From the APL&T

Dear Families,

This term, our school is embracing the global concept of “One World.” Our classes are delving into the essential question: How can we work together to create a better world? Through the subjects HASS, Science, and Health, students will begin exploring this essential question in depth.

Teachers are fostering students’ curiosity about the world and how we can collaborate to make our world a better place for everyone. By creating curiosity, we start the journey towards discovery, which is the foundation of a lifelong love for learning.

Teachers have been planning and preparing to support students in this journey. Our work on student agency will allow students to make decisions about the learning direction that they will take with the support of the teachers. We look forward to sharing the innovative work that students will produce as they engage with our Global Concept – One World.

R-2 Classes: Science and HASS
• Science: Students will investigate how objects are made of materials that have observable properties. Learning experiences will include observing objects and noticing how they feel, look, and work. Students will share ideas with their peers about the objects they observe and use materials to make things.

• HASS: Students will investigate the natural, managed, and constructed features of places, their location, how they change, and how they can be cared for. They will recognize personal, cultural, and community connections to places and their features, and learn how people interact with and depend on different environments. Students will reflect on the emotional or cultural significance of places and how they influence identity.

Our R-2 classes begin their unit of inquiry this week with an excursion to Lenswood Pick Your Own Orchard.

3-4 Classes: HASS and Health/PE
• HASS: Students will identify the significance of events, symbols, and emblems to Australia’s identity and diversity. They will also discuss similarities, differences, and connections of people to places across the world.

• Health/PE: Students will demonstrate fair play and inclusion through a range of roles in movement contexts. They will unpack and describe the influences that inclusion and stereotypes have on choices and actions.

The 3-4 classes will watch some athletes participating in the Paralympics before heading on an excursion for deepen their understanding on how different people with different disabilities can still be involved in various sports. Students will research athletes who participate in the Paralympics, learn their backstories, and understand the importance of teamwork and communication in the sports their chosen athletes play.

5-6 Classes: HASS
• HASS: Students will unpack the roles and responsibilities of the three levels of government in Australia. This involves exploring how local, state, and federal governments function, their specific duties, and how they impact citizens’ lives. They will investigate how these levels of government interact with each other and with the public, and how they contribute to the overall governance of the country.

Our 5-6 classes will begin their provocation with a visit to Parliament House next week.

I would like to leave you with the powerful words of Gottfried (1990):
“When we embrace learning, we don’t just teach kids facts — we empower them to fall in love with the process of learning itself. And that changes everything.”

Kind regards
Melinda James