Pakenham Consolidated School offers an extensive specialist program that we are very proud of. In 2019, Students in Foundation to Year 4 attend 3 one hour specialist classes a week including PE, Arts, Digital Technologies and Science.

In Years 5 & 6 students participate in an Electives program which offers a whole range of subjects from each curriculum area in which they can choose from each term including fitness, cooking, dance, art, science and ICT.

What's happening in Specialists this year?
Digital Technologies:  Miss Fiona Astridge
This semester we will be exploring coding and will be working on our Powerpoints, learning about data transfer and exploring online coding clubs.

The Foundation students will be logging onto the computers with their own username and password. They will also start exploring different Windows programs like Excel and Word.

Grade 1 and 2 students will begin creating their own simple apps and using the desktop computers to continue working on the skills they current have.

The Grade 3 and 4 students will be exploring more in depth coding using coding clubs and app developer cards.  They will also be learning communication skills through messaging and file transfer to a USB.

We are excited to begin using robots in lessons for all year levels. We have BeeBots, Ozobots and Spheros and are always looking at expanding our robots.

Arts:  Mrs Nicole Jones
This term our focus is on techniques, textiles and 3D modelling. Students will be able to use materials such as paints, hessian, cardboard tubing, wire and Magiclay to create  2D and 3D artworks.  Projects include a shadow figurine, monochrome painting, Magiclay domestic animal, marbled insects, cardboard bird house and a totem pole.

This term our focus is on techniques, textiles and 3D modelling and construction. Students will use a variety of materials including hessian, wool, paints, wire, clay and dyes to create a range of 2D and 3D artefacts. Projects include a sunset painting,  clay  wild animals and habitats, dye sprayed insects, paper construction mouse house and a totem pole.
 
PE:  Mr Jarrod Jende and Mrs Sian Woodberry
This semester in foundation and year 1 the students will focus on fitness health and wellbeing. Students will revisit the fundamental motor skills such as running, skipping jumping, hoping and throwing and catching. Students will be introduced to cricket, both bating and bowling.

The year 2 students will continue to revise the skills taught this year, through games such as soccer, basketball, and throwing and catching for accuracy. Student will be involved in the games of cricket, rounders and tennis.

The year 3 and 4 students will continue to work on their fitness and endurance through different fitness tests. The student’s will participate and umpie in games such as cricket, tennis, t- ball and lacrosse.

Science: Mr Steve Crook
Here at PCS we are lucky to have a dedicated Science room to use in the delivery of the Victorian Curriculum. Science, Technologies, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and STEM education have become the focus of considerable interest in developing your children’s interests and their ability to meet the world of the future.In the Science room we cover the 4 strands over a 2 year period, so this year we are focusing on the curriculum areas of Biological and Chemical Science.In Term 1 the Foundation to Grade 2 students are investigating how we classify animals and plants and how they develop to create a habitat.

In Term 2 for Chemical Science, we will look into how everyday materials can be physically changed or combined with other materials in a variety of ways.The Grade 3 and 4 students are learning about classifying the animal world and identifying features different animals have to fit in to their habitat. These Grades will cover the plant world in Term 4 and in Term 2 and 3 will investigate the physical properties and uses of materials and how we can change their state through adding and taking away heat.