Friday, 15 March 2013
Stained glass sealife
We put up some of our stained glass sealife today and they look great with the autumn sun shining through our doors.
New garden beds
We built some new garden beds over the summer holidays to grow vegetables and herbs so we have fresh ingredients for cooking. Today one of our parents ( Marlene ) an accomplished 'green thumb' brought some herbs up to school to plant in our boxes. With the aid of some compost and plant food she lassoed some kids after school today to help start the planting.
Marlene is going to do some research and planning for future planting of not only herbs, vegetables, flowers but also bulbs in our pre-existing garden beds.
Marlene is going to do some research and planning for future planting of not only herbs, vegetables, flowers but also bulbs in our pre-existing garden beds.
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Today my prep student finished her black sheep. This was another Pinterest idea. We put black paint and dish washing liquid in a cup and blew bubbles with it. When the bubbles overflowed we rested some sketch pad paper on it until we had sufficient 'black wool' for our sheep.We then cut a sheep shape out of it and added head, legs, eyes and the rhyme.Our biggest challenge wAs making sure she blew bubbles not inhale the paint!
Double teaching space
Glen Park received a mod 5 double teaching space as part of the BER ( Building the Education Revolution or BER was a billion dollar government program to revitalise primary school infrastructure during the GFC) It was a successful program which contributed to Australia dodging the economic downturn endured in Europe and the US.
As well as stimulating the economy it provided schools ( especially small rural schools such as mine) with new buildings we would otherwise never have received. the school buildings at Glen Park were literally falling apart after decades of state government neglect. Now we have this fantastic double learning space which is full of new furniture, learning resources, thousands of books (yes thousands!) and nine motivated and enthusiastic students.
As well as stimulating the economy it provided schools ( especially small rural schools such as mine) with new buildings we would otherwise never have received. the school buildings at Glen Park were literally falling apart after decades of state government neglect. Now we have this fantastic double learning space which is full of new furniture, learning resources, thousands of books (yes thousands!) and nine motivated and enthusiastic students.
Wednesday, 13 March 2013
Another big day
Another busy day today
We have a cool change breaking a record run of 30 degree days in Victoria this year.- global warming?
We have just started reading The Island of the Blue Dolphins and we're about a third of the way into it ( Her canoe is leaking so she has turned for home) One of the students pointed out some of the similarities between this book and Hatchet which we read last year. I didn't think of Hatchet as a companion book ( More so The Cay or Robinson Crusoe) We were reading about Karana feeling despair at her loneliness and that reminded us of Brian who also experienced similar feelings.
Anyway, I've tidied up my old unit plan and I'll add it to TPT ( With a link from the blog) tonight or tomorrow.
We also created some 'stain glass window' type sea creatures using commercially produced fish outlines with cellophane. They have completed a fantastic job at these and we'll take some home and put some up on our windows to 'catch' the afternoon sun.
This morning I took a photo of our local mulloch heap which I was told was from a 19th century tin mine ( or maybe gold?) There is a few of them in the local area. Glen Park has had a state school here since 1870 when compulsory, secular education became compulsory. In this area it was mainly mining and forestry. Farming (including orchards) started in the area after World War One. Although only a few kilometres out of Ballarat we are still a small rural community with a small school.
I have just finished a briefing at Regional Office on the induction of student teachers into our schools from the University of Ballarat. I had four excellent young teachers last year and am hoping that this years pre service teachers (PSTs) are just as good.
We have a cool change breaking a record run of 30 degree days in Victoria this year.- global warming?
We have just started reading The Island of the Blue Dolphins and we're about a third of the way into it ( Her canoe is leaking so she has turned for home) One of the students pointed out some of the similarities between this book and Hatchet which we read last year. I didn't think of Hatchet as a companion book ( More so The Cay or Robinson Crusoe) We were reading about Karana feeling despair at her loneliness and that reminded us of Brian who also experienced similar feelings.
Anyway, I've tidied up my old unit plan and I'll add it to TPT ( With a link from the blog) tonight or tomorrow.
