Year 5/6

Welcome

As we step into the final term of the year, there is a wonderful sense of excitement across our Level 5/6 classrooms! Term 4 is always a special time as we reflect on the year that has been while looking ahead to the many opportunities still to come.

Our Year 6 students are preparing for their much-anticipated Graduation, an important milestone as they celebrate the end of their primary school journey. At the same time, our Year 5 students are stepping into their roles as future leaders, embracing opportunities to grow, contribute and be positive role models for our school community.

With exciting learning experiences, end-of-year celebrations and plenty of special memories to be made, Term 4 is set to be a wonderful finish to the year. We look forward to sharing this final chapter of the year with you!

As the weather warms up, we remind families that students are expected to wear the correct summer uniform each day. To support sun safety, please ensure your child has a clearly labelled school hat at school.

Our Learning this Term

Literacy

The students will complete a two-hour literacy block daily at the beginning of each day, focusing on improving their literacy skills through daily rehearsal.

The structure of the literacy block will be as follows:

Daily Review: A brief, fast-paced review of previously taught content. 

Daily Writing Review: Learning new vocabulary based on our class novels and incorporating them into our writing in different sentence types.

Literacy Skills: This component covers instruction across grammar, handwriting, reading fluency and spelling.

Literature Block: This component covers reading the class text, with a focus on developing text-level comprehension, 

This term, we will continue teaching the students in their grade level during the literacy block. The aim for this change is to help enable the students to be exposed to explicit instruction catered for their year level.

Year Five 

This term, the Year Fives will be reading the novel ‘The Last Bear’.

A powerful story about friendship, courage and the importance of protecting our natural world. Through April’s journey and her unexpected friendship with a polar bear, students explore themes of belonging, empathy, environmental responsibility and hope. 

Year Six

This term, the Year Sixes will be reading a collection of ‘Little People, Big Dreams’ biographies about inspiring individuals.

The collection introduces inspiring stories of people who have made a difference in the world. Through these engaging biographies, students learn about perseverance, courage, creativity and resilience, while discovering how big dreams and determination can lead to incredible achievements. 

Mathematics

The students complete one-hour daily Mathematics lessons. There will be a focus this term on:

Weeks 1 - 3: Data

Weeks 4 - 6: Fractions, Decimals & Percentages

Weeks 7 - 9: Operations

Week 10: Christmas Maths

To strengthen students’ understanding of key mathematical concepts and support long-term retention, each Mathematics lesson begins with a Daily Review. Using individual whiteboards and markers, students actively respond to a range of questions, providing opportunities to retrieve prior learning, receive immediate feedback and confidently share their mathematical thinking. Teachers incorporate a range of full-participation strategies, including Think-Pair-Share, Choral Response, Non-volunteers and Gestures, to ensure all students are actively engaged in their learning.

Students also participate in Maths Rehearsal, which focuses on developing fluency with place value and strengthening the automatic recall of number facts across the four operations. These regular opportunities for retrieval and practice help students build confidence, accuracy and efficiency, enabling them to apply their mathematical knowledge and skills across a range of learning contexts.

Specialist Subjects

Students will have Performing Arts, Italian, Physical Education and Art every Monday. Please ensure that the correct Sports Uniform is worn.

LIBRARY BORROWING TIMES

Students must ensure that all books they borrow from the library are returned on their non-library week. Library classes are every fortnight on odd weeks.  They must have an appropriate Library Bag to protect their books (not plastic).

Yr 5/6C, 5/6H & 5/6W will borrow books on a Tuesday (fortnightly).

Yr 5/6LH will borrow books on a Thursday (fortnightly).

Religious Education 

During Term 4, the  students will deepen their understanding of Mary as the first disciple of Jesus, exploring her faith, courage, obedience and willingness to say “yes” to God. They will reflect on how Mary’s life and her role in history are represented through the Mysteries of the Rosary, developing an appreciation of the Rosary as a prayer that helps us to reflect on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Students will also participate in Mission Month, learning about the importance of service, generosity and helping those in need within our local community. In the last four weeks of the term, they will continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of the Season of Advent, reflecting on this special time of preparation and anticipation as we await and celebrate the Birth of Jesus. 

Inquiry

This term in our science unit ‘Earth’s Place in Space’, students are exploring the Earth, Sun and Solar System, investigating the difference between rotation and revolution and discovering the unique properties of the eight planets. They will explore how solar and lunar eclipses occur and learn about different cultural perspectives of the night sky, including the rich astronomical knowledge and stories of First Nations Australians.

Students will also develop their scientific inquiry skills by making predictions, conducting experiments, analysing evidence and communicating their findings. Through collaborative investigations, students will learn how scientific claims can be supported, questioned and revised as new evidence becomes available.

