Minimbah Update
Observations of a newcomer
As a new member of the Woodleigh community, I have spent the past four weeks observing, collaborating, and immersing myself in the life of the Junior School at both Minimbah and Penbank campuses. I have been struck by the energy and warmth of the learning environments, by the positive statements from the staff who explain that they ‘love coming to work each day,’ and by the joyful interactions that I’ve had with students
During my first tour for prospective families, one of the visitors observed that the same ideas were being explored in a few of the classrooms we had visited. Rod asked me to share the reasons for this and to explain a bit about the IB Primary Years Program with the group. My work with the classes and teachers meant I had knowledge of the ‘ideas’ the visitor was referring to and fortunately, it provided a wonderful link to help me explain the PYP. The ideas he had noticed were the concepts of responsibility and perspective. Responsibility and perspective are 2 of the 7 key concepts of the PYP. All year levels engage with all 7 of these key concepts each year.
During our tour, we saw Foundation students engaging with ‘responsibility’ when investigating communities and the people who work in them. They spoke of understanding things through different ‘perspectives’. In the Year 1 and 2 classrooms, the documented learning we had looked at on their walls reflected their unit of inquiry into ‘Who we are’ which explored the ‘perspectives’ of the diverse cultures in their class, and their unit inquiring into ‘Sharing the planet’ which explored our ‘responsibility’ when using Earth’s resources. In the Year 3 classroom, the students were engaged in conversation about a book they had read which explored the different ‘perspectives’ of life during early European settlement and the impact this had on indigenous Australians. The concepts of ‘responsibility’ and ‘perspective’ were everywhere!
When you are immersed in PYP education you use these concepts in your conversations every day. It is only when someone visits with fresh eyes and you are asked to articulate why this is, that the power of these 7 words becomes clear. By revisiting concepts each year, students deepen their understanding of these big ideas and build connections with what these look like in different contexts. As constructivist educators, we are constantly connecting learning and building on what the child already knows. This use and re use of language and ideas such as the key concepts, is an intentional, explicit part of the Primary Years Program.
Concepts enable connection across the disciplines and exploration of ideas across time and place. Students develop the attributes of caring and empathy by using and understanding perspective. They consider ways to take action by exploring ways they can demonstrate responsibility. These words are used in purposeful, powerful ways and the result is a child that has developed not only an understanding of the concepts but also the learner profile attributes. We are educating students to understand big ideas, to connect these and consider ways they can take action, to be, as the IB mission states, “knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world.”
Ask your child about these 7 key concepts of the PYP:
• Form
• Function
• Change
• Causation
• Connection
• Responsibility
• Perspective
You can read more about concept-based learning in the IB Primary Years Program here.
KAREN CHAUR
Director of Learning - Primary Years
SPARK IN THE ARTROOM
Art Appreciation
We do a lot of art making in the Art Room, but we also spend time looking at and discussing art. This is called Art Appreciation. The acronym SPARK is what we use to help us delve deeper into artworks and ask and discuss what we See, Perceive, Ask and Answer, Reflect and Know.
Here are some of the questions we discussed: How would you describe this artwork? What emotions do you feel when you look at this artwork? What questions would you ask the artist? How can you relate your life experiences to this artwork? Why or for whom did the artist create this work?
Art Making
Foundation has been painting and weaving paper strips to make paper looms and has been playing with clay, using a variety of tools, stamps and cutters.
Years 1 and 2 researched the Mexican folk art Alebrijes. Alebrijes are brightly coloured Mexican folk-art sculptures of fantasy creatures. They are hybrid creatures that contain qualities from the four elements of earth, air, fire and water. They used drawing and printing to create their own.
Years 3 and 4 explored the work of French painter Henri Rousseau, made a printing block and printed a monoprint of a bird and a leafy background and used various painting tools and palettes to mix paints for a painting.
Year 5 used printing, painting and collage techniques to create a crab in a rock pool.
Year 6 students are currently making ceramic faces for Graduation that express their uniqueness as part of their Inquiry Unit, ‘How We Express Ourselves.’ These will be displayed on the night of Graduation.
SARAH PILGRIM
Art Teacher
Artist: Pippa Boundy
Say hi to Pippa, one of our clever Year 6s.
Pippa put together an Art Exhibition at Minimbah last week, inviting Y5 and Y6 students to contribute their beautiful work. Led by Pippa, the kids put an afternoon event together, showcasing work they made at school and at home.
Look out for Pippa’s Art stall at the Arty Market on Friday, 1 December, 2023.
About me
I started to do Art at home this year, but I have always loved it. I like to do watercolours and drawing in my free time. Both of my grandmas do art and they are huge role models in my life and their art inspires me so much.
Why?
