Our school has been buzzing with activity, and our classes have been immersed in exciting learning experiences, gaining both knowledge and practical skills. Read below to discover what our students in Primary, High School, and Senior College have been up to!
Year 4 Making Pens, Gaining Licences
Year 4 are working towards receiving their pen licences and to be issued their fountain pens to use for the rest of their time at Orana.
As part of this process we gathered bamboo and whittled them into dip pens, learning about the need for a hollow tube and a split in the point in order to gather the ink.
Year 9 Science Experiments
In Year 9 Science, the students explored the properties of heat by testing the effectiveness of insulation materials. The students chose the materials that they wanted to test and then had to design their own experiment. In this experiment, students wrapped aluminium cans in cotton, alfoil and bubble wrap. After pouring boiling water in aluminium cans they then measured the water temperature every 2 minutes for 16 minutes. Their conclusion was that bubble wrap is an excellent insulator!
Our other Year 9 class explored Plant chemistry to see the magical products of plants’ photosynthesis. In their first main lesson, the students started by making paint from plants and then used these paints to create their title pages. Further experimentation saw them adding vinegar, salt, or bicarbonate to some of them to create more colours.
e their title pages. Further experimentation saw them adding vinegar, salt, or bicarbonate to some of them to create more colours.
Year 2 Spider Boards
Year 2 spent some time in the woodwork room recently where they practiced their fine motor skills, use of tools and persistence of will to create their spider board. Spider boards are a visual tool, often resembling a spider, used to practice multiplication, division, or other mathematical operations by connecting numbers or operations in a spider-like web pattern. Students hammered 10 nails in an equidistant circular shape and then added their own flair through colour and paints.
Year 8 Poetry Main Lesson
Toad of Toad Hall referred to the “poetry of motion” but nothing beats the rush and drive of poetry IN motion as Class 8B is discovering in their Main Lesson: The Art of Poetry.
The students are testing their creative craft and stretching their imaginative span by exploring and learning about some of the ways in which poets communicate meaning. In this Main Lesson, in anticipation of Harvest Festival, we walked our beautiful school grounds, listening to the sounds of Autumn and capturing the essence of the season on fallen leaves. The results were poignant and heart-warming – a testament to the extraordinary abilities of our Year 8s!
Individually inspired, collectively creative, we constructed a Poetree.
Through the sky
She is flying.
Throughout the day,
Summer is dying.
Here she comes,
Autumn’s empress.
By Banjo
Bitter and sour yellow
Destroying the flowing green,
Blood red danger creeping in
Absorbing the bitter yellow and
Turning it dark.
Run colours run.
By Stella
Its Outdoors for Year 3
As part of our Outdoor Classroom program, Year 3 has been harnessing colour from nature’s offerings. Using kitchen scraps and plants from our garden we have botanically dyed cotton fabric. The next step is to embroider images of harvest to our fabric. The final product will be made into bunting and be displayed at the Harvest Festival.
The Chemistry of Year 7
In the recent Class 7 Chemistry Main Lesson, the first of the year for this class, we burned many things: everyday items, metals, metal salts, non-metals, and completed some candle experiments. The students recorded their observations and conclusions in the Main Lesson books. For many students, this was their first experience of a Main Lesson, and they all relished the opportunity to burn interesting substances, draw pictures, write and annotate their observations, and test household substances with a red cabbage indicator. These are some of their title pages and experiment diagrams. It was a joy to teach them and see their excitement!
Year 12 visit Rolf Barfoed's Workshop
Students from Year 11/12 Design and Emerging Technologies recently had the exciting opportunity to visit Rolf Barfoed, a highly skilled furniture designer and maker based in Canberra. This excursion was part of their Design for Manufacturing unit, providing valuable real-world insights into the industry.
Accompanied by their teacher Claire Hennessy, the class traveled by bus, with Ian Paterson kindly volunteering as a driver. Upon arrival, Rolf warmly welcomed the students into his workshop, where he shared his expertise on both the design and manufacturing process. He also provided insightful advice on how to break into the industry—an invaluable takeaway for aspiring designers.
Throughout the visit, Rolf introduced the students to various specialized woodworking machines, explaining their functions and importance in furniture-making. A key highlight was learning about the role of prototypes in design development, reinforcing the idea that trial and testing are crucial steps before final production. As Marcus reflected, “This reinforced the value of making prototypes and mock-up models in the design process.”
Another interesting takeaway was understanding how design drawings from architects and interior designers often require modification for practical manufacturing. Rolf demonstrated how he refines these concepts, ensuring they are both aesthetically pleasing and feasible to produce. Students were also able to see firsthand the high-quality furniture crafted by Rolf and his team.
Beyond the educational experience, the excursion was also a great bonding opportunity for the class. Benji particularly enjoyed the bus ride, saying, “We got to chat and be together as a group, but also, the music choice was inspiring. It was a great social experience to chill out and listen to some tunes.”
Overall, the visit was an inspiring and hands-on learning experience, leaving students eager to apply their newfound knowledge to their own projects in the workshop.
If you’d like to learn more about Rolf Barfoed and his craftsmanship, visit www.rolfbarfoed.com.au.
