Grade Five
ANZAC DAY CEREMONY
With our return to Term 2, we were fortunate to be able to take part in our ANZAC Day Ceremony. It was a beautiful and heartfelt tribute to those who served and continue to serve our country. Congratulations to Miss Jamieson and the Grade 6 Leaders on another meaningful and inspiring ceremony and the choir for singing the national anthems so beautifully.
Emma and Layla, from 5LK, reflected upon the ANZAC Day Ceremony. This is what they wrote:
Every year the whole school comes together to pay our respects to the soldiers that fought in the war. Some special guests come to the school and also the parents are very welcome to come too. The choir sings very harmoniously the three National Anthems, the United Kingdom, Australian and New Zealand. We have a one minute of silence where we think about the soldiers who died. Miss Jamieson and the Grade 6 Captains share some stories about the Anzacs. It is wonderful to be part of this ceremony each year.
Written by Emma 5LK.
In April, the whole school comes together to remember the people in our country who fought and passed to keep our country safe. If they didn't do what they did we would probably not be able to live in harmony. The choir always sings three National Anthems. They are the Australian, New Zealand and the United Kingdom anthems. Just by listening to the choir it feels amazing, like they are professionals. Miss Jamieson tells us about wars and then the school captains tell us to bow our heads for the last post. Miss Jamison says it is time for the flower laying part of the ceremony. There are always lots of kids laying flowers down.
Written by Layla 5LK.
HISTORICAL NARRATIVES
In our writing sessions this term, the students have been immersing themselves in historical narratives. They have been reading previously published historical narratives for inspiration and conducting their own research of significant historical events. Lotus charts have been a wonderful graphic tool that has allowed students to organise their research and practice writing information in their own words. Using the information gathered from their research, the students have been able to write their own historical narratives, giving incredible accounts of real-life experiences.
Here is a sample from a historical narrative written by Levi in 5LK.
“There’s a boat ahead!” Someone yelled. They were right. Our rowboat came to a halt in front of the SS California, its name painted in gold on the side. “Man overboard!” Someone on the ship yelled. They hauled us onto the ship one by one, leaving our tiny rowboat in the water. They led us below deck in a freezing huddled group, where we were fed warm food and wrapped in warm blankets. They had heard our distress signals and came as fast as they could. It wasn’t fast enough.
FRACTIONS & DECIMALS
During our Math sessions, our Grade 5 Mathematicians have been focusing on Fractions and Decimals. The students have been comparing and ordering fractions and decimals and placing them on number lines as well as adding and subtracting fractions. Delving into what fractions and decimals actually represent has assisted in the students being able to explore the relationship between them both. We asked some of our mathematicians in 5LH what their highlights have been this term. This is what they said:
Chanul said: I enjoyed making number lines with fractions and decimals.
Brooklyn said: I loved the fractions games we played and I learnt that when you add fractions together the denominators stay the same.
Zayan said: I loved learning about fractions because you get to use multiplication and division. I learnt more about how fractions can be converted into decimals and percentages.
We can’t wait to see our mathematicians thrive in our next unit which is based on footy.
CHANGE
Our Integrated Studies unit on Change has been of great interest to our students. The students have been developing an understanding of Australian history and some of the most important events that have shaped our country. Some of the topics covered were: The formation of colonies, Federation and The Gold Rush. We have also discussed indigenous perspectives on these. Many students did not have much prior knowledge of these topics and enjoyed learning about important events that have shaped Australia.
ACTIVE APRIL
Active April has recently come to an end and what an amazing way it was to start our school day! The Grade 5 teachers absolutely loved getting out to the oval and seeing students’ hands full of marked laps every morning. We are very proud of the way the students set themselves personal goals to run a certain amount of laps during Active April. Congratulations must go to 5LK who was awarded with the title of ‘The Grade 5 Class With The Most Laps During Active April!’ Well done 5LK!
DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY
On Tuesday the 7th of May, some Grade 5 students represented Oatlands at the District Cross Country. The training that the students had put in prior to the day had really set them up for success. They all achieved wonderful results and should be incredibly proud of their efforts and achievements. Everyone was very impressed with the students’ willpower and the team spirit that was present on the day. Something extra to celebrate is that as a result of everyone’s combined efforts, the Oatlands Cross Country Team came a wonderful 2nd! We have some students heading off to Division Cross Country soon. We wish them well for this next stage of their Cross Country journey. Go Oatlands!
The Grade Five Team