I decided to do an art afternoon because I thought it would be a good idea to showcase the year 5 and 6 artwork. I want to show everyone what we’ve been doing in art and what some people have been working on at home.
The Arty Market
At the end of the year is the arty market. I am doing watercolour Christmas tags and bracelets. I have been working and planning this for a while. I hope to see you there!
PIPPA BOUNDY
Year 6, Minimbah
YOUNG INQUIRERS
Years 3 and 4
During this term, Years 3 and 4 explored how remote communities in Indonesia have changed over time. We watched an insightful surf documentary filmed in the Mentawai region about a surf explorer living and working there for over thirty years. We then discussed tourism's negative and positive impacts on the local communities.
One of the language activities included designing a surf camp in remote Indonesia using traditional and modern features. The students translated a series of sentences that helped them plan their design. They will also label their surf camps with the new vocabulary they learned this term. I look forward to seeing their final surf camp designs!
Years 5 and 6
The Year 5 and 6 students enjoyed learning about traditional Indonesian houses this term. We explored the Minangkabau houses in West Sumatra and the ‘Uma Mbatangu’ house in Sumba. The students compared the two homes, highlighting the cultural similarities and differences. They also watched a Ted Talk about sustainable buildings in Bali made from bamboo. This talk made a meaningful connection to their recent Green School Camp in Bali because the same architect designed the buildings in the clip and the Green School. They recognised some bamboo constructions in the Ted Talk, which included a bamboo bridge they had walked over.
As part of this inquiry, students are in the process of creating a floor plan for a sustainable house based in Indonesia. They have learnt the vocabulary related to this topic, and they are also learning how to describe their homes.
TAMARA MCKERNIN
LET'S DANCE!
Year 5 Drama
Dramatic? Check!
Over the top? Check!
Action!
Welcome to the world of Melodrama with the Year Fives!
Created to entertain the working classes as a form of escapism from their ordinary lives, we made links with our camp experiences at Sovereign Hill and the theatrical entertainment of Victorian times. The theatre at Sovereign Hill was home to many a hilarious melodrama performance. It was loud and exaggerated, played by easily recognisable characters with predictable storylines that everyone could relate to.
Exploring the stereotyped characters in class, like the heroes, victims, villains and sidekicks has been exciting and entertaining for everyone involved. From the evil laugh of a villain, the snivelling sidekick, to the wailing cries of a victim needing to be saved, and the grand entrance of the hero, we had fun exaggerating our facial expressions, voices and actions.
We can’t wait to costume our characters and perform them in the class. Watch this space!
Year 6 Drama – Production & Beyond
The Year Six students have truly bonded over their shared production experience this year. They have emerged as intuitive, skilled, brave, caring and insightful performers and creators of drama. While productions are about understanding your characters, their motivation, and relationships with others and communicating a narrative in a believable and entertaining way, they are not limited to just that. The production experience has been transformative and encourages a growth mindset for all involved. Wonderful friendships are born, students collaborate, support each other, challenge themselves beyond their comfort zones and discover just how brave and capable they really are.
Fresh off the production, we have used our “tool kit” of skills and adventurous minds to explore the world of improvisation. Working as a team, quick thinking and using our imaginations to create entertaining, clever and engaging scenarios has been both rewarding and so much fun!
Year 3 & 4 Choreographic Discoveries
We have had an exciting start to dance this term, exploring our choreographic skills. Discovering the ways we can influence and vary our movement patterns using stillness, canon timing, tempo, and rhythms allowed us to create interesting dance compositions.
Creating motifs is another fun way for us to add a movement theme to our dance compositions. We discovered there are so many ways to add, vary and build on a simple movement to make it more complex, interesting and sophisticated. Innovation at its best!
Sarena Wong
Indonesian: Mystical Creatures and Kecak Dance
Mystical Creatures with Foundation
Have you heard about the mystical Garuda creature? The King of birds, a protector who travels quickly with his great wings, symbolising glory, greatness and strength? We began by researching the importance of the Garuda and its symbolism for Indonesian culture and took a dance journey through jungles, rivers and mountains to find our very own Garuda. This got us thinking about other creatures in mythical existence, like unicorns, griffins and dragons. The question of “how can we create our own mythical creatures?” and “what would they look like/move like?” prompted us to create creatures and narratives from our imaginations.
Kecak dance & chanting with Year 1 & 2
Kecak is a traditional Balinese Hindu dance and music drama, often performed at sunset overlooking the ocean. It involves large groups of performers chanting together to create a symphony of human sound, full of varying tempos and hand gestures.
Watching and listening to a kecak chant and dance is powerful, hypnotic and unforgettable.
