Grade 5/6

Classroom

English

Over the past couple of weeks, our Grade 5/6 students have been learning more about figurative language and sentence structure, in alignment with the Victorian Curriculum 2.0. They have been exploring how authors bring writing to life using personification, giving human qualities to animals, objects or ideas — such as “the wind whispered through the trees.” Students have also learned about idioms and hyperbole to enhance their creative and persuasive writing. We’ve had great fun uncovering the meaning behind quirky phrases like “raining cats and dogs” and identifying examples of exaggeration in texts.

Alongside their work with figurative language, students have been building their understanding of sentence structure. They have practised writing both compound and complex sentences to add variety and depth to their work. This has helped them become more confident in expressing detailed ideas and linking related thoughts clearly and effectively in their writing.

In addition, we have been learning about direct and indirect speech — a key element of narrative writing and reporting. Students have been learning how to correctly punctuate spoken words, as well as how to report speech more subtly by changing pronouns, verb tenses and sentence structure. These skills are helping them write with greater accuracy and purpose, whether crafting imaginative stories or summarising information.

Our Grade 5/6 learners have shown strong engagement and creativity as they continue to refine their written expression and explore how language works. It’s been fantastic to see their confidence grow as they apply new concepts in both reading and writing tasks.

Mathematics

Our Grade 5/6 students have been developing their mathematical thinking through a range of real-world problem-solving tasks. A key focus has been on multiplication and division worded problems, where students have been encouraged to read carefully, identify important information, and choose the most efficient strategies to solve multi-step problems. They have been using written methods, estimation, and number facts to check for accuracy and reasonableness in their answers.

In addition to operations, students have been exploring how to convert between metric units of length, mass, and capacity. This includes understanding the relationships between millimetres, centimetres, metres, and kilometres, as well as between grams and kilograms, and millilitres and litres. They have practised how to move between units using multiplication and division by powers of ten, and applying this knowledge to practical measurement scenarios such as comparing weights, measuring distances, and calculating volumes.

These concepts have been explored through hands-on tasks, collaborative problem-solving, and targeted practice to help build confidence and fluency. Our students have shown great persistence in tackling challenging problems and are beginning to apply their understanding to everyday contexts, preparing them to become capable and flexible mathematicians.

Inquiry

In Inquiry, our Grade 5/6 students have recently been showcasing their learning through Google Slides presentations, which beautifully combine their Biological Science investigations with our English writing focus on information reports. After researching topics such as animal adaptations, life cycles, and environmental conditions, students organised their findings into well-structured reports using formal language, subheadings, labelled diagrams and key facts. These were then transformed into engaging digital presentations, allowing students to practise their oral presentation skills while sharing their knowledge with peers. It has been a wonderful opportunity for students to demonstrate their understanding across multiple learning areas in a creative and purposeful way.

Dates to Remember: