Calendar—Term 3 Thursday  26.09.19  Kindergarten Transi on 

Friday  27.09.19  Last day of Term 3 

Monday  14.10.19  Students resume for Term 4—Summer uniform 

Thursday  17.10.19  Kindergarten Transi on 

Tuesday  22.10.19  Playgroup 10am to 12 noon 

Have Your Say on Before and After School Care

The NSW Government is committed to providing before and after school care to all students of public primary schools in New South Wales. As part of the reform, a parent web form has been established by Service NSW that will enable parents to tell the department about their specific care needs and to stay up to date with any new developments. The information provided by parents will help the Department of Education to understand your needs, give them insights into where there are gaps in service delivery and help to ensure the extra places are delivered where they are required. Have you say today at https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/basc.

 

 

NIANGALA PUBLIC SCHOOL fosters 

RESPONSIBLE, COLLABORATIVE, SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS 

NEWSLETTER Term 3 Week 10 - 25 September 2019

Email: niangala-p.school@det.nsw.edu.au Phone: 02 6769 2254 Website: https://niangala-p.schools.nsw.gov.au

Sydney Excursion to play Marimbas at the Opera House Participating in an excursion to Sydney was a fantastic opportunity for Charlotte and Isabell to explore and experience city life. Every day provided new highlights. At the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park students actively participated in a special presentation entitled War Horse. Through listening and creating sounds to a story they learnt about some qualities including bravery, courage endurance and sacrifice that our service men displayed at Gallipoli. Using historical sources such as photographs groups of students created and told their stories. Busking at Bondi Junction with students from other small schools gave us time to practise and rehearse Skokiaan and other tunes. The crowd were genuinely interested in our performance and generously donated. Mr Spillane gave each student $10. We were very grateful for this money to spend on souvenirs at Taronga Park Zoo. At the Zoo we were able to explore and learn about a variety of animals and birds. Watching the seals dive was fascinating. The elephants and giraffes were enormous. We saw and learnt about other animals and why their environments are important for their survival. Going on the gondola was exciting to get a bird’s eye view soaring over the top of some of the zoo. 36 out of 43 students voted the Zoo as a favourite activity. A highlight voted by all students was an afternoon of physical activity at the Aquatic Centre at Olympic Park. Students directed their own experiences sliding down the giant tunnel, swimming through rapids and being soaked by the giant bucket. Again 36 out of 43 students voted the Aquatic Centre as a favourite activity and would recommend it as a place to visit. 

 

 

At the Justice and Police Museum Isabell confidently role played Edward Granger, a witness in the trial of John Baine a bushranger. Through this court room enactment students gained an understanding of investigating the key inquiry question: What were the significant events and who were significant people that shaped Australian colonies? John Baine was fortunate with a sentence of 15 years hard labour whereas Captain Moonlight received a more serious sentence. A self-guided visit to The Rocks Discovery Museum provided another opportunity for students to investigate primary and secondary historical sources such as artefacts related to aspects of daily life of inhabitants (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) and colonial settlement. A quick visit to the Botanical Gardens showed us the huge variety of carnivorous plants. We were amazed to see plants that eat insects and also mice and rats. Catching the ferry from Circular Quay to Manly gave students an opportunity to experience public transport accessing a single Opal ticket. Sydney Harbour was spectacular. Enjoying the beautiful weather, we ate lunch at the beach, being careful not to share our food with the hungry seagulls.

Niangala students were part of the Small Schools Ensemble including Kentucky Public School, Kingston Public School, Dunoon Public School (Lismore), Stuarts Point Public School (North Coast) and Bedgerebong Public School (Forbes area). Our dressing room at the Opera House had a harbour view which was magnificent.

 

 

Kinder Enrolments 2020

We are now taking enrolments for all students who are eligible to start school in 2020 in our kindergarten class. Children may be enrolled in Kindergarten at the beginning of the school year if they turn five years of age on or before 31st July in that year. You will need to complete an application to enrol form, you must supply your child’s birth certificate, a statement of complete immunisation from Medicare and proof of your current residential address.