Finding a way to create your own kecak is complex, challenging and very exciting. We explored rhythms, patterns, the different sounds we can make with our voices and the actions to accompany them. Putting all the sounds and actions together like an orchestra of musicians required us to focus, listen, follow and work as a team. When we got into the zone and worked together, we discovered just how amazing and rewarding a Kecak can be!
In the Library
Term Four has been busy as we hosted our annual Book Fair in Week 3 and Book Week celebrations in Week 4.
Our Book Fair was a huge success, and we thank all families for supporting this fundraising event. This year we raised just over $1000 which was kindly donated to Kananook Primary School and used to purchase new books for their students across all year levels.
Last week Minimbah celebrated a belated but much-loved Book Week! Throughout the week children across the campus took part in lunchtime activities that celebrated stories dabbling in craft, nature art and story time. It was a joy to see children across the school embrace these activities and share their love of stories.
Throughout the week we welcomed talented artist turned author and illustrator Tai Snaith. Tai mesmerised our students with her journey, incredible & unique craft and her love of the natural world.
As always, our Book Week costume parade and teacher performance did not disappoint. Thelma was back and the hall was alive with music, laughter and dancing. Not only do these moments contribute to the magic of Book Week but also the magic of Minimbah. Thank you to all the students & teachers for their participation & for bringing so much enthusiasm to a fantastic week.
BRIONY WRIGHT
Library teacher
Music @ Minimbah
Congratulations to all of our performers!
What a way to start term 4. We held our inaugural Minimbah Music Festival and held 4 concerts during weeks 3 and 4.
First up were the junior students from Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2. They shared two of their favourite songs, Flies and The Addams Family, complete with actions and spooky sounds. Foundation showed off their body percussion skills with a class composition called Go Matildas, whilst Year 1 demonstrated their understanding of major and minor, as their Hot Cross Buns turned into Cold Stale Buns! Year 2 shared their excellent work with Charlie Over the Water, demonstrating their rhythmic, tuned percussion and singing skills.
Our students from Years 3 and 4 followed the juniors, singing an Australiana Medley of Click Go the Shears and Along the Road to Gundagai. Year 3 have been learning about prominent figures in music, and they performed the Bob Marley song, Three Little Birds; with students performing on recorders, xylophones, and vocals. Year 4 have worked incredibly hard on their ensemble playing, combining glockenspiels, xylophones, drums and vocals to produce a toe-tapping version of Viva la Vida.
The senior students shared their music at a special music assembly. It provided a great opportunity for the Year 5 class to demonstrate not only their ukulele skills but also their singing in their rendition of the classic, The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The string students shared two beautiful pieces, Kingston Calypso and Deep Sea Fandango and our Year 6 wind and brass students played a favourite concert band piece, Penguin Promenade. The Minimbah orchestra consists of students from years 4 - 6 and they played a wonderful piece, Eastern March. The super cool Rock Band took us all on a Highway to Hell and the 5/6 choir sang beautifully. All this was topped off with a swash-buckling solo performance from Austin in year 5 who played the Theme from Pirates of the Caribbean
It was wonderful to see all our students involved during these 3 events, being risk-takers while often stepping out of their comfort zone to play an instrument and sing in front of an audience.
Our Music Festival concluded with our termly Soiree which featured the talents of many of our instrumental students as the sounds of music rang out from the Music House.
**Insert photos from Soiree (24/10/23)
We are not quite finished yet, as we are still learning music to share at Perberkoong and the Year 6 Graduation. Two wonderful events to round out a fabulous year of music-making and sharing.
Sue Fletcher and John Beckley (Minimbah Classroom Music Teachers)
SPORTS REPORT WITH MARK RODEN
Bayside District Girls AFL Lightning Premiership.
On Friday 6 October the Bayside District Girls AFL Lightning Premiership was held at Baxter Park. Eight schools were involved in a round-robin format officiated by female students from McClelland Secondary College who acted as field and goal umpires. The cold, wet, and windy conditions led to fierce and competitive games that used modified rules to ensure quick, fast games that lasted 20 minutes.
The ‘Woodleigh Warriors’ played valiantly in all games with the consistent application of their game plan to force the ball forward proving critical in the trying conditions and leading to six victories from their seven games. This saw the girls win the Division 2 Premiership and place runners-up in the overall District Premiership.
Congratulations to all of the girls for their hard training and unwavering determination. Well Done.
MARK RODEN
Physical Education Teacher and School Sport Coordinator.
Game Results
Woodleigh 8.6.54 defeated Frankston Heights 0.0.0
St Augustines 0.0.0 were defeated by Woodleigh 5.3.33
St Johns 1.0.6 defeated Woodleigh 0.1.1
Woodleigh 1.2.8 defeated Bayside Christian College 0.0.0
Woodleigh 3.4.22 defeated Karingal 0.1.1
Woodleigh 9.3.57 defeated Frankston 0.0.0
Ballam Park were defeated by Woodleigh 9.3.57
YEAR 6: ODE TO BALI
As part of Year 6's literature focus on poetry, they have been writing Odes to elements of Bali.
