, fidget toys (unless approved as part of a support plan), and other non-essential personal items should remain at home. These items can be distracting during learning time and may be lost or damaged at school. 

Toilet Access After School 
Students who need to use the toilet after 3:30pm are asked to use the outdoor toilets rather than entering the Junior Building. 

To assist with student supervision after school, we ask that students do not re-enter the school buildings once they have been dismissed for the day. Using the outdoor toilets helps us know where students are and supports the smooth running of after-school programs, meetings and classroom preparation. 

Thank you for your support and cooperation. 

Writing: We have been learning to use vocabulary from The Boy and the Elephant by Freya Blackwood in sentences with conjunctions. We have also taken inspiration from this book to write a persuasive piece for Save Our Trees using a single paragraph outline (SPO). 

InitiaLit: 
Year 1:  

• We have been learning about base words and suffixes and the sounds ‘or’ as in fork, ‘ore’ as in snore, ‘ir’ as in stir and ‘ur’ as in surf. 

• Our tricky words have included house, because and why.  

• We have enjoyed our storybook Bear’s Don’t Read by Allan Ahlberg, which has included the wow words strolled, gazed and peculiar. 

• We have been learning about doubling the final consonant and adding -ing and reviewing base words, prefixes and suffixes. 

• Our comprehension strategy has been ‘visualising’. 

• Our tricky words have included already, their and they.   

• We have enjoyed our storybook "Chooks in Dinner Suits" by Diane Jackson Hill, which has included the wow words trample, rummage and loyal. 

Numeracy: In our current unit on patterns, we have been learning to identify, follow and create number patterns that increase or decrease by different amounts. 

Inquiry (Geography: ‘Continents, Countries & Maps’): We have been learning about some different countries that are found on the continent of Africa. We have also been learning about some of the features of the continent. 

Wellbeing (The Resilience Project): We have been learning to practise the attitude of gratitude by noticing and celebrating what is right in front of us. We have been recognising the feelings associated with appreciating valued possessions and experiences. 

Recognising TIER Role Models

Grace C: For settling beautifully into our school this term, always trying your best, working hard and contributing positively to our classroom. We are so lucky to have you with us! 

Sophie B: For trying her hardest during InitiaLit lessons to learn new sounds and memorise the tricky words! You have come so far! 

Rain V: For proudly sharing her Indigenous heritage during Reconciliation Week and helping others develop a greater understanding and respect for Indigenous culture. 

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview

Smoking Ceremony 
As part of Reconciliation Week, we were fortunate to welcome Uncle Shane to our school to lead a traditional Smoking Ceremony. This cultural practice provided students and staff with an opportunity to learn about and reflect on Aboriginal traditions, while acknowledging the importance of reconciliation and respect for First Nations peoples. Uncle Shane shared his knowledge, helping our school community deepen its understanding of Aboriginal culture and heritage. We thank Uncle Shane for making this a memorable and significant experience for all.

School Disco 
A big thank you to all the parents and volunteers who generously gave their time to organise, prepare, and set up our school disco. Events like these are only possible because of the support and dedication of our wonderful school community. We hope all students have a fantastic evening filled with fun, music, and dancing! 

McCrae Homestead excursion 
As part of our History unit, the Year 3/4 students visited McCrae Homestead to learn more about life in Victoria during the 1800s. Students explored one of the oldest surviving homes on the Mornington Peninsula and discovered what daily life was like for the McCrae family and the local Bunurong people. Through guided tours, hands-on activities, and historical artefacts, students gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and experiences of people living in the colonial era. The excursion provided an engaging and valuable opportunity to bring our classroom learning to life. Thank you to the parent volunteers whose support and assistance helped make the day such a positive experience. 

Reminders

Homework 
A friendly reminder that homework is due each Friday morning.  

Reading: 20-30 minutes at least 3 x per week, with book title and pages/chapters read and recorded in student diaries. 

Maths: Set Mathletics tasks completed (approximately 20 minutes per week). 

Literacy: We have been learning to write dialogue between two characters and connect character experiences to key messages through our novel study of ‘Brindabella’. 

In SpellEx, Year 3 students have been learning different ways to spell the phonemes /ow/ and /oy/. Year 4 students have been learning different ways to spell the phonemes /ir/ and /or/. 

Numeracy: We are learning to organise, display, compare, and interpret data. 

Wellbeing – Social Stencils lessons 

In our Social Stencils lessons with Mrs Guthrie we talked about the four different friendship styles – “Two Peas in a Pod”, “The Group”, “Bouncy Ball” & “Just Me” and explored the theme “Friendships can Flop, Float & Fly”. You might like to discuss these lessons with your children – they were lots of fun and really got us thinking!  

