Year 4

Year 4 has had such a positive experience in 2022. Free from Covid-19 lockdowns and distance learning, we have enjoyed and benefited from the company of each other. Beginning the year with team-based activities on school camp was definitely a highlight. Year 4s worked together on the shores of Anglesea, learnt life-saving skills, experienced the beauty of their natural surroundings, and bonded during their two-night camp trip. Upon their return to the classroom, they explored the concept of the relationships that assist the survival of living things and their interdependence by conducting experiments and observing plant growth under different conditions. In Term 2, we sought to answer the question ‘How Does The Environment Sustain Life?’ and we investigated the ways in which we can make informed decisions about our impact on the environment and increase our use of products and materials that are more sustainable. We also learnt how to sustain an audience’s attention with well-delivered lines and theatrical enthusiasm in our performances in Star Warts as part of the Junior School production. We then set sail in Term 3 and ventured back in time to the era of famous explorers. Focusing on the period between 1400 and 1800, the boys became historical researchers and navigated early trade routes, and discovered how the world became more connected. They were even welcomed aboard a former trade ship known as the Polly Woodside and experienced the drudgery of sweeping the deck and the many skills that were crucial for a successful voyage. Finally in Term 4 we returned back to the shores of Australia, walked in the shoes of the First Fleet convicts, and reflected on the relationship between Indigenous Australians and their land.

Throughout our journey, we remembered our Yeti mindset through calculations, observations, and innovations. Whether participating in specialist or classroom lessons, this year was an adventure!

Mr Tristen Haines and Ms Michelle Ponert Year 4 Teachers

THE FOLLOWING REFLECTIONS WERE WRITTEN BY THE BOYS OF YEAR 4A AND YEAR 4B:

Camp

At Point Roadknight Beach in Anglesea, we learnt how to perform CPR and survival skills as well as boogie boarding and beach games. We had lots of fun balancing on our boogie boards and surfing through the waves with our teachers and lifeguards.

We were floating in the water with life jackets strapped on, learning what to do when you are stranded in the middle of the ocean. I clutched on tightly to my friend’s hand, bracing myself for the impact of the cold salty water. The instructor told us that we had to hold hands, shout for help, and not panic. I saw a wave edging closer every second I closed my eyes. WHOOSH! The wave crashed over our heads. We were washed to the shore. My hair was drenched with ice-cold seawater. The next activity we did was paddleboarding.

Floating in the river in a kayak and paddling in the water was calm and relaxing… that was until we had a race back to the start. ‘1, 2, 1, 2!’ I chanted as we kayaked in the dazzling lake, foamy water flecked at the boat as the paddles cut smoothly through the clear water. We connected arms with other kayakers as we spun slowly in the cool, fresh air. Paddling in these colourful boats was just a pleasure I could not resist. We were splashing water everywhere as we paddled across the river and when we got back we went on an island in the middle of the lake. When somebody shouted ‘alligator!’ we quickly paddled back to shore.

My legs were shaking as I walked up the many spiral stairs of the Split Point Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet. Sounds of metal clanging under heavy footsteps echoed inside the cavernous lighthouse. When I got to the top, wind whipped my face, and I gripped my hat tight, not daring to let go. Whoa, heights! We could see the whole of Anglesea from all the way up there! The wind quickly whipped through our hair while we were waving down happily to kids from the other class.

Catching yabbies was amazing! We caught a giant yabby and it was blue but we almost caught a bigger black yabbie. We used meat on the end of a piece of string to lure the yabbies, then once you feel that little chomp you need to slowly reel your string in. We had to be quick with the net but also really slow so they didn’t notice any movement. Sometimes we even caught two yabbies at the same time. At the end we let them all crawl back into the lake.

Camp was so enjoyable that I wish that I could time travel back to the time we were there.

Polly Woodside

We were so excited when we finally arrived! I smelt the salty, bitter sea air and learnt the size differences between the ships that are bigger and smaller than others. As I stepped foot on the Polly Woodside I thought I would feel the swaying of the boat, but the wooden floorboards felt like solid ground. We took a tour of Polly Woodside and learnt about its past. It was actually a cargo ship used to transport loads of resources.

One by one, down the narrow pathways, we travelled below the deck and experienced what it was like to be a true sailor. We saw a massive load of coal and guano on top of many other resources being transported as cargo. We heard about the things that the crew on the ship had to go through. You try sleeping on a foam mattress that’s rocking up and down as you try to sleep. We just had to imagine it, they had to live it! Scrubbing the deck and steering the rudder from the gigantic helm were hard yards.

Science and Biology: Plants, Life Cycles, and Sustainability

A highlight of Term 1 was the Science topics investigating plants and life cycles. We spent some time growing bean plants in different materials such as green gravel. It was very interesting to see how the newly born bean sprouts grew more slowly or faster depending on what it was grown in. I didn’t know that the bean sprouts would die in water and was surprised when they stopped growing after a week.

Later, in Term 2 we learnt about sustainability and how to protect our fragile environment. There are so many ways we can do this! We can use green energies like solar and wind energy and reduce pollution by carpooling. There are so many ways to help the environment!

Explorers

Click, click, click! We were off and away, researching our explorers, adventuring, looking at their achievements, finding information, and building on prior knowledge. I was so excited when we got to pick explorers. I was very happy that I got my favourite explorer. Each of us focused on a specific explorer. We even learnt new skills along the way. We needed to put the newly discovered information into our own words and showcase the information in a biography that we later published using Canva. Did you know that the naturalist Alexander von Humboldt tested the poison curare and lived? Did you know that Marco Polo lived up to 70 years old? Researching about early explorers, both famous and lesser-known was the best thing all year! First, we researched using Britannica and World Book. Along the way, I learnt lots of interesting facts. For example, did you know that Alexander was a government mine inspector before he was an explorer? I didn’t even know him until now. It turns out that he even discovered armadillos, toucans, and electric eels!

Friday Afternoon Sport

In Term 2 we had a chance to choose a sport to play on Friday afternoons. Our choices were Soccer, Football, and Handball. Some afternoons we got on the bus to go to PEGS or Trinity, some afternoons we played House competition, and some afternoons we were training!

Art

In Art, we created art pieces with the subject: Before Camberwell. First, we painted animals in their habitats. Then, we painted knight shields and, finally, we sewed monkeys! While sewing our monkeys, we had to individualise them with a significant addition. I put a baby monkey in the monkey’s pouch. We also got to name our monkeys. I named mine Bob! I looked excitedly at my completed fabric monkey, it had a pouch that even had a brown baby monkey and a banana. Making the monkeys was so much fun! After sewing our monkeys together we stuffed our monkeys. The stuffing was very fluffy! I was sewing, cutting, and stitching for weeks, but it all came together in the end!