Week 3, Term 4

LIBRARY BOOKS

There are several students who have overdue library books from Term 3 and from earlier in the year.

Please return them to the school library as soon as possible.  

Thank you,

Angela

Lunchtime Clubs 

Why do we run alternate lunchtime activities at CNPS? 

Lunchtime clubs help build student engagement, social skills and inclusion for all students. They can be fun for everyone but particularly supportive for students who may struggle with lack of structure in the playground.  Lunchtime clubs are known to: 

• Improve peer-to-peer and teacher-student relationships and wellbeing 

• Provide a sense of personal empowerment and student voice 

• Develop social and emotional skills 

• Support positive school climate and increase students’ sense of safety 

• Reduce bullying and playground behaviour incidents. 

Currently, our lunchtime clubs are: 

Monday:

• Chess Club, in the library 

• Guinea Pig Club, In Sally’s room 

Tuesday:

• Games Club in the library 

Wednesday:

• Colouring Club, in the Art room 

• Guinea Pig Club, in Sally’s room 

• Games Club in the library 

 Thursday:

• Choir, in the Performing Arts room 

• Guinea Pig Club, in Sally’s room 

• Library open  

   Friday:

• Lego Club, in the library 

• Guinea Pig Club, in Sally’s room

This week in Literacy, we explored our new sounds ‘ay’ and ‘ai’, learning when to use each one in spelling. We discovered that ‘ay’ is used at the end of a word (like play), while ‘ai’ is in the middle (like rain). In Writing, students completed and illustrated their second narrative picture story books. Over three days, we wrote the beginning, middle and end of our stories, focusing on interesting ways to start sentences and using describing words to add detail. We then designed our front covers, adding the important role of being an author and illustrator.

In Maths, we explored location and direction, giving and following verbal instructions to move objects on grids and maps. We practised using words like forwards, backwards, left and right and quickly realised how important accuracy is, otherwise, we might end up in the wrong spot! This linked beautifully with our STEAM session, where we were introduced to coding mice. Students began learning basic coding skills by giving directional instructions to control the mice’s movements.

Our Respectful Relationships focus this week was on Gender Norms and Stereotypes. We reflected on “A Future Me” by sharing our hopes and dreams and talking about how we all have different interests. We learned that everyone can follow their dreams, all jobs are for everyone!

Next week, we will be learning two new codes that make the same sound, ‘ea’ and ‘ee’ and exploring when to use them. We will continue practising reading writing words with these codes, as well as writing a narrative story during our Big Write. In Maths, both grades will work together participating in maths games to review the concepts we have learned throughout the year. On Friday, we will keep developing our coding skills using the coding mice in STEAM as well as having the Responsible Pet Program come and talk to the students about times when we should leave dogs alone and how to safely approach and greet a dog.

Two notes have gone out in the past week; the first for our Prep Dinner and Games Night and the second for Interschool Kickball. If you haven’t already done so, please return the notes and payments as soon as possible.

Enjoy your weekend

Nicole and Miss Else

Hello from the Golden Wattle building!

This week as part of our Big Question, "What is it made of and why?", we have been finding out about plastics. We learned that plastic is made from resin and can be made into any shape. It can be light, flexible and strong. However, we also learned it’s not great for our environment. In fact, it can take over 400 years to break down! We thought about what we can do to help this and our STEAM Challenge involved thinking of different ways we can reuse an old plastic bottle. Some of us made pencil or toothbrush mugs, self-watering planters and bird feeders. Thank you for sending in your old plastic bottles, we hope you like their new purpose!

In Literacy, we have focused on interesting openers to narrative stories. We looked at how lots of stories start with a description of a character, setting or some jump straight into action! We shared our favourite openers from books we love and even had a go at creating our own interesting openers.

In Maths, we continued working on fractions. This week, we have made halves, quarters and eighths of shapes and collections. One task involved sharing a picnic feast with some friends and working out what fraction of each food we would get.

In Wellbeing, we looked at what it means to ask, give or refuse consent. We thought about situations where we might give or refuse permission such as borrowing possessions, joining a game or refusing to do something mean, violent or dangerous. We also discussed the strengths we might need to say no to someone who is bigger or older than us, or when we want to say no to a group of people.