Inquiry: We are learning about McCrae Homestead, and reflecting on the ongoing impact of British colonisation on First Nations peoples, while exploring modern perspectives on reconciliation. 

Recognising TIER Role Models

Congratulations to our most recent TIER Role Models! 

Amalia A (Week 6) 
For always completing her work to such a high standard. Her thoughtful work during our Brindabella Novel Study reflects the care, effort, and pride she takes in all learning tasks! 

Hayley B (Week 6) 
For her outstanding dedication, thoughtful engagement, and enthusiasm during our ‘Brindabella’ Novel Study lessons, consistently going above and beyond! 

Will K (Week 7) 
For consistently demonstrating a positive attitude towards learning and always putting in his best effort. His graph illustrating “Favourite Subjects” is a great example of this! 

Jordan C (Week 7) 
For his excellent dialogue writing, correctly applying dialogue structure and punctuation, reflecting the thoughts and feelings of different ‘Brindabella’ characters.

Important Dates

In the Spotlight / Overview

As we fast approach the end of Term 2, students have been working hard across all learning areas. We completed our final Interschool Sport match today and are incredibly proud of the sportsmanship and teamwork students displayed each week. In Maths, we have been busy exploring decimals, while in Literacy we are nearing the completion of our information report unit linked to our novel study, Tom Appleby, Convict Boy. We hope students enjoy the PJ Party Disco and thank you to all the parents who helped make this event possible. 

Reminders

First Nations Incursion – Students will be participating in an incursion during Week 9. This will be directly aligned with our novel Tom Appleboy, Convict Boy, as well as our history unit Australia in the 1800s. This event is now visible in Compass for you to provide consent and make payment for. 

5/6D Teacher Update – Communication went out earlier this week to notify the 5/6 community that Kate Dickson will be going on maternity leave early Term 3. We are delighted to welcome Laura Croft into the 5/6 teaching team who will take over teaching the class 5 days a week from the start of Term 3! We know she is going to be a wonderful addition to our school community and 5/6 team, alongside Mr Griffin. 

Literacy: We are learning to vary sentence structures or lengths when using simple, compound and complex sentences, with a focus on achieving clarity and effect suited to text purpose. We are learning to apply newly taught vocabulary. 

Numeracy: We are learning to place thousandths in decimal format on a number line and rename decimals with up to three decimal places. 

History: We are learning to investigate the roles and contributions of significant women in colonial Australia. 

Wellbeing: We are learning to explore our purpose through The Resilience Project. Through the Social Stencil Program, we are learning to identify different friendship styles and how each has its advantages and disadvantages ('just me', 'two peas in a pod', 'bouncy ball' and 'group'). 

Recognising TIER Role Models

Kayva D - Excellence - For consistently demonstrating our school values and approaching every task with focus and urgency. You are a positive role model who always strives to do your best and contributes positively to our classroom community. Keep shining, Kavya! 

Lachy W – Excellence – For always particpating and completing work to the best of his ability. 

Building Gratitude and Healthy Friendships at TRP 

This term, we continue practicing The Resilience Project Gratitude Mindset, encouraging students to notice and appreciate the people, experiences, and opportunities that enrich their lives. Practising gratitude helps build positive relationships, resilience, empathy, and a strong sense of belonging within our school community. 

As part of our wellbeing curriculum, students in Grades 3–6 are participating in the Social Stencil program, where they are learning about different friendship styles and how these influence the way we connect with others. Understanding that everyone approaches friendships differently helps students develop self-awareness, empathy, and stronger social skills. 

Students are also exploring what can happen when friendships do not go to plan. Friendship challenges, disagreements, and misunderstandings are a normal part of growing up. Through guided discussions and activities, students are learning strategies to manage conflict respectfully, communicate effectively, solve problems, and seek support when needed. 

We continue to support all students through our Three Steps to Speak Up!  

Students are encouraged to: 

1. Say, "Stop, I don't like it." 

1. Say it again, more firmly: "Stop, I don't like it. If it continues, I will tell a teacher." 

1. Tell a teacher or another trusted adult. 

These simple but powerful steps help students build confidence, set clear boundaries, and seek support when needed. 

By developing gratitude, friendship skills, and positive ways to speak up, we are helping students build respectful relationships and the confidence to navigate social situations with kindness, understanding, and resilience. 

Kind regards, 

Zoe Guthrie
Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader 

In the Spotlight / Overview

Building on their practice of the fundamental skill of underarm throwing, our P-2 students have now progressed to overarm throwing in preparation for the Term 3 House Athletics Day. This week they applied their skills to vortex throw and frisbee (our Junior alternatives for discus and shot put). Both events highlight accuracy (a focus in lessons) and distance by demonstrating proper body stance as they step, swing and throw.  