Enjoy!
Ode to Ice
Oh, cold, refreshing ice,
In the land of thy freezer,
You are the true king of the Castle,
The true pinnacle of water creation,
In your throne known as thy ice cuber.
You in your succulent frozen coat,
providing my tongue with an irresistible watery sensation
that sends my mouth into a drooling stage
and my eyes to turn rabid.
My hands cradle you like diamonds.
When I hear of the warm summer day,
50% off power on Wednesdays,
I hear the crackling of the ice expanding in its tub,
Feel a broken piece of ice stuck to the inside cheek of my mouth.
You are a part of my Balinese memories and everlasting hot summer dreams,
The hero of weekly afternoons,
The winner of the Nobel prize in the freezer.
I fill the ice cuber with water, let it crystalize -
And a decadent sensation awaits.
by James
Ode to Water
Oh, refreshing, cold, water.
Of moist wonders,
You are the saviour of my thirst,
The dripping glory of your flesh,
In your plastic PVA bottle.
You, in your cluster of droplets,
Cooling the burning sensation on my tongue,
That causes my mouth to water,
My eyes full of tears,
And my hands embrace your beauty.
When I think of your liquid falling into my mouth,
Out of your plastic home,
I hear the splashes of your insides,
Feel a drop of water.
You are cooling and moist,
The true king of our land,
The dripping expenses,
I buy you, for just 2 shining gold coins,
And my dry deserted mouth awaits your glory.
by Grace
Ode to the Fan
Oh airy cooling fan
Of Komodo house
You are the reason I didn’t evaporate
The real oscillating bliss
Hanging from your roof of bamboo
You with your remote of freedom
Filling the room with your angelic breeze
Of crisp cool air that causes me to smile,
to shiver slightly as your rich wave of gold hits my skin
When I think about my time in Bali
Playing Cabo with my friends
I hear the faint soft spinning
Feel your relaxing wind
See you watching down from above like the holy elevated being you are
You are nighttime memories and daytime dreams
The spa day of our cabin
The bringer of peace
As soon as you are on
Fun awaits
By Brecon
Ode to My Hot Choccy
Oh warm, chocolatey hot chocolate,
Of my volcano peak,
You are the trophy of my victory.
Warming my hands.
In your see-through cup.
You, in your glass of glory.
Fill my tummy with your irresistible sweetness,
That causes my stomach to melt.
My legs to move again,
And my tiredness transforms into pride.
by Hayden
Ode to Jerry
Oh, water swaying softly,
Standing quietly on the bench,
You are a holy creation of plastic,
With a glorious sea of water inside,
Beautiful as the sun shining in the sky.
You are a part of my soul,
Filling me with eternal water from heaven,
That when consumed,
I stand there hearing a quiet call from you,
As I appreciate you as family.
When my mind is filled with thoughts,
I breathe and feel a sense of joy,
When that refreshing holy liquid enters my bottle,
Listen to the sound, drip, drop, drip, drop,
You're looking at me smiling and I do the same.
You are always here for me,
After a challenging adventure
Your determination fills the cabin with peace,
I fill my thirsty dry bottle up,
And say goodbye as I sorrow to the airport.
by Oscar
An Ode to The Final Night Burger
On a bed of crispy chips and crunchy sea salt you lay.
Staring back at me, your own light of day.
A thin layer of golden crust outlines the innards of your silky bun.
You were so perfect, as perfect as the sun.
A mix of cheesy golden molten oozes out as I hold you in my bare hands.
One more look and my hunger expands.
As I take a bite,
A thirst for the one thing I’ve been starved for days of floods my mouth.
Meat.
The light you withhold turns you into my own golden haven.
My love for you now is more than unshaken.
A crowd pleaser you were,
Your presence dancing around the room filling everyone’s late night with joy.
The hero you were in that moment is something nobody can destroy.
Your goodness ruled higher than a gawping mountain view.
The specialness you contained is something only I knew.
by Eve
Ode to Corn Fritters
Oh, savoury, crispy fritters.
Sleeping on a silky banana leaf.
You are the evening hit.
The highlight of our plate.
You, in your coat of golden glory.
Filling the warm tropical breeze with anticipation.
That makes us drawn to your royal presence.
My lips to tremble.
For our grubby little fingers to reach out for you on your woven crib.
When I think of memories in Bali.
The chatter of my friends.
I feel the crisp crunch.
A Juicy kernel.
Trapped between my chompers.
