Monarch 

Welcome back to our wonderful Grade 5 families! We hope you had a restful break and are ready for an exciting final term of the year. It’s hard to believe how much our students have grown — both academically and personally — over the past months. This term, we’re continuing to build on their skills, confidence, and curiosity through a range of engaging learning experiences across all areas of the curriculum.

Below is an overview of what we’ve been exploring in Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Inquiry, and Social and Emotional Learning. We’re so proud of the effort, enthusiasm, and teamwork students continue to show each day!

Reading

This term, students developed their comprehension skills through strategies such as predicting, synthesising, identifying the author’s purpose, and making inferences. They explored a range of engaging texts, including Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg, The Journey by Francesca Sanna, Hana’s Hundreds of Hijabs by Razeena Omar Gutta, and The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. Using flip books and class discussions, students deepened their understanding of each story’s meaning and message.

Writing

In Writing, students focused on crafting engaging narratives. They learned about narrative structure — including orientation, complication, and resolution — to plan and organise their storylines effectively. Lessons centred on creating believable characters and vivid settings using description, dialogue, and figurative language to build tension and capture the reader’s interest. Students moved through each stage of the writing process — pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing — refining their sentence structure, paragraphing, and vocabulary to enhance meaning and flow.

Mathematics

Students explored a range of mathematical concepts across the four operations, using fact families to strengthen number relationships and mental strategies. They investigated place value to deepen their understanding of large numbers and developed multiplicative thinking through problem-solving tasks. Students also explored location by using coordinates to play 'Battleships' and interpret maps of the local area — a fun way to apply their learning!

Inquiry

In Inquiry, students investigated how animals and plants adapt to their environments to survive. They explored different types of adaptations — including structural and behavioural features — and examined how these help living things meet their basic needs. Through research, discussions, and hands-on activities, students discovered how adaptations such as camouflage, hibernation, migration, and specialised body parts support survival. They applied their learning by comparing how different species have evolved to thrive in diverse habitats around the world.

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

In SEL, students explored important topics to support their wellbeing and positive relationships. They discussed gender norms, peer pressure, and equality of opportunity, developing an appreciation for fairness and respect for differences. Lessons also focused on gratitude, giving and receiving compliments, and practising a kind mind to promote positive thinking. Students learned about the importance of healthy sleep routines and how good rest supports focus, emotions, and overall wellbeing.