Level 5: Connect

Literacy

In Literacy, students are continuing their study of The Blue Cat, exploring how the author creates a mood of mystery, develops characters and uses symbolism to communicate deeper meaning throughout the story. Students have identified examples from the text to use as evidence to explain their interpretations.

They then applied these techniques to their own long-write. Students have been focusing on creating a clear theme and bringing their settings and characters to life through descriptive and figurative language, complex sentences and the use of “show, don’t tell”.

Reading Log 

A reminder that the Senior Learning Centre Reading Log Challenge is still going! Student reading logs are monitored each week to track which class is reading the most and showing the greatest consistency. The competition has sparked wonderful conversations about books and reading, and we encourage all students to keep up the fantastic effort.

Numeracy

We have started our new Algebraic Thinking unit in Maths! Students have been exploring the connection between multiplication ✖️ and division ➗, and learning that these operations can "undo" each other.  

We have also been revisiting fact families, and how we can use this knowledge to solve x10 problems for example: 

• 6 x 4 = 24, so 6 x 40 = 240 
• 4 x 6 = 24, so 40 x 60 = 2,400
• 24 ÷ 6 = 4, so 240 ÷ 6 = 40

• 24 ÷ 4 = 6, so 240 ÷ 40 = 6 

   

A big focus has been building fluency with our times tables. We want students to recall these facts quickly and confidently so that, when they begin tackling longer and more challenging problems, they can focus on how to solve the problem rather than spending lots of their thinking time working out basic facts. 

How to help at home 🏡

Encourage your child to recall a multiplication fact (eg. 7 x 8 = 56), and then see how many related facts they can create using the same fact family. You could also challenge them to explain how they know their answers are connected 🧠 

We are looking forward to building on these skills as we move into more complex algebraic thinking and problem-solving. 

Wellbeing - Respectful Relationships

As part of our Wellbeing curriculum, students participate in the Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) program. These lessons help students develop the skills to manage their emotions, build positive relationships, show empathy and respect, and understand the importance of treating others as they would like to be treated.

As students approach adolescence, this learning also explores the physical, social and emotional changes that occur during puberty. To support and extend this work, students will participate in the Moving into the Teen Years program. Designed specifically for senior primary students, the program aims to enhance self-esteem, build on previous sexuality and relationships education, and strengthen communication and decision-making skills.

Thank you to the families who have already completed consent through Compass. If you have not yet done so, please log in to Compass and complete the consent form as soon as possible

Inquiry

As part of their Economics and Business Unit of Inquiry, our Level 5 students will participate in a special Q&A session with Belinda Paul, founder of the Australian textile-recycling business RCYCL.

RCYCL aims to make recycling unwanted clothing as easy as purchasing new items, helping to reduce textile waste and give clothing a more responsible second life. Belinda will share how she identified a real-world problem, developed her initial idea, created a business plan and marketed RCYCL to consumers.

This session will provide students with a valuable real-life connection to their learning about sustainability, resources, consumer choices and the impact of fast fashion. Students will also have an opportunity to ask Belinda about the challenges, decisions and successes involved in turning an idea into a working business.

We are very excited to welcome Belinda and hear firsthand about her journey as an Australian entrepreneur. Thank you to the families who have already provided consent through Compass. If you have not yet done so, please log in and complete the consent form as soon as possible.

Warm regards,

The Level 5 Team - Michelle, Cazz and Katie