Hello Grade 6s! It’s been wonderful to see all of you sharing your love of reading throughout the year and doing a great job during your ‘book club’ discussions.

Have a think about what has been one of your favourite books you have read this year? Write a short review of this book including things such as title, author, plot, setting, characters, favourite parts and what it is about the book that you like so much. Focus on trying to persuade and convince your classmates to read this book! Look forward to reading the reviews!

Mr P 🙂

Today the whole grade 6 level was fortunate to have a visit from professional photographer, Ruth. Students were taught a range of photography skills,  rules and tricks that they could use to enhance their photos, ranging from the importance of shape, texture, framing, balance and colour to the use of leading lines, movement, perspective and the dividing of an image into thirds. It was fantastic that everyone had plenty of opportunity to put these skills into practice with the use of iPads, and to share their work with the group.

In an increasingly digital world where use of images is an important part of the work that students create, these life-long skills are of great value. The students uploaded their favourite photos to Google Drive so they can be kept and shared with others.

Check out some photos we took…

As term 3 draws to a close, we have been celebrating our Inquiry learning through individual student presentations. Our migration-themed topic led to a range of interesting questions that students came up with to research, such as;

• Who were the first people on both sides of my family to migrate to Australia?
• Why did Italians come to Australia and how did they contribute to Australian society?
• What is the process for migrants in becoming Australian?
• What is my Australian immigration story?
• What is life like for the Iraqi refugees and asylum seekers that migrate to Australia?

This research has been presented in various ways where students had to choose a way to present that they haven’t used this year. These included Prezi, eMaze and posters as well as filmed interviews and news reports using iMovie. The motivation and effort that students have put into their research and presentations has once again been outstanding and they should definitely be proud of their achievements!

To celebrate Book Week and the theme ‘Australia: Story Country’, 6P was involved in lots of fun activities. The day started with a whole school parade where students showed off their book character costumes (check out the photos below of our class all dressed up!). We took part in activities based on books written by Australian authors, such as ‘The Lost Thing’ and ‘Let’s Get a Pup’ and finished off a wonderful day by sharing our favourite picture story books with our prep buddies!

Yesterday, the grade 6s enjoyed a great day out in the city. The beautiful sun was out shining which helped to make the day even more memorable. We caught the train into Flinders St Station, and then visited the Immigration Museum and the Sandridge Bridge. This bridge commemorates the history of Victoria’s original Indigenous inhabitants and all immigrant nations who have helped make our society so diverse. It includes glass information panels about different countries and 10 towering sculptures representing different periods of migration

At the Immigration Museum, students investigated the stories and experiences of immigrants who have come to Australia. Students explored items that gave an insight into different individuals’ stories from various time periods (students even got a chance to dress up in period costume!). This was followed by a journey throughout the various galleries in the Museum. A recreation of the inside of three different ships was a highlight. The community gallery focused on area of Italy from which Mr. P’s first family member to Australia came from, so that was a big highlight for him! We finished the day off by going to Victoria St, Richmond and enjoying a delicious (for most!) Vietnamese roll. The behaviour of our Grade 6 year level was superb and a big thank you to the parents who came along for the day to help make this day a great experience for all!

It’s been a great start to Term 3 with our Inquiry unit leading to lots of enthusiasm among the students. Our focus has been on investigating stories of migration, including student’s first family members to come to Australia, as well as exploring the differences and similarities between refugees, asylum seekers and migrants. It’s amazing for students to hear about the range of reasons why people leave their country whether it be persecution, war, family, love or opportunities for better employment and education. With our excursion to the Immigration Museum coming up in a few weeks, it will be a great chance to learn about more of these stories and the contributions many people and cultures have made to our society.

In Term 3, 6P students have started working towards gaining their eSmart Digital Licence. This program is an online challenge that uses quizzes, videos and games to help children be smart, safe and responsible digital citizens.

The program involves completing eight learning modules that require lots of problem-solving. The modules evaluate their understanding of  technology and cybersafety topics, such as ‘protecting privacy’ and ‘communicating safely online’.

Please visit the following weblink for more information https://www.digitallicence.com.au/about/

The end of term 2 has seen 6P students finishing off their Inquiry studies into Federation and modern government with presentations based on their own research question.

This research has been presented in different ways, such as Google Slides, PowToon, Prezi, posters and filmed interviews, where students investigated a range of topics through questions such as:

• What was the impact of Federation on the Aboriginal people?
• Who were the major people in Federation history and what were their roles?
• How has parliament changed since Federation and who have been significant figures of parliament?
• How did life change for women after Federation?
• What was the impact on the Australian citizens when Federation occurred?  

After students decided on their research question, they used a data chart to record information and references, organised and sorted their information using an online concept map and then worked on their presentation. The students showed wonderful initiative and enthusiasm as they continued their work at home, supported each other and kept developing their research and presentation skills! Well done 6P!

In recognition of National Sorry Day and Reconciliation week, we have been taking part in a number of activities. This year’s theme is ‘Our History, Our Story, Our Future’. To show respect on National Sorry Day, the students created an Aboriginal flag with the word ‘Sorry’ on it and displayed these from our classroom facing out into the school yard to see. Students also brought examples of Aboriginal culture into school to share with the class, contributed to a ‘Sea of hands’ display to represent togetherness and took part in a whole school ceremony one afternoon led by the ‘F.I.R.E carriers’. In what is an increasingly significant event on our Australian calendar, it is encouraging to see students reflecting on the importance of bringing the cultures together.

Last Tuesday, our grade 6 year level had the wonderful opportunity to meet our federal member of parliament, Jenny Macklin. With the federal election looming, it was a great chance for the students to find out about Jenny’s personal journey into politics and what motivates her (as well as what she does around election time. It’s her 8th election!). It was interesting to find out how our electorate, Jagajaga, got its name, and she encouraged us to practice our public speaking (and always stand up like they do in parliament!). She also gave everyone great insights into how our modern government works which is a part of our Inquiry studies. It was fantastic to hear so many interesting and thoughtful questions asked by the students. Well done Grade 6!