15/05/2012 NCH 0201 - waratah-p.schools.nsw.gov.au · NCH 0201 Publication:NNP, Edition:NCH,...
1
NCH 0201 Publication:NNP, Edition:NCH, Page:0201 PageType:A3Proof High resolution Typeset On PDF2001 at 10/05/2012 11:01:42 AM by RFrench Tuesday, May 15, 2012 NEWCASTLE HERALD 201 The Newcastle Herald’s School Newspaper Competition Primary entry #13 Waratah Public School REVVED UP: Levi, 5, and Xavier Rogers, 7. Picture: Blake Parsons Sprockets growing into BMX bandits By BLAKE PARSONS and JENNA HALL BMX Racing is quickly becoming a popular sport, particularly for families. It’s a sport anyone can join, with racing based on ability, not necessarily age. There are clubs throughout Australia, in the Manning Valley, Maitland, Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie and Terrigal in the Hunter/Central Coast region. BMX Racing Australia offers many different memberships for different ages but a special mem- bership program for children under eight is called Sprockets. Sprockets Racing is about fun, learning to ride bikes around the track and developing racing skills. Ange Rogers’s children, Levi, 5 and Xavier, 7, participate in Sprockets at Lake Macquarie. This is Xavier’s third year and Levi’s first. Ms Rogers believes it has led to an increase in confidence for both children, and she has seen a real difference in Xavier’s social and friendship skills. This family-oriented sport also gives children the chance to get outside and ride a bike for real, rather than just experiencing it on a game console. Go to bmxaustralia.com. Brave new tech world By BENJAMIN CURREY and KAITLIN DEACON NEW AGE: Waratah students working on computers. Picture: Kaitlin Deacon STUDENTS at Waratah Public School are excited about learning in a different type of classroom, the technology class. This class offers students the opportunity to experience educa- tion from a different perspective. This is a classroom where all students have access to their own computer and can access and share information instantly. Class teacher Robyn Christie said it greatly increased the general knowledge and interest levels of students, who get a say in their learning. “There has been a huge increase in the confidence levels and inde- pendence of students in terms of learning,” Mrs Christie said. Students in the class still follow the curriculum and learn the same subjects as other classes but they show what they have learned in different ways, by using technology such as computers, cameras and iPods. Students also use different types of software and websites to help their learning; this includes learn- ing how to tell which sites are reliable and how to interact safely, respectfully and responsibly online. Students show what they have learned through movies, music, spreadsheets and graphs as well as interactive presentations. ‘‘Children are excited, enthusi- astic about their learning; the chil- dren don’t want to leave the class- room at break times,’’ principal Maria Williams said. But being in a technology class doesn’t mean that the students only work on computers. Students also write stories in their books, create artworks, parti- cipate in hands-on and group work in mathematics and science exper- iments, including seeing how long a cheese burger would last – which turned out to be a while. Books still play a very important role in the technology class, although sometimes they may be electronic books. Parents are also excited about the possibilities that the technology class gives students. ‘‘It’s hard to imagine a world future without technology playing a huge part,’’ Waratah Public School Parents and Citizens president Ver- ity Currey said. ‘‘My 12-year-old son already knows more than I do about com- puters so I feel confident he will be well prepared in the coming years to take advantage of all that the WPS technology class teaches him.’’ Save money and the environment EXPERIMENTAL: Todd Hodgson and Dallas Hayes test solar power. Picture: Ty Rickard By DALLAS HAYES and TODD HODGSON THIS is the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. One of the ways to combat rising electricity and petrol costs is the use of solar energy. As part of the Australian Government’s Renewable Energy Target (RET), solar energy is becoming much more important. Newcastle City Council’s Michelle Lindsay said that solar panels reduced fossil fuel dependency and green- house gas emissions. Solar panels are made with photovoltaic cells which col- lect light and convert it into electricity. Technology class students at Waratah Public School tested the benefits by making solar- powered cars. They found that a disad- vantage is the weather. If it is raining or overcast, the solar panels may not get any sunlight so a backup electricity source may need to be used. It also depends on the surrounding area. If there are lots of trees or large buildings the sunlight may not be able to get to the panels which then won’t provide power.
Transcript of 15/05/2012 NCH 0201 - waratah-p.schools.nsw.gov.au · NCH 0201 Publication:NNP, Edition:NCH,...
