Gai writes: You might be wondering what is Ivory trade. Ivory is something that comes from elephants’ tusks that people carve into jewellery and statues. Ivory trade is illegal. The African government leader burnt ivory in a stockpile to tell people to stop poaching.In 1989 one leader said, “poaching has turned elephants into refugees. Zach believes: Ivory Trading is a huge problem in our world right now. There are approximately 500,000 elephants in Africa but 25,000 to 30,000 elephants get killed every year.
During the clip I watched, I saw people were trying different ways to stop poaching like sending drones, personal training and private places for the elephants.
I feel sympathy for all of the elephants around the world and I am very disappointed with the people who are poaching.
I think that there should be more bans in our countries and people should make more donations for the elephants. I wonder what poaching will be like in the future. I wonder if people have finally inspired poachers to stop what they’re doing or it will improve and the elephant numbers will go down until there nearly extinct.
I learnt a lot about elephant ivory today. I’ve learnt that ivory can be turned into lots of beautiful things. I’ve also learnt that there are a couple of ways to save the elephants such as people using drones to spy on people if they are poaching and then report it.
So, what do you think about poaching?
Tom thought:What I saw: I saw hundreds of millions of dollars go up in flames. Even though it is illegal worldwide people would do anything to get ivory.
What I felt:I feel distraught knowing that all of those elephants are getting harmed and dying because of these people. I also feel horrified by what they have done. The Gabon president quotes, “Poaching has turned elephants into refugees.”
What I wondered: I wonder how this catastrophic ivory trade happened in the first place. I also wonder what items have ivory in them that we don’t know of.Are there any problems that you want to talk about and please give some detail?
Luke wrote:
How do you feel about Ivory trade? I feel that we really need to stop killing animals such as elephants.What did I see? I see that they, are getting lonely especially baby elephants.What did I think? I think we are not treating elephants as we should.What did I wonder? I wonder why people would kill elephants just for their tusks?What did I learn?I learned that people carve pictures into tusks.
Alexa reflected: Stop poaching! I think poaching elephants is wrong. Poaching is when someone kills elephants or hurts an elephant for Ivory.What is happening?25,000 – 30,000 elephants have been killed every year and most of them from poaching. To stop poaching, countries have been burning ivory to show people that poaching is wrong. A leader even said that poaching is making elephants refugees.How I feel!Elephants are beautiful animals and I think many people feel sad for elephants and so do I!What do I wonderI wonder why people think ivory is more important than our elephants?What I learntI learnt how elephants are being affected by us.I also learnt that we should save our elephants.
This week we made Oobleck! We mixed cornflour and water and watched for the reaction. We were amazed to see that Oobleck could act as a solid or a liquid, depending on how we treated it!
First of all, our reflection about doing science....
Ava: science is fun because it's about trying something different!
Emma: I enjoy the hands-on approach of science
Eva: we learn from seeing and doing- I like learning that way
Ben: agreed that a hands on approach is a great way to learn
Annie: everyone got a go at being involved in an experiment
Lucas: I love the fun and mess of science Tom: Science is important for future learning
Now for our conclusions about Oobleck....
Ben thought it happened because the corn flour solidified it and the water made it liquify
Alexa thought that because you mixed a solid and liquid together, it was like they were fighting to be the star
Tom thought there was a chemical reaction between the water and the cornstarch
Caitlin thought it was because there was a solid and a liquid and the solid kicked in with pressure and the liquid had no pressure
Jordi learnt that when you hold the oobleck the "cogs" hold it together and when you relax your hold, the "cogs" separate Now we'll ask the scientists?? So we Tweeted it and this is what has happened so far?
So now one of the Middle MY students will try Cam's suggestion for their personal learning task!
What a wonderful morning we spent looking at the presentations of the Term 1 Inquiry - Who am I? Who am I called to be? One of the highlights was the choice of a "Habit of Mind" to guide the Term 2 goalsetting. The top choice was "Persisting." Others wonderful choices included, "Creating, Imagining, Innovating" and "Thinking about Thinking."
At Monday morning prayer, the Seniors presented us with "Lent in a Bag." Today we explored one of the objects -the candle - and read from Matthew's Gospel 5:14-16 ..."You are the light of the world!"
Thanks Seniors!
Our Reflections
Declan: Showing other people the way...being the light to other people...being seen as the light like Jesus.
Patrick: We are called to be the light of other people's world. When your friends are in the dark, we are there to light their way. Don't blow out someone's light. It would be like being alone in the dark
Caitlin: The candle means to be a light in the world...make a difference in the world...be the light for someone and make it a more fair and kind world!
Rose: The candle represents Jesus, because jesus is the light of the world. We can light up somebody's world by being Good News and by reaching out in love and mercy!
Hannah A: The light means to show people the way and not to be a bystander. Be the one who helps people...show them the good way, not the bully's way.
Jordi: The candle means to shine your light on one another, to make people happier when they are feeling down. The candle is like Jesus beacuse he is the light of the world. We can also light up other people's world.
