Year 5/6

English

This term, our senior students have continued to build their reading, grammar and comprehension skills through a range of engaging learning experiences. 

In grammar, students have been exploring adverbial phrases and prepositional phrases, learning how these add greater detail and precision to their writing by describing when, where, how and why events occur. These new skills are already being applied across their writing tasks to create more descriptive and engaging sentences.

In reading, students have been developing their visualisation skills by creating detailed mental images as they read, helping them to better understand characters, settings and events within a text.

We have also introduced our new class novel, Sister Heart by Sally Morgan. Students will have the opportunity to explore the novel's themes, characters and historical context while developing their comprehension, vocabulary and discussion skills through rich class conversations and reading activities.

Finally, students have reflected upon their progress from their latest Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) assessments and have set new personal reading goals. We look forward to seeing each student continue to grow in confidence, accuracy and expression as they work towards achieving their individual reading targets throughout the term.

Maths

Data Detectives: Exploring Information and Patterns

We became data detectives as we explored how information can be collected, organised and displayed to help us discover patterns and make sense of the world around us. Using real-world data from the International Space Station (ISS), we investigated continuous numerical data and learned how grouping information into intervals can make large sets of data easier to interpret. We developed our skills in creating and analysing tables, bar graphs, side-by-side bar graphs and compound graphs, while exploring frequency and comparing different sets of information. Through this learning, we strengthened our ability to represent data clearly, identify trends and use evidence to answer questions and draw conclusions.

Science

We launched into an exciting exploration of our Solar System. We discovered how gravity keeps planets, moons, asteroids and comets in orbit around the Sun, investigated the unique features of each planet, and learned about fascinating places such as the asteroid belt and the icy Kuiper Belt. We also explored why scientists are searching for signs of life on moons like Europa and Titan, the challenges of space exploration, and why Pluto is now classified as a dwarf planet. Through reading, discussion and inquiry, we developed our knowledge while asking big questions about the universe and our place within it.

We became geographers as we explored the incredible features of Earth's ever-changing surface. We investigated how tectonic plates shape mountains, valleys and coastlines, and learned the difference between landforms and landscapes. We discovered fascinating record-breaking natural wonders, including Mount Everest, the Challenger Deep, Uluru, Burringurrah and Antarctica, while exploring how weathering and erosion gradually transform our planet over millions of years. Through engaging discussions and inquiry we developed a deeper understanding of the powerful natural processes that continue to shape the world we live in.

ISAC Challenge