Senior School News Yr 5/6

Happy Week 7! We can’t believe we’re over halfway through the term already. Time has flown as this  fortnight has been filled with many fun activities for the Seniors. 

District and Division Cross Country took place over the last 2 Mondays. Congratulations to those who participated in either competition, we hope you had a fantastic time and are very proud of your efforts. 

Rehearsals are still going strong for Madagascar Jr, with the 5/6s having almost finished blocking through the first act and acing the choreography to two of their dance routines. 

We also have a very exciting excursion coming up this Friday to Melbourne Museum and IMAX. Please ensure you are at school by 8:45am as we will be walking to the tram stop at 9am sharp! 

LITERACY

Continuing with our picture book-based learning, the 5/6s have delved into ‘Window’, ‘The Great Kapok Tree’ and ‘Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth’ recently. These two great books that are underpinned by our Inquiry topic of ‘Sustainability’. Unpacking text features such as description, point of view and visuals, students have also crafted information and persuasive texts, as well as created collages inspired by the illustrations in these books. You can see these masterpieces hanging proudly on the door to the ⅚ shared space, as well as inside our classroom!

MATHS

This week, students have been delving into the world of fractions. By using manipulatives, they have a better understanding of how to convert fractions to decimals, making this abstract concept more tangible. Additionally, students have been learning to solve problems involving the addition and subtraction of fractions with common or related denominators, building a solid foundation for more advanced mathematical concepts in the future. 

Recently, a select group of students have also been working diligently each week to participate in the Maths Olympiad. Well done to those participating. 

We're proud to see students’ enthusiasm and dedication during this unit. It's lovely to witness their growing confidence in tackling these challenges. 

Inquiry

Over the past two weeks, our students have been bustling with excitement and creativity as students dive into projects that are both impactful and educational. In groups, we have been researching innovative ideas to make our school more sustainable. Each group is tasked with exploring a specific sustainability initiative, which they will eventually pitch to the school. The ideas range from reducing waste and increasing recycling efforts to implementing energy-saving measures and creating green spaces. This project not only encourages critical thinking and teamwork but also empowers our students to take an active role in protecting our environment.

In addition to our sustainability projects, we have been celebrating NAIDOC Week by creating personality portraits of famous Indigenous Australians. These portraits honour the contributions and achievements of Indigenous leaders, artists, and activists. We can’t wait to see all the different people our students have chosen to learn more about.

RE

In our RE lessons, we have been exploring and reflecting by diving into the history of Catholicism, gaining a deeper understanding of the faith’s origins and evolution. This historical perspective has been an enriching experience and has increased our knowledge and strengthened our connection to the Catholic tradition.

A key focus has been on how we can sustain our Catholic faith in our daily lives. Discussions and tasks have been adapted around practical ways to live out our faith through acts of kindness, community involvement, and personal prayer.

Additionally, our students have been researching the Seven Sacraments, an integral part of Catholic life. Each student is preparing a presentation on one of the sacraments, explaining its significance, history, and role in the Church. We are excited to see our students present these in the final week of term.

Have a great week.

From Miss Perrin, Mr Brophy and Miss Kudelka