5/6W

Author Visit with Amelia Mellor

Grade 5/6 students were very lucky to welcome Amelia Mellor, the author of our class novel The Grandest Bookshop in the World, into our learning space. Amelia shared many interesting details about the real Cole’s Book Arcade, including photographs and special historical items such as original tokens and copies of Cole’s Funny Picture Book that were over 100 years old.

Students were excited to ask questions about her stories, characters, research, and writing process, before having the opportunity to get their books signed. It was a fantastic experience that helped bring our novel study to life and encouraged our students as readers and writers.

Literacy

In Literacy, students have begun writing their own narratives inspired by our class novel, The Grandest Bookshop in the World. They have been exploring features of historical fiction by choosing a realistic time period and then weaving magical elements throughout their stories. Students have been thinking carefully about how to describe their settings, develop interesting characters, and build a storyline that captures the reader’s attention. It has been wonderful to see their creativity come through as they plan and begin drafting their ideas. We have also continued reading our class novel and are now over halfway through the story, with students eagerly following the mysteries, puzzles and adventures along the way!

Education in Faith

In Education in Faith, students have begun exploring the lives of different saints and the important role they play in the Church. At the beginning of the term, we focused on Saint Francis Xavier, learning about his life, his missionary work, and the values he showed through his actions. Students have now started their own inquiry project, where they will research a new saint and learn more about their story, qualities, and contribution to the Catholic faith. 

To begin this project, students were given cards with a variety of saints and had the opportunity to trade with others until they found a saint they felt connected to. They were encouraged to think about the qualities, interests, and values of each saint and consider how these might relate to themselves. It has been wonderful to see students making thoughtful connections and beginning to understand how the lives of the saints can still inspire us today.