Our Year Prep students have been learning in science about how things move in their environment. We challenged them with some really BIG sandpit toys when Stewart Rundle bought in his Claas tractor and the Corangamite Shire generously provided Alan Prattely and the Shire’s Caterpillar grader to demonstrate how these big machines move. Our Year 9 science students are learning about robotics and coding by building different configurations of the Lego Mindstorm Robots and then learning to program them. Students have programmed the robots to move, turn, detect objects, shift objects, react with voice / sound, and stop at lines and colour. They are using the fun 'Mars Map' to complete some learning challenges, with plenty more to go! The Year 5/6 chickens had their own winter break at McMeel’s property but have returned to school to help students continue their science studies about all things poultry! Students had previously discussed caged chickens and how chickens could be rehomed after their productive life slowed down. Mrs McMeel had knitted some jumpers that were designed for defeathered caged chickens but our own very healthy chooks provided apt knitwear models in this instance.
On Thursday, November 16th, Timboon Agriculture Project (TAP) is holding ‘TAP's On!’, a showcase of the way Timboon P-12 staff and students are integrating agriculture into the curriculum. Just under five hundred students from Timboon P-12 and Simpson Primary School will be rotating through peer-led activities based on the work undertaken in the classroom, from 10.00am to 1.00pm. Students will be rotating through a series of workshops, almost like ‘speed dating’ on agriculture! The Year 7/8 ”Have your say” politics class welcomed State Member of Parliament, Member for South–West Coast, Roma Britnell into their classroom as part of the TAP to learn how to influence the decision makers in our society. Roma outlined her career path as a nurse, dairyfarmer, participation on regional boards and Member of Parliament and encouraged students to work hard to achieve want they wanted and to stand up to make a difference. Students learnt how laws are made and what individuals can do to ‘have their say’ on regional issues such as local roads, the train service, or roadsides. Roma was presented with a certificate of appreciation and a goodie bag of lavender products created from our TAP lavender farm. Thanks Roma for taking the time to update us on this very important role. Earlier this year the TAP model was presented to teachers in the Circular Head dairy cluster in NW Tasmania. There are many similarities between Timboon P12 School and Forest Primary School and so students in Mrs Berry’s Year 4 and Mrs Milne’s 5/6 class are currently introducing themselves as dairy penpals. What a great opportunity to learn about one another and share their paddock to plate experiences! After observing Tim and Beth Robert’s skid steer and excavator in action the Year 1 / 2 science class produced detailed posters demonstrating their understanding of push and pull. Check them out! Despite the formal Camembert in the Classroom competition not being conducted in 2017, Mr Mottram has decided to host our own TAP Camembert Appreciation comp based on the cheeses and advertisements produced by our Year 8 science students. Two big cheese making days have produced cheeses that have been brined and turned in preparation for our Cheese Appreciation evening on 29th November- watch this space. Should a skid steer (Bobcat) and an excavator be a part of a TAP Year 1/2 ‘Push and Pull’ Science class? Of course they should, especially if Tim and Beth Roberts are on hand to challenge students to observe the mechanisms that make these machines work. Students were then able to notice which parts of the skid steer and excavator ‘pushed and pulled’ to allow the machines to work on farms and in our community. Thanks Tim and Beth! In June, the Timboon P-12 School newsletter contained a request for a home, not a cook pot, for Bob, the Year 5/6 student’s young Barnevelder Rooster. Sharni Van Rijthoven has happily reported that Bob has settled in well on their farm and proudly displayed a photo of the first chicks he sired - great news! |
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