Grade 5 News
Important Reminders
Homework
The homework week runs from Monday to Monday. During this time, students are required to:
* Read 4 nights and record their reading in their diary.
*Complete activities in Mathletics that equal, at least, 750 points.
Please see your child's teacher if you have any homework questions.
Learning in Action
Literacy:
Over the last fortnight, we commenced our poetry unit. Through reading, students analysed vocabulary in poems looking specifically at figurative language such as metaphors and similes, and words and phrases that support the reader to visualise.
Students explored writing free verse poetry, attempting to include a variety of poetic devices such as rhyme and alliteration in their poems. Here are some of the fantastic free verse poems written by grade 5s this fortnight.
Dark
I hear a creak in my ear
But I can't see what it is
Shadows floating around my room
Wishing I would fall asleep
Fear overtaking
I want to run
I want to hide
Too afraid to move
(Olivia 5WH)
Fear
I'm frozen
The blood rushes to my head
I feel dizzy
It's dark and gloomy
Help
Let me out
(Emma 5WH)
Fear
Dark scary night
Hide under the covers
Clasp my teddy tight
Hearing footsteps then a knock on the door
Who is out there?
I'm not sure
As the door creaks open
A hooded figure appears
Who are you?
I'm full of fear
(Adele 5WH)
Preview for Learning:
Over the next fortnight, we will continue our poetry unit looking at how symbolism of objects and colours can be used to convey meaning, such as owls to indicate wisdom or red to symbolise anger. Students will also look at how writing poetry in particular shapes can help add to the meaning derived by the reader.
Maths:
The first fortnight of the term saw us begin our unit on Fractions. Students explored the different fraction types - fraction of a shape, collection and on a number line. Students also looked at different strategies for comparing fractions - through benchmarking to 0, 1/2 and 1 or using a fraction wall. This helped them to start understanding the concept of equivalent fractions - fractions that have the same value but look different when written in numbers.
We also started a unit on mapping with students being introduced to the concepts of grid coordinates, compass and scale.
Preview for Learning:
Over the next fortnight, students will apply their knowledge of fractions to operations (addition and subtraction) and fraction games.
In mapping, students will learn how to use the concepts of coordinates, compass and scale to give and follow directions around a map.
Inquiry:
This term's focus is inquiring into Australian History. We started the unit focussing on Colonisation and Life in the Colonies. Students explored these ideas using Cooperative Learning Strategies including a Jigsaw Activity where students learnt about and became an expert on a topic, and then taught a group of their peers about it. Students explored this time in history through the lens of different people who lived in the colonies - convicts, law enforcement, farmers, and Indigenous Australians. Students also looked at specific convicts who lived at the time to get a sense of the real people who have lived in history.
Preview for Learning:
Over the next two weeks, we will be exploring critical events in Australian History such as the Gold Rush and Eureka Stockade - why these events occurred, how they impacted the people at the time, and how they impacted the rest of Australian History.
NAIDOC Week
NAIDOC week occurred in the last week of the holidays. In the last week of term, we celebrated NAIDOC week by looking at the reasons behind the need to celebrate our First Nations people. Students learnt about Indigenous Art and the colours, symbols and objects that are prolific within it. Students then applied their knowledge to create their own piece of art that held some meaning to them in relation to what they learnt.
Waterford Valley Lakes Retirement Village
On Monday, 5H had the opportunity to visit the Waterford Valley Retirement Village as part of LPS' work with community outreach. We want to give our students the opportunity to spend time with older people in our community for no other reason than to participate in an act of kindness that might brighten up someone else's day. We are hoping that our students learn that being kind to others gives us that 'fuzzy feeling' and helps them see the value of kindness for others as well as themselves.
We are so proud of 5H students who represented LPS so well. They enthusiastically walked the 30 minutes there and back, and were confident and happy to interact and play with the older people at the retirement village.
Students made connections by teaching the older people games and playing with them, and some of the students even learnt some new (but actually old) games themselves! 5H students will have an opportunity to visit the village every week for 5 weeks.
5M will visit the village in the second half of the term, and 5WH early in Term 4.
Other
