Brookvale Public School

By Xin-Xin

Every Tuesday and Thursday for Term 3 and Term 4 four people are chosen from Brookvale Public School go to a special class which is held in Balgowlah Boys High School. We do a lot of scientific things and we also have creative writing and public speaking lessons in the afternoon.

Once we went on an excursion to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) to do some test and try to solve a real murder case. When we got there, there was this lady called Allison and she was a scientist. We did a lot of different tests such as trying to find out which typewriter was used to type the ransom note and which pen belonged to the murderer. There were four suspects and the murder case was about a little boy being kidnapped on the way to school and was killed. The body was found in an abandoned factory. We tested what kind of weapon was used to kill the boy. After a few tests we all got different results and we found out who the murderer was.

At the end Allison have us each a magazine called Helix, I had a really great time at the CSIRO.
 

This is one of the model rockets.

Every Thursday two people are chosen every two terms to go to the E.S.C or Extension Studies Centre. E.S.C is a program in Balgowlah Boys High School with a few chosen students from lots of different schools get to go there.

Some of the things that we do and learn there at the centre are Creative writing, the human brain, medieval life and the study of animals. All of these subjects and many more include going on excursions and hands on activities. Lots more activities are coming up and I enjoy going there.
 
 

By Joseph

Every Thursday in term 3, me and Marko go to the E.S.C. The E.S.C. is at Balgowlah Boys High School, and teaches kids about things that you don't normally do at school. We have been learning about things like the medieval times, with all the different nationalities customs and weaponry. James Adams (one of the teachers at the school) showed us some real weapons, and even though they were blunt they were still dangerous, especially the mace which is practically just a big lump of metal on the end of a stick for bashing peoples' skulls.

So far we have been to the CSIRO, a large science centre, we went there to solve a murder mystery which had been based on a true story. We got to see footprints and clothe fabrics under microscopes. We will also go to the zoo, Wonderland, and do public speaking. After every session at the ESC we have creative writing. It teaches different types of poem writing, authors and illustrators plus activities like quizzes and things.

The ESC teaches baking, aboriginal agriculture, engineering, space, gravity and more. The ESC is a good experience which allows kids to learn much more with thinking and hands on experiences. I'm sure have learnt a lot! A medieval sword.

By Ivy Anne

On Tuesday and Thursday 4 children from our school go to the Extension Studies Centre (ESC). We have many excursions. We also do calligraphy writing, creative writing, public speaking and also looked back at the time of the Medieval Days and other fun things.

We went to Taronga Zoo, CSIRO which stands for Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and did Streamwatch, which is all about water health. In Taronga Zoo we studied the animals. In CSIRO we did an investigation about a murder. In Streamwatch we studied the bugs in the water.

Soon we are going to go Wonderland Sydney and we're going there to learn the physics of fun.

I think all the excursions and things we did were really fun but I think the excursion to Wonderland will be the best.
SPac