Spark Years 5-6 Learning: Semester 1, 2022

Dear Parents and Carers,

Today (Friday 11 February) our Years 5 and 6 students were introduced to the great new Spark choices for Semester 1, 2022.

Spark is a curriculum pathway unique to Canterbury, which encourages students to direct their own learning, with teachers facilitating and supporting their chosen journey.

Spark is designed to build curiosity, encourage inter-cultural understanding and raise personal and social capabilities.

Each semester, students in Years 5 and 6 will choose an elective subject from the wide list provided.

Shown above is a flyer which outlines the subjects on offer in Semester 1, 2022 – which are repeated below for easier reading…

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation – Miss Rhiannon Ottrey

Do you love detective stories, watching Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) shows, or dream of being a forensic scientist? Then this Spark unit is for you! Using crime scene activities and investigations, students can learn skills in data collection, observation, analysis and problem-solving. They will work collaboratively to find suspects and culprits through fingerprinting, fibre analysis, chromatography and other investigative strategies. Students will lead themselves through research and apply knowledge of investigation techniques using critical thinking, analysis and communication through clear documentation. The big question is: Who did it?

Kidpreneur – Mrs Joelene Anderson

Kidpreneur will introduce students to the exciting world of entrepreneurs, inspiring them to become innovators, creative problem solvers, critical thinkers and confident leaders. They will work in teams to identify problems they are passionate about, then use their imagination to create a new product solution, and turn this into a real business. Students will learn skills needed to thrive in today’s rapidly changing world and be equipped for careers that don’t yet exist. Teaching children to use the power of business for good, will help them grow up to be global citizens. At the Spark Learning Expo, students will have the opportunity to promote and sell their products to the community.

Sustainable Town Planning – Mr Jonathon Wheatley

Sustainable Town Planning looks at ways houses, industries, cities, farms and nature can be managed to feed, house, power and resource communities, in ways which can last forever. Students will design models to demonstrate sustainable town planning principles, which meet the needs of people, while respecting development limits. Collaborating in teams to think creatively and critically, their models will aim to maintain biodiversity and sustainable practices in four key scenarios: New suburbs in urban growth corridors; Growing regional towns; Reclaiming industrial land and redeveloping existing cities; and farming for the future with permaculture, forestry management, food and water security, and biodiversity conservation.

Think Global, Act Local – Mrs Michelle Leftwich

Should my town grow, stay the same, or shrink? What is my responsibility to my town, country and world? In this subject, students will make connections with students from another country, to investigate the impact and issues of possible future community development at the local and global level. Together, they will focus on one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, which make up the United Nations’ (2016) shared vision of humanity and a social contract. Students will investigate and present their findings via their chosen approach. They will develop an understanding around the responsibilities that come with being an interconnected ‘global citizen’ facing world problems at a local level with different perspectives – and that Logan, QLD is not the centre of the universe.

Industrial Technology – Mr Matthew Beiers

Industrial Technology allows students to explore their creative side while designing and building. In this course they will learn about cams and motion by making an Automata toy. Students will design and make characters or items for the top of the box and a background or foreground image. They will also learn about product packaging using tangram puzzles. Students will learn how to program a laser cutter, use it to cut puzzle pieces, then paint them, and create and draw as many puzzle shape solutions as possible. The class will then visit younger classes to challenge students to see how many solutions they can get.

Critical And Creative Thinking – Mrs Juanita Purvis

Thinking that is productive, purposeful and intentional is at the centre of effective learning. By practicing critical and creative thinking, students can solve problems and find new innovative ideas to do so. In this subject, students will follow the design process as they identify a problem and investigate and research the issues. They will develop their ideas, then plan and create solutions. Ideas will be evaluated and changed based on testing. Their critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills will be applied to real world issues that concern them, which may include freshwater access, environmental pollution and sustainable energy.

Virtual Science Museum – Mr James Jenkins

Students will draw on their interest in science to create digital artefacts to be displayed in a Virtual Science Museum. This museum will be an immersive online experience, accessible to members of our College community. Students will begin this project by researching a scientific discovery, then collaborate with other group members to decide how best to communicate the concepts involved to museum visitors. They will master a range of digital skills that will enable them to create and present their scientific concept or phenomenon in cool virtual reality.

Sport Psychology – Mr Arnie Marraiya

This Sport Psychology course is designed for students to learn about the social, physical and emotional aspects that athletes face in sport. They will be immersed in activities relating to nutrition, performance, as well as mental and social wellbeing. The hope is that students can apply these strategies in their own sporting career, plus develop a toolkit they can draw upon for time management and motivational purposes. Students will cover practical and theoretical elements, while meeting guest speakers who are professionals in their fields. They do not need to be ‘elite’ athletes, but rather have an interest in or love for sport, and want to improve themselves.

3D Modelling And Animation – Mrs Juri Sinclair

In this course, students will learn how to use 3D modelling software to create characters. They will decide what their character will look like and what elements it will need. Students will then learn how to apply basic animations to these characters, allowing them to make short GIFS or movies.

Please discuss these with your child over the weekend.

THIS Monday 14 February during Form Time, each student will fill in a Microsoft Form with their class teacher.

This form will require them to choose their top three subject preferences.

Students will then be informed of their final subject selection by Thursday 17 February and the related lessons will commence on Friday 18 February.

At the end of Semester 1, the Junior School will be hosting a Spark Learning Expo where families will be able to share in their learning journeys first-hand.

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs Joelene Anderson via email – 

Yours faithfully

Mrs Joelene Anderson                                                                     Mrs Michelle Leftwich
Academic Care Coordinator 5/6                                                        Head of Junior School