Interestingly, the students gravitated towards the unfamiliar tactile technology over the new. They enjoyed dancing to music from a cassette tape, pretended to teach with an overhead projector, and celebrated solving how to view a movie on VHS cassette with a VCR!

Making Comparisons

The students also explored how people composed letters to one another using a dip pen with ink, and enjoyed the experience of typing with a mechanical typewriter. They then compared it to writing a letter with Microsoft Word on a laptop and printing it out on a printer. A couple of chunky laptops from the 90s were also on display, and students were interested to compare their size and features with those of a modern laptop.

While the students were making new discoveries, teachers were reminded of their own early years, and just how much technology has changed over time!

Mrs Anne Banh, Primary School Digital Technologies Teacher

The Reception students learnt the importance of sustaining native reptiles in our ecosystems and developed awareness and respect for these often misunderstood animals. The Radicool Reptiles visit was an exciting way to learn about and interact with Australian reptiles in a safe and respectful way. There was lots to learn about wildlife safety, conservation, and the environment of our natural world.

Reptiles Up-Close

There were plenty of animals to interact with, including crocodiles, a variety of lizards and dragons, freshwater turtles, goannas, and even pythons.

The Reception students were even brave enough to let the largest python slither across their legs, as he investigated the class, and enjoyed some time out of his enclosure. The students learnt so much through this hands-on experience, and were excited to share what they had seen, learnt and held, when they got home.

The Cedar Year 6 classes, along with two classes from King’s Baptist, were entertained by a bilingual puppet performance of Aschenputtel (Cinderella) by Carrousel Theatre (Melbourne). They also enjoyed a delicious morning tea of a pretzel and donut from the Lobethal bakery, and then took part in a highly contested quiz and games! It was great to see the students engaging in each of the activities and using their German language skills to introduce themselves to their quiz team mates. We also learnt some new games that students are keen to incorporate into their German lessons.

Language and Learning 

This was a great opportunity to extend the curriculum beyond the walls of the language classroom to allow students to experience and interact with German language and culture in more authentic situations. My sincere thanks to all who helped make this possible – including the SA German Teachers Association for providing active support as well as subsidising the event.

Here’s what some of our students enjoyed about the day:

“I liked the German incursion. The play helped me learn multiple new German words. The puppets were very realistic, and the monkey was quite funny. The morning tea was very yummy (especially the pretzel). I liked how we were given the time to introduce ourselves to our groups. I liked the heads and tails game even though my group lost.” – Chloe

“It was really good. I really liked the food and I would like to do it again. it was really good to work with other people.” – Kade

“I thought that the puppet show was very interesting, I could clearly tell what was going on in the story. I really enjoyed the quiz and I wanted to do some of the games in class.” – Oliver

“The play was my favourite. I thought that I would not be able to understand the play, but it was amazing. I loved the quiz because it was interactive and it was a good way to learn.” – Jemimah

Mrs Kylie Woithe, Primary School Languages Teacher

Students have been given a range of parameters for their designs and are required to produce a bar with strict nutritional values. They have started the unit by researching the needs of the human body with regards to fat, sugar, carbohydrates and protein, and then began researching current products on the market.

Formula for Success

This week, with Mrs Sweet, students participated in a calorimetry practical to understand how the calories in our food are calculated. Then, using this information, students have used a series of formulas to help them calculate the number of calories present in their designs to ensure they remain within the confines of the design brief. Using this data, students will design their own recipes and then create their own product packaging to complement their finished products.

Mrs Danielle Cioffi, High School SPARK Co-ordinator

This year’s theme was “Glass – more than meets the eye”. Glass is said to be the most versatile material in the world, enabling the creation of new technology used in society today, such as smart phone touch-screen displays. To celebrate this amazing material, Middle School students explored several uses of glass, including scientific glassware and specialised science equipment such as microscopes and magnifying glasses. They also discovered how glass is used in the study of spectrometry and in the long-term preservation of insects.

Habitats and Adaptions

Ask any Year 7 student at Cedar College to give a definition of a habitat and they will all answer: “It is a place where an organism lives”.

In any habitat, food is limited and the types of food available can vary. Animals with the most helpful adaptations will be the most likely to live long enough to pass their genes on to the next generation. To prove this, the science students did a practical called the “Battle of the Beaks”.

This practical activity allowed students to explore the wide variety of beak types that can be seen within the bird population, as well as developing an understanding of how beak shape is related to the available food sources within a habitat.

Students simulated bird feeding by using a ‘beak’ to collect food and place it in a ‘stomach’. There were different beak shapes and a range of different food types to choose from. It provided discussion points to encourage evaluation of the scientific method, and also illustrated generalist versus specialist feeding strategies.

Mrs Kerri-Anne Sweet & Mr Herman du Preez, High School Science Teachers

Sports-Attire Fundraiser

Students had fun last Thursday in the name of raising money for Cedar’s Compassion sponsor child Anupong, from Thailand. Bradman House, in the High School, ran a sports-themed casual clothes day specifically for Anupong, who lives in a Lahoo Hill Tribe in Central Thailand. Anupong is now 19 years old, and is currently learning to be a mechanic so that he can support his family, who occasionally have work as farmers.

Waffle Fundraiser

On Wednesday of Week 5, the High School enjoyed yummy waffles to raise money for Poom, who lives in Thailand. Sponsored by Jackson House, Poom has been one of Cedar’s Sponsor Children for many years. He lives in Phitsanulok in Central Thailand. Poom is now 11 years old and loves to play soccer for his school. In 2019, Cedar raised money for a new home for Poom when COVID made it impossible for his family to stay where they were. Poom, along with his brother and mum, are enjoying this new home which has helped to keep them safe during COVID.

If you are interested in learning more about our Compassion sponsor children, please contact Miss Kerry Spriggs in the High School. 

Miss Kerry Spriggs, Year 7 & Thailand Service Trip Co-ordinator