Level 5: Connect

Go Girl Excursion @ Deakin University

On Wednesday, the Year 5 girls had the exciting opportunity to attend the Go Girl, Go for STEM event at Deakin University. It was a fantastic experience that gave them insight into the diverse career paths available in the world of STEM.

They heard from a range of inspiring women, with experiences as varied as dance, gymnastics, music, data analysis, executives, leadership, and more. These guest speakers shared their stories, highlighting the many possibilities that STEM can open up. The students also got stuck into hands-on activities, including designing future cities with the help of AI and coding robots to race and play ball games.

Overall, it was an engaging and empowering day—one we hope will spark curiosity and encourage our students to consider the exciting opportunities a future in STEM can offer.

Reflections from the day included:

Seino "I loved using AI to be creative"

Olympia "I wish we had more time at each activity"

Zara N "When we did Robotics & Coding, it was interesting because it showed how you code something, test it, and try again"

Talia "I loved the AI Smart City, because my group made a flying train with a built-in FroYo store"

Avia "I wish that at the lecture, more people talked (more women shared their career highlights)"

Alice "I also really enjoyed making a whole city out of AI, the fact it felt real. Was so crazy!"

Inquiry

As our Civics and Citizenship Inquiry unit continues, Level 5 students have been deepening their understanding of Australia's democratic processes. Recently, they explored how elections are conducted, the importance of voting, and how voting rights in Australia have changed over time. Students investigated the role of the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC), learning how it ensures fair and accessible elections for all citizens, including those living in remote communities.

Maths

In Maths, students have been continuing their learning in the area of measurement, with a particular focus on consolidating their multiplication strategies and developing their ability to accurately measure capacity and length. They have practised using multiples and various multiplication techniques to solve problems efficiently.

As part of their success criteria, students have been learning to compare different units of measurement for capacity, identify equivalent units, and determine the most appropriate unit when measuring the capacity of different objects. They've also worked on estimating and accurately measuring length. Through hands-on activities and real-world applications, students are deepening their understanding of measurement and becoming more confident in applying their mathematical skills.

Literacy

This learning cycle has seen the conclusion of our Mentor Text One Small Island. Students finished their dissection and analysis of Alison and Coral's picture story book with a reflection on the message of hopeful preservation, and the power this text has over the reader with the combination of narrative style illustrations, and an informative collation of historical artifacts, recounts and sketches of the island. We continue our work on Reading Comprehension and improved analysis of texts with Emily Rodda's novel The Shop by Hoopers Bend.

In Writing, students have been exploring information texts, using Wild Australian Life by Leonard Cronin, illustrated by Chris Nixon, as their mentor text. Alongside revisiting the structure of informative writing, they’ve been learning how to research reliable and authentic information to craft their own texts.

They’ve also delved into the etymology of species names and investigated the cultural and ecological significance of native animals to Country and local communities. Additionally, students have examined how thoughtful page layout, clear signposting, and precise vocabulary can help engage and inform readers effectively.

Wellbeing

This Term has seen a shift in our Wellbeing lessons. Although we are still using elements of The Resilience Project through GEM Chats and mindful colouring, as well as strategies to improve gratitude and empathy, we are teaching the students from the Cyber Safety Project. Students are being exposed to, and coming up with solutions for, phishing emails and texts, strong passwords and security on networks where other users can see information they provide. The message we are providing is 'when online, be sure to consult an adult at all times to ensure you are being as safe as possible'.