Term 3 Overview Rooms 17, 18, 20, 21 and 27

KEY DATES
Week 4: Science Week (Drones, Droids and Robots)
Week 5: Book Week - Australian! Story Country
Week 7-9 Growth and Development 6th, 12th, 13th and 27th of September
Week 9: R-7 STEM Showcase-Wednesday 20th of September

Middle Years Teachers

Room 17 - Androulla Vagnoni and Kim Bassett Room 27 Matt Jessett and Jo Waugh

Room 18 Jon Borg Room 28- Ali Kimber and Jo Waugh

Room 20 Adele Giannone

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

This term teachers are continuing to focus on personalised learning, supporting students to successfully achieve their individual
learning goals and the standards as described in the Australian Curriculum. Students will demonstrate their learning through
integrated units of work across different learning areas including English, STEM, HASS and The Arts. These units will provide
opportunities for students to increase the depth of their understanding, use digital technologies, and demonstrate their learning
in the General Capabilities (Critical and Creative Thinking and ICT) across a range of curriculum areas.

Science

Year 6
Achievement Standard
Students will explain how natural events cause rapid change to the Earths surface. They will identify contributions to the
development of science by people from a arrange of cultures. They describe and analyse relationships in data using multi-modal
texts. They identify variables to be changed and measured.
Science Understanding: Sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can affect Earths surface (ACSSU096)
Science as a Human Endeavour: Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly
affect peoples lives (ACSHE100)
Science Inquiry Skills:

Communicating: Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts.
(ACSIS110)
Planning and conducting: Decide which variables should be changed and measured in fair tests and accurately observe,
measure and record data, using digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS104)

Year 7
Achievement Standard
Students will explain how the relative positions of the Earth, sun and moon affect phenomena on Earth. They will plan fair
experimental methods, identifying variables to be changed and measured. They will summarise data from different sources,
describe trends and suggest improvements to their methods.
Science Understanding: Predictable phenomena on Earth, including seasons and eclipses, are caused by the relative positions of
the sun, Earth and the moon. (ACSSU115)
Science as a Human Endeavour: People use science understanding and skills in their occupations and these have influenced the
development of practices in areas of human activity (ACSHE121)
Science Inquiry Skills:
 Communicating: Communicate ideas, findings and solutions to problems using scientific language and representations
using digital technologies as appropriate. (ACSIS133)
Planning and conducting: Collaboratively and individually plan and conduct a range of investigation types, including
fieldwork and experiments, ensuring safety and ethical guidelines are followed (ACSIS125)

English
English studies this term will focus on consolidating reading strategies to support students with reading comprehension. We will
continue our guided reading in small groups as well as shared class novels. More information on individual class novels including
titles and themes are found on the class websites. This will incorporate General Capabilities with a focus around ICT (creating,
communication and investigating with ICT), Intercultural Understanding (recognising culture and developing respect, interacting
and empathising with others), and Critical and Creative Thinking (Inquiring identifying, exploring and organising information
and ideas, and generating ideas, possibilities and actions).
Word Study/Spelling will continue to focus on word building particularly with prefixes and suffixes, and students will be
expected to use their words orally and in their writing. Students are encouraged to practise their words daily as this will not only
consolidate their understanding of spelling skills and strategies but also improve their vocabulary. The text type focus for this
term is response writing, where students will be writing a book review for our class novel.

Mathematics

Maths programs, aligned with ACARA, will continue to focus on the 4 Proficiencies: Understanding, Fluency, Reasoning and
Problem Solving. Both Year 6s and 7s will continue to use investigations and problem solving to gain a deeper understanding of
the topics covered through explicit teaching.

HASS (History, Civics and Citizenship, Geography and Economics and Business)
HASS this term will focus on Geography and Business & Economics.
Year 7s will use initial research to identify geographically significant questions to frame an inquiry. They will develop an
understanding of geographical processes that influence characteristics of places and how places are perceived and valued
differently, explain interconnections between people, places and environments and describe how they change places and
environments.

Year 6s will focus on the topic of a diverse and connected world. The Year 6 students will participate in a student travel expo
where students will demonstrate their learning by setting up a stall in the school gym. The highly popular event will be opened
up to welcome students from other year levels, who are encouraged to come along and learn about destinations around the
world.

