GTAC Reflection

Gene Technology Access Centre

On the 27th and the 31st of November the 5/6’s went to GTAC [some went on one the day and the others went on the other day]. I went on the 31st of November 2013 and learnt so much about forensic science and science in general.

Some things we covered and did were use microscopes. Most of the stuff we did was based around looking at things in microscopes and we learnt how to use microscopes and features of it.

We had to solve a challenge using forensic science skills with microscopes. We looked at different objects like seeds and leaves. We used 2 different microscopes. One called the stereo microscopes and another one called a compound microscope. These are not the only microscopes these are just the ones we used. A stereo microscope can see up to 400 times magnifying. It goes from 4x, 100x, 400x. The other microscope can see up to 1000x. It can go from 10x, 100, 1000x. The lens itself in a stereo microscope is 4x and in a compound it is 10x. We looked at water samples trying to find paramecium, euglena and spirogyra. These are micro organisms. They are so small you can not see them only under a compound microscope.

3 facts I now know:

1. Here are the parts of a microscope. These are for a stereo microscope and a compound microscope. The eyepiece lens, objective lens, stage, focus knob, light source.

2. That a tiny seed is big, brown and a bit hairy under a microscope.

3. The name spirogyra is named that because under a microscope is a stripe line that when not under a microscope you can not see.

2 understandings I now have:

1. There are heaps of careers in science and forensic science that all sound interesting. They are all different and all have different jobs and you need different expertise to do them.

2. In science with the equipment you use you need to use you have to be carful with it because you can get fingerprints on them and spill stuff. This will effect the outcome of your experiment.

1 wondering I still have:

1. How many jobs are there that have to do with science?





2D and 3D Shapes Reflection

2D and 3D Shapes

Properties and Connections

Last term we learnt all about 2D[2 Dimensional and 3D [3 Dimensional] shapes. 2D is width and height and 3D is width, height and depth. We focused on their properties and their connections.

3D and 2D shapes have connections such as 2D shapes make up 3D shapes. In class we did an activity where we had to make a 3D shape out of 2D shapes without a net to help us.  2D shapes make the faces of the 3D shape. For example say you were making a cube. You would need 6 squares as the faces.

As well as 2D faces 3D shapes are also made up of other things such as vertex’s[more than 1 vertex is called vertices]. A vertex is where 2 or more edges meet. An edge is where to faces meet. An edge connects them.

A 2D shape has faces and sides. The sides are like the border in a way. We also learnt about congruent shapes. Congruent means that they are the same shape and same side.

We also did some work on tessellation. Tessellation is where 2D shapes fit together to make a pattern. To tessellate shapes they have to fit together with no gaps. If they sort of fit but with gaps, then they are not a tessellation.

Term 3 Project Reflection – Women’s Suffragette Movement

Project Summary

Every term we have a topic for our intergraded studies. This term our topic was ‘Exploration’. As our project we could work with anyone we wanted and we had to do it about a field in exploration. My group [Grace, Eve and I] did it about The Women’s Suffrage Movement which is about the exploration of Human Rights. It was also our choice about how we wanted to present it. We did a play with scripts, props and a power point background.

Three things I found interesting and surprising…….

  1. In 1891 a women named Vida Goldstein collected around 30 000 signatures on a petition [a petition is a long list of signatures regarding something that they want changed.] In their case they wanted women to have the right to vote and the right to be elected into Parliament.


  1. Not just Australian women went and fought for their rights, many other women from different countries also fought for their rights. Fights were not easy as some ended in death. Say the U.K, they did not eat food, they set fire to buildings, Emily Davison through herself under a horse.


  1. Some of the things that women did to get the right to vote was to do debates, send out pamphlets, smash windows, knock mailboxes, chain themselves to fences, read speeches to people, make petitions and more.

Two Understandings I now have…..


  1. Some of the leaders of the Women’s Suffragette Movement were Edith Cowan who was from Western Australia, Vida Goldstein was from Victoria and Mary Lee was from South Australia. Off course there were more leaders but they were some of the big ones. Women like them and themselves helped change Australian Women’s life forever.
  2. If the women’s suffragette movement did not happen our lives now would be very different. Parliament would not be the same and as Julia Gillard was our previous Prime Minister she would have never had been because she would not be allowed to. Women would not have the right to say what they think and say their opinions. Women and men in Australia would not have an equal life.


