Year 3/4 Honours

MRS KERRIE AQUILINA years 3/4 honours

The Honours class is a unique opportunity for like-minded students across two year levels to connect and share their learning journey. I am so proud to say that this year, right from day one, the students of Years 3 and 4 united in a positive manner, and it has been a privilege to witness the growth of these 18 young men throughout 2018. As each day unfolded, they engaged in activities that strengthened their minds and their bonds of friendship; travelling along the path together. It has been a year of challenges and laughter, commitment and accomplishment, where learning was about thinking beyond, sharing curiosities and supporting each other along the way.

The year started with the camp at Tyalgum Ridge Retreat and, for the Year 4 boys, provided them with their first opportunity to experience a true school camp. Bushwalking, rock hopping and even facing challenges on the high-ropes course, allowed the boys to bond with their peers and perhaps, for the first time for some, be away from their families. Waterfalls flowed as they crossed rivers and learnt new skills and of course, building campfires and making damper was a highlight, as was the food. Each and every boy gained from this experience, developing their character in their own way.

NAPLAN was another new experience for our Year 3 boys and they undertook the challenge with enthusiasm. Though maintaining the integrity of our regular program, the boys were provided opportunities to prepare for a ‘testing’ situation and showed a positive mindset toward this aspect of their education. The more that you read the more things you will know. The more that you learn the more places you’ll go! - Dr Seuss In 3/4A we have certainly listened to, shared, discussed and responded to many, many books this year. From Dreamtime stories to biographies of Dr Seuss, the boys in this room have engaged in a wealth of reading opportunities and moments of enlightenment. Reading has been at the core of our journey and the boys have enjoyed each moment, making connections to stories and sharing plays, while using these inspirations to guide them through many writing activities and thought-provoking discussions.

In the classroom this year, the Year 3/4 class aligned itself with the Year 3 curriculum topics for Science and HASS. Our studies of our indigenous past allowed us to explore aspects of our history which prompted several links between our later topics of multiculturalism and celebrations. Semester One also saw us engage in studies of people and places in our world, making connections to our closest neighbours and comparing their lifestyles with our own. We furthered our understanding of mapping and associated skills and used thinking routines to take a ‘step inside’ the people and cultures of another place. Within HASS we examined changes over time, specifically looking at inventions and how things in our lives have evolved, leading to a design and build STEM project in this vein.

Science provided us with time to explore animals and the Solar System. Our topic relating to heat, where our STEM project led to the creation of solar ovens, was connected to our look into states of matter and the links between these topics. We were fortunate to visit the ‘Spark Lab’ at the Queensland Museum which allowed the boys to see science in action with an array of hands-on activities. It was a great day! Semester Two saw a whole new range of topics and new understandings. Our studies in history explored multiculturalism, examining the ways in which people across the globe are both the same and different. This unit incorporated an amazing Multicultural Day, where the boys listened to parents, from a variety of cultures, explain the way in which they lived and the reasons why. This day included a culinary

feast of flavours with foods from all around the world. Following on from this we examined celebrations from around the world and the boys really utilised their excellent research skills to investigate the myriad of festivals and celebrations the world over, presenting their understandings of the array of traditions and their purpose.

Throughout all our studies of humanities, boys in the Honours class relished in the opportunity to think deeply about topics, stretch their understandings, engage in conversations with their peers and look at different perspectives, comparing the ideas of others to their own.

The ‘flipped classroom’ was used significantly as part of the learning process this year. Each week the boys were presented with different challenges to research and then present, developing their independence and enhancing their confidence when speaking in front of others. In fact, the class was afforded multiple opportunities to share their findings and develop their speaking skills – a valuable aspect of their learning and a tool that should serve them well in the future.

Technology is an integral component of our curriculum and the boys were provided with access to many different programs as tools for presentation, programming and creativity. Using Word and PowerPoint became integral to their daily work however, further to this, the boys learnt to use Scratch animation, Movie Maker and other relevant programs. Robotics in Semester One was also a highlight for the boys. Designing programs and testing their ideas is so engaging for each individual and exactly what these creative minds need.

The Gifted and Talented (G&T) program allowed many of the boys to be involved in research projects where their minds were stretched to explore scientific theory and justify their thinking. Hands-on components of this program allowed them to demonstrate their understandings through different media and reflect upon their hypotheses and ideas. Working collaboratively between the classrooms and with Mrs Poeszus and Mrs Thomas, we incorporated some of the G&T tasks, providing the boys with language arts opportunities like ‘shark tank’ to take their ideas and market them. Projects such as this proved successful as the boys made relevant links to the real world and enjoyed sharing their innovation with their peers. In 2018, the highlights have been many. The Year 3 sleepover was another exciting and character building event for the boys, experiencing the night in our new Prep Hall, having fun and enjoying time with others in their cohort. In addition to this, there has been excursions to the Surf Museum at Burleigh, visiting authors and illustrators, Grandparents Day and book parades, House carnivals and an array of events. So many shared moments with their class and cohort and so many adventures into learning that shaped their thinking and added to their personal growth.

We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. - Walt Disney. The Year 3/4 Honours class have certainly shown and developed their curiosity, broadened their minds and shown a depth of character and emotional intelligence that should stay with them for the rest of their educational journey.

YEAR 3-4 HONOURS

FRONT ROW: R. FRENKLAH, L. BACKWELL, J. DOUGHERTY, R. WAN, A. HEAD, R. SYADIQIN SECOND ROW: O. STRAHLE, O. GOOCH, X. ZHANG, L. CRAIN, A. ARORA, C. WHITEBROOK, S. HIRABE THIRD ROW: T. LEES, J. FU, M. WEDEMEYER, H. RAMACHANDRA, E. SINGH, M. ALVAREZ-CALDERON