You are Bali keepsakes and foodie dreams.
The golden child of food.
The most popular of all the dishes.
I grab one and take a bite.
And an evening adventure awaits.
by Felix
Annual Cambodia Night Fundraiser
Annual Cambodian Fundraiser
On 24th November, we will be holding our annual fundraiser for the Chumkriel Language School in Cambodia (Cambodia Night), featuring performances from the school’s numerous rock bands.
An important part of the fundraising evening is the raffle, and as a community let's come together and help. Donations to the raffle, big or small, contacts with businesses that might help, would be most appreciated.
If you think you might be able to contribute something, even a bottle of wine, candles, chocolates, vouchers or big ticket items, please email me, Cathy Holt at cholt@woodleigh.vic.edu.au.
There will be a box at Reception for donations - thankyou so much for anything that you might be able to offer.
Join us at Senior Campus on Friday, 24 November, for the Annual Cambodian Fundraiser and help raise important funds for Chumkriel Language School!
Bring along your friends and family to a night of live music performed by Woodleigh students!
Be entertained by TOP STUDENT BANDS and, most importantly, help raise funds for Chumkriel Language School in Kampot, Cambodia.
Tickets are just $15 for adults and $12.50 for students, while performers come for free!
We'll have soft drinks and snacks on sale, the barbie will be hotting up sausages and veggie delights to keep you from getting too hungry, and we look forward to seeing you in the Senior Campus Hall from 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
CATHY HOLT
Music Teacher & ECEG Peer Tutoring Coordinator
Art Appreciation
We do a lot of art making in the Art Room, but we also spend time looking at and discussing art. This is called Art Appreciation. The acronym SPARK is what we use to help us delve deeper into artworks and ask and discuss what we See, Perceive, Ask and Answer, Reflect and Know.
Here are some of the questions we discussed: How would you describe this artwork? What emotions do you feel when you look at this artwork? What questions would you ask the artist? How can you relate your life experiences to this artwork? Why or for whom did the artist create this work?
Art Making
Foundation has been painting and weaving paper strips to make paper looms and has been playing with clay, using a variety of tools, stamps and cutters.
Years 1 and 2 researched the Mexican folk art Alebrijes. Alebrijes are brightly coloured Mexican folk-art sculptures of fantasy creatures. They are hybrid creatures that contain qualities from the four elements of earth, air, fire and water. They used drawing and printing to create their own.
Years 3 and 4 explored the work of French painter Henri Rousseau, made a printing block and printed a monoprint of a bird and a leafy background and used various painting tools and palettes to mix paints for a painting.
Year 5 used printing, painting and collage techniques to create a crab in a rock pool.
Year 6 students are currently making ceramic faces for Graduation that express their uniqueness as part of their Inquiry Unit, ‘How We Express Ourselves.’ These will be displayed on the night of Graduation.
SARAH PILGRIM
Art Teacher
Say hi to Pippa, one of our clever Year 6s.
Pippa put together an Art Exhibition at Minimbah last week, inviting Y5 and Y6 students to contribute their beautiful work. Led by Pippa, the kids put an afternoon event together, showcasing work they made at school and at home.
Look out for Pippa’s Art stall at the Arty Market on Friday, 1 December, 2023.
About me
I started to do Art at home this year, but I have always loved it. I like to do watercolours and drawing in my free time. Both of my grandmas do art and they are huge role models in my life and their art inspires me so much.
Why?
I decided to do an art afternoon because I thought it would be a good idea to showcase the year 5 and 6 artwork. I want to show everyone what we’ve been doing in art and what some people have been working on at home.
The Arty Market
At the end of the year is the arty market. I am doing watercolour Christmas tags and bracelets. I have been working and planning this for a while. I hope to see you there!
PIPPA BOUNDY
Year 6, Minimbah
Years 3 and 4
During this term, Years 3 and 4 explored how remote communities in Indonesia have changed over time. We watched an insightful surf documentary filmed in the Mentawai region about a surf explorer living and working there for over thirty years. We then discussed tourism's negative and positive impacts on the local communities.
One of the language activities included designing a surf camp in remote Indonesia using traditional and modern features. The students translated a series of sentences that helped them plan their design. They will also label their surf camps with the new vocabulary they learned this term. I look forward to seeing their final surf camp designs!
Years 5 and 6
The Year 5 and 6 students enjoyed learning about traditional Indonesian houses this term. We explored the Minangkabau houses in West Sumatra and the ‘Uma Mbatangu’ house in Sumba. The students compared the two homes, highlighting the cultural similarities and differences. They also watched a Ted Talk about sustainable buildings in Bali made from bamboo. This talk made a meaningful connection to their recent Green School Camp in Bali because the same architect designed the buildings in the clip and the Green School. They recognised some bamboo constructions in the Ted Talk, which included a bamboo bridge they had walked over.
