Well, it’s term 4 already! Can’t believe it!

We’ve finished two weeks of intensive swimming and already involved in our new topic focus – Australian Environments. 

Scale

We have started with many activities that demonstrate the use of scale. Because we will be looking at numerous maps this terms I thought it would be a good idea to become familiar with the concept of scale and apply it to some fun activities.

We measured ourselves and then did a sketch of ourself with a scale of 1:10. We ordered all of our sketches from shortest to tallest and did some comparisons with others. We did a variety of calculations to work out the difference in height between two people. Some students graphed the heights, others worked out averages and some students recorded their information in tables.

Some students then drew a larger sketch of them selves 1:5

Our next task was to use a grid to enlarge cartoon characters. We started off with a 1 cm grid and enlarged the drawing to a 2cm grid which means we doubled the size. We then used a 5cm grid to enlarge our first drawing by 5 so our scale was 5:1. We wrote fractions and other mathematical statements about about the changes. It was very difficult getting the drawing a close to the original as possible.

We have been doing a lot with the map of Australia. First of all we had to draw our own map of Australia and label the states if we knew them. We then compared our drawings with the real map. We have then spent a lot of time labeling the states and territories , capital cites, some major towns and landforms.

We have ordered the states according to what we thought and then thought of ways to check our estimates.

We have been enjoying opportunities for “Rocket Writing” – we have photos of Australia such as sand dunes, outback tracks, deserted beaches and old homesteads as seeds for our writing. We only write for about 15 minutes but the descriptive pieces and narratives created in that time are sensational.

We were also lucky enough to have two baby lambs visit our classroom.

What a wonderful production!

“Beat The Heat”

I was so proud of my class – you did a brilliant job! Your team work, caring for each other and awareness of the needs of others was so obvious. Just as the smiles on your faces was evidence of your enjoyment of the whole experience. What a very special bunch of children you are!

Here are some of your thoughts about your experience at the production: 

I was nervous. I was about to go on stage when I whispered “Oh no”, to the person standing next to me. I braced myself and with butterflies in my tummy, I went on. I was scared and somehow excited at the same time. I started drumming, the nerves slowly creeping away. The first people I saw in the audience were my mum and my dad. They were sitting next to my basketball coach (Spencer’s dad). I didn’t want to do my dance. I got up, slipped on the floor, but I  quickly regained my footing, ran out and did my dance which was probably only 15 seconds long, but it felt like 5 hours. It was the best. By Tom

Last night was the biggest night of the year. As soon as my family and I were walking down the track this nerve struck me, I felt a funny feeling in my tummy.

 Then soon I was up in the change rooms getting ready for my first act. I got on to stage my cheeks went red. I felt this feeling of joy and happiness that I had past the first act with a clapping audience.

I was up in the change for the second time taking of my Beat the Heat t-shirt and putting on my head scarf. This act was the one that I was looking for wed too, I had to do the worm in front of all the parents and some hi school kids. “What happens if I mess up?” I kept saying to myself. Then I was on stage playing the drums, watching my class taking in turns, I did the worm then a cartwheel. Indi L.

Up in the dressing room everyone was there already for the opening in their African costumes and wearing their beat the heat T-shirts and Gai was there as well. Suddenly everyone in the change room went out to sing WE’RE ALL THE SAME. (Sing, sing, and sing, la, la, and la) After we finished singing we went back up to the change rooms to take off our beat the heat T-shirts and put on scarves, head things and hats then we went down to do our performance. I had a crazy nervous feeling in my tummy but when we started dancing I felt better. (Yay) I was relieved that that was over and all we had to do was sing RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE

By Ben

Click on the following to read more thoughts about the production:

Production by Hannah

Production by Indi L.

Production by Tom

Production by Spencer

Production SNAP SHOT by Chloe

Production by Brynn

 Just another lesson in our wonderful garden. Wow! We prepared thyme cuttings and planted raspberry canes.

In P.E we have been doing different types of skipping. The Can Can, (which is pretty much doing the Can Can inside a skipping rope) the Crossover, the backwards crossover and lots of other tricky skips to. We also have been working on ball familiarity. We have been working with European hand balls and more.   

Spencer and Indi

Our school had a visit by Mark Wilson, who is an author/illustrator of numerous books. We were greatly inspired by his visit. Click on the following links to read some of the thoughts from our class. (To view the complete photo from above, just click on the image.)

Mark Wilson by Brynn

Mark Wilson by Camden

Mark Wilson by Hannah

Mark Wilson Indigo B.

Mark Wilson by Isla

Mark Wilson by Spencer 

Mark Wilson by Amelia

Mark Wilson  by Stephanie

Mark Wilson by Scarlett

Class Organisation…

In 3/4 D we have class jobs. The jobs are:

Shelf monitors make sure the shelves are clean and they clean the shelves!

Class bin monitors empty the bins every day. The bins include rubbish, compost and recycling!

Roll monitors take the roll to the office. Lunch orders on Monday, and sushi on Thursday!

Date monitors change the date every day!!!

Computer monitors make sure all of the computers are turned off!

Bag box monitors make sure all the bag boxes are clean!

Notice monitors name and hand out notices!

Sports equipment monitors make sure that when people take sports equipment it is written down and is returned!

Library monitors return books and borrow books! For everyone in the grade!

BY HARPER AND TY

In class we have been doing lots of narratives that are very different.

They are freaky, action packed, wacky and sometimes real stories. We have very different seeds like wizards, zombies, monster boys planets and horses. Whaaa? These are very weird, but also very good to read. People in our class have very imaginative minds. Go narratives!

                                                                     By Brynn!     

                      Angles!

 In term 2 and 3 we have been working on angles with Piper (a student teacher). Sadly Piper has left, but we are going to have to plunge on without her. At the moment we are working on how many degrees different angles have, and have already made angle posters to show our knowledge. We learn new things every day and we are all having fun!!!

By Indigo and Spencer!

(If you click on the following items they will become the correct size)

Term two  – Biological Science

 A report about our Biological Science subject focus last term.

This term we have been focusing on biological science for are E.R.P’S which are an educational research project. First we learnt about different animals eating different stuff such as scavengers, carnivores, omnivores, herbivores, producers and decomposers. All of them except for producers, are consumers.  Next we learnt about food webs and chains.

Small quiz: what is the difference between food chains and food webs?  You will find the answer at the end.

We did like ten million food chains and food webs so we got really good at them, then we watched this really kiddy video [we are grade four]. It was so hilarious but we learnt that what things are living and if they are dead or not alive [like a fork]. And finally came the fun bit…E.R.P’S!!! Hurray! We had to incorporate some writing, a food web, food chain or life cycle. You also had to incorporate human impact.

A wild life lady came over with a barn owl and a brush tail bettong. Then a park ranger took us on a walk through the forest [Grants Picnic Ground]. We saw “snot” fungi, plate fungi and mushroom fungi. We heard two lyrebirds and we were so quiet we got to see a real life male lyrebird. A lyrebird is not called a lyrebird because they copy noises they’re called that because their tail looks like a lyre [a musical instrument].

Then we finished our E.R.P’S so everyone presented. Some people thought there E.R.P’S would fail big time but they were some of the best ones. Everyone did totally awesome.

Then we had to do a self-assessment with a partner.  In the end everyone enjoyed it.

By Stephanie and Camden

Bush Walk – for our Biological Science investigations

We walked in the bush and we found fungi.

There were big fungi and sloppy fungi.

It was wet and cold and very muddy.

Also there were trees on the side and the trees were caving in on as.

The logs were smooth and wet.

We saw one lyrebird.  It looked beautiful.

By Scarlett and  Jasper