Term 3 Holidays are quickly approaching

As the term nears completion, Barbreck staff are reflecting on what has been covered and are very pleased by what has been achieved in their classes throughout the Term.

Our academic and curriculum programs are extremely busy and our staff go above and beyond to maximise each teaching session. Their energy and desire to ensure this happens, as well as ensuring students can also enjoy special events is deeply appreciated.

This term, a strong emphasis has been placed on learning how to maintain healthy and respectful relationships. A natural part of life are the ups and downs of friendships and dynamics which change. This can be challenging at any age, however, especially when one is young and inexperienced. Adult guidance, however, not too much interference, is essential in understanding these interactions or changes in friendships. It is a tricky part of growing up!

A trusted adult who listens well and waits to be asked for advice is a sound partner for young people who often want to voice a concern but do not want the adult solutions for ‘fixing it’.

After listening well, a wise question, gently asked can be, “that must have been difficult. How did you manage that moment?”

To communicate that the listener knows she can think for herself to manage the moment of concern or sadness is one way to strengthen a child’s confidence.

End of Term: Friday 22 September

Important times and dates for the last week of Term:

• End of Term Assembly: 12.15-12.55pm (Parents welcome)
• Dismissal: 1.00pm
• Commencement of Term 4: Monday 9 October

Mrs Alana Moor, Head of ELC and Barbreck

Year 6 Reflections on ‘Book Week’ in Barbreck

My favourite thing about St Catherine’s book week 2017 is very hard to decide. The week started on Friday 18 August, when Kim Kane came for an exciting breakfast book talk. It was very interesting to hear all about things that Kim had to say. Then on Monday, sadly I was away for this but heard a lot of things that made me very jealous. A handful of girls read stories to the younger year levels. On Tuesday, it was the long awaited book illustration revealed. From the book Florette, it was a lovely illustration and really enjoyable for all. Then, on Thursday was the book swap, I got a lot of good books from this and I really enjoyed reading them. Finally, on Friday, Elise Hurst came and did a short program on drawing and shading, we learnt lots of things about cross hatching, shading and making things look realistic. Book week 2017 was so much fun.

Sienna Rosham (Year 6)

Memories about Book Week in Barbreck across the years

I remember last year when I was in Year 5 on the Friday of Book Week. The author, Jen Storer, came in and told us the basics of writing a book. She told us how she thought of the idea and how she planned it out. She told us about how she came up with Truly Tan. She used to play a mystery solving game with her friend and that’s how the idea of making Tan a detective came about. Jen Storer also wrote Crystal Bay Girls series and Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children. That Book Week was the best because I have read her books and she was incredibly interesting.

I also remember Book Week in Year 4. We all came to school with our teddies and dolls dressed in our favourite book characters. I brought my Disney Bear, Duffy. I dressed my Duffy in the piglet costume, and he looked really cute. I loved seeing all of the other dolls and teddies all dresses up. I also remember the play. The play was from one of the shortlisted books, and the book was the Stone Lion. The play was very good and just like the book. That was the first Book Week I had at St Catherine’s and it was very different to my old school. This was probably one of the Best Book weeks I have experienced.

Brydie Read (Year 6)

Book Week 2017 was wonderful! Everybody had lots of fun participating in this year’s activities. My favourite activity though, was having Elise Hurst come and visit us. Elise Hurst is an amazing author and illustrator and she shared some of her illustrating knowledge with the Years 5 and 6 girls. Elise taught us how to do 3D drawing by crosshatching and how to draw a bear. We had a page where we learnt how to do all these different techniques that Elise taught us. The bear drawing was a lot of fun. There was a picture of a bear and Elise taught us how to use all of the techniques we had learnt and put them into one drawing of a bear. At the end we had all drawn a wonderful bear and everybody had lots of fun. I loved Book Week 2017!

Claudia Sowerby (Year 6)

I remember last year when I was in Year 5 on the Friday of Book Week. The author, Jen Storer came and told us the basics of writing a book, she told us how she thought of them and how she planned it out. She told us about how she came up with Truly Tan. She used to play a mystery solving game with her friend and that’s how the idea of making Tan a detective came about. Jen Storer also wrote Crystal Bay Girls series, Tensy Farlow and the Home for Mislaid Children. That Book Week was the best because I have read her books and she was incredibly interesting.

Zara Krause (Year 6)

Junior School Interschool Gymnastics

Last week, a number of Junior School students participated in the Interschool Gymnastics. It was wonderful to observe so many girls choosing to be part of the competition. For some, it was an opportunity to put all the skills they have been learning during after-school gymnastics into practice, while for others it was their first experience in a gymnastics event. They were highly competitive and demonstrated great teamwork and sportsmanship. They competed against a number of other schools, coming in third place overall. Well done to all involved!

At the beginning of the competition it was a bit nerve racking, but as we competed I became less and less nervous. I had lots of fun and my favourite event was the bars.

Amelie Snell-Bliss (Year 5)

I enjoyed being in the environment and competing against the other schools. My favourite apparatus was the vault because I performed best at that and I find it fun and challenging.

Caroline Marcel (Year 5)

Year 6 Maths

The Maths focus for the next few weeks in Year 6 is Circles. Year 6 students are working from their Prime 6 Course and Practice Books.

This topic will enable the students to:

• draw a circle with a given radius or diameter
• measure the radius and diameter of a circle
• find the diameter of a circle given its radius
• find the radius of a circle given its diameter.

Once Year 6 have mastered the concept of diameter and radius, the focus will be on the acquisition of the concept of finding the circumference and area of a circle given its radius and diameter. In moving forward, they will be involved in finding the area and perimeter of a semicircle and a quadrant. A further challenge is to find the area and perimeter of a composite figure.

The Prime Maths Year 6 program offers an opportunity for systematic recall and assessment of prior knowledge before introducing a new concept.

The flow from the introduction of

• Let’s Remember allows recapping on learnt concepts.
• The Let’s Learn section introduces concepts and skills developing to mastery using the concrete, pictorial and abstract approach.
• The Let’s Do section allows for application of knowledge and skills, giving immediate formative assessment.
• The Think About It section develops metacognitive skills, allowing students to communicate, reason and justify their answers individually or in small groups.
• The Practice and Review section provides opportunities for summative assessment plus independent practice.
• The systematic variation of tasks reinforces students’ understanding and enables teachers to differentiate work and identify remediation needs.

Mrs Mary Karvounaris, Year 6 Teacher

Maths in Year 2

Students in Year 2 are currently learning about Money and Financial Mathematics. Pupils have been taught about society’s need for currency and how that has evolved over time.

They were intrigued with progress from the original bartering system, to the use of coins and notes and the recent shift to paying for goods and services online or by card.

Students have been engaged in learning about these concepts and the value of money, through the use of digital technology, physical materials and textbooks. They have worked through mathematical challenges such as:

• ordering a collection of Australian currency according to its value
• identifying equivalent values in a collection of coins or notes
• counting money to make up a particular value, such as that shown on a price tag.

Pleasingly, many students have expressed motivation to practise newly acquired skills in their everyday lives. They take on the responsibility to assist their parents when purchasing small items, ensuring they provide enough money for the transaction and that they are receiving the correct change.