Next week, in Literacy, we will be focusing on adjectives in our reading and writing and how they can bring stories to life. In Maths, we will finish up our unit on fractions and our BQT focus will be on the properties of different materials.

We hope you have a wonderful weekend,

Wendy, Laura, Claire, Sarah and Andrew

In Literacy, we have been revising how to use pronouns correctly in our writing and have been reading and spelling ‘pel-pulse’ Latin base words such as impulse, pulse, dispel, repel. As part of our big question "What can we learn from those who have come before us?", we have continued our exploration of Vikings. Students were fascinated to learn about the Viking explorer Erik the Red, who is famous for discovering and colonising Greenland and known for his fiery personality and red hair. Students used their knowledge of Erik the Red to write and illustrate a comic strip about his life.

Continuing with the Vikings theme, we recently had a STEAM Challenge where students needed to design and build a Viking Longship complete with a dragonhead (or something similar) to intimidate enemies, a sail and some oars to make their longship move. Afterwards, students reflected on their designs and determined what they would do differently next time.

We began Topic 8, Positive Gender Relations, from the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships program in our Wellbeing lessons this week. Through class discussion, students were prompted with the sensitive questions
"What is violence?" and "Who is affected by violence?". By creating a safe space, students were able to give examples of verbal, physical and emotional violence and identify emotions people may feel when affected by violence. Students described acts of friendship and kindness and help seeking behaviour that can be used to help those affected by violence.

Next week, we will continue to find out more about Viking life through our BQT and literacy lessons, explore equivalent fractions in Maths and continue our focus on positive gender relations in RRRR. 

Have a wonderful weekend! 

Sally, Pete, Louise, Hannah, Carly and Andrew

This week has looked a little different in Grade 5/6, with the Grade 6s heading to Urban Camp in Melbourne bright and early on Wednesday morning and the Grade 5s experiencing what it feels like to be the senior leaders at CNPS! 

In Maths, we have continued to learn about a range of different angles, including learning how to recognise, measure, and calculate vertically opposite angles and unknown angles. We even had to design our own Minecraft World on paper in groups and create a model of it on the classroom floor with masking tape! The students enjoyed exploring how angles are used in design and construction in daily life while practicing and applying their learning from previous weeks. 

Literacy lessons this week have continued to focus on expanding our vocabulary and building sentences using QUIR-QUIS-QUEST words while we have also been exploring adding tension to our narrative writing, including using the five senses and ticking clock techniques to deepen reader engagement. The most common question from the students this week has been "can we please do more writing?". After Craig Silvey’s visit last week, it looks like we have a few budding authors on our hands! 

This week in Science, we concluded our Big Question "What is it Made of and Why?". Next week, we will begin our last Big Question for the year: "How Can We Contribute to our Community?".

It sounds like the Grade 6s are having an incredible final primary school camp experience and we are all looking forward to hearing about their adventures next week.

Wishing everyone a safe and restful weekend.

 Prep 

Preps began the term learning how to draw from observation, studying a range of interesting fruits and vegetables. They focused on capturing the unique shapes, textures, and colours they saw. These observational drawings evolved into imaginative portraits inspired by 16th-century Italian artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo, known for his strange faces made entirely from plants, fruit, and vegetables. 

Grade 1/2 

Inspired by the change of season, students created spring blossom paintings using folded paper and simple cuts to form flower shapes. They practiced a painting technique called “dubbing,” using large brushes to apply paint in the expressive style of First Nations artist Emily Kngwarreye. More recently, they explored pattern and mark-making in response to the work of Betty Muffler, using white pastel on black paper to create striking designs. 

Grade 3/4  

Students completed a playful drawing task inspired by Malaysian artist Kamwai Fong, who creates cute black pen illustrations of cats and dogs. They had fun inventing quirky characters with funny personalities, while also learning how to create tone and texture using varied line work. 

Grade 5/6  

This term, students have been introduced to Visual Communication and Design, exploring how it differs from traditional Art. They completed two creative tasks using letter forms: first, transforming their names into abstract compositions by cutting and rearranging the letters, and second, drawing everyday objects using only letter shapes. These activities encouraged them to think about design principles and visual storytelling in new ways.

