Stage 3 students are investigating natural disasters in science. In library lessons, we are particularly looking the properties of these disasters, and how they form.
How do tornadoes form? – James Spann [TED-Ed]
What are hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones?
On this day 24th of December | Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin [1974]
What is an earthquake? | The Dr Binocs Show | Educational Videos For Kids
On this day 28th of December | 1989 Newcastle earthquake
Class 4-6S students are developing their field knowledge on the topic of space for science & technology. They hope to do some blogging about their learning during the year.
This term, Stage 2 students are investigating aspects of Built environments in their science lessons. In the library, we shall extending this work by exploring the interior designs of: railway carriages, aeroplanes, ferries and cars. Also, how do people move within the interior of a built environment? ie. stairs, escalators, lifts/elevators.
Stage 2 students are continuing their explorations into Australia’s national parks.
Australian National Parks
Springbrook National Park and Lamington National Park, Rainforest Australia in HD
We have also been investigating the onging threat from feral animals in Australia, another threat to our national parks, farms and rural communities:
Australian Feral Camel Management Project 2013
Feral pig control
Another controversial issue is the suggestion that Australia’s marine parks, and “no take” fishing laws, be extended. Some excellent examples of persuasion here, from both sides of the debate.
Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 students are investigating transport. This week we are looking at the wheel, which researchers now believe may be an invention from about 5000 years ago. Some texts state the wheel was an invention of prehistoric peoples, but the evidence has not supported that assumption.
Following their investigations into variations on Aesop’s fable of The exploding frog (aka The bull and the bullfrog, aka The frog and the ox), plus Sally Murphy & Simon Bosch’s picture book, The floatingest frog, students in Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 are learning about factual information on frogs in science & technology.
Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 students have been reading the Aboriginal Dreaming story of Pheasant and Kingfisher, in a big book version by Catherine Berndt & Raymond Meeks.
We used a Google Images search to locate online photographs of Australian pheasants and Australian kingfishers. The additional descriptor of “long tail” helped us find images of kingfishers “with firesticks stuck in their bottom”.
We discussed why images of peacocks (not Australian!) and lyrebirds turned up in the pheasant image seach, and why kookaburras turned up in the kingfisher search. We then used Youtube to locate examples of a pheasant saying its name, “Bookbook”, as in the story, and a kingfisher saying “Bered-bered”.
Common pheasant making quick repeated sounds while taking a walk
Pheasant – common pheasant bird call
Pied Kingfisher catching fish in split second – BBC wildlife
The next week, we moved our investigations into factual information on Australian birds: