French Update

At the closing of the term we reflect on our learning. Here are some of the students’ responses for French.

  • “I learnt all about food. It is hard reading French words. I enjoyed mostly learning French. I would like to learn more about les boissons.” – Scarlett Storey, Grade 1/2
  • “We learnt more words than ever! We learnt songs J’aime les fruits and Je suis une pizza. We find it challenging to remember how to say words. We would like to learn more songs.” – Oscar Lindsay and Edward Beman, Grade 1/2
  • “I have learnt how to navigate using directions in French and I have learnt how to name lots of places in town. I have found telling droite/right and droit/straight apart challenging. I enjoyed following other people’s directions outside and creating my own directions to the foyer. I would like to learn about animals in French.” – Seamus Ryan, Grade 3/4
  • “I have learnt lots of verbs and how to do full sentences and how to do joining words. It’s challenging remembering the difference between le and la. I have enjoyed doing the Qui Je Suis (Who Am I) task to practise my verbs. I would like to learn how to write stories in French.” – Grace Barker, Grade 6

 

It’s been a wonderful term of learning, speaking and doing all things French. One moment I really enjoyed was when Claudia’s dad popped in to the French room, just as Claudia was waiting tables at our make-shift restaurant. Dad joined in, expressing hunger and ordering what he wanted to eat! It was really funny and also a great opportunity for the students to see that many people speak French.

 

Bonnes vacances!

Visual Arts Update

We have been focusing on colour and paint as well as appreciating the style of the Aboriginal artists. The way they use colour, line, shape, pattern and dots has influenced our own art work.

Prep Focus: We have been looking at the primary colours and decorating with dots. We even used our fingers!

  • “The Aborigines can read my art work because it has aboriginal dots. It says ‘I love Aboriginal art.’” – Griffin Bouman, Prep C

Grade1/2: Hot and cold colours have dominated our art.

  • “I learnt never give up with your art no matter how long it takes. This took me six days. I came in to Catch-Up Art every time.” – Darcy from 1/2G

Grade 3/4: We are focussing on complementary colours as a basis for our art.

  • “Dot painting is really hard. You need a steady hand and you need to be careful not to smudge the dots. It can also take forever! Did you know that dots connected together make a line and purple and yellow look good together- they are complementary colours. (opposite on the colour wheel)” – Christina 3/4F & Georgia 3/4A

Grade5/6: We are creating colour charts, investigating colour mixing.

  • “The challenge is to make the correct colour. You have to mix different colours and experiment. We have learnt to make new colours and can use them when we paint again.” – Yo Yo & India 6C

Performing Arts Update

What a fabulously busy and productive term it has been.

Our 5/6 students celebrated their senior school production, our 3/4 students have been rehearsing in preparation for their combined concert with Thornbury High School next term, the orchestra and choir have both been working hard and our brass program has been extended to include 10 new students.

 

In addition to preparing and presenting performances, students across all levels at Fairfield Primary School have been exploring and extending their Performing Arts skills in the classroom.

  • Students in Prep have been exploring instruments of the orchestra and what makes each instrument unique. We have also experimented with moving to music and story-telling yoga.
  • 1/2 students have been consolidating and extending their knowledge of musical elements, using written notation, aural skills and performing music.
  • Students in 3/4 have taken inspiration from their clay characters they created in art, to write a story and set music to it.

After completing the concert, students in grade 5 have been looking at a particular genre of drama – advertising. They created their own product, scripted an ad, wrote a jingle and presented and recorded their performance. Students in grade 6 have been using drama techniques to prepare and present a one-act-play, with a particular emphasis on voice, character and stage-craft.

 

All students in grades 3-6 are able to take home a digital copy of their final performances if they bring a USB to Keri Spence before the end of term.

 

Here are some of the students’ highlights:

  • “I have enjoyed playing the ukuleles. It was difficult but have I have played my Nana’s one before.” – Hugo O’Neill, Prep B
  • “I enjoyed playing the ukuleles. It is my second year playing the ukulele, but it was still quite hard.” – Millie Le Bras, 1/2E
  • “I have enjoyed making our own songs. My group used a bongo and a piano. It was hard.” – Raya Barrington, 3/4B
  • “I enjoyed acting out the play. I learnt how to adapt a script because sometimes when you change a script it changes the story and you have to be careful that when you change the script it does not change the story.” – Joel Toylor, 6A

It has been a real joy and privilege to share this learning journey with the talented students at Fairfield Primary School.

Physical Education Update

Term 2 has been a big term in PE. There has been lots of practice of the fundamental motor skills, throwing and catching for the Foundation – Grade 2 students. These fundamental skills form the building blocks of many of the games and sports we all love to play.

 

Students from Grades 3 – 6 have participated in the beep test, the House Cross Country Carnival, the House Athletics Carnival and had plenty of athletic practice during PE lessons. Here are some comments about what the students have learnt and enjoyed this term in PE.

 

  • “I have enjoyed doing high jump it is lots of fun and it was my first time doing high jump.” – Ella Taylor, 3/4B
  • “My favourite part about PE/Sport this term was the athletics carnival. It was a great chance to get the day to go and run around, the discus and the shot put were a challenge for me.” – Alistair Thondan, 5B
  • “We have been practising how to catch. Catching can be easy or tough depending on what you throw with. My favourite thing to practise with was the colourful bean bags.” – Zoe Griffiths, Prep A
  • “I have been learning about throwing and catching. Something that I have learnt about throwing was you need to put your foot forward and point. I found it hard and easy, I liked using the bean bags with the ribbon the most.” – Sophie Arbuckle, 1/2A