Grade 5

Reading

This week students continued reading Tom Appleby, Convict Boy, following Tom's journey and reflecting on themes of freedom, home and belonging. They practised questioning the author's ideas and forming their own opinions based on evidence in the text. Later in the week, students moved into non-fiction reading, exploring the impact of the First Fleet's arrival on Australia's First Peoples. They built their understanding of how information reports are structured and used.

Writing

Students worked on varying their sentence structures to make their writing clear and engaging. They practised note-taking skills, learning to turn sentences into key words and abbreviations, and then back into full sentences again. Later in the week, students focused on writing and refining a body paragraph and conclusion for an information report about British settlement's impact on First Nations Australians. They practised proofreading and editing their work to improve flow and correct any errors.

Maths: 

Students explored rounding numbers with more than two decimal places, using number lines and reasoning to decide whether to round up or down. They also learned to write numbers in both standard and non-standard expanded form, using place value charts and hands-on materials to support their understanding. Students practised regrouping between tenths, hundredths and thousandths to build flexible number sense. Fluency games and partner activities helped reinforce these new skills throughout the week.

Humanities

Students explored the location and characteristics of Europe, comparing it to Australia using Google Earth. They researched European animals such as the lynx, reindeer, weasel and fire salamander, sharing interesting facts with their classmates.

SEL

Students focused on the importance of clear communication when asking for help. They practised using clear words and checking that others understood their requests.

Please remember to check Compass regularly for any upcoming events and important dates.