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It has been a busy second half of our term, with some whole school events as well as activities to address the needs of our students in the development of their career interests. Enjoy the articles our teachers have prepared summarising their terms.
Bikes Palya
In week 8 of the term we had our Bikes Palya week. It was a huge week at Bikes Palya and the students were totally engaged. Students learnt about bike maintenance, how to ride and dress safely and healthy eating. Their skills and experiences were extended with all groups breaking new ground for bikes activities. The week could not have gone ahead without the generous support of our three sponsors:
- SA Power Networks
- Hawker Area School Parents and Friends
- Hawker Community Development Board
There was a lot of great feedback from our students who spoke about the benefits of the program. On what students thought they were how better at here are some of the responses:
Safety and going down hill
Determined to try new things with my bike
Riding on the road safer now and I learned hand signals
I think I am better at off road riding
Riding along the jumps because I was scared the first time but I achieved my worries
Riding on the road and road rules
I learned about looking back and signalling
I am better at riding down hills because I now know the attack position
Students were also asked about learning that is important to them now:
Bike safety and maintenance because you need to know road safety and and how to fix your bike
Bike maintenance because i didn't know much about fixing bike until last week
I am safer more than before
Going uphill from riding in a race
Riding on the road because I can ride to school now
To ride on the highway with Ann and Abby it was the funniest thing ever I loved it
Stay on the left side of the road
Riding safely on the road
I learnt to look back and signal at a turn
Best memories also brought some interesting comments:
Going down Jarvis Hill
Going up Police Hill and Jarvis Hill
Riding up Jarvis Hill was very fun and tiring. Even though everyone almost died, they enjoyed it and want to do it again
Riding to Castle Rock (quite a few responses in this area)
Riding on the jumps
The carnival games
Have a look at the photos! Many thanks to Antje and Abby, our students have been clearly engaged with the experiences of Bikes Palya.
Walking Trail
The school’s involvement in the development of our walking trail is now gathering momentum. With council involvement to set up irrigation and landscaping, the school aims to set up the planting of a variety of indigenous plants over the first 100 metres of the walking trail from the starting point of the trail near the junction of Chace View Terrace and Wirreanda Terrace. This area will have it’s swale enhanced and from here dripper hose will be laid to support the watering of the variety of indigenous plants which will be planted. Students will be involved in the planting process as well as researching the background to the indigenous plants themselves.
Certificate 2 in Kitchen Operations
Our first week of our Flexible Industry Program the Certificate 2 in Kitchen Operations was held last week at the school. This will be first of four weeks, the rest over the second semester where students from Hawker, Leigh Creek and Marree will receive instruction from the Adelaide Institute of Hospitality, hopefully leading also to school based traineeships or apprenticeships for these students.
Leaving
We say farewell to some staff and students at the end of this term. The Bishop family have left for Far North Queensland and it’s warmer climate, with Cooper and Kira saying their goodbyes last week. Letisha McKenzie and her children, Deb, George and Eliza are moving to Port Augusta, we wish them all the best. Letisha has been at the school for the last couple of years in the positions of ACEO and also classroom SSO. Louise Watson is moving back into her tourism enterprises after a term where she taught the Research Project and the Personal Learning Plan. Finally Rachel Sinkinson McInnis is finishing at the school after over 10 years of service where she has worked as classroom SSO and also in our Front Office. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours.
Enjoy the articles and the photos. I look forward to seeing everyone happy and healthy at the start of term three!
Mr Daren O'Neill
Principal
The class welcomed Kira at the end of term 1 and now we farewell her as she journeys back home to Queensland. We are also saying farewell to Eliza who is moving to Port Augusta. Best wishes to you both, it has been wonderful having you in our class and you have contributed immensely to our classroom culture in positive ways.
In English, we have worked on sentence construction with the year 1s and 2s, emphasizing adjectives, verbs and conjunctions and the foundation students have worked on simple sentence writing. The students are having fun at the moment, learning about money in Maths. They have set up a bakery shop, a lolly shop and a toy shop, where they buy and sell goods they have made. Each student has a spending budget and each shop has a till of the same amount. When shopping has been done, the tills are added up to see who profited the most.
In week 8, we had Bike Palya here at our school and it was so wonderful to see all of the students happy and excited about doing the program. Bike safety was addressed in simple precise ways, from helmet checks to bike checks, then riding safely, maneuvering around cones, slowing down and stopping. Hand signals, looking behind quickly and then off for a ride around the walking trail, finalizing with an assisted jump around the pump track. Ms McCulloch had the privilege of riding with the secondary students on the last day to Jarvis Hill and we ended the week with the whole school bike carnival. What a great week!
