Quarter 2 Newsletter June 2019

9 We kicked off the quarter with a very exciting and successful Parklands Playground! The Grade Five learners did an incredible job teaching their parents how to use the iPad during different activities. We enjoyed showcasing creative lessons and the skills the learners have adopted. In English, the learners sailed around the world with Michael and his family whilst reading Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo. The classrooms were abuzz with deep discussions around hope, despair, love, friendship and family. Another theme that was pivotal in the novel was the importance of looking after our planet as well as the life on it. The boys and girls were left with empathetic hearts, a deeper awareness and a higher level of consciousness. “If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.” ― Albert Einstein Afrikaans lessons were filled with many exciting fairy tales, enriching our learners’ vocabulary and developing their imagination. The Grade Fives worked very hard on their creative writing skills and retelling of stories. Who said Mathematics is not fun? The Grade Five learners had a great time learning all about right angles, different division strategies, area and perimeter, and a whole lot more. Of course they are always trying to figure out the next sequence in a pattern too. Our Grade Five learners are on the road to becoming young scientists. They are learning about the Scientific Method through testing for thermal conductivity. The learners also spent some time investigating how materials can be mixed and processed to make new materials with new properties. Towards the end of the quarter, the learners got to make delicious ice-cream to further develop their knowledge. Yum! The quarter two outing was very informative and interesting! Our learners had the opportunity to visit the Iziko Slave Lodge where they learnt all about the life of an Ancient Egyptian. We even saw a 4000 year old mummified bird. We are looking forward to learning more about Egypt in quarter three. We ended the outing with a relaxing picnic in the sun, at The Company Gardens, eating delicious snacks and being entertained by the squirrels around us. “Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ― Harriet Tubman One of the most memorable moments was when a passion of wanting to help protect wildlife became a reality. Three young ladies, Isabella Rivera, Amelia Bishop and Melina Rall, were driven by empathy and love to raise money for The World Wide Fund (WWF). They encouraged the rest of the Grade Fives to join them in holding a cake sale at school. The Grade Fives went to all lengths as they came to school with their animal shaped biscuits, colourful cupcakes and other scrumptious goodies. Together they managed to raise R3091.00. The WWF were blown away by the efforts of these learners. To top it off, the Grade Fives held an Eco-Assembly which was attended by members of the WWF themselves. They came to tell our learners a little more about what they do. We couldn’t be prouder of our learners who are taking the steps to create a change! As Michael Morpurgo has mentioned in the quote above, “Life is for living.” Our Grade Five learners are definitely living life to the fullest! We are very proud of each learner and we cannot wait to see what quarter three has in store for them. A GRADE SIX LEARNING ADVENTURE… “Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence”. ~ Anonymous Quarter 2 for Grade Six has been an eventful journey. Learners have been pushed and challenged in so many ways and there have been some great success stories. With the many holidays scattered throughout the term, learners had been enjoying many mini breaks which resulted in some very relaxed students. This soon gave way to very hard work. Grade Six learners had their first May Test Week and the preparation for the test series saw learners working diligently. The Grade 6 teachers have to commend the learners on such a great job and effort they had put in. And a big thank you to parents and guardians for all the support given on the home front. I am sure that learners will have gained wisdom for future test weeks. At the start of the year, our Grade SIx learners embarked on a Science Project that stretched out over Quarter one and two. This journey of hard work and discovery culminated in a superb Grade Six Expo. All projects were displayed and presented on this most eventful evening and were thoroughly admired by both learners and judges. The projects were methodically thought out and presented at a very high standard. The learners again proved to themselves that success is a result of very hard work of which they can be exceptionally proud. Over the last week of term, learners enjoyed an outing to SANCCOB, a seabird sanctuary located near Flamingo Vlei. This was a phenomenal experience for the Grade Sixes. The outing is a must for any family wanting to support a worthy cause. The learners got to experience just how difficult it is to rear and rehabilitate our precious birds and just how costly it is to do so. Learners got to see how chicks are fed, the Seabird Sanctuary and displays and videos on our oceans. A particularly special treat was meeting penguins Nona and Rocky up close. They are certainly a wonderful species that needs our help and support in preserving their environment. With holidays imminent, we wish the learners a relaxing break and if there is travelling to be done, may it be wonderful and full of sunshine. A LIBRARY ADVENTURE… Books crow-bar the world open for you. - Katherine Rundell in Rooftoppers World Book Day on 23 April always is a highlight as we dress up as book characters and celebrate our favourite stories. Traditionally we also invite a local author to address the learners and this year we welcomed Michelle Sciacca, creator of the fantasy series, Skydalon. The readers were transported through a portal in a Baobab tree into the magical realm of Skydalon. Through an interactive presentation, they were introduced to the four tribes that live there. An inspiring talk on why reading is good for you seems to have struck just the right note, and the children were informed that reading exercises your brain and builds new pathways for long term health benefits. Reading enhances imagination, concentration, memory, vocabulary, empathy – all qualities that will aid studying as well as improve those vital building blocks of a significant life: relationships. Parklands Playground presented an opportunity to welcome our parents to our libraries and showcase some of the interactive activities that library patrons enjoy on a regular basis. This year the iBugs app proved a great hit as giant insects crawled and flew around our libraries. World Environment Day is another important event on the Parklands Calendar as we aim to foster a sense of care and responsibility for our environment. This year we continued our association with SANCCOB as the Grade 6 classes visited the new hospital just down the road and were once again reminded of the plight of the African penguins in the Cape Town area. During this month Junior Preparatory learners were also introduced to two very special books: Percy, Pamela and Peter in the Big Spill, which recounts the sinking and subsequent oil spill of the Treasure on our coastline in 2000, and the magnificent journey of the penguins which were released in Port Elizabeth and swam back to Cape Town; David du Plessis’ beautifully illustrated Mister King’s Incredible Journey, another story of a penguin which finds its way home. This inspiring tale takes us to the SANCCOB rehabilitation centre in the shadow of the historical Seal Point lighthouse in Cape St Francis. Our Grade 3 and 4 Book Clubs continue to meet weekly and Lit Quiz teams take part in interschools’ competitions – all opportunities to have fun with books!