Leadership Report
Tristan - Literacy Learning Specialist
In our last newsletter, we looked at the descriptive narrative learning in Year 3/4. Today we are highlighting some of the literacy work in Year 5/6.
Year 5/6
Earlier this term, our Year 5/6 students were focusing on explanation texts. Explanation texts are used to describe how or why things happen. The students explored rich mentor texts featuring a range of topics.
The primary focus for this unit was on:
- Tier 3 vocabulary (technical vocabulary).
- Cause and effect language.
- Sentence cohesion (nominalisation).
Below are some examples and explanations of these three focus areas.
Tier 3 vocabulary
Tier 1 vocabulary: words that we use every day and that are usually understood easily (e.g. dog, happy, house).
Tier 2 vocabulary: words that are more advanced, that can be used across multiple subjects and help to refine writing (e.g. powerful verbs such as ‘strolled’ rather than ‘walked’).
Tier 3 vocabulary: these are technical words that are mainly used in a specific subject or topic (e.g. photosynthesis).
Example from a Year 5/6 lesson:
Cause and effect language
Example from a Year 5/6 lesson:
Sentence cohesion (nominalisation)
We can make our writing cohesive by linking ideas across sentences. One way to do this is by changing an adjective or verb to a noun. This process is called nominalisation.
Example from a Year 5/6 lesson:
Student example
Technical vocabulary and example of nominalisation: bioluminescence.
This example also shows cause and effect language:
Costa - Wellbeing and Engagement Leader
Somers Camp
From Tuesday 28 July to Wednesday 5 August, 160 students from schools across the region attended Somers Camp, including 11 students from Merri-bek Primary School.
Our students had an incredible opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, build confidence and resilience, develop teamwork skills, challenge themselves and learn new things. Throughout the camp, students participated in a huge range of activities, including high ropes, low ropes, archery, rock climbing and bouldering, abseiling, environmental studies, challenge swing, flying fox, art, bike education, bush craft, initiative activities, drama and orienteering, along with many more.
The fun continued into the evenings, with students taking part in drama and comedy performances, bush dancing, a disco, tabloid sports, a night hike and campfire to finish the camp. There was certainly never a dull moment!
And, of course, there was plenty of delicious camp food to keep everyone fuelled, including fish and chips, pasties, sausages, hot dogs, pasta, stir-fry, chicken wraps, hamburgers, fresh salad rolls, bacon and eggs, and more!
We are incredibly proud of our 11 students for embracing every challenge, trying new experiences and representing Merri-bek Primary School so positively throughout the camp. Well done!
Dance Program
Over the past two weeks, it was fantastic to see so many of our students grow and develop through the Dance Program. Students worked hard to learn new routines, develop their dance skills and, most importantly, have fun while challenging themselves.
It was wonderful to see students become more confident as the program progressed. Many students who were initially nervous or unsure were smiling, performing with enthusiasm and proudly showing off what they had learned by the end of the two weeks. The program provided a great opportunity for students to step outside their comfort zones, build confidence and support one another.
A huge thank you to all the parents and carers who came along to our performances to watch, encourage and cheer on our students. The excitement and support from our school community made the performances even more special for the students.
We are incredibly proud of the effort, enthusiasm and confidence our students demonstrated throughout the program.
Footy Colours Day and AFL Roadshow
On Tuesday 15th September, we will be celebrating the end of Term 3 and the AFL finals with a fun AFL roadshow incursion and AFL footy parade. On this day, students are encouraged to dress up in their favourite AFL team colours. This can be in the form of jumpers, a scarf, beanie, face paint, hair spray, socks or any other accessories that symbolise the colours of their AFL team. If students do not follow an AFL team, they can wear the colours from their favourite sporting team, this may include, basketball, netball, soccer, cricket, karate etc.. There will be a parade at 3pm for students to show support to their favourite sporting teams.
About the AFL Roadshow
The AFL Victoria AFL Roadshow offers an engaging and entertaining inflatable activity program, designed to introduce participants to the game in a fun, supportive, and non-competitive environment.
The AFL Roadshow is an excellent opportunity for children to get involved in all things footy! The inflatable stations provide an interactive and enjoyable setting where kids can practice their kicking, handballing, and coordination skills.
Inflatable stations include:
- Climb and Slide
- Marking Tent
- Agility Course
- Handball Targets
- Mini Goals
- Game Cube
You can find out more about the AFL Roadshow here: https://sedaactivate.com.au/packages/afl-roadshow/
