Year 5/6

Welcome

Term Four arrived very quickly! We hope each student reflects on their school year and can recognise their growth and achievement in their academic, social, emotional, spiritual and physical development. The Year Sixes will be very much in our thoughts as they only have a short time left before they transition into secondary school. 

 

5/6C

Rosario Corio / Kayla Puetz (Friday)

5/6DW

Sarah De Guzman-Wettenhall 

5/6M

Joachim Min Fa

5/6P

Daniella Polites (Mon- Thurs) /Nella Lo Presti (Friday)

 

 

English

Our students will participate in a two-hour Literacy block each day. The morning block has designated times for one hour of Reading and Writing.

 

Reading

This term, the focus of our Reading will be on continuing to refine reading comprehension skills using non-fiction texts related to our Inquiry Earth Science topics about the  Solar System and Natural Disasters. 

 

For Reading Groups, children will be explicitly taught to practise and demonstrate many skills:  

Make predictions - think about what will come next and justify your reasoning

Self-monitor - Stop and make sure you understand what you’re reading. Does what you are reading make sense?

Visualise - create a picture in your mind matching what you are reading or hearing

Reread - clarifying understanding 

Summarise - retell the important parts succinctly and identify the main idea in a nonfiction text so that we can understand the key message the author is communicating

Vocabulary - identify keywords and explain their meaning using synonyms

Ask questions - to ensure understanding and help you think deeper about the text

Infer - use what you know and what you have read to think deeper about the author’s meaning

Make connections - to your life, similar texts, and the world to help you understand the text

 

Writing

Our Year 5 and 6 students will focus on writing information reports this term. They will learn how to research and present factual information clearly and concisely. Through this unit, students will develop important skills such as identifying key facts, organising information under appropriate subheadings, and using subject-specific language to communicate their ideas effectively.

Students will work on various topics, using reliable sources to gather information and structure their reports/newspaper articles logically. By the end of the term, they will have produced detailed, well-organized reports that showcase their understanding of this text type.

We look forward to seeing the student's research and writing abilities grow.

 

Maths

To help reinforce key mathematical concepts and strengthen students' long-term memory, we will continue to incorporate daily 10-minute reviews at the start of each math lesson. Each student will have their whiteboard and marker, allowing them to actively participate and share their answers quickly. Teachers will also use high-participation strategies to make these reviews and lessons effective and engaging, such as Think, Pair, Share, Choral Response and Reversal, Non -Volunteers and Gestures.

The focus will be on the Four Processes, where students will apply mental and written strategies to solve problems. We will also explore topics such as 

  • Divisibility rules to quickly determine if a number can be divided by another without a remainder
  • Finding fractions of a quantity, representing remainders as fractions and decimals when solving division equations
  • practising placing decimals and fractions correctly on a number line
  • learning to measure capacity, mass, area and perimeter
  • Basic algebra concepts are introduced using symbols to represent unknown values in equations and understand simple patterns and sequences
  •  expressing probability as fractions 
  • learning to collect and present data using different graphs, charts and tables.

The students are developing their ability to articulate their processes and show their ability to solve problems using multiple strategies. We hope this summary helps reinforce learning at home. Encouraging your child to use these skills in everyday situations, such as measuring ingredients, predicting outcomes, or interpreting data, can enhance their understanding and application of mathematics.

Practising number facts regularly at home will benefit the students greatly.

 

SPECIALIST SUBJECTS

Students will have Music, Italian, Physical Education, and Art every Wednesday

Please ensure students are wearing their PE uniforms for the day.

 

LIBRARY BORROWING TIMES

Students must ensure that all books they borrow from the library are returned on their Library day. 

Students must have a Library bag to borrow books. 

5/6DW   Monday                      5/6M   Monday

5/6P        Monday                       5/6C   Monday

 

Religious Education 

In Religious Education this term, it will be very exciting for many Year Six students as they prepare for the Sacrament of Confirmation, which Bishop Anthony Ireland will be the main celebrant of. The Confirmation Mass will take place on Friday,  18th October, at 5 p.m. 

