What a Successful First Semester!

Welcome to Term 3. Firstly, we would like to acknowledge the Year 5 students for completing such a successful first semester.

This newsletter has been put together to answer common questions and help you understand what to expect in Term 3. This term, we will continue to establish and maintain clear routines and expectations to support positive student behaviour. These are based on our school wide work on:

Classroom procedures and routines
School Wide Positive Behaviour System (SWPBS)
Resilience, Rights and Respectful Relationships (RRRR) program

By continuing to embed these approaches, we aim to create classrooms that are safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environments for all students.

Coming Up this Term

This term, the Year 5 students will have the opportunity to participate in a range of special events and activities, these include:

Year 5 Camp: YMCA Anglesea, Wednesday 2nd - Friday 4th September. More information to come via Compass and an online parent information session.
Buddies program with our junior students.
Alternative Sports program: Where students get to learn about hockey.

Literacy

In our Literacy work this term, students will explore the mentor text ‘Bindi’. This award winning text has links to Indigenous Australian history, culture and connection to the land. It also ties in nicely with our Geography unit and information report writing. Students will use this and other independent texts to develop their comprehension, vocabulary and grammar skills, including some of the following:

Extending vocabulary knowledge, including synonyms and antonyms.
Identifying both literal and inferential meaning.
Formulating questions before, during and after reading.
Summarising chapters and short articles.
Making connections between texts and their own experiences, texts read and real world knowledge.
Visualising and drawing images that they imagine when reading or listening to texts read aloud.

In Writing, students will be building on their understanding of narrative writing through a fractured fairy tales unit. They will also explore factual information report writing. Students will analyse examples and develop their understanding of the structure of these text types and the devices authors use to engage and entertain their readers. They will plan, draft, revise and publish pieces both in handwritten form and on computer.

In the information report writing, students will learn to:

Research and identify factual information related to Geography.
Apply the correct structure, by including an introduction, body and conclusion.
Include appropriate research.
Adapt their writing for particular audiences.

In the fractured fairy tales unit, students will:

Read a range of fairy tales.
Identify the main themes
Analyse character and setting development
Identify what makes it a fairy tale
Create their own fractured fairy tale that merges components of two or more fairy tales

Students will continue to participate in the Sound Waves spelling program, grammar and punctuation lessons to support clear and accurate writing.

At home you can:

Encourage your child to read each day.
Read and discuss forms of historical fiction with your child.
Support them to read aloud with expression and fluency.
Explore new and interesting vocabulary.
Support writing at home (handwritten and typed); letters, notes, stories or persuasive pieces
Encourage correct punctuation and neat handwriting.
Model a love of reading and writing and share some conversations about this with your child.
Take your child to the library or a bookshop and assist them in making good selections for their reading level and interests.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, students will be revising and extending their understanding of concepts covered in previous years. Students will also be introduced to new concepts and topics from the Year 5 curriculum.

Students will investigate fractions, decimals and percentages. They will explore these through a range of tasks requiring them to choose the best mental or written strategy to solve the problem. Students will apply their understanding of these operations to solve worded problems and standard equations.

Students will explore aspects linked to probability. They will begin to recognise and explain the connection between the possible results or outcomes being linked to fractions, decimals and percentages.

Students will also continue to build their understanding of angles and time. They will be working on calculating the size and name of angles. Students will convert between 12 and 24-hour time, elapsed time and timetables.

At home you can:

Play number games and create multi-digit numbers to compare, add or subtract.
Practise reading and writing large numbers in words.
Count forwards and backwards by 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s starting from different numbers( i.e., start at 7, 23, 58, etc.)
Investigate the value of each digit in a number and what the decimal numbers around us mean or signify (i.e., dollars and cents, kilograms and grams).
Play Mastermind up to thousands and down to thousandths.
Practise measuring the length, area and perimeter of items in your home.

Further ideas to support students at home can be found here: Literacy & Numeracy Tips.

Geography – Australian Geography

In Geography, the students will explore the physical geography of Australia, identifying states and capital cities. They will investigate why people choose to live in certain regions. Students will then investigate the causes and impacts of natural disasters, such as bushfires and floods and the impact of feral animals on our environment. They will research how applying the principles of prevention, preparedness, response and recovery can minimise the harmful impacts of bushfires, floods, and droughts.

Resilience, Rights, & Respectful Relationships (RRRR)

RRRR learning supports our school values of Community, Respect, Excellence and Creativity.This term, students will focus on stress management and help seeking.

Students will learn to identify, understand and manage their emotions, as well as recognise the feelings of others. Students will develop emotional literacy, build positive and respectful relationships, develop a positive growth mindset, recognise personal strengths, and practise skills for cooperation, problem-solving and help-seeking. Through stories, discussions and collaborative activities, students will continue to learn how to contribute positively to our school community.

Specialist Subjects

Performing Arts

Grade 5 students will be exploring choreographic techniques and devices as we prepare class items for the 5/6 musical, The Wizard of Oz. We will also be exploring blocking, timing and dramatic reacting as we create background characters for the musical.

Physical Education

Students will use elastics to further develop their balance and jumping skills. They will build on prior knowledge of basic game strategies and apply them to different and more complex games.

Science

This term students are beginning to look at earth and space science, exploring how the force of gravity keeps Earth and other planets in the solar system in orbit around the Sun.

Visual Arts

For the Hero’s Gallery at Art For All, inspired by Vincent Namatjira, students will create a “Hero” work by etching into a polystyrene block to create a print. They will embellish it with sewing and buttons.

Students will also discover the Hermannsberg Potters and their relationship with Albert Namatjira. Influenced by these Hermannsberg artists, they will model a clay pot, reflecting the world around them.

French

Bonjour tout le monde! I'm Kristen, your new French specialist teacher from Canada and I’m so excited to get started with everyone this term! This term our Year 5 students are researching a French-speaking place in the world, using and extending their French vocabulary to share what they discover with their peers.

Here's to fantastic term of special events and fu learning!

Naomi, Blake, Olivia, Anne, Tom & the Specialist Teachers

Year 5 News

Respect • Creativity • Excellence • Community • Since 1885

Issue 3 · 20 Jul 2026

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