We also created some 'stain glass window' type sea creatures using commercially produced fish outlines with cellophane. They have completed a fantastic job at these and we'll take some home and put some up on our windows to 'catch' the afternoon sun.
This morning I took a photo of our local mulloch heap which I was told was from a 19th century tin mine ( or maybe gold?) There is a few of them in the local area. Glen Park has had a state school here since 1870 when compulsory, secular education became compulsory. In this area it was mainly mining and forestry. Farming (including orchards) started in the area after World War One. Although only a few kilometres out of Ballarat we are still a small rural community with a small school.
I have just finished a briefing at Regional Office on the induction of student teachers into our schools from the University of Ballarat. I had four excellent young teachers last year and am hoping that this years pre service teachers (PSTs) are just as good.
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
Trip to Hepburn
Hepburn Springs is about 40 km from Ballarat. I visited there today to help Glenda, the Principal of Hepburn Primary School to tidy up our athletics sports trailer. Our athletics sports are in 2 weeks time and today I took some of the kids to Little Bendigo PS to practice high jump ( We don't have high jump equipment at Glen Park) A big thanks to the staff there for letting us use their equipment. the kids did very well, easily jumping at their starting heights ( 60 cm for 9 year olds, 70 cm for 10 year olds, 80 cm for 11 year olds and 90 cm for 12+) I'll be taking 3 other kids there next week for more practice.
Hepburn Springs PS is under going a major re-build and it should look fantastic when it is all finished.
Hepburn Springs is regarded as the mineral springs capital of Victoria. (The mineral water is certainly an acquired taste.) but would look rudimentary compared to the mineral springs in spa towns in Europe.It was very popular in the 1920s and 30s when people from all over Australia would visit the area to 'take the waters'. It fell into disrepair in he 60s and 70s but has been undergoing a re-birth in popularity and the facilities have been rebuilt and landscaped. Daylesford is now a bustling town which caters for day trippers from Melbourne.
Flood damage last year has led to major repairs being undertaken there so my photos don't look too exciting. The best time I believe to visit Daylesford and Hepburn is during the height of Easter when both towns look fantastic.Photos include an image of Hepburn PS, the spa and a view of Daylesford.
Hepburn Springs PS is under going a major re-build and it should look fantastic when it is all finished.
Hepburn Springs is regarded as the mineral springs capital of Victoria. (The mineral water is certainly an acquired taste.) but would look rudimentary compared to the mineral springs in spa towns in Europe.It was very popular in the 1920s and 30s when people from all over Australia would visit the area to 'take the waters'. It fell into disrepair in he 60s and 70s but has been undergoing a re-birth in popularity and the facilities have been rebuilt and landscaped. Daylesford is now a bustling town which caters for day trippers from Melbourne.
Flood damage last year has led to major repairs being undertaken there so my photos don't look too exciting. The best time I believe to visit Daylesford and Hepburn is during the height of Easter when both towns look fantastic.Photos include an image of Hepburn PS, the spa and a view of Daylesford.
Saturday, 9 March 2013
Two new units!
Click HERE to go to Gary Crew Author Profile on Teachers Pay Teachers
A unit plan and lesson ideas for some of award winning
Australian author Gary Crew’s books including Gothic Hospital, The Castaways of
the Charles Easton, The Kraken and Strange Objects. This material is available
on TPT free of charge. I have written
to Gary Crew about his work and he has always responded (more than I can say
for some authors) It has been a few years since I have used Crew’s works with
my students. (I have never taught the Strange Objects unit so I would love some
feedback on it) I will be developing a unit for’ The Watertower’ this year and
will also make that available on TPT.
Click HERE to go to The River Kings on Teachers Pay Teachers
Max Fatchen only passed away last year but he certainly lived a full and productive life.The River Kings is a rollicking adventure story set on a paddle steamer on the magnificent Murray River. I read this book after taking my students on camp to Echuca where we explored the restored waterfront and went on a cruise on a real steam powered paddle steamer.
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