2021 Term 1 Week 10

Dear Parents and carers

Welcome to our 'new look' newsletter!

Research has driven our decision to revamp our fortnightly newsletter.  Our newsletter will be trimmed down to a small number of news articles (and the occasional wordy policy or procedure).  Our fun updates and photos will appear in our facebook feed and ZApp (schoolzine) will provide notifications and notes.  School documents, policies and procedures, as well as the calendar, are located on the school webpage.

We hope you enjoy the change.

History News 

Kindergarten – Personal and Family Histories

This term, Kinder students have explored the concept of family. We have discussed and identified different members of a family and how they are connected. They identified the people in their immediate family, and we talked about and explored how many of our family members have origins in other parts of the world. We have discussed the past and special memories and keepsakes, with many students being able to identify special items from their own past.

Stage 1 – The Past in the Present

Stage 1 has been discovering how they can use artefacts and sources to learn about the past. We have looked at a variety of artefacts in different scenarios and explored our school grounds to uncover artefacts that tell of the history of the school. Students have discussed the local area which provides a rich history for students to investigate. The old Grafton bridge and the Clocktower have been two main areas of focus this term. Stage 1 are excited and enthusiastic historians, keen to explore the many historical aspects of their local area. 

Stage 2 – Community and Remembrance

In term 1, students have been learning about the importance of Country and Place to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples who belong to our local area. We have investigated our local community, how it has changed over the years and what elements have remained the same. 

Stage 2 was also immersed in the mystery of Zelda and Albus. Several postcards and curious artefacts were investigated by the students and each came from a different place and time in history. Students are writing a book of memories to share with Zelda and Albus as part of their history lessons. 

Stage 3 – The Australian Colonies

This term, students have examined colonial Australia in the 1800s, including the expansion of the British colonies and why they developed. They have used a range of resources to undertake an historical inquiry about a chosen settlement. Students developed questions to explore and have worked in groups to create a display about their topic, examining their way of life and how they contributed to the changing social and economic landscape within the colonies. 

Each of these units will continue to be investigated in term 2.

Science News

Kindergarten

BIG IDEA: All living things have basic needs. We can use living things to help meet our needs.

Kinder had an exciting introduction to science observing a rainbow milk demonstration and talking about our favourite types of science. They have been learning about the needs of living things and how people can use plants and animals for food and fibre.  As well as sorting living and non-living groups they have observed  what happens when seeds are planted.  Their design task is to make a home for a native bird.

Stage 1

BIG IDEA: All living things grow, change and reproduce and have individual features. 

In Stage 1 students have grouped living things according to their external features and have made a digital drawing of a playground animal on the iPad. They have observed how different animals and plants change as they grow. Students have programmed Bluebots to follow a sequence of steps and are creating mats for them that will show their understanding of how an animal changes as it grows.

Stage 2

BIG IDEA: The survival of living things depends on their interaction with the environment.

Science learning in Stage 2 has centred on bees and their significance to the environment. Students have explored life cycles of plants and animals throughout the term. They have studied the importance of bees and how they can be protected and applied their knowledge to design a new bee habitat in the school grounds. Working in teams they are creating interactive posters using Makey Makeys and their own voice recordings made using Scratch to explain the importance of bees.

Stage 3  

BIG IDEA: Living things grow and survive whilst adapting to their environment.

In Stage 3 students investigated the impact of the environment on the survival of living things by using micro:Bits to measure the moisture level in soil and observing the impact of this on plant growth. They have researched the structural and behavioural adaptations of Australian plants and animals and have applied their understanding of adaptations to create their own animal incorporating the use of LittleBits electronics in its design. 

Holy Thursday 1st April

7.00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Good Friday 2nd April

3.00pm The Passion of the Lord
10am Stations of the Cross at St Patrick’s Church
10.30am-11.00am Reconciliation at St Patrick’s Church
10.30am Stations of the Cross at Cowper Church

Holy Saturday 3rd April

7.30pm Easter Vigil Mass

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Easter Sunday 4th April - Resurrection of the Lord

8.00am Mass at St Mary’s Church Grafton
8.00am Mass at Mary Immaculate Church Cowper
9.30am Mass at St Patrick’s Church South Grafton

Australians recognise 25 April as a day of national remembrance, and we hope as many people as possible will attend the community March and our school service.

Anzac March Day

St Mary’s Primary school will participate in the community Anzac Day March on Sunday 25 April 2021.

Students and staff will assemble in Market Square at 9:15am for the march along Prince Street to Memorial Park. Full school uniform, including the school hat, is to be worn. Please bring water as well.

Parents are to collect their children from Memorial Park immediately after the ceremony concludes. 

Children planning to wear family military medals in the March are reminded that they are to be worn on the right-hand side.  

Anzac Day Service

St Mary’s Primary School will hold a service on Monday 26 April in the school hall, commencing at 8:45am.  Everyone is welcome to attend.

Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 April (Week 1) - Berry Street Training

Wednesday 5 May (Week 3) - Proclaim Staff