Technologies
The Year 6 and 7 students continue to investigate and problem solve utilising a variety of STEAM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Maths, with the addition of the Arts) skills. STEAM is the idea of educating students in five specific disciplines
science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Rather than teach the five
disciplines as separate and discrete subjects, students are given the opportunity to apply their skillsets across curriculum areas.
Students use computational thinking, design-thinking and a range of technological tools, both creatively and critically, with the
expectation that they will build and create pieces of work demonstrating their learning through using programs and applications.
Students will engage and select appropriate technologies to demonstrate and enhance their learning. Students are exposed and
encouraged to explore a variety of programs and online digital tools to enhance independent and self-directed learning,
motivation and engagement. Students will learn how to use ICT in a safe and ethical manner. Using technology students create
and adapt design ideas, make considered decisions and communicate to different audiences.
Visual and Media Arts
Visual Arts will be incorporated into our integrated units within our classrooms. Opportunities for visual and media art projects
will be available through subject areas such as English, History and Maths, as well as STEAM projects.
Health
This term, both Year 6 and 7 students will be learning about Growth and Development.
Year 6 students will cover the topics of: Reproductive System, Conception to Birth, Puberty-Physical and Emotional.
Year 7 students will cover Revision to Puberty, Emotional changes, Body Image/Self- Esteem and Peer Pressure.

Homework
In keeping with the EAS Homework policy, students will continue to have homework four nights a week, of approximately 45
minutes. Homework will be relevant and reflective of the learning program. We strongly encourage our students to read
regularly, develop automaticity in number facts as well as keep up to date with local and world events. Our classroom websites
will have specific weekly information on set homework. Class websites are our main communication platform and we urge you
all to access them regularly. These sites will provide you with a range of other information relevant to what is happening in each
of our classrooms.
Rooms 17 & 18 Website: https://www.easroom1718.weebly.com

Italian Overview Years 6 and 7 - Grace Vottari

Students will develop their Italian language skills and cultural knowledge by engaging in various activities using inquiry skills to
learn about Italy. Students will research the regions, cities, geographical features, food, celebrations and famous landmarks of
Italy. Students will read and respond to various texts, including, Un Giro del Mondo (A trip Around the World) and Un drone in
Italia (A drone travelling through Italy). They will interact to share personal information about cultural backgrounds. Their
challenge will be to produce a text about Italy to express their ideas, experiences and information.

Performing Arts Larissa Maher

Year 6
Improvisation activities
Characterisation activities
Creating a news segment and present using green screen
Learning Outcomes: Students will explore dramatic action, empathy and space in improvisations, play building and scripted
drama to develop characters and situations. Students will rehearse and perform devised and scripted drama that develops
narrative, drives dramatic tension, and uses dramatic symbol, performance styles and design elements to share stories and
engage an audience.
Year 7
Improvisation activities
Characterisation activities
Creating a news segment and present using green screen
Learning Outcomes: Students will combine the elements of drama in devised and scripted drama to explore and develop issues,
ideas and themes. Students will plan, structure and rehearse drama, exploring ways to communicate and refine dramatic
meaning for theatrical effect.
Physical Education - Catherine Watkins

Year 6 & 7:

Sports: Volleyball & Netball

Students will apply striking and throwing skills to propel an object and keep it in motion, and perform activities that involve a
transition from one skill to another, such as running to stopping and/or passing. They will be designing a sequence of passes
between teammates to maintain possession, demonstrate defensive and offensive play in modified games, demonstrate
negotiation skills when dealing with conflicts or disagreements in movement situations, and explain why infringements result in
consequences such as a penalty or free pass. They will correctly interpret and apply rules, design and perform movement
sequences to create, use and defend space, and travel, marking and intercepting to achieve and retain possession.

Extra-Curricular Opportunities
Extra-curricular opportunities this term include Chess, Debating (SA Schools Competition) and Maths Olympiad (group problem
solving schools competition).

Community Service
Students are encouraged to complete their community service booklets and record the hours they have spent on their
leadership positions. A number of Year 7 students have obtained their Senior Badge after completing 10 hours of support for
school-based activities.

Parental Support
We need continued support to achieve required outcomes for our students with excursions. Due to mandatory regulations
regarding adult/student ratios, excursions cannot go ahead without trained volunteers. Please check our newsletters or school
calendar for upcoming training days this term or see Linda for further information.
We are all looking forward to a busy and rewarding Term 3 and if you have any questions, comments, concerns or feedback,
please don't hesitate to contact us.
Kind Regards,
The Middle Years Team