If you have any friends or relatives who may have a child ready to start school next year and reside within our catchment area, please let them know that now is the time to contact Niangala Public School (6769 2254) for further information and to commence the enrolment process.

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Toothbrush and Toothpaste

Thank you to HealthWISE and Tamworth Oral Health Centre for providing our students with a new toothbrush and toothpaste. They have also provided this How To guide to help with good oral health.

 

 

 

 

 

Sydney Trip By Isabell Atkins

In week seven Charlotte and I went on a trip to Sydney with students from Kentucky, Kingstown, Stuarts Point and other schools.

The bus trip was so boring and slow.

On Tuesday we went to the Anzac Memorial to watch a show called The War Horse. We took the marimbas to Bondi Junction and busked there. Lots of people put money in our box. It was very cool. We each got $10 for our busking. In the afternoon we went to the Aquatic Centre where the Olympic pool is. That was my favourite part. The water slide was awesome!

On Wednesday it was time to take a look at Taronga Zoo. My favourite part at the zoo was seeing all the animals. The elephants are so massive. They look tiny on T.V shows but they are much bigger in real life.

Thursday was our huge day performing at the Sydney Opera House. We rehearsed first thing in the morning. After that we caught a ferry across to Manly. We had lunch there and had a play on the beach. Then we went back to the hotel, had a shower and got ready to go to the Opera House. When we got to the Opera House we had to wait for about 2 hours before going on stage. Playing the marimbas in the Opera House was amazing!

The excursion to Sydney was brilliant. Thanks Mr Spillane for organising such a wonderful trip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Science Day at Dungowan Public School 

On Thursday 12 September Niangala Nundle and Dungowan students participated in activities to broaden their scientific and technological skills, understanding and knowledge with facilitators from the University of New England VOYAGER Discovery team. Students rotated in groups to explore and investigate.

Creative Chemistry: In this activity, students had the opportunity to develop their curiosity about chemistry and find out what is a chemical. Wearing a lab coat and safety glasses students participated in experiments, to mix liquids, make bubbling concoctions and colour changing creations to investigate the ins and outs of different chemical reactions, and how they relate to our everyday lives. Through these activities they learnt to use scientific vocabulary including hydrogen peroxide, catalyst, exothermic reaction, high and low concentration and acids. It was interesting to watch substances change state with the Elephants Toothpaste experiment when the gas builds up inside bubbles.

Busybots: In our digital age, new technologies are changing the way we live, communicate and work. Coding is the key to understanding, navigating and manipulating so we can unlock the future. Working in groups students had the opportunity to use Busybots to expand their understanding of coding and robotic systems on different environments. They worked co-operatively to discuss and give computers instructions and develop solutions to coding-based problems.

Power of the Brain: For this session students developed their understanding of being a neuroscientist. The brain is a marvellous organ. We explored the various parts that allow us to move and breathe every day. Students used sensing equipment to explore how exercise can stimulate their own body processes. The importance of breathing and mindfulness was highlighted as a technique to regulate physiological and emotional stress for self-management practices.

 

 

 

These activities in learning were designed to build upon and enhance students’ skills in technology and prepare them for their future with opportunities to connect, communicate, collaborate and solve problems using technology.

Sphero Bridge Building Reflection Activity How do you think you went in these challenges? Did you do well?

Sophie—I did well

Isabell—In the Makey Makey I thought Claire and I went well. The bridge making was tricky to get the shero across.

Charlotte—Well I worked with my partner to make things work. I loved how I went. We had to build a bridge across the table.

Chaise—Good

How did you go working with a group? Did you enjoy this? What challenges did your group have completing the task?

Sophie—I think I was working well with my group. I enjoyed the activity because we worked together.

Isabell—I enjoyed working in a group, I find it easier working in a team. We had to talk and share our ideas.

Charlotte—I felt I liked how I worked in a group. I enjoyed it.

Chaise—Good

What would you do differently next time you faced a task like this?

Sophie—I would make it stiffer and tighter.

Isabell—My partner and I should have planned how to make the bridge more stable. I enjoyed these activities, they were very fun.

Charlotte—Talk more with my partner and explain our ideas better.

Chaise—Make a rectangular bridge.

