March 2018 archive

25
Mar
2018

1/4 down..3/4 to go.

categories: Integrated, Positive Ed, Weekly Updates

In true 4T style, the end of Term 1 is near but we are nowhere yet near done. Our last week is shaping up to be a very exciting race to the finish. 

  • Our school is one of the 30 schools around the world that are part of the ‘G20 Schools.’ The principals of these schools meet annually and share their country’s culture, ideas, thoughts and challenges on schooling. 2018’s theme is ‘Changing us in a Changing World,’ and for the first time, the conference is being held at our school in Melbourne! On Monday, the principals part of this group will give a special presentation about their homeland to the Junior School. 

 

  • Later that day, 4T will put their ‘blogger’ hats on and unveil their blogs to our school community. They are expected to be able to explain the benefits of blogging, how to stay safe whilst online and show guests around their dashboard and site.

 

  • Showing gratitude and being thankful for all that we have is an important value. 4T will be writing letters to members of our community that have had an impact on our lives at school during Term 1.

 

  • Tuesday kicks off our Year 4 focus of Community Service. We will be visiting a nursing home and interacting with the residents. Check out the individual student blogs to see their recounts of the afternoon.

 

  • Our week will end with a very special Easter Service of Worship. All Junior School students will rotate through a range of activities including prayers and songs to celebrate the Easter Story.

What is something that you are proud of in your first 9 weeks of Year 4, and why?

13
Mar
2018

Algorithmic Thinking

categories: Integrated

“Beep, beep, beep”    “Tee hee hee”
The whirring and laughing sounds coming out the 4T classroom on Tuesday afternoon sounded like something out of a toy factory. Students had created shapes on the carpet and were required to program various digital systems to follow a path.

This was all because we have been defining terms such as ‘programming’ and ‘algorithms’ and putting our knowledge into practice.

An algorithm is a set of instructions or steps.
We have decided that a fantastic algorithm needs the following things:

Components of a great algorithm.

Programming is telling these instructions or inputting these steps into a digital system so that the algorithm can be carried out.

Programming digital systems in 4T.

On Tuesday afternoon, 4T were presented with bee bots, Dash robots and Spheros. They were required to think about the language of the algorithm that they needed to be able to use to program the digital systems and then think about the easy or good parts of programming this digital system and what someone might find tricky.

What types of digital systems do you interact with on a daily basis?