One Wondering I still have……

  1. One wondering I still have is in how many other countries do women not have the right to vote and how many have not tried to fight for their rights and have not had a time like the Women’s Suffragette Movement.


What were the most important things I learnt?

The most important thing I learnt was that if you push yourself and your group and spend more time and effort it will make the project better and before you present you will feel confident because you have practised and rehearsed.


How did I learn that?

Well when we came up to present I was not as nervous as I am usually because I knew we had practised lots of times and we were really good and we knew our script of by heart. At the end our teacher[Lee] said that he was very impressed.


What am I going to do with what I have learnt?

Well in the future when I do projects I am going to practise a lot so when it is time for me to present that project I will be confident with it.


Overall I had a great time working with my group putting it together. We spent a lot of our own time and when we did have time in class to do it we just put our heads down and got straight into it. We were very organized and were finished on time and  where the first ones to present. We wanted to go after recess so we would set up and have everything ready but we had to go first so we worked together and got it together. Maybe next time we should not get stressed when we are going first and go all frantic and crazy. I was happy and proud about how everything went.

National Tree Planting Day – 26/7/13

On Friday the 26 of July it was National Tree Planting Day For Schools[Although Sunday was National Tree Planting Day. This is a day where anyone could plant a tree whether it was at school, nature strips, at home and many more places. The purpose was to get Australian kids out side and in nature. Also to help our environment and do something good for it. At our school we had a strip of grass which then every class dug out a hole and we planted a tree. When we all did it it was very loud but it seemed like everyone was having a good time. Some people had not done much gardening so that was a good chance for them to have a go. 100s of 1000s planted over 1 million native trees, shrubs and grass in Australia. I liked it because it was good to get out of the classroom and we were doing something good for nature. It was also a good whole school event. I hope we do it in high school as well!

If you would like to go to there website here is the link:

Term 2 Project Reflection – Nervous System

Three facts I found interesting and surprising:

1. That the right side of the brain is better at music and the arts whilst the left side of your brain is better at writing, reading and speaking.

2. Back in the day people used to drill a hole in someone’s head if they had a head ache. Scientists did not know that that might have not been a good idea.

3. A nerve cell can travel through the central nervous system 2.5 times faster then the maximum speed of a Ferrari.

Two understandings I now have:

1. In your cue cards only give prompts because you should have all the knowledge in your head already.

2. Have all your information organized. It helps to have all your information in   categories. It makes every thing neater and easier to understand.


One wondering I still have is:

What did scientists used to think the nervous system was like? Did they used to have a different understanding?

What were the most important things I learnt?

Taking notes. I learnt that during a presentation you cant get everything so only get the key words or the key information. As they might be going fast don’t copy down whole sentences just key words that will help you at the end create a full paragraph. We also had some time at the end to ask questions to the group. I did not get some things and some things I don’t think I copied down right so in that time I asked questions to clarify what I wrote down.

How did I learn it?

Well Lee taught us in term 1 but we did it during presentations which made it harder and I learnt more from it. I learnt that during the presentations that you have to be fast  and only write key words that are quick to  write down because other wise you might not catch the information there telling you because your to busy writing.

What am I going to do with what I have learnt?

Well you do key note taking all the time. In high school and in university you do it all the time. You don’t just do it in high school and university you do it all the time.


Adding and Subtracting Fractions – Reflection

The easiest thing about adding fractions for me is adding fractions with the same denominator. I can do them in my head. I find adding fractions with different denominators harder. I can do it but I have a bit of trouble sometimes.

I can do subtracting with the same denominator as easy as I can do it with adding fractions. I am really bad at doing it when there is not the same denominator and I think that I need to practice that more.



Break Dancing

In class we had to choose an article from the BTN site.

We had to choose a video to watch and write an article about it. I choose to watch a video about break dancing. If you would like to see it here is the link:

Here is my article:

The 3 minute video was all about break dancing in the past and now. They talked to Spencer, William and Marvin, 3 brilliant break dancers. The 3 boys told you about break dancing and what you have to do to be really good. They perform and all the money goes to there dance lesson fees and the other goes to good causes. The interviewer got to have a go at break dancing and the boys taught her. It looked like it would be really difficult and you would have to have good balance and strength. They also talked about there injuries. Because they do head spins and all different things they will hurt themselves. One of the boys said that he gets infected toes and he has a bald spot because of his head spins. Although there injuries did not sound good they looked like they enjoyed doing what they do. I think that nothing will stop them from doing what they do best!


