Congratulations to the students in year 5, on their fabulous behaviour on this week’s 3 day school camp to Melbourne. We had a great time because everyone was so willing to cooperate, do the right thing and make this a fabulously fun experience. We went to the brilliant Melbourne Icehouse where 20 students started off shakily on iceskates, and ended up speed racing each other by the end of the 2 hours. A special mention to Mrs Butters who lasted way longer than Mrs Brown or Ms Murnane, and who actually made it across the ice with only one fall. We then went on a one hour cruise down the Yarra River, followed by a really interesting tour around the MCG. We finished off that night with a visit to Laser Skirmish where the teachers were well and truly silenced by cheeky children who were determined to make sure our laser lives were short. A game of 10 pin bowling and an icecream at Southbank, finished off a fun first day. Both the laser skirmish and the 10 Pin Bowling are located in the Galactic Circus, the largest indoor interactive theme park in Australia.
On the remaining 2 days, we saw a brilliant 3D movie at IMAX called Ghosts of the Abyss.This movie is about the TITANIC and movie director James Cameron’s dive to the bottom of the ocean, some 3.8kms deep, on an adventure back to the final grave of this beautiful ship, almost a century ago. “In this unprecedented motion picture event, made especially for IMAX 3D Theatres, Cameron and his team bring audiences to sights not seen since the sinking 98 years ago and explore why the landmark vessel – more than any shipwreck – continues to intrigue and fascinate the public.”
We then took part in a role play at the Old Melbourne Gaol, called a Courtroom Drama, followed by a really interesting tour of the Gaol itself. This included lots of information and a couple of ghost stories which made the hair stand up on the back of our necks. During the afternoon, we visited the Melbourne Zoo where we managed to see Mali, the baby elephant, still playing with his mum. Dinner that evening was at Universal Pizza in the famous Lygon St in Carlton, where we enjoyed pizza and pasta – all you can eat. (Ask Paddy how many slices of pizza he managed to eat!) We finished day 2 with a trip to the top of the Eureka Tower, which includes a very fast trip up in the elevator, which covers 8 metres per second!
Our final day was spent at the Melbourne Museum, seeing the Titanic Exhibition. “This fascinating exhibition features over 280 real artefacts recovered from the ocean floor along with room re creations and personal stories; each highlighting a different chapter in the compelling story of Titanic’s maiden voyage in 1912.” An hour and a half at the Queen Victoria Market, completed our awesome visit to Melbourne and we arrived home after a 3 hour train trip, to the Warrnambool Railway Station. This trip was an awesome experience and thanks must go to Mrs Butters who did the bulk of the organisation and to the beautifully behaved students who allowed us to have so much fun.
This is a little eclectus parrot hatching from an egg. The chicks work the inside of the shell, which creates a little perforated line around the top part of the egg with their egg tooth. This egg tooth, later drops off their beak. They then use their neck muscle and legs to separate the two parts of the egg. They press up against the top of the egg with their over developed neck muscle (which also subsides after hatching) and kick against the bottom part of the egg. This particular little bird had been working away for hours which exhausts the chicks. We decided to help him out for the last part. When he / she grows up, he/she will look like the birds below. The red bird is the hen and the green bird, is the cock. Eclectus parrots were first thought to be different birds because of the different colours, but scientists soon discovered that they were dimorphic birds – meaning the occurrence in an animal or plant species of two distinct types of individual.
Well, after far too many months, I am striving to resume my Photo a week entry. This is a really powerful tool for getting students to write each week. The idea is that each week, the students choose a photo, postcard, newspaper article, movie ticket etc which means something to them, and they have to stick it into their photo a week journals, or on their blogs, and write at least 200 words about it. This not only becomes a sensational personal diary, it is also a sensational way to encourage students to write. The writing is richer and students actually enjoy doing it. So after way too long, here is my entry for the week ending Friday 13th August.
During the end of term holidays, we went to Coffs Harbour on the beautiful northern New South Wales (NSW) coast of Australia. This is Charlesworth Bay, playground to the many humpback whales who swim past and stop to play, on their way to and from the Antarctic waters. It is also a playground to the many dolphins who frolic on a daily basis, in this spot. This lovely outdoor spa was heated to 37degrees so even if the weather was cool, it was possible to enjoy the spa and the views. My 10 day holiday went very quickly and was a fabulous break away from the cold, South West Victorian winter.
Wow, Mrs Gow brought this fabulous web 2.0 tool to my attention. It is called a Google Search Story. The challenge is to tell a story using 7 different google searches. You could give the students a start and an end point, and let them fill the gaps, to tell a story. Quite a challenge and LOADS of fun. Check out my story and then follow the links to create your own. I can’t wait to get my students to do this.
The video has been started by a group of school children from Hiroshima, Japan and is addressed to the 9 countries still in possession of nuclear weapons. We’re asking people from all over the globe to upload a video clip of themselves saying the word “please”. The “pleases” will then be edited into a long virtual chain letter, which will act as a petition to abolish nuclear weapons, worldwide.
The campaign is an initiative of ICAN, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons, and is being launched in this the 65th anniversary year of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Please add your voice to the campaign.” visit the million pleas
site
As part of our efforts to build a sense of team into our year 6/7 program this year, we held our first Rainbow Activity Day on Friday, 30th July. We have taken the opportunity, to mix the students into as many groups as possible, so that we avoid the students thinking in terms of 6/7G and 6/7R only. The students were randomly grouped on Orientation day in 2009, into their Rainbow Teams. These teams are Cockies, Moths, Frogs and Possums. On Friday, the year 7 administrators (which consists of 10 year 7 students) organised, advertised and staged our first Rainbow Activity Day. Each Rainbow team ran an activity in the morning. These activities were Soccer, Bootball, Sack races and an energetic game of Aussie Rules Football. The administrators organised all students to bring along morning tea to share and then supplied a delicious lunch comprising of sausage rolls, nibble pies, pigs in blankets, steamed dim sims and fairy bread. The students were supplied with orange juice at morning tea, and soft drink at lunch time. For the short afternoon session, we watched “Napolean Dynamite”, because the weather started to close in on us. As a teacher, I was in awe of the skills of the Year 7 Administrators and with the level of enthusiasm and cooperation from the rest of the students. Congratulations are extended to all. This was an outstanding success and we look forward to our next Rainbow Activity day. On a sad note, we farewelled Tiarnie, who along with her family, is leaving the district. Thanks for your contribution to our School life Tiarnie. We are losing a year 6 school captain and a Rainbow Team leader. We are also farewelling an enthusiastic, bubbly, creative, cooperative, leader and friend. Good luck at your new school.
Please watch our movie by clicking on the following link. nuclear video movie
It is 65 years on August 6th and 9th, of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The students in year 5 have helped to create the following movie, which sends a message to the 9 nuclear countries, that it’s time to abolish nuclear weapons. Watch our movie and leave your thoughts.
Thanks to the ICan website and support from the ICan crew, for their support. Thanks also to Dan- O for producing royalty free music, which schools can access and use in student movies and videos. We really appreciate the quality of this site.
