Year 6 Curriculum News
Term 1, 2024

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you back for 2024.

We are excited to share the final year of the Year 6 students’ journey at Beaumaris North Primary School and support them in their transition to secondary school.

Units of Inquiry

How We Express Ourselves

Leaders possess unique qualities.

Lines of inquiry

The meaning of leadership
Attributes of a good leader
Issues that inspire leaders
The ways we can demonstrate leadership at school and in the community

Where We Are In Time & Place

Present day cultures are influenced by cultures from the past.

Lines of inquiry

Events leading to Australia’s involvement in war since Federation
The changing face of Australian society throughout the 20th Century
Migration
The contribution of individuals and groups to the development of Australian society

Literacy

Reading/Writing/Spelling

Students will continue to read, interpret and respond to a wide range of literary and media texts in print and in multi-modal formats. They will analyse these texts and support interpretations with evidence drawn from the text.

The children will use a range of approaches to spelling, applying morphemic knowledge and an understanding of visual and phonic patterns in line with the SMART Spelling approach. They will employ a variety of strategies for writing, including note-taking and brainstorming in their Writer’s notebook, using graphic organisers, planning, editing and proofreading. The students will continue to focus on the 6 + 1 TRAIT model to develop and enhance their writing skills.

Speaking and Listening

Students will prepare and deliver a speech in front of their class about a leader who they are inspired by and they will reflect on their own leadership traits. They will be assessed on the speaking and listening component of this learning task. Further information will be available on Compass.

Numeracy

Maths will be taught in classes this year, with specific lessons targeted to the children’s needs within each mathematical concept. Our Semester 1 focus is 'Number' including place value, the four processes, decimals, percentages and fractions. Once a week we explore different Problem Solving strategies to enhance the students’ ability to interpret worded Mathematical problems:

Find a Pattern
Draw a Picture or Diagram
Make an Organised List
Make a Table
Work Backwards
Use Reasoning

Inclusive Approaches

Resilience Project, Respectful Relationships program and the Zones of Regulation

We continue to work through the Resilience Project lessons to build gratitude, empathy and mindfulness. Each day we encourage students to acknowledge three things they are grateful for! 😊

We will be working through Topic 6- Help Seeking, in the Respectful Relationships program during Term 1.

Understanding the Zones of Regulation

As educators, we play a vital role in creating a positive and productive learning environment for our students. One powerful framework that can assist us in this endeavour is the Zones of Regulation.

What are the Zones of Regulation? The Zones of Regulation, developed by Leah Kuypers, is a systematic framework designed to help individuals, especially children, understand and manage their emotions, sensory needs, and self-regulation skills. It categorises emotions and states of alertness into four colour-coded zones:

Blue Zone: Represents a low state of alertness. Children in this zone might feel sad, tired, or sick. They need to calm down and regain energy.
Green Zone: Signifies an optimal state of alertness. Children in this zone are focused, calm, and ready to learn. They feel happy, content, or relaxed.
Yellow Zone: Represents a heightened state of alertness. Children might feel frustrated, anxious, or excited. They need strategies to help them stay in control and make appropriate choices.
Red Zone: Signifies an extremely high state of alertness. Children in the Red Zone are overwhelmed by intense emotions such as anger, fear, or panic. They require immediate support to calm down and regain self-control.

How can we use the Zones of Regulation to support children?

Foster Emotional Awareness: Help children recognise and identify their current emotional state using the corresponding zone color. For example, “I’m feeling really excited right now, so I’m in the Yellow Zone.”
Teach Self-Regulation Strategies: Each zone comes with a set of self-regulation strategies. Deep breathing exercises, mindfulness activities, or taking a break can help children shift from the Red Zone to the Green Zone.
Create a Zones-Friendly Environment: Modify the classroom or learning space to support emotional regulation. Provide sensory tools like stress balls or fidget toys, designate quiet zones for calming activities, and display visual cues of the Zones for easy reference.
Use Visual Supports: Posters, charts, and flashcards can help children better understand and remember the Zones of Regulation. These visual aids serve as constant reminders of the framework and its associated strategies.
- “I’m feeling frustrated. I think I am in the Yellow Zone.”

How we can use and model it at home.

Model and Label Emotions: Use Zones language in front of your child. For example:

"I need to take four deep breaths to help get me back to the Green Zone."

Visual Aids and Posters:

Display visual aids, such as posters or charts, that depict the different Zones. Point them out during discussions about emotions.
Use colour-coded visuals to reinforce the concept. For instance, associate blue with the Blue Zone, green with the Green Zone, and so on.

Structured Check-Ins:

Integrate Zones check-ins into predictable times during the day. For example, discuss the Zones while preparing meals or before sitting down for an activity.
Ask your child how they’re feeling and which Zone they think they’re in.

Fun and Interactive Activities:

Engage in activities that align with each Zone:
- Blue Zone: Calming activities like deep breathing, gentle stretching, or listening to soothing music.
- Green Zone: Encourage activities that promote focus and relaxation, such as reading, drawing, or playing a quiet game.
- Yellow Zone: Explore strategies like counting to ten, using a stress ball, or taking a short break.
- Red Zone: Discuss coping techniques like taking a walk, using a sensory tool, or seeking adult support.

Books and Stories:

Read books related to emotions and self-regulation. Some titles include “The Zones of Regulation” by Leah Kuypers or other age-appropriate books.
Discuss the characters’ feelings and relate them to the Zones.

Whole-school focus on PYP Learner Profile Attributes

February Caring

March Risk-taker

Homework

Homework is given out on a Monday and due back on a Friday. Homework tasks each week include SMART Spelling, Reading (min 20 minutes 3 nights per week) and either a Literacy, Numeracy or unit of inquiry task.

The students should include details of Reading for the week, including book title, number of pages read and time spent reading in their home diary. Another compulsory component of Homework is to complete the ‘Wellbeing Tracker’ in the home diary, including daily mindfulness.

The home diary should be signed by a parent, acknowledging that the work is satisfactory and to the best of the child’s ability.