Wellbeing

This term, students will begin the Respectful Relationships units of Stress Management and Help Seeking. Students are learning to recognise signs of stress, understand how stress can affect their thoughts, feelings and behaviour, and develop healthy strategies to manage challenging situations. They are also learning the importance of seeking help when they need it, identifying trusted adults and practising ways to confidently ask for support. These skills help students build resilience, self-awareness and confidence when navigating challenges both at school and in their everyday lives. 

October is Mental Health Awareness Month, providing an opportunity to remind students of the importance of looking after their mental health and wellbeing. We encourage students to check in with themselves and others, practise healthy coping strategies, and remember that it is always okay to ask for help. Through kindness, connection and open conversations, we can help create a supportive school community where everyone feels valued and cared for. 

Throughout the term, Class Meetings will continue to be scheduled weekly. Class meetings provide students with a safe and respectful space to share ideas, discuss concerns, and strengthen our classroom and school community. These meetings support the development of communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills, while reinforcing school values and expectations. Students are encouraged to listen actively, contribute thoughtfully, and work collaboratively to build a positive, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.

Homework

In line with our St Andrew’s Homework Policy, it is an expectation that Year Five and Year Six students complete the following as homework requirements.

Year 5 Weekly requirements:Each week, you are expected to complete the following:

• 20 minutes of reading each night 
• Three tasks from the activity grid each week

• *in the case of a short week (school closure/public holiday), only complete two tasks from the activity grid

   

Year 6 Weekly requirements:Each week, you are expected to complete the following:

• 20 minutes of reading each night 
• One task from the activity grid each week
• Add to Year 6 memories task each week
• Leadership slides completed when needed
• *in the case of a short week (school closure/public holiday), only complete your Year 6 memories from the activity grid

Please check in with your child and ensure they are logging into their homework each week. Occasionally, students will have a week off, and we will notify you via email when that is the case.

Our Homework program aims to strengthen home-school partnerships and reaffirm the role of parents and guardians as partners in education. It is an opportunity for students to reinforce and share their classroom learning and develop productive routines and time management skills.

Classroom Organisation

Please note our Year level requirements below:

• Any student who may need to bring a mobile to school is expected to hand in their phone to the school office in the morning.  All phones will be returned before the end of the school day. 
• Students are expected to bring their Library Bags to school on designated Library days. 
• Students are expected to use their Chromebooks at school and home responsibly. When carrying their Chromebooks to and from school, they are expected to use the Chromebook case supplied by the school. Please note that parents and guardians are responsible for monitoring their children whilst using their Chromebooks at home. Students are encouraged to use their Chromebooks in a shared space. It is expected that Chromebooks will be charged in readiness for the school day.

SPECIALIST NEWS

Library News 

Grades 5/6H, 5/6W and 5/6 RC will borrow books on Tuesdays and 5/6 L on Thursdays each fortnight on the odd weeks of term. Students must ensure that all books they borrow from the library are returned the week before or by the Monday of their library lesson week.  They must also have an appropriate Library Bag (not plastic) to protect their books. 

Thursday Recess: For students who are late to return books, an additional time to borrow is on Thursdays at recess. Students can borrow new books once they have returned or reborrowed books not finished.

In Term 4, our Year 5 and 6 Library lessons are focusing on developing positive reading habits and encouraging students to engage with a wide range of texts. Students are exploring fiction and non-fiction books that interest them, while also being encouraged to challenge themselves and think critically about what they read. A key focus is building reading stamina through regular, uninterrupted reading time and developing the skills to choose books that match their purpose, whether reading for enjoyment, information or inquiry. Through discussions and reflective activities, students are becoming more independent and thoughtful readers as they share their ideas, explain their reading choices and make connections between texts and their own learning. Our aim is to foster a lifelong love of reading and develop confident, curious readers who enjoy exploring the many possibilities that books and texts have to offer. 

In Library lessons, students will explore how authors find inspiration for their stories by examining ideas, characters, settings and themes found in a range of fiction texts. Students will consider how everyday experiences, observations, interests and other books can spark new story ideas. They will experiment with different ideas and explore how authors develop simple concepts into engaging fictional stories. Students will begin developing their own story ideas, using books and their own experiences as inspiration, while reflecting on the choices authors make to create interesting and meaningful narratives. 

Best wishes,

Mrs Nicole Milne

L.O.T.E. Italian

Ciao a tutti e bentornati a scuola.

Dear parents, welcome to Term 4.

The students will begin the term by revising previously-learnt language through quizzes and games.

They will revise questions and answer routine: Ti piace? Ti piacciono? Sì mi piace /piacciono. No, non mi piace/non mi piacciono. Cosa prendi? Prendo....... In pairs, they practise question-answer routine using the list of words e.g Ti piace il frappe? Ti piacciono le patatine? Prendi una coca-cola?

They will be introduced to new grammatical structures, namely, the subject pronouns io tu lui lei etc which they will use in conjunction with familiar language in their writing of a conversation at McDonald’s with three friends where they will order food and drinks from a McDonald’s menu. These will then be presented to the class.