State Athletics 

Best wishes to Chet C, Eli H, Elijah A and George C who will contest the State Track and Field Championship in the 4 x 100m relay at Lakeside Stadium, Albert Park on Thursday 6th November. They have made a great effort to practise together at lunchtime (as well as Darcy B, who is the emergency reserve for the team). 

Division Summer Sport 

Well done to our select students who participated in this event last week. Thank you to Ben, Nicci, Charlie and Alice for coaching and parents, Jesse and Trevor, for their assistance. 

Our cricket team, led by Charlie, won all their matches! They are now headed to Swan Hill on Friday 14th November for the Region Cricket Final. Keep up the lunchtime training team! We require parents/carers to transport and supervise their child at this event. Car pooling is possible. More information will be emailed next week. 

Bike Education Grade 3-6 

Our Grade 3/4 and 5/6 classes will participate in the Bike Education program during their PE lessons. We start in Week 6 (beginning 10 November), which is the week following Melbourne Cup Day week. The program will run for four weeks. 

Students will need to bring a roadworthy bike and a helmet to school on their scheduled PE day. Specific dates and further information will be sent home with students. 

District Kickball Grade P-2 

We have begun practising ‘Kickball Rounders’ in PE lessons in preparation for a successful outing to District Kickball. We are honing our skills of stopping a rolling / bouncing ball, throwing, catching and kicking, along with learning the rules of the game and thinking about team fielding strategies or individual kick placement tactics. 

All students in Grades Prep, One and Two participate in District Kickball on the morning of Friday 7th November. Students travel by bus to Harcourt Recreation Reserve. Our students are placed into multi-age teams across all junior grade levels to play casual games of ‘Kickball Rounders’ against student teams from other schools. The emphasis is on participation, fun, personal growth and development. 

The kicking team step up individually  to take a kick and then run as many bases as they can before the fielding team returns the ball to the designated bowler (who is usually a Grade 5/6 student leader). Innings are timed at approximately 10 minutes each with continual rotation through the kicking team until the allocated time is finished. 

We require support from parents/carers to help supervise our teams. Permission forms have been sent home.

Swimming: Grade Prep-2

We are extremely proud of our swimming and water safety program across all grade levels at our school. We have traditionally held swimming lessons for our Grade Prep/1/2 classes during Term 4 at the Castlemaine Indoor Pool. This venue is currently closed, which is both a disappointment and challenge for our school and our community. We are currently exploring our options, but may not have access to swimming lessons this term. We will update and inform you of any developments.

Next year, swimming for Grades 3-6 will proceed as usual at the Castlemaine Outdoor Pool during Term 1.

Prep E

Freddie F - for your creative ideas and joy when writing your narrative this week.
Cole H - for the thoughtful and kind way you are helping an injured classmate.

Prep N

Harvey K - for the kindness you showed when helping a classmate with their narrative story.
Thomas S - for your fantastic focus and enthusiasm when working with the coding mice in maths.

1/2 CS

Jarvis H - for the impressive way you are pursuing your personal best with all tasks.
Hugo C - for the way you kept persisting with our fractions Learning Journal task.

1/2 L

Digby F - for constantly challenging yourself in your learning.
Archie W - for showing courage in the way you are attempting to shift how you feel about writing.

1/2 WA

Isaac S - for the passion and commitment you show with your reading.
Georgie N - for your wonderfully creative sentence starter.

3/4 L

Thea R - for your sequenced events in writing about Erik the Red's life.
Henry C - for being able to stay on task, ignoring class distractions in order to complete your Erik the Red comic.

3/4 PS

Hugo H - for your dedication to improving your multiplication facts.
Sadie B - for your engaging and descriptive writing about vikings.

3/4 S

Azia D - for the passionate way you share your knowledge of vikings during our BQT discussions.
Kuli M - for the brave way that you challenge yourself in all maths tasks.

5/6 BH

Elke H - for your passionate and creative story writing.

5/6 H

Emmett L - for the way you rolled with the changes and supported your peers to give their best.

5/6 J

Ava M - for your enthusiastic participation in group activities.

Indonesian

Pavin K - for your great efforts during "Who's who in the zoo?".

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