Ooey Gooey Ooblek

This term in Year 3, students have been learning about solids, liquids and gases and how adding and removing heat can change their state. They have been doing a range of hands-on experiments and investigations, including with ice cubes, water, and eggs.

This week, they explored the unusual substance of ooblek. Oobleck is made from corn flour and water and is a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning it has properties of both liquids and solids.

Students mixed their own ooblek and used their hands to explore how it moves and changes when they added or removed pressure, when they squashed it, rolled it and when they let it drip from their fingers. They observed how when you slowly dip your hand into it, it acts like a liquid, but if you squeeze the oobleck or punch it, it feels solid.

We then discussed the science behind this fun phenomenon – when you add pressure (which is a form of heat), the size, shape, and makeup of the cornstarch grains causes the corn flour to “lock-up” and hold its shape (like a solid) when pressure is applied to it. However, as soon as the pressure is removed, it returns to acting like a liquid.

Want to try making ooblek at home? All you need is corn flour and water. Start with 1 ½ cups of corn flour and1 cup of. Experiment adding more of both as you mix it with your hands. Happy oobleking!

Creative Writing Group

During Semester 1 a talented group of writers from Yr 5 worked with Mrs Vice once a week to write their own picture book for the Junior Primary students. Writing a picture book sounds easy but they soon learnt that it was not! They worked very hard to write many drafts to make sure their books had an idea that appealed to the young reader, used repetition and rhyme, had examples of onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors, and dialogue!

They then spent a considerable amount of their Term 2 holidays drawing and colouring in their pictures. When their books were complete, Mrs Vice uploaded their books onto a book platform and this week they arrived at school. Last Friday the talented young authors read their books to some of the Junior Primary students. A permanent copy of these beautiful books will be in the Discovery Centre for all children to read soon. We encourage parents to come and have a look also. Toby and Japjot who were unfortunately away on this day did an amazing job also. Well done to all students on your amazing efforts, we are very proud of you.

Spring Has Sprung

I don’t know how you feel, but spring is my favourite time of year. The weather is warmer, the flowers are blooming, the bees are buzzing, and it feels good to be alive. As we welcomed spring this week, I have noticed so many more beautiful flowers blooming around the community. That is what made an appearance at PPN this week in our nature play space.

We had a burst of colour with a small flower shop set up to encourage flower shop roll play. Our students also got to play with natural, scented playdough, and a sensory experience for everyone who wanted to make flower concoctions using water, flowers and natural items. The students poured, mixed, and played on a bright, sunny, spring day. How did you feel the beautiful change of spring this week?

Welcome to Week 7 Prescott family. I hope your Father’s Day celebrations were joyful and you have had opportunity for some extra family time this week.

Bullying is an interesting topic to raise. Getting a consensus on a definition is difficult enough, before we start introducing the emotive aspects of things. There are many places we can get good reliable information about what bullying is and isn’t, and how we can help our kids. Once such Australian resource is the website of the National Centre Against Bullying. Here is their definition,

“Bullying is an ongoing and deliberate misuse of power in relationships through repeated verbal, physical and/or social behaviour that intends to cause physical, social and/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or a group misusing their power, or perceived power, over one or more persons who feel unable to stop it from happening.”

As I read this and reflected back on my time in school, I realise that I have bullied other kids. I don’t feel very good about it as I write it, and I am really grateful that there were adults around me who helped me reflect on, and stop those behaviours. Today’s article raises the question of what we do if our child is the one who is showing bullying behaviour. That can be a really confronting thing to think about, but the reality is, each time a child is bullied, there is someone who is carrying out the bullying behaviour. You may even see some of these behaviours between children in your family and wonder how best to respond. I hope you find this article helpful.

“No parent wants to hear that their child is a bully. It’s awful to think that your child maybe inflicting harm on someone.

If you hear that your child is being a bully, resist the temptation to panic or be defensive. Stay composed and begin to gather the facts. These tips will help:

Communicate

Let your child know that you have heard that they are bullying and that you are concerned about this. Let them know that you are worried about them and want to help. This may take many attempts as your child may feel embarrassed, or unhappy that they’ve been caught. Remain calm and direct and ensure your child that you want to hear their side of the story. Talking through with your child about their situation can help you understand why the aggression is occurring and help you work out what to do about it.

Some children due to their age or mental health may not be able to articulate their thoughts. Consider a visit to as health professional for further assistance.

Look ahead

Once you’ve gained an understanding of the causes of the bullying look ahead and work through with your child how they may act in future situations. Help them understand how their behaviour may have impacted on the other child, and what it would be like if they received that behaviour.

Reflect

Children often copy the behaviours they experience so take the time to reflect on the relationship skills that your child may be witnessing at home. If family members yell, hit or put each other down then look for ways to foster a positive family culture based on kindness, respect and empathy.

Use consequences

Consequences for bullying can be useful if they are related to the behaviour and reasonable in nature. For instance, it’s reasonable for a teenager involved in cyber-bullying behaviour to lose their Internet access and phone use privileges as they’ve failed to stick to the expectations laid down about responsible use. The length of time for loss of privileges depends on the severity of the issue and your child’s attitude. As a rule of thumb lengthy loss of privileges can be ineffective as kids cease to care when they’re too long.

Restore relationships

‘How will you fix this?’ is something a child who bullies needs to hear. Discuss with your child how they will make some restitution to the child or young person they’ve hurt, whether it’s through a written apology, playing a game with a child who they’ve excluded or apologising to a child whom they humiliated in front of their peers.