As part of this inquiry, students are in the process of creating a floor plan for a sustainable house based in Indonesia. They have learnt the vocabulary related to this topic, and they are also learning how to describe their homes.
TAMARA MCKERNIN
Year 5 Drama
Dramatic? Check!
Over the top? Check!
Action!
Welcome to the world of Melodrama with the Year Fives!
Created to entertain the working classes as a form of escapism from their ordinary lives, we made links with our camp experiences at Sovereign Hill and the theatrical entertainment of Victorian times. The theatre at Sovereign Hill was home to many a hilarious melodrama performance. It was loud and exaggerated, played by easily recognisable characters with predictable storylines that everyone could relate to.
Exploring the stereotyped characters in class, like the heroes, victims, villains and sidekicks has been exciting and entertaining for everyone involved. From the evil laugh of a villain, the snivelling sidekick, to the wailing cries of a victim needing to be saved, and the grand entrance of the hero, we had fun exaggerating our facial expressions, voices and actions.
We can’t wait to costume our characters and perform them in the class. Watch this space!
Year 6 Drama – Production & Beyond
The Year Six students have truly bonded over their shared production experience this year. They have emerged as intuitive, skilled, brave, caring and insightful performers and creators of drama. While productions are about understanding your characters, their motivation, and relationships with others and communicating a narrative in a believable and entertaining way, they are not limited to just that. The production experience has been transformative and encourages a growth mindset for all involved. Wonderful friendships are born, students collaborate, support each other, challenge themselves beyond their comfort zones and discover just how brave and capable they really are.
Fresh off the production, we have used our “tool kit” of skills and adventurous minds to explore the world of improvisation. Working as a team, quick thinking and using our imaginations to create entertaining, clever and engaging scenarios has been both rewarding and so much fun!
Year 3 & 4 Choreographic Discoveries
We have had an exciting start to dance this term, exploring our choreographic skills. Discovering the ways we can influence and vary our movement patterns using stillness, canon timing, tempo, and rhythms allowed us to create interesting dance compositions.
Creating motifs is another fun way for us to add a movement theme to our dance compositions. We discovered there are so many ways to add, vary and build on a simple movement to make it more complex, interesting and sophisticated. Innovation at its best!
Sarena Wong
Mystical Creatures with Foundation
Have you heard about the mystical Garuda creature? The King of birds, a protector who travels quickly with his great wings, symbolising glory, greatness and strength? We began by researching the importance of the Garuda and its symbolism for Indonesian culture and took a dance journey through jungles, rivers and mountains to find our very own Garuda. This got us thinking about other creatures in mythical existence, like unicorns, griffins and dragons. The question of “how can we create our own mythical creatures?” and “what would they look like/move like?” prompted us to create creatures and narratives from our imaginations.
Kecak dance & chanting with Year 1 & 2
Kecak is a traditional Balinese Hindu dance and music drama, often performed at sunset overlooking the ocean. It involves large groups of performers chanting together to create a symphony of human sound, full of varying tempos and hand gestures.
Watching and listening to a kecak chant and dance is powerful, hypnotic and unforgettable.
Finding a way to create your own kecak is complex, challenging and very exciting. We explored rhythms, patterns, the different sounds we can make with our voices and the actions to accompany them. Putting all the sounds and actions together like an orchestra of musicians required us to focus, listen, follow and work as a team. When we got into the zone and worked together, we discovered just how amazing and rewarding a Kecak can be!
Term Four has been busy as we hosted our annual Book Fair in Week 3 and Book Week celebrations in Week 4.
Our Book Fair was a huge success, and we thank all families for supporting this fundraising event. This year we raised just over $1000 which was kindly donated to Kananook Primary School and used to purchase new books for their students across all year levels.
Last week Minimbah celebrated a belated but much-loved Book Week! Throughout the week children across the campus took part in lunchtime activities that celebrated stories dabbling in craft, nature art and story time. It was a joy to see children across the school embrace these activities and share their love of stories.
Throughout the week we welcomed talented artist turned author and illustrator Tai Snaith. Tai mesmerised our students with her journey, incredible & unique craft and her love of the natural world.
As always, our Book Week costume parade and teacher performance did not disappoint. Thelma was back and the hall was alive with music, laughter and dancing. Not only do these moments contribute to the magic of Book Week but also the magic of Minimbah. Thank you to all the students & teachers for their participation & for bringing so much enthusiasm to a fantastic week.
BRIONY WRIGHT
Library teacher
Congratulations to all of our performers!
What a way to start term 4. We held our inaugural Minimbah Music Festival and held 4 concerts during weeks 3 and 4.