Swimming Carnival

All excited we walk to the pool. Chatter and laughter fills the air. My heart pumping I am ready to have a fun day. When we get to the pool I see the icy cold water. I see the yellow flag and know immediately that this is were I sit.


My first race is  the freestyle race. As I here Sozoe our captain yell freestyle racers  over to the marshalling place. I see competitors and feel nervous. Finally it got to my race and Jess [the teacher marshalling ] calls the people in the races names and tells us we can dive or start in the water. Adrenaline pumping, I dive in the water and race my heart out. I see the wall and come to breathe again. Waiting to see how I went I saw a lady coming towards me. She gave me a stick and it said 2nd. I was so proud. I got out and got my Ribbon.


The day passed as every one went in and out of the water competing for there house. Some of the other races I was in were backstroke[I got 4th place], Breath stroke[I came 2nd], Freestyle relay [my team of 4 came 2nd]. My last race was the Cork Scramble which is not a race but heaps of corks go every where and you have to go and get them. For this game you really have to work as a team but you can not throw or get more then 2 corks and put them in the bucket.


Overall I thought every one had a great day by their beaming faces and their excited body. The main point of the day was to have fun and be safe. The other point was to compete and get points for your house team.


After the tiering day we have our assembly which is were we get to know who won in year levels then overall.






My team is the yellow team Chislhom  and when we heard we won the crowd went wild………


I was excited as I heard that and I think everyone else did as well. I was tired and still hot but this was all worth it!

Gala Sports Recount

”Play” heart pumping I’m ready to hit that ball, get it over the net and score my team a point. With a few practice swings I’ll get it over. 123 Boom. The ball nearly touching the net and cm from going out. I get it over. Team mates shouting is all I can hear .I felt like hitting it over and over again. The great bit was no one cached it. I have scored a valuable point for my team.


But where am I and what am I doing? I ‘m playing volleyball competing for the ultimate prize. Nothing. Well you could get into Regionals but that is of my mind .All the 5/6s were in a sport .One quarter were in volleyball. One quarter were in Bat tennis. One quarter were in Soft ball and the last quarter were in cricket. We go very dirty like kids playing in mud. We hurt our self to try our best. My favourite bit was all of it but probably it was just having fun. This was my last year I would still like to improve at high school.


After a long hot sweaty day that we had all had a go in and tried our best and won and lost games. We did some great serves, catch’s, spikes, sets and digs. At the end of both days I felt like I contributed. I’m not sure about the rest of the other teams and but out team came 6th which  is a big improvement from last year when we came 11th. My team mates and I were proud. Although there were some faults it turned out to me like a success.

Canberra Camp 2012

Canberra Camp 2012

Chitter chatter chitter chatter. I saw a sign it said Canberra. We were in Canberra about to have a great camp. My name is Amelia and this is my diary of camp.

1st Day:

10 hour drive. Hurray.

2nd Day:

We wake up [‘we’ meaning Sozoe, Grace, Lilly and I who are the people in my cabin] and we go to breakfast. Today we went to the new Parliament House. I learnt that there are 150 people in the House of Representatives. I thought it was very posh and pretty. The CSIRO was good. I enjoyed the stick insect talk.  “Hey look the AIS” said someone. When we went to the AIS I thought that the amount of work that athletes do to be the best of the best is outstanding.

3rd day:

Today we went to these places and here is what I learnt and felt:

War Memorial: I thought the videos they put on and I felt sorry for the soldiers who fought through the war and who still are.

Old Parliament House: I learnt about the speaker’s chair. I was given to us by Brittan.

AEC: I learnt how Grownups vote. You need to number them 1234… and it depends how many are running for the job.

4th day:

Embassies: I did not know what they were used for

National Art Gallery: Prisoners were made to make bricks.

Sound and Movie Archive: How movies got better and better.

Questacon: The free fall was so much fun because you in mid air and then fell onto a slide. It was scary but exciting.

Telstra Tower: It was so beautiful the 360 degrees of Canberra

I think camp made me a better person because it made me do things for myself. When I wasn’t feeling well I didn’t have anything to help it. My cabin mates were really helpful and helped  when it was needed. Overall it was an amazing journey and I learnt so much from it.

By Amelia