Year 5/6 News

Hello everyone!

As part of our STEM Rocket unit, our Year 5/6 students had an exciting visit from Jeremy, “the Rocket Man,” on Tuesday. A member of the Victorian Rocketry Association, Jeremy shared his expertise in rocket design and construction, bringing along several of his own creations. His most impressive rocket to date stands three metres tall and uses a $1600 engine powered by ammonium propellant, reaching speeds of up to Mach 2.4 and heights of 2.5km. The session sparked great curiosity, with students thoroughly engaged and asking thoughtful, insightful questions throughout the presentation.

We were fortunate to enjoy a second incursion, where Ruby from the Australian Space Discovery Centre visited our class to share her knowledge about the solar system. She taught us about the different planets and shared interesting facts about each one. Students also explored the differences between gas planets and rocky planets, and discussed why Earth is such a suitable place for life. We also learnt about exoplanets, which are planets not orbiting in our solar system. 

In Literacy, we continued building on our understanding of circumstances in sentences. Students took their learning a step further by designing and creating their own detailed sentences, thoughtfully including when, where and how events occur. It was wonderful to see them applying these skills independently, using added detail to make their writing more vivid, engaging and clear for the reader.

In Mathematics, we began our new unit on perimeter and area. Students explored these concepts in a hands-on and creative way by representing the perimeter and area of their own names. They carefully constructed each letter using grid paper, then calculated the distance around (perimeter) and the space inside (area). This task helped students develop a deeper understanding of how these measurements work, while also encouraging problem-solving, accuracy and creativity. We will continue building on these skills as we apply them to more complex shapes and real-world contexts.

As we reach the end of the term, we wish all families a joyful and holy Easter. We hope you enjoy a safe and restful holiday break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for an exciting Term 2 and ready for camp on day one!

Year 5/6 Team, 

Maddie Comrie & Nick Tresize