First up were the junior students from Foundation, Year 1 and Year 2. They shared two of their favourite songs, Flies and The Addams Family, complete with actions and spooky sounds. Foundation showed off their body percussion skills with a class composition called Go Matildas, whilst Year 1 demonstrated their understanding of major and minor, as their Hot Cross Buns turned into Cold Stale Buns! Year 2 shared their excellent work with Charlie Over the Water, demonstrating their rhythmic, tuned percussion and singing skills.
Our students from Years 3 and 4 followed the juniors, singing an Australiana Medley of Click Go the Shears and Along the Road to Gundagai. Year 3 have been learning about prominent figures in music, and they performed the Bob Marley song, Three Little Birds; with students performing on recorders, xylophones, and vocals. Year 4 have worked incredibly hard on their ensemble playing, combining glockenspiels, xylophones, drums and vocals to produce a toe-tapping version of Viva la Vida.
The senior students shared their music at a special music assembly. It provided a great opportunity for the Year 5 class to demonstrate not only their ukulele skills but also their singing in their rendition of the classic, The Lion Sleeps Tonight. The string students shared two beautiful pieces, Kingston Calypso and Deep Sea Fandango and our Year 6 wind and brass students played a favourite concert band piece, Penguin Promenade. The Minimbah orchestra consists of students from years 4 - 6 and they played a wonderful piece, Eastern March. The super cool Rock Band took us all on a Highway to Hell and the 5/6 choir sang beautifully. All this was topped off with a swash-buckling solo performance from Austin in year 5 who played the Theme from Pirates of the Caribbean
It was wonderful to see all our students involved during these 3 events, being risk-takers while often stepping out of their comfort zone to play an instrument and sing in front of an audience.
Our Music Festival concluded with our termly Soiree which featured the talents of many of our instrumental students as the sounds of music rang out from the Music House.
**Insert photos from Soiree (24/10/23)
We are not quite finished yet, as we are still learning music to share at Perberkoong and the Year 6 Graduation. Two wonderful events to round out a fabulous year of music-making and sharing.
Sue Fletcher and John Beckley (Minimbah Classroom Music Teachers)
Bayside District Girls AFL Lightning Premiership.
On Friday 6 October the Bayside District Girls AFL Lightning Premiership was held at Baxter Park. Eight schools were involved in a round-robin format officiated by female students from McClelland Secondary College who acted as field and goal umpires. The cold, wet, and windy conditions led to fierce and competitive games that used modified rules to ensure quick, fast games that lasted 20 minutes.
The ‘Woodleigh Warriors’ played valiantly in all games with the consistent application of their game plan to force the ball forward proving critical in the trying conditions and leading to six victories from their seven games. This saw the girls win the Division 2 Premiership and place runners-up in the overall District Premiership.
Congratulations to all of the girls for their hard training and unwavering determination. Well Done.
MARK RODEN
Physical Education Teacher and School Sport Coordinator.
Game Results
Woodleigh 8.6.54 defeated Frankston Heights 0.0.0
St Augustines 0.0.0 were defeated by Woodleigh 5.3.33
St Johns 1.0.6 defeated Woodleigh 0.1.1
Woodleigh 1.2.8 defeated Bayside Christian College 0.0.0
Woodleigh 3.4.22 defeated Karingal 0.1.1
Woodleigh 9.3.57 defeated Frankston 0.0.0
Ballam Park were defeated by Woodleigh 9.3.57
As part of Year 6's literature focus on poetry, they have been writing Odes to elements of Bali.
Enjoy!
Ode to Ice
Oh, cold, refreshing ice,
In the land of thy freezer,
You are the true king of the Castle,
The true pinnacle of water creation,
In your throne known as thy ice cuber.
You in your succulent frozen coat,
providing my tongue with an irresistible watery sensation
that sends my mouth into a drooling stage
and my eyes to turn rabid.
My hands cradle you like diamonds.
When I hear of the warm summer day,
50% off power on Wednesdays,
I hear the crackling of the ice expanding in its tub,
Feel a broken piece of ice stuck to the inside cheek of my mouth.
You are a part of my Balinese memories and everlasting hot summer dreams,
The hero of weekly afternoons,
The winner of the Nobel prize in the freezer.
I fill the ice cuber with water, let it crystalize -
And a decadent sensation awaits.
by James
Ode to Water
Oh, refreshing, cold, water.
Of moist wonders,
You are the saviour of my thirst,
The dripping glory of your flesh,
In your plastic PVA bottle.
You, in your cluster of droplets,
Cooling the burning sensation on my tongue,
That causes my mouth to water,
My eyes full of tears,
And my hands embrace your beauty.
