Year 5/6 

Overview of Learning

Year 5 

A warm welcome back to students, parents and families to Term Three. We hope the holiday break provided everyone with an opportunity to rest and recharge after a busy Term Two. We were incredibly proud of the resilience and teamwork our Grade 5 students demonstrated whilst on camp, as well as the enthusiasm and positivity shown by students and families at our Wellbeing Festival. This term promises many more memorable experiences, including the celebration of Book Week and our exciting whole-school production.

Our Teaching Team this Year:

5A - Kate Bretag (Classroom Teacher - Mon, Tues, Fri) & Fran Gould (Grade 5 Team Leader and Classroom Teacher Wed, Thurs).

5B - Sam Butchart - (Classroom Teacher)

5C - Will Graf (Classroom Teacher) and Chloe Bindloss (Teacher of the Deaf)

Literacy

In Literacy, students will engage in a novel study of The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor. Set in Melbourne in 1893, the novel provides a rich context for exploring themes of courage, resilience, family and adventure, while enabling us to examine how the author uses language features, text structures and historical settings to shape meaning and engage readers. Students will analyse characters, themes and author's craft, using these understandings to inspire and strengthen their own writing.

Throughout the term, students will develop and publish their own imaginative narratives, applying descriptive language, varied sentence structures and rich vocabulary to create engaging characters, settings and plots. They will continue to build their comprehension and communication skills by discussing texts, justifying their ideas, and planning, drafting, editing and publishing writing using accurate grammar, punctuation and cohesive text structures.

In addition to the novel study, students will continue participating in the Spelling Mastery program. This structured approach to spelling instruction reinforces their understanding of spelling patterns and rules, contributing to their overall literacy proficiency.

In Speaking and Listening, students will continue to strengthen their communication and active listening skills. Students will build their vocabulary and learn to select language that is appropriate for different social purposes and audiences, helping them make meaningful connections and communicate clearly. As discussion skills develop, students will move beyond simple statements by considering different perspectives, supporting ideas with evidence, and responding to the opinions of others and information from reliable sources.

Maths 

In Number and Algebra, students will explore multiplication, division, and financial planning. They will develop and apply efficient strategies, including formal algorithms, to solve a range of both number equations and worded problems. Later in the term, students will use this knowledge to create and justify their own financial plans.

In Applied Mathematics, students will study location, coordinates and transformations of shapes. Students will learn how to read coordinate points in the four quadrants of the cartesian plane. Using shapes, they will explore transforming 2D shapes by flipping, rotating, and enlarging them.

As part of their Mathematics learning, students will continue to participate in Daily Review activities at the beginning of each lesson. This provides an opportunity to revisit and reinforce previously taught concepts.

Science

In Science, students will investigate electricity and different forms of energy through a range of practical, 'hands-on' activities. They will explore how renewable energy sources, including wind, water and solar power, can be harnessed to produce electricity. By designing and testing simple electrical circuits, students will develop an understanding of how energy can be transferred and transformed into forms such as light, heat and movement.

Specialist Timetable

We value the strong partnership we share with our families and look forward to continuing to work together to support each student's learning and wellbeing. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us to arrange a meeting. 

THANK YOU!

Grade 5 Team,

Fran Gould, Kate Bretag, Chloe Bindloss, Sam Butchart and Will Graf.

Year 6 

Welcome back to school for Term Three! 

We’re thrilled to welcome all our students and families back for Term Three. We hope all of our Grade 6 students and families enjoyed a relaxing and well-deserved break. As we look ahead to another exciting term, we would also like to reflect on the wonderful highlights of Term Two. Students showed resilience, independence and teamwork during their City Camp, took part in a joyous celebration of culture on their Wellbeing Day and proudly showcased their Ancestors Suitcase projects. We are so proud of their efforts!

This term we also welcome Courtney Smith back to RGLPS this term. Courtney will be teaching in 6C on Thursdays. We look forward to another term filled with engaging learning opportunities, new experiences and continued growth as our students make the most of their final year of primary school.