 

 

Learning with Books and Technology

On Monday the 23rd September we were we joined by Yarrowitch Public School for a day of learning. The day was run by the Central Northern Regional Library and encompassed working with books and technology. Julian who is the Maker Space and Digital Coordinator at the library was very keen to share many of the wonderful learning opportunities available at the library and had brought out a variety of exciting robots for us to work with. We started out with a “Hello” from Kody who is a NAO robot. He was very entertaining and is able to learn and adapt. He interacted with students by talking, answering questions, dancing, and is also able to play soccer! Our first hands on activity was using Makey Makey robots to play a game of Simon Says. Students had to make and code a controller to play the colour version of the game by completing a circuit and colour coding the controller. Our second activity was an engineering challenge which involved making a 20cm bridge for a sphero robot to cross. A sphero robot is tennis ball like both in size and shape and is controlled by a mobile bluetooth device. Students only had access to three items to complete this challenge: unlimited paddle pop sticks, unlimited 30cm pieces of string, and 10 pieces of 6cm long masking tape. The aim of the challenge was for students to work in small groups and design, make, assess and revise until the challenge was completed. The Central Northern Regional Library has a whole dedicated section called the Innovation Studio where people can take part in Coding Clubs and other workshops that focus on building with technology.

Our third activity was based on a beautiful book from the library about insects Incredible Insects. We read the book as a group and then used the sphero robots to get the insects home through a maze. In this challenge students had to use their knowledge and skills both in science and mathematics to convert cm into the square grid used by the sphero’s remote coding device and code to complete the maze.

 

 

Plants, Poop and Pollinators: We all know that tiny creatures play a critical role in providing essential services for our ecosystem such as pollinators. Through a role play game students discovered the incredible importance of dung beetles. To identify the distinguishing features of insects students looked through microscopes.  

 

 

 

 

Week of Tastes 2019

The aim of the Week of Tastes program is to teach our students how to RECOGNISE and APPRECIATE taste. Our learning goal was to discover how the five senses are used to appreciate food. Associate Professor Kim Bell-Anderson PhD, Registered Nutritionist states Taste is pretty important in survival as it helps encourage us to eat nutritious foods and avoid foods that are poisonous. We sense the taste of food through taste cells on our tongue. In the classroom students revisited Tasty Facts. Did you know? The tongue is a muscle. Our tongues are lots of little taste buds that allow us to taste sweet, sour, salty, savoury and bitter flavours. The little bumps on our tongue are called papillae and our taste buds sit on top of them. Humans have around 3 000 to 10 000 taste buds. These are replaced every two weeks by new ones. Our students enjoyed the opportunity to participate in sensory exercises with and without a blindfold. They recognised the importance of smelling, touching and feeling a food before tasting. During this discovery journey students were encouraged to develop curiosity, thinking and analytical skills. New vocabulary related to food was introduced and used to understand each individual experiences taste differently. In reflecting students commented: Chaise – In the Week of Tastes, I learnt that tasting different foods is good for you and you can taste sweet foods and you can taste soft foods and you can also taste hard foods. Sophie – In the Week of Tastes, we had to feel food and taste. We also were tasting liquids. We made sherbet and the moment we put it in our mouths we made lots of little gas bubbles in our mouths. We were learning to taste as well as eat. Charlotte – In the Week of Tastes I did some tasting and explored new foods. The cheese felt soggy and I didn’t like it. The third was white choc chip, it was hard and I loved the taste.

 

 

  Isabell – In the Week of Tastes I learnt that lots of foods have different textures and different tastes. When you eat lots of sherbet the carbon dioxide gas will put lots of gas into your body. Also I learnt that boy’s tongues are longer than girls tongue. It is 8 cm long. Children have 10 000 taste buds and adults have 5 000. That’s why children find things much stronger in taste.

Curling your tongue is a genetic thing. If your parents can’t do it then it’s more than likely for you not to be able to do it as well.

 

Transi on Last week’s activities included the nursery rhyme Little Jack Horner, books about wombats, and art based on the book Never Say Boo to a Goose. At the assembly Valerie, Elaya and Fern proudly showed their poster matching 2D shapes.