When I think of your liquid falling into my mouth,
Out of your plastic home,
I hear the splashes of your insides,
Feel a drop of water.
You are cooling and moist,
The true king of our land,
The dripping expenses,
I buy you, for just 2 shining gold coins,
And my dry deserted mouth awaits your glory.
by Grace
Ode to the Fan
Oh airy cooling fan
Of Komodo house
You are the reason I didn’t evaporate
The real oscillating bliss
Hanging from your roof of bamboo
You with your remote of freedom
Filling the room with your angelic breeze
Of crisp cool air that causes me to smile,
to shiver slightly as your rich wave of gold hits my skin
When I think about my time in Bali
Playing Cabo with my friends
I hear the faint soft spinning
Feel your relaxing wind
See you watching down from above like the holy elevated being you are
You are nighttime memories and daytime dreams
The spa day of our cabin
The bringer of peace
As soon as you are on
Fun awaits
By Brecon
Ode to My Hot Choccy
Oh warm, chocolatey hot chocolate,
Of my volcano peak,
You are the trophy of my victory.
Warming my hands.
In your see-through cup.
You, in your glass of glory.
Fill my tummy with your irresistible sweetness,
That causes my stomach to melt.
My legs to move again,
And my tiredness transforms into pride.
by Hayden
Ode to Jerry
Oh, water swaying softly,
Standing quietly on the bench,
You are a holy creation of plastic,
With a glorious sea of water inside,
Beautiful as the sun shining in the sky.
You are a part of my soul,
Filling me with eternal water from heaven,
That when consumed,
I stand there hearing a quiet call from you,
As I appreciate you as family.
When my mind is filled with thoughts,
I breathe and feel a sense of joy,
When that refreshing holy liquid enters my bottle,
Listen to the sound, drip, drop, drip, drop,
You're looking at me smiling and I do the same.
You are always here for me,
After a challenging adventure
Your determination fills the cabin with peace,
I fill my thirsty dry bottle up,
And say goodbye as I sorrow to the airport.
by Oscar
An Ode to The Final Night Burger
On a bed of crispy chips and crunchy sea salt you lay.
Staring back at me, your own light of day.
A thin layer of golden crust outlines the innards of your silky bun.
You were so perfect, as perfect as the sun.
A mix of cheesy golden molten oozes out as I hold you in my bare hands.
One more look and my hunger expands.
As I take a bite,
A thirst for the one thing I’ve been starved for days of floods my mouth.
Meat.
The light you withhold turns you into my own golden haven.
My love for you now is more than unshaken.
A crowd pleaser you were,
Your presence dancing around the room filling everyone’s late night with joy.
The hero you were in that moment is something nobody can destroy.
Your goodness ruled higher than a gawping mountain view.
The specialness you contained is something only I knew.
by Eve
Ode to Corn Fritters
Oh, savoury, crispy fritters.
Sleeping on a silky banana leaf.
You are the evening hit.
The highlight of our plate.
You, in your coat of golden glory.
Filling the warm tropical breeze with anticipation.
That makes us drawn to your royal presence.
My lips to tremble.
For our grubby little fingers to reach out for you on your woven crib.
When I think of memories in Bali.
The chatter of my friends.
I feel the crisp crunch.
A Juicy kernel.
Trapped between my chompers.
You are Bali keepsakes and foodie dreams.
The golden child of food.
The most popular of all the dishes.
I grab one and take a bite.
And an evening adventure awaits.
by Felix
Annual Cambodian Fundraiser
On 24th November, we will be holding our annual fundraiser for the Chumkriel Language School in Cambodia (Cambodia Night), featuring performances from the school’s numerous rock bands.
An important part of the fundraising evening is the raffle, and as a community let's come together and help. Donations to the raffle, big or small, contacts with businesses that might help, would be most appreciated.
If you think you might be able to contribute something, even a bottle of wine, candles, chocolates, vouchers or big ticket items, please email me, Cathy Holt at cholt@woodleigh.vic.edu.au.
There will be a box at Reception for donations - thankyou so much for anything that you might be able to offer.
Join us at Senior Campus on Friday, 24 November, for the Annual Cambodian Fundraiser and help raise important funds for Chumkriel Language School!
Bring along your friends and family to a night of live music performed by Woodleigh students!
Be entertained by TOP STUDENT BANDS and, most importantly, help raise funds for Chumkriel Language School in Kampot, Cambodia.
Tickets are just $15 for adults and $12.50 for students, while performers come for free!
We'll have soft drinks and snacks on sale, the barbie will be hotting up sausages and veggie delights to keep you from getting too hungry, and we look forward to seeing you in the Senior Campus Hall from 5.30pm for a 6pm start.
CATHY HOLT
Music Teacher & ECEG Peer Tutoring Coordinator