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Year 3 Visit Farm Barn
Our Year 3 students had a blast at the end of last term. They visited the Farm Barn in Hahndorf, where they wrapped up their study of living things and life cycles with an awesome excursion!
They got up close and personal with farm animals like rabbits, goats, sheep, and cows. The highlight? Milking a cow—definitely a hands-on experience they won't forget!
But it wasn't just about the farm animals. Our young explorers also learned about different animal groups like mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, and birds. They had a blast identifying these animals in real life.
The excitement didn't stop there! The kids fed emus, kangaroos, wallabies, llamas, and deer at the wildlife enclosure. Talk about making new furry (and feathery) friends!
It was awesome to see the classroom lessons come alive for them. Their enthusiasm was contagious, and they really soaked up all the new experiences.
A huge thank you to the Farm Barn team for making this day so special for our students. Here's to more adventures in learning!
Year 4 HASS Excursion
In Term 1, the Year 4’s explored Aboriginal culture and history during their HASS lessons. To extend their knowledge, all three classes went on a journey to the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. They ventured through 50-hectares of plants from across Australia and around the world, with a rich history and stunning architecture. Each class went on an educator-led tour where they discovered Aboriginal food, artefacts and various tools they used for survival.
Autumn Market Nature Play
While we are approaching the end of autumn, the beautiful colours are everywhere, bursting into brilliant colours of red, orange and yellow. We had some fun autumn-themed sensory play in the Nature Play space this week!
Using the beautiful produce that can be harvested in Autumn we set up a fresh autumn market. The students loved pretending to buy and sell all the different items. We also had some autumn grains of barley, lentils and dried beans for the students to scoop and poor, mix and stir. Playdough was also available for the students to create with. Using autumn leaves and other loose parts, the students created many different creations, including beautiful autumn shaped leaves.
Have you been enjoying the beautiful colours of autumn this year?
Nature Maths
We are back into the swing of things this term, and have been back in the Nature Play Space for Nature Maths with the year ones this week.
To tie in with what they have been learning about in maths, we learnt about measurement. The students found a stick in the Nature Play Space and lined them up in a straight line to see who had collected the longest or shortest stick. We then chose a leaf and did the same thing in partners.
We then decided we wanted to measure larger spaces and needed something bigger to use to measure the length, so we used our feet. The students carefully stepped their feet along different areas of the Nature Play Space to discover how long each log or section was. We then discussed how informal units, like our feet used for measuring, are not always the same, and discussed what the differences were and why. We had fun learning outside together.
Until recently I had never heard of the blanket octopus. It appeared in a news story where two local fishermen noticed one in the waters off the Yorke Peninsula. It was last reported to be seen in South Australian waters almost 30 years ago, so this was a rare sighting. To start with, the fisherman thought it was rubbish, a plastic bag floating in the water, but something made them look more closely and when they noticed the unique creature, they filmed the rare encounter.
Intrigued, I researched the blanket octopus and discovered that it is usually found in tropical or sub-tropical waters. It is very rare and elusive, so there is not a lot known about the creature, but I found a few interesting facts online.
- The female blanket octopus can grow up to two metres in length.
- The blanket octopus is carnivorous, with a diet that consists mostly of smaller fish. It has an unusual method of hunting prey - it uses a tentacle ripped from toxic jellyfish as a weapon.
- They live for 3-5 years and spend their lives floating in the open ocean.
- They swoop into deeper waters when threatened, their “blanket” or cape flowing behind them, making them appear larger and giving them a fast escape from predators.
(Source: https://www.barrierreef.org/the-reef/animals/blanket-octopus)
What an amazing creator God we have! When I heard about his amazing creature, my curiosity was piqued, and I was eager to find out more.
Curiosity is the spark that ignites our desire to learn. It leads us to ask questions, seek answers, and open doors to new worlds of knowledge and experience. The joy of learning new things lies in the thrill of discovery and the satisfaction of gaining new knowledge.
Yesterday and today, we welcomed parents into classrooms for our annual parent interviews. It is exciting to have the opportunity to share with parents the learning that is happening for our students. As you visited the classrooms and saw the evidence of learning I hope that your curiosity was ignited and that you were able to ask questions of your child and learn from them some of the things that they have been doing in class this year.
It is exciting to see each of our students are on their own learning journey, one filled with amazing discoveries. I hope that as you spend time with your children this week, you find ways to ignite curiosity together - wherever you can find it.
Hey PPN Family,
I hope that you all had a good and restful school holiday break.
In his book, “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry,” John Mark Comer emphasises the need for us to slow down our lives in order for us to be at our best. Comer points out that we never read about Jesus running or walking in a hurry in the Bible. He concludes that the reason why Jesus never hurried, is because hurry is incompatible with love – and Jesus is love.
