Jess and Susan’s Class: Term 2 Week 5
Dear parents,
This week, our highlight was of course our excursion to the Writers Festival at the Sydney Town Hall. It was hosted by Mick Elliot and had a line-up of very impressive Australian authors including Kate Foster and Yxavel Magno Diño. They did a wonderful task of getting the children excited about their love of books, writing and storytelling. Dav Pilky (Dog Man) was of course a favourite, but I was very impressed by R.A Spratt and have bought her book, The Epically Awesome Odyssey, as told by Nanny Piggins to read to the class this term. It was a very inspiring but also a very busy day, with the children having to manage only very small opportunities to eat, go to the toilet and play. An exercise in delayed gratification and emotional regulation for some (including me!).
Unfortunately, Pottery Green Oval was closed by Lane Cove Council (due to rain) so frisbee couldn’t go ahead on Tuesday. But the children rallied (with Sarah’s class) to play an epic and very strategic game of Capture the Flag back at school.
In maths, we continued learning about fractions this week, working with mixed numerals and improper fractions.
We also learnt about the ship The Endeavour, which Captain Cook sailed around NZ and up the east coast of Australia. We discovered it was rebranded as the Lord Sandwich (II) and was eventually and deliberately scuttled by British forces during the American War of Independence.
It’s very important that, as we teach Australian history, perspectives of First Nations Peoples are heard and respected. The children are already very knowledgeable about some of the distressing parts of colonisation, but next week, being Reconciliation Week, we will look a little deeper into these themes (age appropriately of course).
On Tuesday, which is Sorry Day, we have a whole school excursion to Tambourine Bay. It will be an on Country experience with a First Nations focus. Aunty Leanne, from a First Nations organisation called Wingaru, will lead a Tools and Technology session. We will also run traditional Indigenous Games, an indigenous plants bush walk, and a weaving session. If the weather is bad, we’ll move the day back to school.
Please make sure your child is appropriately clothes for a day in the bush and has their morning tea, lunch and a drink bottle packed.
On Thursday, a group of children across a number of classes, including Kuru, Ettie and Lucia from our class ga e chosen to perform at the Lane Cove Children’s Voices for Reconciliation. If you have the time, you may want to pop up to the Canopy, to watch the event starting at 10:30am.
Warm wishes
Jess and Susan