English - reading, speaking, writing, listening

Mathematics

Human Society and Its Environment

Languages other than English

Science and Technology

Personal development, Health and Physical Education

Creative Arts

Extra activities

English - reading, speaking, writing, listening



Reading



Every class has time set aside for reading lessons. Mothers and fathers come in to help hear young children reading. Every day Years 3-5 have reading groups. They complete comprehension and silent reading. We have special teachers who help the not so good readers to improve with their reading.

Mother reading with children

We have an ever-growing collection of Living Books and other reading programs available on the computers which the children use from Kindergarten onwards.



Speaking

Every class has an active program of encouraging children to express their thoughts in speech for various purposes - to relate experiences, to entertain, to persuade, to explain, to express emotion, etc.

In addition we have a very active debating and public speaking program led by Mrs Smith who has been area organiser for Primary School debating throughout 1996 and 1997.

Children from our school acquitted themselves very well on a number of occasions in debating and in public speaking during 1996 and in 1997 our school truly excelled going on to compete at state level.



Writing

For writing in classtime most teachers use a process writing method. We make a rough copy in our workbook then we conference it with our friends to make improvements. Often we type up our work on the computers. Frequently we go on from there to use desktop publishing software for appealing presentation.

For the Kindergarten to Year 2 many classes write in a journal Monday- Friday. Children write reports on class experiences, e.g. Space by 1G.
In addition children write stories on the class theme,(e.g. Narrabeen Lake) write reports of their experiences, (e.g. Pickletown by 5th Graders) both in class and in their own time, write letters and poems (for example, 4f Trees and Forests poems.)
Each year Mrs Graham works with a team of children to publish a magazine of children's work that includes at least one piece of writing from every child in the school.



Listening

Each teacher reads stories and poems to their class as does the Librarian from time to time. In addition, older children often read to younger ones.

Teachers encourage children to take responsibility for correctly relaying messages around the school and listening carefully to instructions.

There are a number of performances offered within the school each year in which listening skills are most important, e.g. Visiting authors during Book Week 1996





Mathematics

We have LOTS of Maths equipment at our school and we learn much of our Maths by manipulating the equipment.
As well, we make maths fun by incorporating math activities into theme days e.g. The Teddy Bear's Picnic
Our 6th Graders co-operated with 127 other schools around the world in the The Noon Project where in each location the shadow of a metre stick was measured at noon and compared with all the others.
In the computer room every child from 3rd to 6th grade has their own login number and the computer keeps track of their progress as they go through the whole Math curriculum from K-6.



Human Society and Its Environment

We study many aspects of our world and the environment we share with all other people on this planet, as well as learning about the history of our own and other countries.
Click here to see the excursion 4F made to the Historic Rocks area of Sydney as part of their "Early Australian History" study.

Our keypals had heard that Vegemite was highly regarded in Australia and they tasted some. They didn't like it so we made them a fun page about Vegemite.

In Term I, 1998, 3/4D compared the Arctic and Antarctic Regions.

Environmental Education

During the first term of 1996, children throughout the school were involved in aspects of the Rivers and Lakes Project which won us 2nd Prize in the Environmental Awareness section of the Internation Cyberfair 96 Competition.

Our children were particularly involved in studying Narrabeen Lake and the Hawkesbury River.

During second term 5H cooperated with a Canadian school on Internet to see if they could influence people to conserve water, paper, packaging materials and electricity.

In June some 6G students participated in an Environmental competition called Murder under the Microscope and learned a great deal about the Environment in the process, particularly about the Macquarie River and its catchment areas and the Macquarie Marshes.

Our friends in Iceland asked a lot of questions about the fishing industry in Australia which led the children to prepare a report on fishing and on Narrabeen Beach.

Our school has weekend working bees and student working bees because we are surrounded by bush. At working bees children, parents and teachers help to clean up the school and take care of the bushland that we so much enjoy.

During 1996 and 1997, the children were busy recording the many aspects of their involvement in the school bushland as part of their entry to Cyberfair 97 - an International Internet Competition. This school's entry is called International Trees and Forests Project and involved about 80 other schools around the world all writing about a tree in or near their school and/or a forest near their school.

We have been involved for many years now under the guidance of Sally Fisher, of Cicada Glen Bush Plants in Elanora Heights, in a program of bush regeneration, removing exotic plants that spring up in areas where the native bushland has been disturbed. We have also planted out many hundreds of trees and plants in areas that we have cleared. Most of the trees we plant have been propagated from seed collected within our school grounds. For some years, the children have been involved in the whole process of propagation of trees.
They also learn appreciation of our trees and learn to identify some of them, in particular during 1996 they studied the Acacia longifolia, Acacia saligna, Angophora costata and Xanthorrhoea resinosa trees.

During Term I, 1998, children in several classes worked on studies related to ecosystems, e.g. The Macquarie Marshes, Sea and River life, insects and natural phenomena.



Languages other than English

At Elanora Heights, Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 learn another language - French with Madame Crendal.
Several classes performed items in French at the school Performing Arts Concert that they had learned in French classes with Madame Crendal during 1996.



Science and Technology

Every class has Science lessons with Mrs Hinton or Mrs Waterhouse and computer lessons with Mrs Bennett in addition to the science and technology work acheived in their own classrooms.
Every term the whole school takes on a Science theme and each class works on the theme in a different way. There is often a Science Day near the end of the term where everyone in the school participates in activities related to the theme.



