Year 6
Term 1 Review
We have had a fantastic start to the year in Grade 6, with students quickly building a strong and supportive classroom community. It has been lovely to see our students embrace their roles as leaders within the school.
Throughout Term 1, students have engaged thoughtfully in a range of literacy and numeracy learning. In Literacy, we explored a series of rich mentor texts, including The Rabbits, The Island and Ziba Came on a Boat, using these to deepen our understanding of Australian history, diversity and perspective. Students developed their ability to think inferentially and recognise symbolism, while reflecting on themes of belonging and migration.
Our exploration of Ziba Came on a Boat led to a meaningful class display, where students created paper boats and wrote messages of welcome, hope and kindness. This activity encouraged them to step into the shoes of newcomers to Australia and consider the emotions and experiences that come with starting anew.
In Writing, students have been developing their narrative craft, with a focus on character development through internal dialogue to reveal thoughts, fears and desires. They have also explored how to construct satisfying endings by planning backwards and building a clear ‘complication ladder’ to strengthen their storytelling.
During Harmony Week, we explored the message “We all belong” and reflected on the importance of inclusion and respect. This connected closely with our literacy learning, as students considered themes of belonging and perspective through our mentor texts. We celebrated the diversity within our Grade 6 community by creating a world map to represent our different backgrounds and connections. These conversations helped students recognise that our differences are a strength, making our classroom a richer, more understanding and connected place.
In numeracy, students worked on learning about prime, composite, square and triangular numbers as well as what factors and multiples are. Students investigated the place value of digits in decimals up to hundredths and thousandths.
Grade 6 and (some) grade 5 students participated in inter-school sport and enjoyed the Lightning Premiership Sports Day, competing against other schools from the District. Well done to our girls’ cricket team and boys' tennis team for making it through to the next level!
Cheltenham Secondary School Visit
On the first of April, we went to Cheltenham Secondary School.
We were split into two groups, one went on a tour while the other completed some activities. The first activity we did was making clay sculptures. We had to take a ball of clay and make a hole in the middle. Then, we dipped our hands in water to stop the clay from drying out. Once the clay was moistened, each table received two small cups of paint, and we had the choice to paint our bowls.
After that, we met up with the other group and swapped. The first stop on the tour was the electronics/STEAM room. There were lots of interesting builds and board games made by students. The second stop was the kitchen, which had a lot of equipment, and there was a class working next door. The third stop was the woodwork room. There were many tools and, oddly, a lot of power points hanging from the walls. The final stop was the basketball court. In my opinion, it was great that you could sit high up in the stands and get a perfect view of the court.
From Finley Lightfoot 6A.
VHAP English and Mathematics
This term, some students from Year 5 and 6 participated in the Victorian High Ability Program (VHAP) English, and it was a really enjoyable experience. We learnt about archetypes, or different types of characters, and planned and began writing our own stories. It was a great opportunity to work and learn with others of similar ability, which helped to stretch our thinking. I really enjoyed participating and hope to have another opportunity like this in the future.
This term, some Year 5/6 students also had the chance to participate in VHAP Maths. It was a valuable experience where we learnt a range of new strategies and methods for solving problems. We explored different numeral systems, including Babylonian, Hindu-Arabic, and Chinese numerals. It was a great opportunity to challenge ourselves and apply our knowledge in more complex ways. I look forward to participating in a program like VHAP again.
From Louis Grant and Bennett Dsilva 6A.
Transition to Year 7
In term two, the process of transition to Year 7 begins. You will receive your transition pack with information for you to fill out. This information is due back to school by the 8th of May.
Term 2 Topic
Term two will be a STEAM-oriented term. The students will be learning about Natural Disasters, and in particular, cyclones and flooding. Students will learn about how cyclones are formed, their impact and modern innovations to withstand them. This knowledge will form the basis for the term STEAM project, which will require students to build a house that can withstand the effects of a cyclone/flooding.
We want to thank families for their ongoing support throughout term one. It has been a positive and productive start to the year, and we look forward to continuing to build on this momentum in term two.
Enjoy your Easter and holiday break!
Bernard Hickey and Tanya Wells
Key Dates in the Senior School
27th April Pupil Free Day
29th April - 1st May Year 5 and 6 School Camp
5 May District Cross Country at Mentone Playing Fields
8 May Secondary School Enrolment Application due
27 May Kingston Division Cross Country at Cornish College
4 June Girls Soccer Gala Day at Mentone Grammar Playing Fields
8th June King’s Birthday Public Holiday
19 June Winter Lightning Premiership - Mentone Grammar Playing Fields (AFL and Soccer), Dales Park (Netball) and Kingston Heath Reserve (Softball)
26th June Last Day of Term 2. Dismissal at 2:30 pm