Monitor the situation

Your child’s bullying may be a one-off event, however stay mindful or your child’s behaviour, their state of mind and the way they continue to relate to others. Let your child know that you want to help them be happy, to enjoy positive friendships and relate well to others.

Bullying is an emotive term that leaves most of us shaken when we hear it. It helps to think of bullying as a being a behaviour resulting from poor decision-making or poor communication skills rather than as a reflection on your child. The latter is hard to change, however the former is always up for change and improvement.” (Coulson, 2023)

Have a great week with our kids,

Mark B

Hey PPN Family, 

A study in 2019 found that on average, Australians have 3.3 ‘best friends’ at the centre of their friendship circle.  By comparison, the same study found that people in India had an average of 6.0 ‘best friends’ and those in the UK only had 2.6 ‘best friends.’ 

These results highlight the fact that even though we are living in an age that is dominated by technology, we still place a great importance and value on friendships.  And this is a good thing, because God created us for community. 

When Jesus was about to go through the toughest time of his life, He made sure that he was not alone.  We read in Matthew 26:37-38 that, ‘He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him, and He began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”’ 

Jesus was preparing to give His life to save the world, and He needed his closest friends to be with Him at this time.  In the same way, when we go through challenging situations it is so important that we have some ‘best friends’ who can support us through those times. 

Whether it is our partners, some childhood friends from school, or friends from work, or church, or even just us chaplains, it is so crucial for us to have the backing of people whom we can trust when we are going through difficult times. 

God bless, 

Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai 

And it was all yellow

The Yellow Zone, within the Zones of Regulation framework, represents a state of heightened emotions and arousal. Children, and adults, in this zone experience mild to moderate levels of stress, frustration, anxiety, or excitement. While they aren’t in the Red Zone, and completely out of control, they may struggle to regulate their reactions and may not be in full control of their emotions.

Children in the Yellow Zone may display various signs indicating heightened emotions and mild to moderate levels of stress, frustration, anxiety, or excitement. Some common signs include:

• Increased Heart Rate and Breathing
• Restlessness
• Elevated Energy
• Anxious Body Language
• Flushed Skin or Sweating
• Tense Facial Expressions
• Irritability
• Decreased Concentration
• Heightened Sensitivity
• Expressing worry, confusion or excitement

Recognizing these signs can help you support your children in managing their emotions and transitioning back to the Green Zone, where they are calm and able to make better choices. Here are some practical ways to support this transition:

Deep Breathing: Teach deep breathing exercises to help calm their physiological responses and reduce stress. Encourage them to take slow, deep breaths in and out.

Physical Movement: Engage in physical activities like stretching or a short walk to release pent-up energy and promote relaxation.

Sensory Tools: Provide sensory tools like stress balls, fidget toys, or textured objects that children can manipulate to help regulate their emotions.

Counting or Time-Outs: Teach them to count to ten or take a brief time-out when they feel overwhelmed, giving them a chance to reset.

Emotion Identification: Help them identify and label their emotions. Discuss what triggered their feelings and explore healthy ways to respond.

Positive Self-Talk: Encourage them to replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations or self-assuring statements.

Coping Strategies: Create a list of coping strategies together, such as drawing, journaling, listening to music, or engaging in a favorite hobby.

Visual Aids: Use visual aids like emotion charts or calming cue cards to remind them of strategies when they're in the Yellow Zone.

Create a Calm Space: Designate a quiet, comfortable space where they can go to relax and use their chosen calming techniques.

Guided Activities: Lead them through calming activities like reading a book, doing a puzzle, or colouring to shift their focus and emotions.

Model Emotional Regulation: Demonstrate your own emotional regulation techniques and share stories about how you manage your feelings.

Practice Problem-Solving: Guide them through identifying solutions to their challenges, promoting a sense of control and reducing stress.

Praise Efforts: Acknowledge their attempts to regulate their emotions, even if the transition isn't perfect. Positive reinforcement encourages continued growth.

Consistency and Patience: Help them understand that learning to regulate emotions takes time and practice. Be patient and consistent in your support.

Remember that each child is unique, so it's important to explore different strategies and tailor them to their preferences and needs. Consistently practicing these techniques will empower children to better manage their emotions and transition from the Yellow Zone to the Green Zone more effectively over time.

Do's & Don't of Dropping Your Kids to School

SACSA Netball

In Week 5, we had 40 eager students from Year 3 to Year 6 compete in the SACSA Netball Carnival. For many of the students this was their first time playing netball! After learning the positions and how they can move on court in the first few games, our students got their groove and played great, even scoring a few times! A big thanks to the parent volunteers who helped with coaching too!

PE Week

In the famous words of King Julian (from Madagascar) we like to move it move it!! PE Week is coming up in Week 8 and we are super excited to keep moving.  

On Wednesday, we will be visiting Valley View Tennis Club to participate in some tennis lessons. This will be a great day to put our learning from PE classes into action on the tennis court.

Please send your child to school in their PE uniform on Wednesday in Week 8.

If you would like to help volunteer to supervise the students, please send Nicole Pfeiffer an email: nicolepfeiffer@ppn.sa.edu.au

We will have many other activities for students to participate in during the week! 

We also encourage every family to get out and do something active together during this week. It might be going for a walk, a bike ride, going down to the park or playing a sport together.

Let’s get moving!!  

Prescott College

OSHC Pupil Free Day 22nd Sept

OSHC School Holiday Program

Christian Book Sale