Year 5/6 News

GRADE 5/6 CURRICULUM NEWSLETTER TERM 4 2026

Reading

In Reading this term, students will analyse and critique a range of texts by acclaimed Australian author and illustrator Shaun Tan. Specifically, they will:

look closely at the themes, ideas and messages presented throughout his books.
delve into Shaun Tan’s unique storytelling style and explore how his experiences and perspectives influence his work as an author and illustrator.
identify and discuss how authors communicate meaning and engage readers through carefully crafted narratives and visual elements.
focus on Shaun Tan’s use of rich vocabulary and examine how specific word choices create mood, atmosphere and meaning.
analyse a variety of language features, including figurative language, symbolism and descriptive techniques, to understand their impact on the reader.
investigate the use of graphic devices, such as colour, layout, perspective, visual symbolism and imagery, and consider how these elements contribute to the overall message of a text.
justify their interpretations using evidence from the texts and develop their ability to critically evaluate how authors and illustrators communicate complex ideas to their audiences.

Writing

This term, our Year 5/6 students are engaging in a comprehensive study of non-fiction through the development of Information Report Writing skills. Aligned with the Victorian Curriculum 2.0, this unit is designed to cultivate advanced literacy and critical thinking skills that prepare students for secondary schooling. Throughout the term, students will undertake independent, evidence-based research using diverse print and digital platforms, learning how to formulate structured inquiry questions, synthesize data, and integrate factual statistics, figures, and direct citations to substantiate their writing.

A primary focus of this unit is text structure and structural cohesion. Students will learn the mechanics of composing authoritative introductions that classify their topics, organising complex information into logical paragraphs, and delivering comprehensive concluding statements. To ensure their writing meets a high academic standard, students will be expected to utilize precise, subject-specific vocabulary and implement formal text features such as professional visual layouts, headings, and multimodal graphics to enhance reader navigation. Finally, students will refine their critical reflection skills by participating in collaborative editing workshops, evaluating their text structure, grammatical precision, and mechanical accuracy against strict success criteria prior to publication.

MATHEMATICS

This term in Mathematics the year 5/6 students will be exploring a range of topics from across the curriculum. In the number space students will be looking at division strategies, such as the area model (below); the relationship between decimals, fractions, and percentages; and the use of algebraic thinking to create and solve numerical and worded multi-step problems and expanding sequences. Students will also explore probability through conducting and comparing the results of chance experiments and identifying the effects of increased trials on chance experiments. Students will develop their ability to convert between and make appropriate use of different units of capacity in measurement. Finally, students will begin looking at the transformation of shapes through rotation, translation, and reflection and the importance of lines of symmetry in those transformations.

INQUIRY

This term, our Year 5/6 students will be exploring the Geography inquiry unit Protecting Our Place, with a focus on sustainability, environmental responsibility and the impact of natural and human threats on communities. Students will investigate a range of natural disasters, including bushfires, floods, tsunamis and earthquakes, examining their causes and the social, economic and environmental consequences they can have on communities around the world.

Throughout the unit, students will develop an understanding of how individuals and communities prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters. They will also explore the importance of caring for Country, investigating the sustainable land management practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, including cultural burning and the protection of natural ecosystems. Students will examine how human activities, such as deforestation, pollution and the burning of fossil fuels, affect the environment and contribute to environmental challenges.

As part of their learning, students will undertake research, analyse real-world events and develop their critical and creative thinking skills. To demonstrate their understanding, students will investigate a natural threat of their choice, presenting information about its causes, impacts and the strategies communities use to minimise risks and protect people and the environment. Its shaping up to be a fun term in inquiry!!

SCIENCE

In Science this term, students will be focusing on Physical Science. The topic we will be covering is called ‘Electricity’. Students will learn Materials may be electrical insulators or conductors; energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits where the components of a circuit play particular roles in the function of the circuit.

