What a wonderful and interesting Semester 1 it has been in Primary Honours. This Semester, students participated in a Literacy focused program centred around persuasive writing using the topic of “Nobel Prize”.

Having very limited exposure to the Nobel Prize, students first researched and investigated what the Nobel Prize is, who developed it and why, the nomination process, what the winners (also known as Laureates) receive, the 6 categories of the Prize and famous past Laureates. Students were very interested in learning about the life of Alfred Nobel who was the creator of the Nobel Prize, especially the inventions that he developed. Students also had the opportunity to research different people who have done some very incredible things that have improved the world but have yet to receive a Nobel Prize.

After students developed a solid understanding of the Nobel Prize and its origins, students were challenged to come up with two new Nobel Prize categories and persuade me that they should be included in the official Honours Nobel Prize Category List. With their impressive persuasive skills, each Honours group successfully convinced me of accepting two new categories for the Honours Nobel Prize, including:

Wattle Group: Environment and Sport
Waratah Group: Education and Digital & Design Technologies
Bottlebrush Group: Environment and Sport
Lilly Pilly Group: Environment and Engineering.

Using these brand new Nobel Prize categories, students were able to select a person of interest who has positively impacted the world and nominate them for an Honours Nobel Prize. Students developed a persuasive speech which they presented to their Honours peers. Based on this speech and a promotional poster, all students were able to vote for their favourite nominee. Each student voted for one nominee per-category; however, they were not allowed to vote for their own nominee. With very close margins, the winner for each category was announced. Each winner received a golden packet of lollies to represent the golden Nobel Prize Medal and a certificate to represent the official diploma.

In good team spirit, all of the students celebrated the Honours Nobel Prize winners and were proud of each other’s achievements. All of the students had a fantastic time learning about the history of the Nobel Prize and investigating topics and people of interest. It was an eye opening semester where a lot of knowledge was gained and the art of persuasion was refined.

And finally, the winners were….

Wattle Group:

Corbie McNeil – Stefka Kostadinova Sport Nobel Prize
Robbie Dick – Jane Goodall Environmental Nobel Prize

Waratah Group:

Brent Tomokino – The Wright Brothers Digital & Design Technologies Nobel Prize
Matthew O’Shea – Mark Rober Educational Nobel Prize

Bottlebrush Group:

Max Thornton – Bill Bowerman Sport Nobel Prize
Indigo Heatherington – Godfrey A Rockefeller Environmental Nobel Prize

Lilly Pilly Group:

Cooper Beaven – Steve Irwin Environmental Nobel Prize
Aaron Newell – George Brayton Engineering Nobel Prize

Sarah Jennings