Students will also be exploring important themes of our Catholic faith.

  • The Annunciation: The students will reflect on the story of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary to announce that she would be the mother of Jesus. They will have the opportunity to discuss how Mary’s faith and trust in God set an inspiring example for all of us.
  • The Rosary: As part of our focus on prayer, we will learn about the Rosary, including the prayers that make up this devotion and the Mysteries that we reflect on during prayer. The students will be encouraged to think about how these mysteries—such as the Birth of Jesus and His Resurrection—connect to their own lives and the world around them.

Advent and Christmas: As we approach the Season of Advent, the students will explore the story of Christmas and the significance of this season of waiting and preparation. Through discussions and activities, they will reflect on the values of hope, peace, and love, which are at the heart of the Advent season and the Birth of Jesus according to Luke’s Gospel. 

 

Wellbeing

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) 

Lessons will be explicitly taught weekly with a time allocation of 45 minutes on a Monday. Students will have a workbook to record their learning and be encouraged to practise and model appropriate behaviour in different settings. 

 

 

We will be focusing on this throughout the term:

Respect- KEEP HANDS, FEET AND OBJECTS TO MYSELF, SPEAK KINDLY

Responsibility- SPEAK TO AN ADULT TO HELP SOLVE A PROBLEM AND REPRESENT THE SCHOOL WITH PRIDE

Resilience - TAKE OWNERSHIP OF MY FEELINGS AND ACTIONS, WORK THROUGH CHALLENGES

 

Our School Wide Acknowledgement System awards Class Dojo Points and weekly awards to students who demonstrate positive behaviours for learning across all school settings, i.e. (classroom, specialist lessons, playground & incursions/excursions). This will continue to occur, and it is pleasing to see how highly engaged and motivated students are in receiving their individual ClassDojo points. We will continue to use ClassDojo to welcome parents and carers into our classroom space, giving you a regular window into your students' learning. ClassDojo will provide a simple and secure way to engage with your child’s day-to-day activities and see significant milestones.  ClassDojo is also an effective communication tool that can be used for things such as announcements and friendly reminders. 

 

Inquiry Learning

This term in Science, our Year 5 and 6 students will explore fascinating topics related to Earth and Space. They will learn about our solar system, focusing on the planets orbiting the Sun and the time it takes for each planet to complete its orbit. Students will also engage in activities that model the relative size and distance between the planets and the Sun, helping them better understand the solar system's scale.

Additionally, we will investigate how sudden geological changes, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and extreme weather events, like tsunamis and droughts, can impact Earth’s surface. Students will explore the causes and effects of these natural phenomena and discuss their implications for our environment.

We are looking forward to a term of discovery and hands-on learning!

 

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 tasks:

  • 20 minutes of Reading per night to be recorded in their diary (Title, pages/chapters read)
  • The classroom teacher sets 10-15 minutes of other tasks per night. These will generally be 1-2 weekly Literacy/R.E./Maths/Inquiry task(s) linked to our current classroom learning that is worked on at home throughout the week.

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

Below are some items of note:

  • Any student who needs to bring a mobile phone to school is expected to hand it in to the classroom teacher in the morning. All phones will be returned before the end of the school day. 
  • Each student is asked to bring a box of tissues, Chux wipes, hand wash, and paper towels to contribute to the classroom. Thank you to all families who have already donated these items.
  • It is expected that students complete 2 ½ hours of Reading at home per week with the following recorded in their diary (title of book, pages read/duration of reading, parent signature)
  • Sports shoes are only to be worn on a Wednesday. Children are expected to bring their Library Bags to school on designated Library days. 
  • Students are expected to use their Chromebooks responsibly at school and home. When carrying their Chromebooks to and from school, they are expected to use the Chromebook case supplied by the school. Parents and guardians are responsible for monitoring their children while 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.

