What's Happening in the Senior School
Year 5
What’s Happening in Year 5 in Weeks 9, 10 and 11
Grandparents Day
Grandparents Day was a heart-warming celebration. We hope our special guests enjoyed the song we had been diligently practising. The poems and jokes beautifully expressed the love and appreciation we all feel for our grandparents. It was wonderful to witness the bond between generations, and we hope our visitors left with smiles and perhaps a few happy tears.
Literacy & Language
We're concluding our study of Black Cockatoo by writing analyses and comparisons between the characters Mia and Jy. Students have honed their inference skills by reading 'between the lines' and enjoyed the challenge of finding evidence to support their answers. Next, we'll use texts from our Knowledge Unit to explore comprehension strategies such as skimming, scanning and making connections.
Mathematics
Our focus remains on understanding the properties of numbers and mastering the four operations. We strongly encourage students to practise their times tables regularly, as this foundational skill enhances mental maths abilities, problem-solving skills, and supports more advanced mathematical concepts.
Knowledge Unit: Science
We're wrapping up the first part of our science unit, where we've explored states of matter and physical and chemical changes. Highlights included baking cupcakes (though some creations resembled the aftermath of a lava experiment!), observing bubbling and fizzing reactions and inflating balloons with carbon dioxide. We also melted chocolate and watched dish soap interact with fat molecules in milk, creating swirling food dye patterns. Moving forward we will research how the force of gravity keeps Earth and other planets in the solar system in orbit around the Sun.
Soon, we'll delve into sudden geological changes and extreme weather conditions, examining how they affect Earth's surface and atmosphere. Following this, we'll explore the impacts of natural hazards.
Homework Reminders
Please encourage your child to read regularly and practise their times tables. Students are expected to read each night and record their progress in their personal diaries, which should be brought to school daily. Teachers will check diaries regularly to monitor reading habits and note important dates and reminders. Additionally, all students have been provided with Mathletics logins and assigned activities to reinforce.
Upcoming events
We are looking forward to an Anh Do incursion and a Scienceworks excursion in Week 10.
The Year 5 students will be making muffins on Friday, 27th June.
They’ll be working in groups of four and using ingredients from our very own Kitchen Garden. This activity will not only be a fun and collaborative experience, but it will also give them a chance to practise real-life measuring skills in a meaningful context. We’re looking forward to a delicious and educational morning!
Each group needs to bring the following equipment on Friday, 27th of June:
EQUIPMENT
Muffin pan
Small plastic plate
Sifter
Measuring jug
Measuring cups
Large mixing bowl
Tablespoon
Tea towel
We will provide all the necessary ingredients.
The ingredients will be plain flour, baking powder, salt, caster sugar, butter, milk, egg, apple, sugar, cinnamon. 'Free from gluten' flour alternatives, Nuttelex and soy milk options are available. Please speak with Ms Jacqui Wilson in 5W if you need a different alternative.
Year 6
What’s Happening in Year 6 in Weeks 9, 10 and 11
Year 6 Learning Highlights
Year 6 students have had a productive and engaging term! In Mathematics, they’ve been building their understanding of fractions and decimals through hands-on tasks and problem solving. Their passion really shone through in English, where they completed impressive and heartfelt biographies. As part of their learning around empathy and social justice, students listened respectfully to powerful stories shared by the Courage to Care program. They've also been representing the school with great enthusiasm and teamwork during Interschool Sport. One highlight was spending an afternoon connecting with their Prep buddies, where they explored the important parts of each other’s communities through play and shared learning.
Wellbeing
Year 6 students have been exploring what it means to be a global citizen and the importance of making a positive impact. They are learning that even small acts of support can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. These thoughtful efforts help people feel seen, valued and supported.
Literacy
In Literacy, Year 6 students have been analysing significant speeches that have made a powerful impact throughout history. They are unpacking the features that make these speeches effective, such as persuasive language, modality, and emotional appeal. Soon, students will begin crafting their own speeches on topics that matter to them. They will have the opportunity to present these to their peers, BPS staff, and members of the BPS leadership team.
Maths
To finish off the term, Year 6 students will be consolidating their understanding of decimals through a range of problem-solving activities. They’ll be adding and subtracting decimals using place value, partitioning, and vertical algorithms. Students will also explore inverse operations, rounding, and estimation to support their calculations. To wrap up the term, they’ll take part in fun and engaging problem-solving maths games that help reinforce everything they’ve learned.
Knowledge Unit
In our Civics & Citizenship unit, Year 6 students have chosen local or global issues they feel passionate about and would like to see change in. They are now beginning to write short, impactful speeches—no longer than 90 seconds—on their chosen topics. Once complete, students will present their recorded speeches to their peers, BPS staff, and members of the BPS leadership team. This project encourages student voice and builds confidence in public speaking.
Homework
Students are expected to read for a minimum of 15-30 minutes, five times a week, to improve their reading skills. Additionally, they will receive Mathletics tasks every fortnight to reinforce and build on their mathematical knowledge.
Reminders
A reminder to all Year 6 students to bring in their diaries every week (on Mondays) and that they read a minimum of five times a week. We are trying to set up good habits to make the transition to high school as easy as possible for our students.
Wednesday 18th June – Regional Cross Country
Thursday 26th June – Whole School Photo (2:30pm)
Wednesday 2nd & Thursday 3rd July – Parliament House Incursion
Thursday 3rd July – Hoodie Up Day
Last day of Term 2 – 4th July – Finish at 2:30pm