Today we revisited our hexagonal thinking posters and we noticed that we had made a few errors when placing the hexagons last time. After our term of learning about Australian history, focusing particularly on the gold rush, we now know much more about the significant events of Australian History. A particular group we changed was the gold rush and topics surrounding it because we learnt that it was an important part in Australian history because the Eureka Stockade was Australia's first claim of democracy. A visit to Sovereign Hill supported our learning around this topic.
We were also able to create more links around immigration, culture, story and identity as a result of our experiences at the Immigration Museum. Immigration stories were an important focus that day, but we also engaged highly with the "Identity: Yours, Mine and Ours" exhibition.
At school our amazing ICT teacher gave us an interesting surprise. We were given a mystery toolbox that had unusual things in it.The toolbox was a fun way to learn about cyber safety.The students gathered the information they had learnt and put it into a creative and joyful video. Enjoy the movie and cheers from Dylan and Ciaran!
When we came to School this morning we were set a task by our teacher. It was to answer the question, 'Why Do We Go To School' and the whole class contributed. We brainstormed the answers and wrote them down on our Chrome Books. We came up with a number of great answers that we put into a google doc and our teacher thought they were brilliant... see below for some quotes about our thinking!
Angus and Will.
Do you wonder why we all come to School?
Do you think its a waste of time?
Well let me tell you why it is so important...
We come to School to learn about Skills for the future that will help us evolve in life to become more independent and responsible…
We also come to School to take action and learn to learn.
School also encourages us to take action and work at our goals(Mine is Maths!).
School helps us to learn about the world and its different people and their cultures throughout the world from pole to pole.School helps us to realise we are part of a giant loving community.Angus
Here are some reasons why Senior MY thinks we should go to school!My first reason is for us to gain an education to help us prepare for the our future jobs and life. I think it is good to make friends and relationships with new people, that means we will never be lonely again.It is good to become independent, responsible and to be inspired to take action in the world. I think it is good to express ourselves-develop deeper thinking. Also to work for our goal and hopefully get there. Last but not least to learn to learn! I hope now that you have read this you will love school even better than before. Elisa
We come to school to help us take action into the world and develop our own thinking skills.The most important thing is to learn how to learn really think dive deeply and express yourself.We also come learn about not just our community but the world and environment around us.“So don't just sit there go outside go for a walk and learn” You may not notice but learning is all around you. Grace
School inspires us to get good jobs. School helps us to be independent and responsible for when we get older and leave our parents and live on our own. School helps us to think more deeply and to reach our goals. School educates me for future jobs and skills for the future and the last thing of all is we learn to learn.Brandon C
“At last the sky clears.The years pass.The tree weathers many storms…but the Lone Pine still stands proud and strong.” Lone Pine is a captivating book, which conquered my heart. It really makes me feel a connection to the families now and then. I now truly understand what feels like to have family involved in a war.Susie Brown and Margaret Warner used powerful language to create a heart-stopping story. The strong, sharp sentences make a lovely story.
From Daniel: The Lone Pine is a story about WW1 in Gallipoli, Turkey. Three brothers go to war for what they think is going to be an amazing adventure. But the soldiers of Turkey are ready for them and the the fight is short and fierce. Two of the brothers survive but one falls in battle.
The oldest brother finds a pine cone while searching for his younger sibling and posts it to his mother who is back home in Australia. She puts them in a pot and grows three small saplings from the seeds of the pine. two survive and are green and healthy but the last one weathers away and dies. She sends the first one to a place called Inverell. The second went to Canberra to the memorial for the war where it still is today.
From Tom:
You can feel the pain in the story of a lost brother, a lost child, possibly a lost father or husband. You don’t want to take things for granted after reading this story, knowing that this happens every day, receiving the dreadful news of a loved one, gone forever....a truly beautiful sight for such a horrible battle!
The beauty, although, keeps us remembering them, thanking them, knowing our lives would not be the same because of them.~Lest We Forget~
From Will:
The lone pine is a sad but heart warming true story. The emotions it brings to mind move from the sad moments to the moments that fill your heart with joy. It's a story of remembrance that proves that a mother’s love is very, very strong...a family's bond will never break.
From Gemma: I love the amazing vibrant images and the way the illustrator Sebastian Ciaffaglone captured the story was incredible. This book was stunning. “Lest We Forget.”
From Ava:I feel terrified. Bullets are speeding toward us as we are running to war. Many have fallen in the time that has gone past, but I have survived till the end of the war. Now I am looking for my little brother who I still can not find. I come across a pine branch that has a one last cone on it. I hold it tightly and smell the aroma of it. It reminds me of my mother's garden so very much.
Playing the Disaster Game made me be aware of what I can do to save myself and others if a natural disaster happens. I can react quickly and carefully - Madison H.
When I played the disaster game I realised that many tsunamis occur in poorer countries in which many people live in huts that can easily be washed away - Natalia B.
Playing this disaster game showed us what can be provided and how we can use resources to our advantage. It also showed the effects of a disaster. -Jonathan
Playing this game made me think what resources I should have so if a disaster did happen I can use them to save lives. I also learnt about how I can protect myself. Cooper M.