-
NCH 0201
Publication:NNP, Edition:NCH, Page:0201 PageType:A3Proof High resolutionTypeset On PDF2001 at 10/05/2012 11:01:42 AM by RFrench
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 NEWCASTLE HERALD 201
The Newcastle Herald’s School Newspaper Competition
Primaryentry#13WaratahPublicSchool
REVVED UP: Levi, 5, and XavierRogers, 7. Picture: Blake Parsons
Sprocketsgrowing intoBMX banditsBy BLAKE PARSONS andJENNA HALL
BMX Racing is quickly becominga popular sport, particularly forfamilies.
It’s a sport anyone can join,with racing based on ability, notnecessarily age.
There are clubs throughoutAustralia, in the Manning Valley,Maitland, Port Stephens, LakeMacquarie and Terrigal in theHunter/Central Coast region.
BMX Racing Australia offersmany different memberships fordifferent ages but a special mem-bership program for childrenunder eight is called Sprockets.
Sprockets Racing is about fun,learning to ride bikes around thetrack and developing racingskills.
Ange Rogers’s children, Levi, 5and Xavier, 7, participate inSprockets at Lake Macquarie.
This is Xavier’s third year andLevi’s first.
Ms Rogers believes it has led toan increase in confidence forboth children, and she has seen areal difference in Xavier’s socialand friendship skills.
This family-oriented sport alsogives children the chance to getoutside and ride a bike for real,rather than just experiencing iton a game console.
Go to bmxaustralia.com.
Brave new tech worldBy BENJAMIN CURREYand KAITLIN DEACON
NEW AGE: Waratah students working on computers. Picture: Kaitlin Deacon
STUDENTS at Waratah PublicSchool are excited about learningin a different type of classroom, thetechnology class.
This class offers students theopportunity to experience educa-tion from a different
perspective.This is a classroom where all
students have access to their owncomputer and can access and shareinformation instantly.
Class teacher Robyn Christie saidit greatly increased the generalknowledge and interest levels ofstudents, who get a say in theirlearning.
“There has been a huge increasein the confidence levels and inde-pendence of students in terms oflearning,” Mrs Christie said.
Students in the class still followthe curriculum and learn the samesubjects as other classes but theyshow what they have learned indifferent ways, by using technologysuch as computers, cameras andiPods.
Students also use different typesof software and websites to helptheir learning; this includes learn-ing how to tell which sites arereliable and how to interact safely,respectfully and responsibly online.
Students show what they havelearned through movies, music,
spreadsheets and graphs as well asinteractive presentations.
‘‘Children are excited, enthusi-astic about their learning; the chil-dren don’t want to leave the class-room at break times,’’ principalMaria Williams said.
But being in a technology classdoesn’t mean that the students onlywork on computers.
Students also write stories intheir books, create artworks, parti-
cipate in hands-on and group workin mathematics and science exper-iments, including seeing how long acheese burger would last – whichturned out to be a while.
Books still play a very importantrole in the technology class,although sometimes they may beelectronic books.
Parents are also excited aboutthe possibilities that the technologyclass gives students.
‘‘It’s hard to imagine a worldfuture without technology playing ahuge part,’’ Waratah Public SchoolParents and Citizens president Ver-ity Currey said.
‘‘My 12-year-old son alreadyknows more than I do about com-puters so I feel confident he will bewell prepared in the coming yearsto take advantage of all that theWPS technology class teacheshim.’’
Save money and the environment
EXPERIMENTAL: Todd Hodgson and Dallas Hayes testsolar power. Picture: Ty Rickard
By DALLAS HAYES andTODD HODGSON
THIS is the InternationalYear of Sustainable Energyfor All.
One of the ways to combatrising electricity and petrolcosts is the use of solarenergy.
As part of the AustralianGovernment’s RenewableEnergy Target (RET), solarenergy is becoming much
more important.Newcastle City Council’s
Michelle Lindsay said thatsolar panels reduced fossilfuel dependency and green-house gas emissions.
Solar panels are made withphotovoltaic cells which col-lect light and convert it intoelectricity.
Technology class studentsat Waratah Public Schooltested the benefits by makingsolar- powered cars.
They found that a disad-vantage is the weather.
If it is raining or overcast,the solar panels may not getany sunlight so a backupelectricitysourcemayneedtobe used.
It also depends on thesurrounding area.
If there are lots of trees orlarge buildings the sunlightmay not be able to get to thepanels which then won’tprovide power.
