Curriculum News, Year 5  

Term 4, 2024

Welcome to Term 4! 

As we approach the final stretch of the school year, we have an exciting and dynamic term ahead, filled with unique learning experiences and memorable activities. In addition to our core academic focus, this term is enriched with a range of programs that encourage personal growth, physical development, and teamwork.

Key highlights of Term 4 include:

• Camp: An immersive experience that will build resilience, independence, and collaboration skills. Students will have the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones, engage in outdoor education, and form stronger connections with their peers.
• Beach Program: A hands-on program focused on water safety, environmental awareness, and fostering stronger relationships through team-building activities. Students will engage with the natural environment by exploring rock pools and will have the opportunity to experience the water from above in a kayak. This hands-on experience will deepen their connection to the coastal ecosystem and enhance their understanding of its unique features.
• Bike Ed: Designed to promote road safety and healthy lifestyles, Bike Ed encourages students to develop cycling skills in a safe and structured environment. It aims to increase confidence, coordination, and knowledge of road rules, setting the foundation for lifelong cycling habits.

Additionally, students will engage in our final unit, an inquiry into Sharing the Planet, where they will investigate the components of ecosystems, exploring how living things interact with each other and their environments. They will examine the unique adaptations of different organisms and delve into the impact of significant environmental events on ecosystems. This unit will encourage critical thinking about sustainability and our role in preserving the balance of nature for future generations.

This term promises a balanced combination of academic challenges and enriching extracurricular activities. We are committed to providing a holistic educational experience that nurtures both the minds and bodies of our students, preparing them for the year ahead and beyond.

Units of Inquiry

Sharing the planet

Significant events affect the balance of an ecosystem.

Lines of Inquiry:

• The components of an ecosystem
• Investigation of living things within an ecosystem and their adaptations
• Significant environmental events 

Literacy

Reading

This term, we will continue to strengthen students' reading stamina through our Daily 5 activities, including Read to Self, Read to Someone, and Listen to Reading. 

Our focus will be on developing key reading comprehension strategies, such as identifying the main idea, recalling important facts and details, recognising cause and effect relationships, and exploring a variety of literary text types. These activities are designed to enhance students' ability to understand, analyse, and engage with the texts they encounter, supporting their overall literacy development.

Writing

Students will explore the techniques authors use to inform and entertain their readers, applying these strategies to enhance their own writing. They will focus on integrating all key writing traits as they plan, draft, revise, edit, and publish their own work. 

Additionally, students will investigate the structure and features of information reports, refine their skills in persuasive writing, and learn how to write a formal letter. These activities will support their development as confident, versatile writers across a range of text types. 

Grammar and Spelling

We will continue our comprehensive spelling program, which includes both inquiry-based words and individualised word lists tailored to each student's needs. Students will also explore the connections between words to deepen their understanding of word patterns and meanings. 

Additionally, we will revisit SMART Spelling Rules to reinforce students' understanding of how words are constructed and how they function, supporting their overall spelling proficiency.

Speaking and Listening 

Students will be refining their speaking and listening skills by completing an independent project connected to our unit of inquiry. They will develop a presentation to showcase their knowledge and insights, which they will share with their peers and teachers.

This process will help enhance their communication abilities while deepening their understanding of the concepts they have learned.

Mathematics

Number

In the area of Number, students will continue to apply their understanding of number properties to solve real-world problems involving addition and multiplication, including basic financial planning scenarios. They will learn to formulate problems, select appropriate operations, and use efficient mental and written strategies for calculation. This approach will help them develop practical math skills that can be applied in everyday situations.

Algebra

Students will revise their understanding of multiplication and division as inverse operations, using this concept to develop families of number facts. They will also apply their knowledge of number properties and operations to solve equations with unknown values, reinforcing their problem-solving skills and deepening their comprehension of these mathematical concepts.

Shape

In the area of Shape, students will experiment with and explore the properties of two-dimensional objects and three-dimensional nets. They will describe the translation, reflection, and rotation of 2D shapes, as well as apply enlargement transformations to familiar shapes. Through this exploration, they will compare the properties of the resulting images to the originals, deepening their understanding of geometric concepts.

Statistics –Interpreting and Representing Data

Students will engage in posing questions and collecting data through surveys of their peers. They will describe and interpret various data sets and create visual displays to represent the information they gather. This process will enhance their analytical skills and understanding of data representation.

Probability – Chance

During our probability lessons, we will examine more closely chance experiments to determine the likelihood of various outcomes. Students will learn that probabilities range from 0 to 1 and will explore chance experiments involving equally likely outcomes. This will help them to further develop their understanding of probability and its applications.

Inclusive Approaches

As part of our Wellbeing Program in Year 5 we will begin the government mandated Resilience Rights & Respectful Relationships lessons in Week 1, Term 4. We will focus only on Topic 7. We will also continue to work through The Resilience Project Program.

Whole-school Focus on PYP Learner Profile Attributes

October: Inquirers

We nurture our curiosity, developing skills for inquiry and research. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and sustain our love of learning throughout life.

November: Principled

We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.

 December: Knowledgeable

We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global signi­ficance.

Special Events

• Year 5 Beach Program – 14 October
• Year 5 Camp – The Summit – 16-18 October
• Lead it Incursion – 22 October
• Melbourne Cup Day – 5 November
• Pupil Free Day – 19 November
• Curriculum Day – 20 November
• BNPS Concert Evening – 28 November 
• Year 5 Excursion to Melbourne Zoo – 1 December 3
• Year 5 Bike Ed – December – date to be confirmed
• Last day of Term 4 - Early Dismissal 1.30pm