This term has been jam packed full of learning opportunities and student growth.  Swansea Primary School has been a hive of activity - literally!  Some of the events we have participated in this term are: The Young Archies Art Exhibition, National Tree Planting Day, East Coast Cluster Olympics, Gala Day at Bicheno, Ride 2 School Day, Book Week, the winter SPSSA carnival, Fathers Breakfast, Student Led Conferences and on Wednesday we held our SRC fundraiser – Footy Colours Day and we raised eighty five dollars for cancer research.

If you didn't know already - the tennis courts are now equipped with a lock box for free entry for families to use Court B (the closest court to Swan Hall).  The code is 2525.  Please leave the court as you find it and report any damage to swansea.primary@education.tas.gov.au

We are excited to announce we will have a school based nurse, a day a fortnight to work with all students to conduct baseline assessments including hearing, vision and health checks.  Permission forms for this service will be sent home early next term.

A big thank you and CONGRATULATIONS to our wonderful School Association for their successful application for $10,000 from FRRR which will go towards our new Nature Playground to accompany our new Bike and Scooter Track!  Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal, or FRRR (F-triple-R) for short is a not-for-profit organisation, who connect common purposes and funding from government, business and philanthropy with the genuine local needs of rural people and places to create a vibrant, resilient and revitalised remote, rural and regional Australia.  Thanks FRRR!

It is really important that as we head into the holidays, parents connect with their children about what they are doing online.  Today the 456 class have progressed through various online learning modules about staying safe online with CyberPass.  CyberPass is endorsed by the Australian eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted Provider and avilable for parents, teachers and students for free in our current climate and a great resource to review Home - The CyberPass

Have a very happy and safe holiday break.  See you in Term 4!  

Coding with Grade 2/3

In the Grade 2/3 classroom we have been enjoying some introductory lessons on computer coding using a program called Code Spark.

Students have been learning the basics of computer coding by creating sets of instructions for the computer to follow, in order to complete challenges as well as create games and short digital stories.

Our most recent challenge was to create a game using the following criteria:

• The game is challenging but can be completed;
• It has a minimum of 5 obstacles before the player reaches the star (which allows them to win the level);
• The star comes at the end of the game (after the player has passed the obstacles); and
• It has a range of different obstacles and things to collect (such as coins and gems). 

As a class, we created a rubric using these criteria.

When we were happy that our game met the criteria, we used the rubrics to give each other feedback on the quality of our games. This feedback was then used to make improvements to games before Mrs. Brown was challenged to play and offer feedback. 

On Monday 13^th September, Gina from Hydro Tasmania came to visit our school for an incursion.

The 4/5/6 class participated in a hands on session where Gina showed everyone what electricity is and how it can be generated. 

Students were challenged to make a water turbine structure using just one plate, 5 straws, sticky tape and one pelton turbine.

During Prep/1 PE this week our focus was on regulation and emotions, and identifying strategies to help us with emotions that we experience daily. 

I emphasised that there is no such thing as 'good' or 'bad' emotions, and we as humans will experience emotions within all zones throughout our daily lives.

The tuning in activity was a freeze frame, I selected an emotion from the parachute (we thought of the parachute as being our brains and the balls as being emotions from the zones). Students had to use drama elements such as voice, expression and movement to represent the emotion. 

We then practiced trying to balance all the emotions on the parachute: Flying Feelings. We learnt that it is very difficult to manage the emotions some times, but there are techniques to help- same goes with life etc. 

We then played What might you do UNO. Where we had uno cards with various scenarios involving emotions from the zones. Students used drama to express strategies for various emotions.

After the activity students did a reflection on emotions and strategies they use for the emotions.