Personal development, Health and Physical Education



Healthy Harold



Life Education mobile unit visiting Elanora Heights Primary School.

At Elanora we have an annual visitor who comes to our school. His name is Healthy Harold. He comes to our school to talk about our health.

Preschool Playgroup Program



During Term 4 of each year, the Infant Mistress organises a Preschool Playgroup program for children who are enrolled to start school the following February. This involves six play sessions - one a week for six weeks in a carefully planned series of activities that gradually introduce the children to many different aspects of our school.

Preschoolers playing in the sand. The school students in the background are dressed in blue.




Prefects

School captains and vice captains and prefects are elected each year to take positions of leadership within the school.



The House system

Every child in the school is allocated to one of four sports houses that have the names of Australian birds.



Currawongs	Kookaburras	Lorikeets	Rosellas


Children within a family are all allocated to the same house as each other.
On Sports Days like Swimming Carnivals, Athletic Carnivals and Cross Country Running each child is earning points for their house.



Buddy system

Each infants classed is matched with a primary class. Individual children are paired up. Each week the classes meet for joint activities and often the classes will have excursions together.



We also have many lessons in class about caring for ourselves and one another. We have Leadership Training programs and regular assemblies in which we are involved in sharing our achievements.

Children preparing presentations during Year 5 Leadership Camp.

Spiritual Development



Every child has the opportunity to attend Scripture Classes once a week and the parents can nominate which scripture class they would like their child to attend. Inter Schools Christian Fellowship meets once a week at lunchtimes with Mrs Smith.

End of year combined Scripture classes event.

You may like to visit our page about the end of year Carols by Candlelight ceremony we held in our school grounds. This ceremony included the "Giving Tree" activity where children gave presents instead of receiving them.



Sport and fitness programs

Sport at Elanora is on Fridays. The children have a choice of swimming, squash, gymnastics or tennis.
If they try out they can participate in P.S.S.A.(Public School Sport Association).
Some children choose to do school sport. Teachers choose activities for their class as part of the learning program.

Fitness sessions for Years 3-6 consist of games and skills, aerobics, joint mobility and endurance. On Tuesdays to Thursdays we have this.
As for K-2 they have fitness activities everyday of the week. (The young fitness fanatics).

Part of the fitness program involves dance and this is across all grades which meant that many of the dances the children learned in 1996 were performed in the school Performing Arts Concert.





Creative Arts

At Elanora Heights we have lots of cultural activities like Band (Mr Barlow), Junior Choir (Mrs Hamilton) and Senior Choir (Mrs Smith).
Also during 1996 at Elanora we had music as a subject taken by Miss Mawer where students had music appreciation and learnt music from other cultures around the world.
We did this by learning songs and putting actions and musical instruments to them and performing them at school or at concerts.
Visit our concert page to see how this culminated for the year with our Performing Arts Concert.

We have great art and craft lessons which we do with our class teachers. Some of the crafts we do are woodwork, pottery, origami and sewing.



Extra activities



Support for students with special needs

Our school has a program for children with special needs. We have two dedicated teachers called Mrs Brown and Mrs Parker who make programs for the children.
The most common problem these children have is not being able to spell or read properly according to their age. Mrs Brown and Mrs Parker also help children by providing home reading programs which their parents assist them with at home.
Mrs Swan helps children with special needs to integrate with classroom activities.



Gifted and Talented Students' Enrichment Opportunities

Children may be identified as demonstrating gifts or talents across the entire spectrum of school experiences. Teachers aim to cater for the individual needs of all children in a variety of ways. While a few children may demonstrate advanced skills in most things they attempt, it is more common for children to demonstrate strengths in one or a few areas.

In meeting children's academic needs, class tasks are often individualised to meet the needs of specific children. In the class, children are grouped so as to work with other children who are learning at a similar rate. Group work is a common feature of class tasks and may involve activities from each of the Key Learning Areas.



Dance Group Performance.

As well as in-class activities, children from Years 3 - 6 who demonstrate advanced development may involve themselves in regular groups within the school. The school band, choirs and dance groups cater for the children with these talents.

The debating and public speaking teams compete regularly. The Primary School Sporting Association offers competition between local schools. The basketball and squash teams have enjoyed success this year. The Maths Club met every Tuesday afternoon in Term 3.

Children in Years 1 - 2 have had weekly group activities in English and Mathematics which offer a range of activities at advanced levels.

Children in Years 3 - 6 have opportunities to join other more able children from local district schools in a day of workshops led by specialist coaches as well as opportunities to attend leadership camps.



Maths Club - Term 3

Maths club was formed in response to the need of advanced and interested mathematicians who were seeking extension which was different from the type of activity which is most readily found in class maths. The children nominated and were selected from several local schools. Mr Alan Robinson, from the Maths Department of Narrabeen Sports High School, met with the children weekly to enthuse and stimulate. The children were involved in many "hands-on" construction activities which incorporated Space and Shape. They were introduced to the complexities of chess style maths games. They applied maths to problem solving. They played computer games.

All the normal maths activities were undertaken but at a more advanced level than the class situation and, more importantly, with other children who enjoyed and sought extension in maths. The emphasis in the club was "having fun with maths".

What we learn

Adults involved in our education

How we represent ourselves outside the school

Our Resources

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This page has been visited times since 26th Dec, 1996.
Computer Co-ordinator : Judith Bennett : This page was last modified 16th May, 1998