Over the past two weeks, Neighbourhood 1 has continued to investigate nature. We developed a group definition of what it is and started exploring our own personal connections to nature. A special neighbourhood connection has been established in the planting, growing, and monitoring of our very own broad beans. Getting into the role of scientists, students formed hypotheses about the importance of different factors for plant growth – sunlight, water, space and soil – and in small groups planted and monitored seeds that either did or did not have access to these key factors. Time for daily observations has been a highlight, as we notice, record, measure, and wonder about the amazing process of growth.

Storytelling in First Nations cultures

In our Neighbourhood discussions we have talked about the important connections Indigenous peoples have had to this land for many thousands of years – Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week being apt moments for us to reflect and show respect. The students immersed themselves in learning about the meanings of First Nations symbols and how they are used to tell stories – culminating in storytelling of our very own using line and shape to honour the voices of Indigenous Australians throughout history. We look forward to sharing our stories at the Reconciliation Assembly on Friday this week.

Line and Shape

Lines and shapes are everywhere! From symbols that tell stories to leaves and trees outside, the Neighbourhood 1 students have been noticing and classifying different kinds of line and two dimensional shape all around us. In Provocations, many students are contributing to the creation of our very own world of lines – a tree complete with leaves and wildlife that is composed entirely of 2D shapes and straight, curved, intersecting and parallel lines. We had a lively debate about whether or not 2D shapes even exist outside our imaginations (isn’t everything 3D in our world? But wait, what about an image on a screen?!) and so now we are starting to explore more about 3D shapes and how they can appear in the world around us.