Year 5/6 News 

Text Study

This week, we began our text study of The Last Bear. Students explored background knowledge about polar bears and discussed why they are important to the environment. We introduced new vocabulary words including unkempt, dubiously, vulnerable, and encompassing, and students practised applying these words in their speaking and writing. Students also read Chapters 1 and 2 of The Last Bear and responded to the text through discussions, drawing, and written activities. As part of the unit, students began brainstorming global issues such as pollution, deforestation, endangered animals, plastic in oceans, and whaling, which will support the development of a future persuasive writing piece connected to themes explored in the text.

Morphology

In Morphology, students have been learning about the suffix -ment and how adding it to a word changes its meaning to show the result of an action. Throughout the week, students explored and discussed new vocabulary, practised building and breaking apart words into base words and affixes, and completed spelling activities with partners and teacher support. They also worked on sentence activities, created word families, and used new words in their own writing. During reading tasks, students identified and discussed unfamiliar words and explored how affixes help us understand word meaning and function within sentences.