This thought resonates with me because I find that whenever I am in a hurry, I am impatient, grumpy, and irritable, all attitudes that are the polar opposites of love. In fact, I really struggle to show people genuine love whenever I am in a hurry, because my mind is too preoccupied with the next appointment that I am already running late for.
This is worrying, because as a society we are busier today than ever before, and busyness often disconnects us from God and others. That is why Corrie Ten Boom said that, “If the Devil can’t make us bad, he’ll make us busy.”
So, I invite you to join me on my current mission to eliminate hurry from my life. I am trying to walk slowly through life, just like Jesus did. In Matthew 11:28-30 (The Message Translation) Jesus gives us this invitation, “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.”
If you’re feeling a bit tired, and disconnected, maybe it’s time to leave the “fast lane of life,” and follow Jesus in the slow, and unhurried, lane of love.
God bless,
Roland Talamaivao-Amituanai
Look up!
During the school holidays our family visited the Australian Space Agency Visitors Centre on North Terrace (if you haven’t been there, you should). The amount of time, money and effort currently being spent on understanding and exploring space is phenomenal.
Our family visit reminded me of the power of looking up. How long since you and your children have stopped to wonder at the stars?
Now, as the dark sky returns earlier each day it is MUCH easier to take kids out for a therapeutic gaze at the sky.
I may never personally step foot on Mars, but standing in wonder at that small red dot in the sky (and the millions of others) can certainly make me lighter on my feet here on earth.
Research continues to highlight the positive impact that star gazing can have. Below are just a few examples of this. Can I encourage you to take the time to look up this week, and perhaps make a habit of it with your family?
Stars are awesome – awe is an emotional state that pyschologists know is healthy and positive. Contemplating something as vast as the night sky makes us feel small in the best possible way.
Looking up can make you kinder – One study suggests that by feeling small we become more aware of things outside of ourselves. ‘By diminishing the emphasis on the individual self, awe may encourage people to forgo strict self-interest to improve the welfare of others.”, said lead researcher, Dr Paul Piff.
Stare gazing slows you down – When you’re staring at the night sky there's nothing to do but stop, watch and reflect – which has plenty of benefits for our mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing.
It’s not all dark – stargazing reminds us that even in times of darkness, light persists. The same is true for life, no matter how dark our current experience may be the light will always shine through.
It holds our gaze – the more we learn about space, the more we don’t know. Looking up reminds us that exploring, questioning and searching should be a constant pursuit
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Psalm 19:1-4
PPN Celebrates Three Weddings
It’s been a season of weddings for PPN staff this year. Not one or two, but four PPN staff have recently been married!
Early this year, Miss Caitlin Smith became Mrs Irankunda after marrying Eric (whom our students have seen and heard a few times during Chapels) on January 4.
Sneaking into our recent holidays, were Pr Toby and Debbie (a Prescott College teacher), who were married on April 14.
Then just a few days later, on April 17, Mr Borresen and Miss B tied the knot.
Congratulations to all three couples! We wish you all a lifetime of happiness ahead. As a PPN family, we will continue to pray for you as you plan and grow together.
Winter Uniform required from Week 3
Following the two-week transition period all students are required to wear full winter uniform from Monday, Week 3. Please contact the uniform shop if your child needs new winter uniform items before this time.
Mother's Day Stall
Growth and Development Sessions – Year 4, 5, 6
In the coming weeks Year 4, 5 and 6 students will take part in a series of Growth and Development lessons. The lessons, run by professional presenters from Kidz Biz Education, provide age-appropriate insights for students about the coming changes in their life and decisions that often go along with growing up.
Year 4, 5 and 6 families should have received an email and letter yesterday with additional details. If you did not, or have further questions please contact the school.
If you are a parent of a Year 4, 5 or 6 students we encourage you to attend a one-hour Parent/Student Information Session in the PPN Discovery Centre on Wednesday, 8 May (Week 2).
Year 4 Parent / Student Information Session - 6:40pm
Year 5 and 6 Parent / Student Information Session - 7:40pm
Bake Sale for Australia's Biggest Morning Tea
Devices Brought on Buses
Students who catch our school buses are allowed to use devices (with appropriate content) during travel to and from school. Students who do this are reminded that, as outlined in our Student Handbook, all devices (including MP3 players, mobile phones, tablets and digital video games) must be handed in to Student Services upon arrival at school as they are not permitted in the classroom or playground.
Term 2 School Fees
The Term 2 school fee statements were emailed last week, please contact the school office if you have not received your copy.
Please note, the due date for prompt payment discount is the 9th of May 2024, make your payment at the latest on that date to claim the reduced amount.
Fee payments after the 9th of May need to be paid in full, the due date is the 23rd of May 2024.
Thank you!
Book Club is Back for Term 2!