Our Teaching Team This Year:

6A - Stephanie Geros (Classroom Teacher)

6B - Tasleem Sahib (Classroom Teacher Monday & Tuesday and Grade 6 Team Leader) and Anika Lingam (Classroom Teacher Wednesday - Friday)

6C - Meghan Buchanan (Classroom Teacher M-W & F), Courtney Smith (Classroom Teacher Thursdays) & Katy Wheeler (Teacher of the Deaf)

As always, we look forward to working together with families to ensure we can support all students to meet their full potential. Please feel free to reach out to us should you have any information to share, questions to ask, or simply to say hello.

Teaching and Learning Overview

English

In Literacy, students will engage in a novel study of the text, 'Skellig' by David Almond. This award-winning story follows Michael, a young boy who discovers a mysterious creature in his garage, leading to deeper exploration of friendship, family and the boundaries between the ordinary and the extraordinary.

Through this novel study, students will enhance their reading comprehension by analysing character development, themes and the author’s use of language. They will engage in discussions, creative writing and reflective activities that encourage critical thinking and personal connections to the text.

As part of vocabulary development, students will encounter and learn new words in context, expanding their language and understanding of nuanced expressions. These vocabulary activities are designed to enrich their reading experience and support their writing skills.

In addition to the novel study, students will continue participating in the Spelling Mastery program. This structured approach to spelling instruction reinforces their understanding of spelling patterns and rules, contributing to their overall literacy proficiency.

Students will continue to take part in structured, weekly book club meetings.

In Speaking and Listening, students will make connections between their own experiences and those of characters and events represented in texts. They will continue to develop strategies to build on, extend and challenge the ideas of others within small-group book club discussions and beyond. 

Maths 

In Number and Algebra, students will explore the use of brackets and order of operations within equations. They will improve their understanding of the place value of decimal numbers and learn to efficiently add, subtract, multiply and divide decimals by multiples of 10. Students will use estimation and rounding to check answers to problems involving decimals.

In Applied Mathematics (Measurement, Space, and Probability), students will focus on establishing the formula for the area of a rectangle to solve practical problems, whilst applying their knowledge of decimals to the metric system. They will develop their skills in describing probabilities using fractions, decimals and percentages and use estimation to assign probabilities to events in a given context, using common fractions percentages and decimals.  

Humanities

This term in our Amazing Adaptations unit, students will investigate how living things have changed over time and discover the how adaptations help plants and animals survive in their environments. Students will examine fossils and scientific evidence to understand evolutionary processes, while exploring how the structural features and behaviours of organisms enable them to thrive.

End of Year Celebrations

Graduation

Our Grade 6 Graduation will be held on Tuesday 15th December 2026 at Viewbank College Performing Arts Centre. This will be a ticketed event for families to attend. A dinner and disco for the Grade 6 students will be held after the ceremony. Further information will be sent out via Compass. 

Grade 6 Big Day Out

Big Day Out is a special celebration for our Grade 6 students, marking the end of their primary school journey. To make the day meaningful, students were surveyed about how they wanted to celebrate and Luna Park was the clear favourite! This event will take place in Term 4, additional details regarding the event will be provided at a later date. 

Memory Books

It is a tradition for the Grade 6 students to create their own memory book in Term 4. Students will be asked to bring in photos and artefacts from their primary schooling to add to their memory books. You may like to begin collating some of these photos/items for their memory books. 

All information regarding Graduation and end of year celebrations will be posted to Compass.

Specialist Timetable

Again, welcome back to school for Term Three. Please remember that at RGLPS we see education as a three-way partnership between the family, teacher and child. If you have any questions or concerns, we invite you to make an appointment to meet with us.

Thank you,

Grade 6 Team,

Tasleem Sahib,  Stephanie Geros, Meghan Buchanan, Katy Wheeler, Anika Lingam and Courtney Smith