How to Contact Us

We would like to see ourselves as the first point of contact in regards to your child’s learning. Please feel free to contact us by the following: 

School Phone:  9551 5094                                 

Year 5 / 6 Teacher Emails: 

Daniella Polites: dpolites@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Joachim Min Fajminfa@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Sarah De Guzmansdeguzman@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Rosario Coriorosario@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Nella Lo Prestinlopresti@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

Kayla Puetz kpuetz@saclaytonsth.catholic.edu.au

 

We politely request that there is an understanding that emails will be  responded to within a 48 hour time frame and within the hours of 8.00am-4.45pm. 

 

IMPORTANT DATES

NOVEMBER-  4TH   School Closure day

                           5TH    MELBOURNE CUP

                           22ND SCHOOL CLOSURE DAY

                          29TH   Saint Andrew’s Feast Day

 

DECEMBER -  6TH   Year 6 Fun Day

                          12TH  Year 6 Graduation Mass 6pm

                          17TH  Students finish term

SPECIALIST PROGRAMS

L.O.T.E. Italian

Welcome to Term 4.

Years Five and Six students begin this term by revising and recycling previously acquired language through written and oral activities. They will continue to develop their skills in Italian and build on their vocabulary knowledge through the introduction to the language of means of transportation and timetables used to get around Italy. In pairs, students will begin by listing in English and Italian the means of transportation that one may need when travelling. Under the heading ‘Il mio viaggio’ and using familiar and modelled language, the students plan a trip around Italy to visit two or more cities. They write the information in Italian and include the means of transportation they used to get around. They then, in 

turn, present their trip orally to the class. The students will be made aware that timetables in Italy use the twenty-four-hour clock. They will read and role-play a dialogue at a train station involving understanding a timetable and buying a ticket. The students then (in pairs) create and present a role play using the newly acquired vocabulary. During the lessons, the students will play games, quizzes, and Duolingo and complete varied classroom activities to reinforce their knowledge and understanding.

Cordiali saluti

Signora White

                   

  

Physical Education

In Weeks 2 and 3, we will complete a variety of activities where students will be able to demonstrate their range of movement skills learnt throughout the year. We will continue to progress in our learning of how listening, teamwork, and positive communication impact our experience and performances within sports. Volleyball, cricket, and softball will be our group sport focus, and gymnastics will be our individual sport focus. 

We are looking forward to a fun last term of learning! 

Miss Puetz              

 

 

Art

Welcome to the last term of 2024 in the Art room. Wow, time is certainly flying!! We had a busy term last term with grades 5/6 producing great Olympic art, clay medals and portraits,  just to name a few art pieces. During this term, the children will investigate famous artists of their own choice and create slide shows about the artists they have chosen, such as Van Gogh, Banksy, Monet, etc.

We look forward to learning more about these artists and their techniques. They will also make special crafts to contribute to our school fair in November and artwork to commemorate Remembrance Day. Towards the end of the term, we will be creating some Advent art and crafts. 

We look forward to a fun term,

Mrs. Cathy Bartlett (Visual Art Teacher)    

 

 

Performing Arts

Hi, 5/6 Students and Families,

Welcome back! 

Congratulations to all students on their hard work in term 3, particularly on their Olympic acting scripts! 

This term will focus heavily on performance, helping the Grade 6s learn choreography and songs for their end-of-year performance. We’ll also be learning breathing, singing techniques, and dance skills throughout the term as students learn the performance material. Grade 5 students will not be forgotten either; this performance practice, particularly singing, will increase their skills and confidence in readiness for production next year.

We will continue to work on the Ukulele when we have time, and towards the end of term, once the concert is finished, we will get into the Christmas Spirit with some Christmas carols and songs.

I’m really looking forward to this term with the 5/6s. They’ve already demonstrated some amazing musical skills, and I think this year's performance will be our best yet! More details will come closer to time.

 

Happy singing and dancing,

Mrs Emma Cooper