Year 5/6 - Senior Unit

Literacy

In Literacy, students have continued working on their hybrid texts based on A Day in the Life of an Australian Animal. Students have thoroughly researched their chosen animals and have developed informative paragraphs that will complement their narrative writing. We have also continued exploring our wonderful mentor texts, Dry to Dry: Seasons of Kakadu and Seed to Sky: Life in the Daintree. During reading lessons, students have been using these texts to practise their skimming and scanning skills, as well as developing their ability to synthesise information and bring together ideas from across a text.

Numeracy

In Maths, students have been exploring number patterns and developing rules to describe algebraic patterns. They have been busy identifying patterns, looking for relationships between numbers and cracking codes to uncover the rules behind different sequences. These activities are helping students to develop their mathematical reasoning as they begin to explore algebraic thinking.

Inquiry

In Inquiry, we have continued investigating the structural and behavioural features and adaptations that help animals survive in their environments. Last week, students enjoyed an exciting excursion to Werribee Open Range Zoo, where they had the opportunity to observe animals and connect their classroom learning with real-world examples. A highlight was an informative session led by one of the zoo educators, who taught students about animal adaptations using a range of skulls, including a real zebra skull! Students learnt that animals with forward-facing eyes are often adapted for hunting, while animals with eyes positioned on the sides of their heads generally have a wider field of vision to help them detect predators. Using this knowledge, students challenged themselves to identify which animals the different skulls belonged to. It was a fascinating, hands-on learning experience that deepened their understanding of how animals' structural features support their survival.

Other News

Congratulations to our girls' softball team, who travelled to Bendigo to compete at the regional level! The girls worked together, demonstrated great teamwork and played a fantastic game. Although they unfortunately didn't come away with a win, they should be incredibly proud of their efforts and the way they represented our school. Well done, girls!

On Wednesday, students took part in dance workshops with Kyle from Kinect to Dance, ending in a whole-school dance performance. It was wonderful to see students bring so much energy and enthusiasm to the experience. We were especially proud to see students stepping outside their comfort zones, giving something new a go, and enjoying the opportunity to perform together.

Looking Ahead

Term 4 is shaping up to be a busy and exciting term, with plenty of special events and opportunities for our Year 5/6 students. After the extra-long weekend next week, our Year 5 students will participate in a leadership day on Thursday, where they will hear from inspiring leaders within our local community and develop their own leadership skills. Meanwhile, our Year 6 students will begin planning their fundraising efforts for later in the term.

With so much happening, we are looking forward to taking things one step at a time and making the most of these final weeks of primary school. We want our Year 6 students to enjoy and cherish their final term, while our Year 5 students embrace opportunities to grow as leaders and prepare for their transition into these important roles next year.

Year 5/6 Teachers

Lyndsay Adamson (56A), Sharna Ford (56F), Ann Ireland (56I) and 

Alison Meggs/Iain Sparrey (56M)