Whispers Week 7 Term 3
Nicola Treacey
TLC Junior School Book Parade
It was the Taylors Lakes Junior School’s Book parade!! And what a parade it was as
the characters circled we were all reminded of those places that books take you where
the characters light up our world. Who could go past the wonderful adventures of
Alice in Wonderland, noting it is 150 years since this was first written, Roald Dahl’s
wonderful adventures, namely Fantastic Mr Fox and those wonderful mysteries that
Geronimo Stilton takes us on. But, the star of the show was the special guest arrival
of Daphne from Scooby Doo. Mrs Klose opened our Book Parade and told us all that
we would be graced by Daphne, Scooby Doo music rang through the gym and in
danced Daphne to entertain us for the afternoon. She told us about the kind of a
character she is, her strengths and information about all of the other loved characters
from the comic. Giraffes Can’t Dance was read from the big screen and then the
books that had won the Children’s Book Awards for 2015 were announced. Each
class then paraded around the gym to the claps and cheers of the many parents, staff
and students. As the classes went past we were all reminded of the many great stories
we have come to know and love. The staff were just as excited as they processed
around the gym led by Mrs Fielder, all in their splendid costumes and carrying props.
It certainly was a buzz with colour and excitement as we entered the world books;
those books that light up all of our lives.
Classroom Essential Agreements
Essential Agreements are a powerful way of bringing out the best in both individuals,
small groups, year levels and entire schools. Essentially (pardon the pun) they are a
collection of positively framed statements devised by those who will be directly
affected by them.
Essential Agreements - PYP In Action – Chatsworth www.pypchatswortheast.com/essential-agreements.htm
As I read this quote it confirmed the reasons why we have continued to place such
importance of having Essential Agreements in place for the students and staff in
Junior School. We have, first hand, seen the engagement that follows when students
are given the power to determine the environment they think is conducive to learning.
In the classroom it is a collaborative approach to establishing the agreement that
everyone takes part in determining. There are many ways to embark on this task. It is
also important to realise that these agreements can be ever changing to reflect what is
deemed as important and what is valued at specific times throughout the year. It is
vital that agreements reflect the agreed upon values of all those involved, which must
include the present teacher and students. Recently 4L have together written a new
Essential Agreement, they began this process in Circle Time where they shared the
sort of environment they wanted their classroom to be. Words like caring, fun,
hardworking were thrown into the mix with others like accepting, supportive,
challenging and respectful. The students were then given a few minutes to write
statements that they felt were important to be included in the agreement. They shared
these and all identified key words in statements that stood out to them, these were
then included to form the shared class Essential Agreement. The process did take
time; there was sharing of information, individual input and a collective agreement
that in turn formed 4L’s new Essential Classroom Agreement. All of the students
were asked to sign off on the agreement that now forms the code of conduct and is
reflective of the classroom environment that all students and their teacher are excited
to be a apart of. All classrooms in the Junior Schools have their Essential Agreements
visible in the rooms, these are constantly referred to and the language forms a part of
the thinking behind acceptable behaviours. Many reflect the College Profiles and
through the creation and explicit unpacking of these an understanding of profile
language forms a part of the student’s regular vocabulary.
In Year 3G, we will be
Kind
Respect f ul
Persist ent
Honest !
Responsible
Independent
Forgiving
Pat ient
Caring
Generous
Helpf ul
1st
Happy
Curious
& we will
alway s be …
Thinking First
t o be t he best ME I can be
Classroom Essent ial Agreement
Prep Excursion to the Royal Botanic Gardens
Article by Grace Wen, Mandarin Teacher, Taylors Lakes Campus
Students in Prep attended their very first excursion to the Royal Botanic Gardens on
Tuesday 25th of August. The purpose of this excursion was to support the Prep Cross
Curricular Learning unit based on the central idea, Plants are a life sustaining
resource for us and other living things. As students explored the gardens they learned
about plant structure including words such as roots, trunk, twigs, branches and leaves.
Children were encouraged to use their senses as they encountered new plants during
their walk. They felt the leaves on different plants and smelt the flowers in the
Camellia garden. The educational session included the opportunity for students to
plant their own cutting of one of the following plant varieties, Brachyscome Multifida,
Chloris Truncata, Acacia Implexa.
Afterwards the Botanic Gardens educators shared a story based on one of the trees in
the Botanic Gardens. Students sat beneath the tree and listened attentively as they
discovered the reason why the tree had a large black mark down its trunk. The tree
was saved after being struck by lightning, and as a result was named The Lightning
Tree.
The excursion concluded with a visit to the herb garden where students learned about
the ways in which herbs can be used. They were able to touch and smell the different
herb types, prior to making their own potpourri pouch. The excursion to the Botanic
Gardens offered an excellent introduction to the learning that will take place in
Mandarin for the remainder of the year.
The Use of iPads in 2A to Enhance Literacy Development
Students in 2A have been busy publishing narratives using the iPad app ‘Book
Creator’. Book Creator is a simple way for students to create their own books on the
iPad using their imagination. To begin, students chose from portrait, landscape or
square book sizes and designed a cover. After typing the text, Book Creator allowed
students to add photos, images and videos from the computer’s photo library, from the
web, or using the webcam. If they wished they could illustrate their narrative with
drawings using the pen tool. Finally, students emailed their completed narrative to
their teacher as a pdf file.
2A students were highly engaged and motivated in the book making process using
iPads. They grew in confidence when using the technology and were keen to share
their finished projects. Students who were competent with the ‘Book Creator’ app
were able to model its functions to peers. These students became the ‘gurus’ of ‘Book
Creator’. Students also used critical and creative thinking skills when making their
books. These skills included the ability for students to generate and evaluate
knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and
solve problems. Students enjoyed the learning experience of being an author and
publishing a narrative using a multimedia tool.
Minecraft By Jonathan Ibrahim
Once upon a time in a Minecraft world there was a boy called Jonathan. He lived
with his mother and father in the Wild West. They were poor.
One day Joathan’s dad told Jonathan to take the chickens to town and sell them.
They could sell them for food. Jonathan took the chickens into town. Jonathan met an
iron golem. He said, “If you give me the chickens I will give you 15 obsidian and flint
and steel.” Jonathan said, “It’s a deal.”
He was excited about the deal. Jonathan walked home to show his dad. Jonathan’s
dad threw the obsidian out the window but it landed in the shape of a never portal.
Next morning Jonathan woke up at six o’clock in the morning. He went outside
and lit the never portal and went in. When Jonathan went in he saw a giant’s house.
Jonathan went in the house. Jonathan accidentally stepped on a pressure plate that
spawned in Herobrine who was riding a giant robot bull. Herobrine dug straight down
and fell into lava and turned evil. Herobrine tried to get Jonathan but Jonathan was
too fast. Herobrine dropped an electric guitar and a machine that shoots out diamonds,
gold, iron and emeralds. Jonathan and his mother and father were never poor again
My Rabbit Fluffy By Aidan Ciciulla
Once upon a time there lived a rabbit named fluffy. Fluffy was black and white.
She lived in a rabbit hutch.
One day fluffy met a boy rabbit named Lilo Fluffy didn't want to have babies so she
ran away from Lilo. She lived by her self. Then she met another rabbit named Blue.
She got
married with Blue.
Fluffy was exited she had babies. God gave Fluffy everything she wanted. Fluffy and
Blue lived happily ever after.