Thank you
Ms Penolope McCulloch
Foundation - Yr 2 Teacher
It is hard to believe that we are halfway through the year, but here we are, at the end of term two. This term has been jam-packed and busy. We have had SAPSASA netball, basketball and football and Hotshot Tennis along with Bikes Palya. The kids have enjoyed all these events and much fun was had by everyone.
In class, we have also been busy. In health, we started our Child Protection Curriculum and have looked at ways to keep safe and how to build safety networks. We have also looked at the rights and responsibilities of children and how bullying affects the victim.
In science, the year 3/4s have had fun working with states of matter and looking at how natural and man-made materials compare to each other. The year 5/6s have looked at the states of matter and how they are formed at an atomical level and defined the differences between physical and chemical changes.
During English, the students have studied narratives and have produced a picture book with their own unique characters and storylines.
Maths has seen the students looking at different ways of measuring items and learning what units of measurement to use. They have just started working with fractions and have built up their skills in adding multi-digit numbers and multiplication.
In HASS we have been looking at the seven continents and studying the similarities of Africa and South America and comparing them to Australia.
This has been a wonderful first half of the year and I look forward to next semester.
Miss Victoria Barratt
Year 3-6 Teacher
Hello and welcome to the end of term two! We have had a productive term without too many interruptions, which has been a nice change.
English 5/6
We started the term with a novel study, which was thoroughly enjoyed by the students. As the novel was set in China, we took the opportunity to do some extra research based on the novel. Students have just completed a unit of work focusing on historical recounts. We’ve looked at events in history such as the moon landing, climbing Mount Everest and the sinking of the Titanic. Students finished the unit by researching an important person from history and writing a historical recount on them.
English Years 7-10
The 7-10 class this term has completed a study on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, culminating with a comparison to the movie Ten Things I Hate About You, which is based on the play. We also looked at Shakespearean insults, which is always fun, and looked at other movies and books using the same themes as The Shrew. We finished the term with the aspects of a biography, which we will continue into next term. Students will compose questions, interview a person at home or in the community and present it orally to the class.
English SACE Stage 1
Students are progressing through their assessment tasks for Essential English. They are all at different stages and working well.
HASS Year 5/6
We started the term with Geography and a study on China to coincide with our book study in English. This was followed by Economics and the Australian Government. We held our own election, looked at the levels of government and learned about the roles of the Senate and House of Representatives.
HASS Year 7-10
This term we have combined work skills, with economics and some business as well. Students have worked at their own pace through an ‘Adulting’ folder I compiled which included tasks relating to budgeting, insurance, taxation, superannuation, career investigation and Medicare. All the fun stuff! We are finishing the term by creating a vision poster to remind us all what our purpose and goals are for this year.
ART Year 5-10
After completing a study and portrait looking at Picasso and Cubism, we have moved onto Japanese artists. Currently the class are working on a collaborative mural using paper mosaics to re create The Great Wake off Kanagawa by Katsushika Hokusai. We hope to have this complete in time for open night next term.
Adnamata Year 5-10
During Adnamatna lessons we have been focusing on our greetings, all students have mastered this and we will move on next term. We have also been looking at the Stolen Generations and Reconciliation. The last weeks of term will have a NAIDOC focus, culminating in a trip to Wilpena next week.
Mrs Sharon Bates
Year 7-12 Teacher / HPE Coordinator
F-2 HPE
We have played some new games this term. Students love playing Space Ball. They have divided into different teams – Red, Blue, Green and Yellow. In this game, students develop their collaborative and communication skills. They compete against one another and try to throw the balls at another team’s vest. All students learn about the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship.
5-6 Mathematics
We learnt about geometry this term. We use different models to learn about the properties of 2D and 3D shapes. The photos show students using Geoboards to calculate area of composite shapes.
We also learnt about time conversion between 12-hour and 24-hour systems. Students are encouraged to apply their knowledge in this board game. This is a modified monopoly, but with the theme as time conversion.
7-10 Science
Students have conducted a range of experiments this term. From atoms to chemical compounds, students inquired the chemical reactions between different elements and compounds. They developed a better understanding of chemical science. Towards the end of term, students also had the Science Stations to revise and apply their knowledge to solve a range of scientific problems.