The students are introduced to two new phrases - Qual’è il tuo fast food preferito? Il mio fast food preferito è il Big Mac - which they will use to conduct a survey amongst the students in the class to find out which foods are most popular at McDonald’s. They record their findings from the survey as a bar graph.

They are also introduced to Italian expressions used at meal time and at restaurants. They make a list and then create an illustrated poster with both the Italian and the English translation.

During the lessons the students will continue to participate in playing games and quizzes so as to reinforce their understanding of new language and grammar. They will also continue to build on their vocabulary knowledge through the online program Duolongo.

Cordiali saluti,

Signora White 

Art

A huge thank you to all of our Grade 5/6 students and families for your wonderful support of our Art Show! It was such a great success, and it was fantastic to see the students so proud of their artwork and excited to share it with our school community. Your encouragement and support helped make the whole experience so special.

This term, we are bringing Inquiry – Space into the Art Room! Students will explore space-themed ideas while building on their perspective drawing skills, experimenting with ways to create depth, distance and a sense of space in their artworks.

We will also be exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture, looking at the work and practices of Aboriginal artists and creating some hands-on artworks inspired by what we learn. This will provide an opportunity for students to explore different artistic techniques, materials and ways artists communicate ideas through their work.

And, of course, we'll finish the term with some fun Christmas art activities to bring a little festive creativity into the Art Room!

It’s going to be a busy and creative final term!

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Visual Arts program. We are looking forward to another creative and productive term ahead! 

Warm regards,

Milena Santoro

Art Teacher 

Physical Education

Welcome to Term 4!

As we head into Term 4, students will continue to develop their fundamental movement skills, physical fitness and confidence through a variety of fun and engaging physical activities. Our focus will remain on participation, skill development, teamwork and demonstrating positive sportsmanship during PE lessons.

Students will be encouraged to challenge themselves, work collaboratively with their peers and demonstrate resilience when learning new skills and participating in different sports and activities.

Students will have opportunities to practise and refine skills such as passing, catching, throwing, kicking and moving into space, while learning how to apply these skills in game situations.

Students will also be encouraged to develop their understanding of game rules, tactics and strategies, helping them become more confident and effective participants in a range of sports.

Mr Alex Heenan - P.E.

Performing Arts

Hi 5/6 Students and Families,

Welcome back! Students should be congratulated on their performances of their “colour” song that became the soundtrack to the art show.  They played and sang beautifully!  I’ve also been very impressed with their drama performances, particularly those who have done some sophisticated editing to turn their script into a proper film.

This term we will be working on the Grade 6 graduation performance.  The focus will be on developing singing and dancing skills, as well as a few instruments thrown in.  Although the grade 5’s won’t be performing on the day, they are still working on their performance skills in class - I’m impressed with their integrity and responsibility towards learning as they embrace the singing and dancing despite only performing for me.

All students will be working on singing as a group, using their voices in various ways to tell the story of the song, and singing in harmony (different to others) to create a beautiful sound, making sure they blend with others.  We’ll also be using elements of dance for their performance, showing their ability to stay in time, move to the beat, use their strength and flexibility and show their amazing skills.  I can’t wait for our St Andrew’s families to see the final performance.

Looking forward to an exciting term!

Mrs Emma Cooper

Key Dates

October

Wednesday 14th - Excursion to Imax and Melbourne Museum

Wednesday 21st - Italian Day

Thursday 22nd - Anointing of the Sick Mass 9:15am

November

Monday 2nd - School Closure 

Tuesday 3rd - Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

Wednesday 11th - Remembrance Day

Thursday 12th - Music Workshop with Andrew Chin

Friday 13th - School Closure

Sunday 29th - First Sunday of Advent

Monday 30th - St Andrew’s Feast Day

December

Sunday 6th - Second Sunday of Advent

Thursday 10th - Learning Celebrations 2:45pm and Year 6 Graduation Mass 6pm

Friday 11th - Year 6 Graduation Lunch + Dance Performance 12pm

Sunday 13th - Third Sunday of Advent

Monday 14th - Year 6 Fun Day

Tuesday 15th - End of Year Mass 9am, Guard of Honour 1:15pm + End of Term 1:30pm finish 

*As dates can be subject to change, please check either the school newsletter or notifications on the Audiri App.

How to Contact Us

We would like to see ourselves as the first point of contact regarding your child’s learning.

Please feel free to contact us by the following: We politely request that there is an understanding that emails will be responded to within 48 hours and within 8.00 am-4.45 pm.  

School Telephone: 9551 5094                                   

Year 5/6 Teacher Emails: 

Lucy Levett: llevett@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Alex Heenan: aheenan@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au 

Rosario Corio: rosario@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au 

Lachlan Ware:  lware@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au 

Aoife Harrington: aharrington@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au