Throughout this term, students will:

define what electricity is, how it is used in everyday life and identify how it can be transferred and transformed
describe how electricity travels in a circuit that requires specific components to function
demonstrate our understanding of how circuits function by building, testing and fixing a simple electrical circuit
investigate which materials can be classified as electrical conductors or insulators and describe why this is important in electrical systems
explain how energy is transferred and transformed in electrical circuits
apply our knowledge of circuits to design, build and test circuits explain a working solution to a real-world electrical problem.

LOTE

During Term 4 we will introduce the topics: Fairy Tales, School Subjects, Sign Song ‘Diversity’, Capital Cities, Australian Holiday – Perth, Time Markers, School Canteen, Back to Basics – Handshapes, General Community Signs, and Revision with the Spinning Wheel.

With the Fairy Tale lesson, we will practise using NMF (Non-Manual Features) and CA (Constructed Action) to sign the Auslan version of Little Red Riding Hood, before we will change the story completely, enacting our own version! Storytelling using NMF and CA will show the ‘richness’ of the Auslan language.

In activities we will use the finger list method (List buoys), create clauses using only the Hook handshape signs and practise combining Auslan signs.

ART

This term, our Year 5 and 6 students will explore watercolours, pastels, fluid art, air-dry clay and other painting techniques, building on their understanding of colour, shape and artistic expression.

Students will experiment with watercolour washes, colour blending and layering to create landscapes, skies and reflections. They will explore how the amount of water and pigment changes the appearance of colour and practise wet-on-wet and wet-on-dry techniques. Students will plan simple compositions and use contrasting colours and areas of detail to draw attention to important features of their artworks.

Students will explore fluid art and pastel techniques, comparing how these materials create different textures, marks and effects. In fluid art lessons, they will investigate colour flow, movement and abstract patterns, observing how colours interact as paint moves across a surface. With pastels, they will practise blending, layering and expressive mark-making. Safe handling, care of materials and clean-up routines will be explicitly taught. Students will consider how their choice of medium affects the appearance and feeling of an artwork.

Students will also use air-dry clay to create a variety of colourful three-dimensional objects. Through shaping, joining and adding textured details, they will explore how their ideas can take form as sculptures. Once their creations have dried, students will decorate them using colour and pattern to bring their designs to life.

Students will investigate other painting approaches, such as sponge painting, dabbing and textured brushwork, and apply selected techniques to a personal artwork. Festive art activities will provide further opportunities to apply colour, pattern and painting techniques in celebratory designs, with choices that reflect students’ interests and family traditions.

Students will also compile an end-of-year portfolio celebrating their artistic journey. A strong portfolio will include a personalised cover, selected artworks, experiments and progress photographs, with brief captions and reflections. Students will explain their creative choices, recognise achievements and challenges, compare earlier and recent work, and identify a goal for future learning.

MUSIC

At the start of the term our Grade 5/6 students are reviewing musical concepts related to beat and rhythm. The students are learning to compose and arrange their own music using Garage Band.

This term students will learn also about pitch, intervals, and how to write a short melody.

Later in the term students will also revisit and play musical instruments such as keyboard and guitar.

Throughout the term students will develop listening skills as they explore genres of music from different times and places such as Jazz and the Blues, traditional Japanese music played on the Koto, Bossa Nova music from Brazil, Australian Aboriginal music played on the digeridoo or yidaki and popular music by Australian Aboriginal artists such as Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu; Orchestral music by classical composers such as Beethoven and film music by Joe Hisaishi amongst other styles.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

This term, our Grade 5/6 students will enjoy a game-focused approach to PE, with plenty of opportunities to put the skills they have developed throughout the year into action. Through a variety of team and invasion games, students will focus on working together, making good decisions, playing fairly and showing positive sportsmanship during some friendly competition. Students will also take part in Bike Education, where they will continue to build their confidence and bike-handling skills through a range of activities, games, races and challenges designed for different levels of riding experience. As we head towards the end of the year, students will have the chance to revisit some of their favourite sports and games from throughout the year.