Miss Sharon Lam
Mathematics / Science / P.E. Teacher
Author, Steve Krygger, a good friend of Esther Eager, one of our SSOs, has written a delightful book with a wonderful message. After Esther read the story, I Think That it’s a Monster, to the F-2 students recently, they drew their version of the monsters mentioned in the book.
Steve very kindly offered to read his story to the students, which occurred on Thursday June 30 via Zoom. The students enjoyed listening to the story being read by its author. Steve provided the students the opportunity to ask questions afterwards. I was very impressed with the high standard of questions. To me, this demonstrates their interest in the book and the process of writing.
Steve Krygger reading his book.
Monster artwork by the students.
HASS – Humanities and Social Sciences F-2
Earlier this term, we completed our work on where we fit in the world geographically.
Let me tell you about Earth. One fact is Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere. One thing I know is that Australia is on the planet Earth. Did you know that Hawker is in South Australia? Now you know some things I have found out about Earth. What did you find interesting? By Ryan
In HASS, I have been learning about Australia. One thing I know is Australia is surrounded by water. Another thing I have discovered is Australia is in the Southern Hemisphere. Did you know that Australia in on the planet Earth? As you can see, I have learned a few things about Australia. I hope you learned something new. By Noah
I have been finding out about Earth. One fact is that the earth orbits around the sun. Did you know Europe is close to Asia? Also, my home is not that far from Brisbane. I really like sharing about Earth. I hope you found it interesting. By Kira
We have now moved onto the changes that have occurred over time (history) that have helped improve how we live. The inquiry question that we have been considering is: How have technological developments helped change the way people live, work, travel and communicate?
Digital Technologies F-2
Our journey into the behind the scenes look at how computers communicate with each other has continued throughout this term. The work on binary (the code that computers use to communicate with each other) continued with looking at the use of binary to create colours (in this case black and white). From there, we have begun looking at simple algorithms, the step-by-step process that is required for a task to be completed. Algorithms are required for computers to function effectively. We have also been learning how to use the iPad to share content online through our class Blog.
Scholastic Book Fair
When: Tuesday August 9-11 (Week 3, Term 3)
Where: In the Library
The Fair will be open during Open Night as well.
Further information will come out earlier Term 3
Book Week
When: August 22nd – 26th (Week 5, Term 3)
Theme: Dreaming with eyes open
Dress up day: Tuesday August 23. A parade will be held @ 12 noon, to which all are invited. Bring your own lunch and join us for a ‘picnic’ lunch after the parade, where we can enjoy being together while eating our lunch.
Looking for some ideas? Dreaming of what you’d like to be when you are older; dreaming of a book character you’d like to be; dreaming of places you’d like to explore; dreaming of something you’d like to achieve
Mrs Ailsa Green Teacher Librarian and Ms Rosie Luckraft CLA
Akurra Room
Play Based Learning continues to play a big part of the learning in the Akurra room. With every opportunity used as a basis for learning. Play taking place with concepts of Mathematics.
The serious business of writing. We have been working on pencil grip.
Lots of fun things happening in and out of the Akurra room, thank to the amazing team that work with us.
Boys Netball
The boys went down to Port Augusta to play netball. They played amazingly and made it in to the finals.
Girls Football
Deborah and Markesha played for Wilsden in the girls football down in Port Augusta and won.
Shared Science
The senior students built a volcano for the junior students.
Kim Adele
SWAN Teacher
And then it was the end of semester 1!!
So much has happened, so many excellent foundations have been laid for us to build on in semester 2. I am very pleased with how different developments have revealed themselves during this most recent term. I am very pleased with my new lesson schedule and learning boxes. As my programming and lesson resources needs to be accessed by approximately 6 extra adults for lessons throughout the week the system needs to be easy to understand and follow so we can have a consistent approach to teaching SWAN to gain the best results.
This is the lid of my Maths Learning Box. We use visuals to communicate what we will be doing first then next, and continue to switch as needed.
Then you can see two of the activities below; the FIRST is a sorting 3D shapes activity THEN a patterning activity. My student was very independent with both tasks.
You can see one of our new special afternoon activities taking place…Pony visits. We don’t ride but we feed, hug, pat, groom, chat, observe and laugh. We love it.
Thanks again for all of the support you may have offered the school, staff and students this semester. Happy Holidays.
Mrs Amanda Hilder
SWAN / Science / Yura Muda
NOTICEBOARD