Hawker Area School eNewsletter

Adventures in the Library

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is in its last term for this year. Improve literacy levels.

The Challenge requires students to read 12 books between the beginning of the school year and early September, this year by September 4. Many students have completed the challenge already. If you are working with your child at home on this, please remember to have the Challenge sheet handed to me by Friday September 4.

An activity student can be involved in as part of the Premier’s Reading Challenge is the PRC STEM challenge. The F-5 students were involved in this last term.

The F-2 students drew and painted pictures based on the book we read together, One Less Fish. Their pictures are on display in the library.

Library Lessons and Expectations

Students in F-5 have a weekly borrowing time in the library. F-2: Tuesday and 3-5: Wednesday. Students are able to borrow up to 5 items at a time. They can have these items for up to 4 weeks. DVDs can be borrowed at lunchtime and after school.

We update you regularly on what your child has out and highlight the items that are overdue. These notes are sent home via your child. If you would like further information, please contact us during school hours on 8648 4003.

Helping your child develop positive library habits…

Support your child in making sure the library books they wish/need to return are in their school bag the night before their library lesson
Create a special place for library books to be kept while at home.
Have a place, for example on the fridge, where they can keep the paper slip that says what books they have borrowed and when they are due back.

Commissioner's Digital Challenge

During our library lessons this term, the F-5 students are taking part in the Commissioner’s Digital Challenge. This is a state-wide challenge. They are involved in the Space to Dream aspect of the challenge. Space to Dream is all about learning to be an effective and creative problem solver. This challenge is encouraging our students to be bold thinkers and create out-of-the-box solutions.

Currently, the students are researching about the planet Mars. They will use this information to design a toy or gadget on the iPad app, Maker’s Empire, for a child of their age who is moving to Mars. The most creative, useful and cool designs will feature in a public exhibition at MOD Museum of Discovery (which is on North Terrace Adelaide adjacent to the Morphett St Bridge).

Maker’s Empire is an app that allows the students to create objects in 3D. The students will be following the Design Process to complete the project and once completed, will be able to have their design printed on the 3D printer at school. The design process follows these steps: Step 1. Understand and Care; Step 2. Make a Plan; Step 3. Have Lots of Ideas – Choose the Best; Step 4. Make It!; Step 5. Can You Make it Better?

Visual Arts

The F-5 students are finishing off the work we have been doing on Friedensreich Hundertwasser by creating 3D models of buildings in the style of Hundertwasser. Following this, we will be exploring colour with Miss Suzanne.

The 6-9 students have begun a 6-lesson project on creating a self-portrait using multimedia collage.

Digital Literacy

During their Digital Literacy lessons, the F-2 students will continue on with developing their toy or gadget for a child of their age to take to Mars using Maker’s Empire, the 3D app on their iPad.

Throughout this year, the 3-5 students have been working on the theme Migration: People on the Move. This term, they are learning how to use the Stop Motion Animation app to create a short movie about someone in their life who has made a journey from one place to another. Stop motion is an animated filmmaking technique in which objects are physically manipulated in small increments between individually photographed frames so that they will appear to exhibit independent motion or change when the series of frames is played back.

They are nearing the end of creating the main character out of wire, alfoil, masking tape and Claydough before adding clothing to complete the figures. The next step is for them to design the set for the story and take the many individual photos they will need to make it look like their character is moving.

Dates for the Diary

October 17-23

Due to issues related to COVID-19, our celebration of Book Week has been postponed until Week 2 of Term 4. Further information about Book Week celebrations will be provided later in the term.

Our Book Fair will be held in Term 4 as well.

October 26-30 Week 3 Term 4