Year 6 Term 4 Newsletter

Year 6 Teaching Team

6A - Tom Packham

6B - Jason Crebbin

Education Support - Natasha Davy

Welcome to Term 4

Welcome back to our Year 6 students and families for their final term at Cheltenham East Primary School!

It is hard to believe we have reached the last term of primary school. It has been a really positive year, and we have been impressed with how well the cohort has managed the challenges of larger class sizes, increasing expectations and a busy workload. Students have shown considerable growth in their independence, maturity and ability to manage the demands of Year 6.

We have a busy and exciting term ahead, with plenty to look forward to, including Italian Day, the school fete, our Big Day Out at Luna Park, secondary school transition and, of course, graduation. Students will also be working on their Year 6 yearbooks and reflecting on the many experiences and friendships they have shared throughout primary school.

The final term can bring a mixture of excitement, anticipation and anxiety. With graduation approaching and the move to secondary school becoming a reality, there is a lot for students to process. We encourage everyone to approach these final weeks with a positive attitude, patience and a sense of perspective. Keeping things calm, supporting one another and enjoying the time we have left together will be important.

Alongside all the excitement, there is still plenty of learning to be done. We want students to continue putting in their best effort, while also making the most of these final experiences with their classmates.

We are proud of how far this cohort has come and are confident they are ready for the new challenges and adventures that await them. We look forward to a fantastic final term together!

Tom and Jason

 Specialist Timetable

Important Dates

• Thu 15 Oct – Italian Day
• Mon 2 Nov – Curriculum Day (student-free day)
• Tue 3 Nov – Melbourne Cup Public Holiday
• Thu 12 Nov – 70th Year Carnival
• Fri 4 Dec – Year 6 Movie and Lunch
• Tue 8 Dec – Year 7 Orientation Day
• Thu 10 Dec – Year 6 Big Day Out – Luna Park
• Mon 14 Dec – Curriculum Day (student-free day)
• Wed 16 Dec – Year 6 Graduation
• Fri 18 Dec – End of Term 4 (dismissal time TBC)

Daily Roll Marking

Student attendance is recorded twice daily (AM/PM)

Our electronic rolls are legal documents; therefore, we must be accountable for any absences. Please assist with this by informing the office of any absences as early as possible via phone or Compass.

Teaching and Learning

Reading

This term, our class novel is Two Wolves by Tristan Bancks. This suspenseful Australian novel follows a young boy who finds himself caught between his parents and the police, facing difficult decisions about loyalty, trust and doing what is right.

Through our novel study, students will explore how authors create tension, develop complex characters and use language to influence readers. They will continue to build their comprehension skills through discussion, vocabulary development and analysing both explicit and implied meanings.

Students will also explore song lyrics and other short texts, examining the messages, language choices and techniques used by authors to engage their audiences.

Writing

Our main Writing focus for Term 4 is Suspenseful Narrative Writing. Students will explore how authors build suspense through setting, character development, pacing, descriptive language and carefully selected details.

They will experiment with techniques such as foreshadowing, imagery, short sentences and withholding information to create tension and keep their readers engaged. Students will then plan, draft, revise and publish their own suspenseful stories.

Later in the term, students will also work on their Year 6 scrapbooks, reflecting on their experiences and memories from primary school through a range of writing genres.

Speaking & Listening

Students will continue developing their speaking and listening skills through class discussions, group activities and opportunities to share their writing.

We will focus on expressing ideas clearly, listening to and building on the contributions of others, and adjusting language to suit different audiences and situations.

Mathematics

This term in Mathematics, students will focus on Statistics, Number and Operations.

We will begin with Data Investigations, where students will develop statistical questions, collect and organise data, construct graphs and analyse their findings. They will consider how data can be used to support conclusions and recommendations, as well as how information can sometimes be misleading.

In Number, students will strengthen their understanding of fractions, decimals and percentages, learning to convert between these representations and apply their knowledge to real-world problems.

Students will also consolidate their skills with the four operations, selecting efficient calculation strategies and applying these to increasingly complex problems.

Lessons will continue to include explicit instruction, guided practice, discussion, problem-solving and independent application.

Humanities

This term, students will continue exploring Design, Technology, Business and Economics through our Shark Tank learning program.

Working in groups, students will develop their understanding of how products are designed to solve real-world problems. They will research existing solutions, generate and refine ideas, consider materials and costs, and develop designs that meet the needs of their intended users.

Students will apply design-thinking strategies to challenge existing ideas and explore creative alternatives. They will also consider how businesses make decisions and communicate the value of their products to potential customers and investors.

Our classroom economy will continue through Banqer, where students manage virtual money, earn wages through classroom responsibilities and develop their understanding of financial literacy. These experiences encourage students to consider spending, saving, budgeting and making responsible financial decisions.

Wellbeing

As our students prepare for secondary school, wellbeing continues to be an important focus. This term, we will explore strategies for managing change, building positive relationships, developing independence and taking responsibility for personal choices.

Students will also participate in lessons covering digital media and online safety, including responsible technology use, as well as age-appropriate sexuality education focusing on relationships, personal development and respectful behaviour.

Towards the end of the term, we will reflect on students' experiences and achievements throughout primary school, helping them approach the next stage of their education with confidence.

CEPS VALUES

COURTESY    RESPECT    CO-OPERATION    RESPONSIBILITY 

Fortnightly Friday assembly awards will be given to children who have shown personal growth relating to the school's values. To further support the school values, CEPS follows the SWPBS framework, which we refer to as CEPS Positive Behaviours Support. This framework encourages acknowledging positive behaviours displayed by students within the school. 

Supporting Learning from Home

Homework

In Year 6, our aim is to help students develop independent study habits and take responsibility for their learning in preparation for secondary school. With a busy start to the term, Week 3 will see tasks begin to be published to their usual spot in Google Classroom.

Students are expected to read at home for a minimum of 10 minutes per day, which contributes towards the 120 minutes of homework per week outlined in the CEPS Homework Policy.

Each month, students will be given a selection of homework tasks to choose from. They are expected to complete one research activity per week and publish it in their homework books by 9.00 am each Friday.

Mathletics is also available and students are encouraged to use it for at least 30 minutes per week.

Additional tasks may occasionally be set to reinforce classroom learning. These will generally be given out on Friday and due the following Friday.

Communication

Compass: Compass is the formal tool for communication regarding attendance, payments, excursions, camps, permission forms, school reports, etc.

Please use Compass to advise the school in a timely manner of all student absences.

Early Pick Up: If you need to pick up your child early, please collect them from the office area and be sure to sign them out. You will requaire an Early Leaver's Pass, provided by the office staff, before we are able to dismiss students. 

You can also keep up to date by using the school website and weekly newsletters:  http://www.cheltenhameast.vic.edu.au