Last week our Yr 3-6 students began preparing for House Athletics Day by identifying their leading leg to correctly lift both legs in a scissor action over the bar (first steps leading to high jump). This week they were lucky enough to combine their striking and fielding skills together with their invasion skills and put them to the test by participating in a clinic run by Coach Alex from Southern United Hockey Club. This was a wonderful opportunity for students to partake in a different sport, especially for our Yr 5 and 6 students who have shown great enthusiasm by forming 3 x teams to compete in the upcoming Hockey 7’s Gala Day! 

P-2: We are learning to accurately perform an overarm throw to hit a target by demonstrating a side-on stance, stepping with their opposite foot, rotating their hips and shoulders, and following through.  

Yr 3-6: We are learning to improve ball handling and dribbling skills and to explore passing options under pressure. 

Yr 3-6: We are learning to approach, take off from one foot, and clear a low crossbar using the safe "scissors" technique. 

Recognising TIER Role Models

Week 6 - NA 

Week 7 – Leo K – For demonstrating INTEGRITY in PE by participating respectfully in all tasks and taking on feedback to improve. Champion! 

In the Spotlight / Overview

Due to our Curriculum Day and the Kings Birthday, students in Yr P-6 have each participated in one art lesson over the last fortnight. Each year level has been experimenting with making 2D drawings appear 3D. For students in P-2 they have practiced tracing their hands and begun using straight lines in the background and curved lines in the foreground to make their hand stand out on the paper. Our next steps will be to outline with marker and colour in with a repeating pattern. Students in Yr 3-6 have been refining their ruler skills and learning the importance of ruling feint lines as certain lines need to be erased to make the cube illusion appear. They have then used gradients of light, medium, and dark shades on different faces of the cube to create a realistic 3D appearance. Our next step is to replicate these on a larger scale for display. 

Reminders  

Sometimes things get a little messy in the art room and therefore everyone is encouraged to have an art smock. This could be a purchased one (eg. from somewhere like Officeworks) or an old shirt (adult sized are great for kids!). If these could please be labelled with name and grade, it would be greatly appreciated. There is a tub of spares always available in the art room, however please note that these are used by students across the entire school.  

P-2: We are learning to use straight and curved lines to create a 3D optical illusion. 

Yr 3-6: We are learning to represent depth on a 2D surface by drawing 3D illusion cubes. 

In the Spotlight / Overview

In STEM we have been exploring living things, what are they, what their needs are and where we can find them in the world. Students in F-2 have been comparing the needs and features of plants to animals. Students in 1/2 have explored how some animals use camouflage and mimicry to trick predators into thinking they are dangerous or poisonous. We explored a mimicry experiment with M&Ms and Skittles and found it challenging to be a predator trying quickly to get safe prey! See photos below. All students are currently applying their understanding from Term 2 in projects which may include making a page for a book, a poster, a model of an animal, and improving habitats at our school. 

STEM F: We are exploring what animals have to keep themselves warm. 

STEM 1/2: We are learning about camouflage and mimicry in animals. 

STEM 3/4: We are learning about connections within ecosystems 

STEM 5/6: We are exploring how animal adaptations help a species to survive and evolve over time. 

Recognising TIER Role Models

Week 6: 
Evelina B: Integrity, Excellence. For her active participation during our theory discussions about ecosystems and challenging herself by asking thoughtful questions. Stay curious, you amazing scientist! 

Week 7: 
Isla I: Teamwork, Integrity. For sharing her understanding of how animals camouflage and supporting her team during our mimicry experiment with M&Ms and Skittles this week in STEM. 

1/2 Mimicry experiment  

In the Spotlight / Overview

In Auslan, students across the school are starting to learn how to tell stories. In F-2 we have been learning and reviewing animal and emotion signs and how to use depicting signs (DS) and constructed action (CA) to show what has been happening and are starting to create their own short stories about animals. Students in 3-6 are currently working on projects to create or adapt a story about an animal, translating it into Auslan and they will be performed in the class. 

Auslan F: We are learning sea and farm animal signs.  

Auslan 1/2: We are learning to describe places, shapes, objects and animals. 

Auslan 3/4: We are learning how to create and translate texts in Auslan. 

Auslan 5/6: We are learning how to create and translate texts in Auslan. 

Recognising TIER Role Models

Week 6: 
Myla H: Teamwork, Excellence. For her enthusiasm, active participation and collaboration with her team during our translating a text into Auslan project this week. I am looking forward to seeing your team’s performance! 

Week 7:
Grace C: Integrity, Excellence. For her determination and persistence when practising her Auslan signs and descriptions this week. You were so motivated and eager to learn more and build your understanding of Auslan. Keep it up superstar!