Years 3/4 Honours Class

The journey of 22 young minds has been remarkable to witness over the course of this year with so many goals achieved and celebrated, obstacles overcome and friendships developed. These young men will complete 2015 with accomplishments of which they can be very proud.

Semester One was a flurry of activity with many opportunities for the boys to sink their teeth into some hands-on projects and classroom events. Year 4 boys had the opportunity to join their cohort to experience their first school camp at Tyalgum Ridge, and for some it was the first time they were away from their families. It was an opportunity to gain some new skills and bond with their classmates, and even though not all reached the heights of the ropes course, swam under the fast-flowing waterfall or hit the bullseye on the archery target, all boys personally grew and flourished in their own unique way.

NAPLAN presented one of the first chances for our Year Three boys to experience the joys of “testing”. Each took this experience in his stride and excitedly participated. Their results are a testimony of their outstanding dedication and commitment to academic studies.

2015 saw the Years 3/4 Honours class attach itself to the Year 4 Australian Curriculum for Science, Geography and History. Discovering our early European explorers was of particular interest as we delved into investigating true accounts of what life was really like for these voyagers who were discovering places and mapping countries with such primitive tools and technology. It was hard to imagine life without Google Maps, iPads and computer technology. Not sure if the boys would have survived!

Convict day and our visit from some First Fleet historians was indeed a highlight, where boys were able to let their creativity flow and become their chosen First Fleet convict. Our class produced a book of Historical recounts to share with family and friends. Our Asian Stories English unit with our student teacher, Miss Chelsea Finlayson, exposed the boys to morals and how they can become the sole purpose of writing a fiction story with research elements from an Asian country. Boys were given an opportunity to illustrate their writing, convert it into an e-book and share these on the iPad with our Year 2 friends – a real highlight for many to be able to visit their old teachers, siblings and friends from the younger grades.

ANGELA TYLER

Years 3/4 Honours

In Science, our class was offered the opportunity to participate in an Australia-wide trial for a new unit of inquiry called “Among the Gum Trees” with Primary Connections, where students investigated the life

cycles and by-products of Eucalyptus Trees. Seasonal challenges, our community’s bird population and responsible watering presented us with some interesting conversations and opportunities to hypothesise on outcomes and results. The boys were excited by the prospect of having some of the diagrams, thoughts and book work published for other children their age (and teachers!) to learn from.

For boys in the Honour stream, Science presents as an area where they are constantly able to deepen their discussion avenues and challenge their knowledge beyond their young years. Through our link with the congruent Gifted and Talented classes, some boys opted to participate in various Independent Learning Projects as well as enter a variety of State and National Science competitions in their particular areas of interest. For like-minded boys, Honours gives the platform for students to blossom and extend core curriculum requirements with some incredible results.

In a first for TSS, Year 3/4T boys were fortunate enough to participate in a resilience-based program throughout Terms Two and Three with Mr Baker. The world around us is changing, with children facing challenges in this digital age that we have never had to deal with in the past. Boys at TSS have always been fortunate enough to learn life skills through “Bounce Back” and “Habits of Mind”, but in addition to this, Mr Baker guided the boys through real-life scenarios of how to look differently at the unique challenges that face them or might face them as they embark on life’s journey with the support of family, friends and teachers. The feedback from the boys was extremely positive, inspiring and encouraging in times when we may not always believe in the choices of young people. 2015 seems to have flown by in the blink of an eye and for some the roller coaster had its usual ups and downs, challenges, letdowns and celebrations. What I am confident of is that each boy has shone in his own individual way throughout the year. I am proud of their distinct and different achievements. In the words of Dr Seuss, “You have BRAINS in the HEAD, you have FEET in your SHOES. You can STEER yourself any DIRECTION you CHOOSE!”

3/4T HONOURS

SEATED ROW: D. CARL, A. BELLCHAMBERS, C. STONE, R. BRADEN, A. AYRE, D. MATHESON, P. MCNAB, H. TOMBS SECOND ROW: T. STUCKEY, S. BRADNAM, D. ALOYSIUS, T. MCCLINTOCK, D. YOUNG, Z. KELLY, M. CARR THIRD ROW: F. ALLMAN, E. CHABERT, B. KOWALCZUK, A. THOMSON, C. O’CONNOR, J. ELL ABSENT: J. GAN TEACHER: MRS A. TYLER