I think that playing this game was really good because it taught us how to prepare if there was a disaster. I did bushfires and I didn't realise how important it was to improve your evacuation plans - Nick
It was a big shock to realise the large impact that the disaster makes- Corinne B
A beautiful animation inspires the students to experiment with some lovely creative writing!
The brief: a creative commentary experimenting with two new words - excerpt and juxtapose Natalia: Do you ever wonder about the saddest and happiest moments of your life? In this touching excerpt, we see an old man playing the piano juxtaposed with some of his most memorable moments. I felt immensely sad when the man's wife appears as a ghost and kisses him on the cheek. When the man is a little boy, and receives a gift which he was clearly longing for, I felt his joy. Madison: "The Piano" is a living music piece that takes us back to our own memories as the old man remembers his. ..The feeling is magical and sensitive, therefore my reaction is sadness and to be patient. Madeline: Looking back at one's life, we see joyful and painful moments juxtaposed...The short excerpt from this old man's life was guided by the mesmerising piano song. Tessa: Many moments in your life can be touching, from youth to old age...watching this clip makes me wonder what life will be like for me at that age. Isabella: The old man thinks of the past, remembering things with the help of his piano. Playing the piano is bringing the passion and emotion into his memory. Mia: Today we watched a short excerpt from an old man's life and saw how the piano made him remember and brought the tears down....all he has left is his grandson who plays the piano with him as they remember. The clip today was very sad and brought memories to my mind, too.
It's that time of year again! Goal setting time! This morning, goal setting was well on the way. Each of us was busily thinking about what we would like to achieve this Term. After a quick chat to a partner for some advice, we all got set to our 'SMART' charts (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely.) We all hoped to achieve these goals by the end of the Term. Hopefully we will be able to score these goals by the end of the Term! Here are some of our charts...Maddie
Today, we celebrated Safe and Happy Day. During Circle Time, which we do in our cross age groups, we engaged in reflections that tuned us in to our own and other's feelings. We also brought a gold coin for the "Save the Children's Fund," an organisation that is committed to creating a world where every child has a safe and happy childhood.
This term we have been using learning intentions. Learning intentions are statements that help guide us throughout the lesson. If we were focusing on multiplying double digits, the learning intention might be, "We are learning to multiply double digits and apply them in a mental and visual way." We use the learning intentions in many things, especially maths. The learning intentions help all of us to know what we are focusing on and keep us on track. At the end of the lesson we go back to the learning intention to see if we have achieved what we were hoping to. I personally think that learning intentions help me to stay an track and to raise the bar.
The silence....the interest...the stories...the wonders..feelings..knowledge...places...the learning...experiences... I felt there was avery different approach to today's learning. I loved listening to the stories of all the trips to Uganda. I had so many questions and they were answered. We have chosen to bring the Good News!
This day was amazing because it really connected to me, my family and the class. The most amazing part was hearing the story about how the gorilla touched Paul's heart...when he touched his hand. This was an amazing day that really gave us the idea of what we need to know and also how we should be thankful.
The reflection day was such an amazing experience...I could feel what he (Paul) was feeling and all his amazing experiences really touched me. He taught us so much...the great things he had experienced and how to help others. Today WAS and "awesome" day. It was very different to past experiences. At the Holy Cross Monastery, our presenter, Paul, talked to us about his experiences, working with children in Uganda. He had some symbols from Africa such as a vest made from bark, a giraffe, a nativity scene made form leftovers and a special garment. Also Monsignor Curtin talked to us about the ceremony and the gifts of the Spirit. We discussed social justice because of its strong connection to Confirmation. I think Paul was very passionate about his work. he was touched by a gorilla coming over to him and holding his hand..then he (the gorilla) shoved him over and sat in his spot eating the vegetation!
A few days ago, we had some visitors from the Philippines. There were two past students, Gary and Aisa. There was also Catherine who runs the organisation.
We learnt:
if you are reading this, then you are in the top 8% richest people in the world.
if you have a bed, a closet, a fridge and a roof over you head, then you are in the top 20% of the world's richest people.
that we have everything we need, but others don't (we have more than enough)
that we can change the world within our generation, and even in our life time!
Everyone was amazed with everything we learnt, and now we are hoping to help change the world to become a better place. We now know that if we donate a few un-needed things, we can change someone's life for good. The school is now trying to raise money for many other organisations.
The most enjoyable, but emotional part of the day, was when Gary and Aisa put on a play. It was about both of their lives in the Philippines and how it changed their lives when they were given shelter and an education. We were shocked on how they lived their lives and how grateful they are for "Bahay Tuluyan" - which means house of welcome.
Here is a rough picture of what it may look like in the Philippines. Many people are begging for the chocolate, as we pretended it was real food. We learnt how hard it was for them to get food, and how sad it was too. This activity made us feel really lucky and selfish too...since what we have is unimaginably much more of what they have.
Alexa noted," You will know where to improve the next time you write this sort of text!"
School inspires us to get good jobs. School helps us to be independent and responsible for when we get older and leave our parents and live on our own. School helps us to think more deeply and to reach our goals. School educates me for future jobs and skills for the future and the last thing of all is we learn to learn. Brandon C
