Senior School News
Year 5
Celebrations
Congratulations to Cole in 5T on winning the K2 Junior Shredder at Mount Hotham. What an amazing achievement!
Congratulations to our Year 5'son their awards this week.
Literacy
Year 5 students have loved beginning their novel study of Convict Boy, where they have been exploring what life was like in 18th-century England. Students have been captivated by the journey of the main character, Tom Appleby, as they follow his experiences of losing his family, being sent to an orphanage, and eventually being imprisoned before becoming a convict.
Alongside the novel study, students have begun developing their information report writing skills. They will be researching and writing about life in the 18th century and exploring the journey of the First Fleet to Australia.
Maths
In Mathematics, students have been focusing on fractions with unrelated denominators. They have been learning how to add and subtract fractions by finding common denominators and then converting their answers into mixed numbers or proper fractions where required.
The Year 5 students have worked extremely hard to develop their understanding of this challenging concept, and their persistence and growth have been reflected in the progress they have made.
Times Table Rockstars
Please make sure all students are playing TTRS each night for 5–10 minutes. Building automaticity in multiplication is an extremely important foundational skill for success in Maths. Regular practice helps strengthen recall and supports confidence when working with more complex number concepts.
Topic
Students have been exploring how communities change over time and the importance of communities and the groups we are part of. They have investigated the role community groups play in supporting and connecting people.
Students have now begun learning about government in Australia, focusing on the three levels of government: local, state, and federal. They have been exploring the responsibilities of each level of government and how they work together to support the community.
Buddies
Our Year 5's love when we spend time with our Prep Buddies. On this occasion we helped our buddies make their 100 days of Prep crowns. How special!
Year 6
Literacy
Fluency
During Fluency, Year 6 students have been exploring texts about children during World War II, Adolf Hitler, and Nazi Germany. Through these readings, students have been developing their reading fluency while building their understanding of this significant historical period. They have explored the experiences of children during the war, the impact of Nazi Germany on communities, and how historical events shaped the lives of people around the world. Students have been engaging in thoughtful discussions and reflections while developing their comprehension and vocabulary skills.
Writing
Year 6 students have been exploring reversible and irreversible changes, as well as soluble and insoluble substances through their Topic and Literacy lessons. Students have investigated how materials can change, identifying whether changes can be reversed or create new substances. They have also explored the concepts of solubility by testing different substances and observing how they interact with water.
As part of their writing component, students have been developing their ability to create scientific explanations, using subject-specific vocabulary, clear structures, and evidence from their investigations to communicate their understanding.
Maths
In Maths, Year 6 students have been exploring different types of angles, including acute, obtuse, reflex, and revolution angles. They have been developing their understanding of angle properties and learning how to identify and classify angles based on their measurements. Students have also been working on finding missing angles by using their knowledge of angle relationships and applying their problem-solving skills to solve equations where only part of the information is provided.
Topic
In Science, our students have been exploring soluble and insoluble substances through a range of hands-on investigations. They have been making predictions, conducting fair tests, and observing which materials dissolve in water and which do not. Students have also learnt to use scientific vocabulary to explain their findings and record their observations, helping them develop their scientific thinking and inquiry skills.
A friendly reminder that students are only to wear small hoops or stud earrings to school, and please make sure they are in the correct sport uniform or full school uniform on the appropriate days. This helps keep everyone safe and supports our uniform expectations.
Matilda Tench
mtench@shsandringham.catholic.edu.au
Orla Moloney
omoloney@shsandringham.catholic.edu.au
Kate Newey
knewey@shsandringham.catholic.edu.au
Luke Homer