Year 5 News
A Note from the Teachers
As we wrap up Term 2, we are incredibly proud of our Grade 5 students. From diving into the complexities of natural disasters to mastering the nuances of figurative language, our students have shown remarkable dedication and enthusiasm. Here’s a look back at the highlights of this term.
Literacy Adventures
This term, our budding authors explored the art of sentence fluency and figurative language. We delved deep into how sentences are structured, working on sentence length, fluency, and the use of nouns, verbs, pronouns, and conjunctions.
In the later weeks, we took a creative turn by experimenting with similes, metaphors, and personification. The students’ writing transformed into vivid, imaginative landscapes. Their stories and poems burst with life and personality, making for some truly captivating reads.
Numeracy Triumphs
Our math journey this term started with a focus on place value, rounding, and estimation of whole and decimal numbers. The students challenged themselves with hands-on activities, rounding and estimating sums before performing precise calculations.
The exploration continued with fractions. From proper fractions to mixed numbers, our Grade 5s have become fraction experts. They’ve tackled the addition and subtraction of fractions with related and unrelated denominators and applied their knowledge to solve real-world problems. Who knew fractions could be this fun and practical?
Inquiry Projects
The term kicked off with a fascinating research project where students used AI to gain a unique perspective on Australian history. By interacting with AI characters, they learned about life in 1780 and the impact of European settlement on Indigenous Australians. This project emphasized our Central Idea: 'Past Events Shape the Present and the Future.'
Our second Unit of Inquiry, 'How the World Works,' focused on natural disasters. Students researched various natural disasters, their causes, effects, and human responses. They created models and presentations to showcase their understanding. The culmination of this unit was the 'How the World Works' showcase, where students presented their projects to the entire school community. The creativity and knowledge displayed were truly impressive.
What our students discovered
Lauren P (5C): 'Ned Kelly had a life of murdering and robbing, yet he saved a little boy from drowning and is now a symbolic figure in Australian history.'
Lauren
Lauren
Aiden M (5A): 'Australia’s population sky-rocketed after the Gold Rush because people found it an amazing and cozy place to live.'
Aiden
Aiden
Yves A (5B): 'Ned Kelly’s last words were ‘Such is Life,’ and he was only 25-26 when he died.'
Yves
Yves
Showcasing Success
The highlight of the term was undoubtedly the 'How the World Works' showcase. Students presented their research on natural disasters through dioramas, models, PowerPoint presentations, posters, and even sound effects. The entire Beaumaris North Primary School community came together to support our Year 5s, who demonstrated their knowledge and creativity with confidence. Their efforts were assessed on presentation skills, and we couldn’t be prouder of their performance.
Taking Action
To conclude our inquiry into ‘How the world works’, students Eliza and Elena, embarked on a musical journey to raise awareness about natural disasters.
Through their powerful lyrics, they are shedding light on the impact of natural disasters on our world. By writing songs that resonate with our unit of inquiry, they are not only expressing themselves creatively but also educating and inspiring others to take action.
The following pieces were performed to the Year 5 cohort.
Cyclone Tracey’s Rage
Leaves gliding through the sky
Falling gently to the ground
Wind whistling through the trees
Shaking the branches and shivering the leaves
Wind picks up, branches fall
Swirling and turning as the eye starts to form
Fish start to fall, people hide
Trees start to fly, roofs collapse
Cyclone Tracey’s rage unfolds
Disaster is born
As she destroys all.
Super Tornedo
Dark grey clouds gather in the sky
Trees start shaking violently
The wind starts to swirl and turn
Picking up speed little by little
Branches get ripped off trees
Swirling spirals hit the ground
Multiple tornedos start to form
They ravaged the area as the first wave
With more to come, people afraid
The big one comes, trees and homes are sucked away
As debris covers the ground
People run and scream hunting for shelter
As glass flies in every direction
People cry out for help
Their cries drowned out by wind
A true disaster hits Dallas
A super tornedo none the less
It wraps the city in its unforgiving rage
The super tornedo rips us the city as swiftly as a cheetah
Then the super tornedo disappears without a trace
Leaving many dead and almost nothing intact.
Looking Ahead
As we move towards the end of the school year, we encourage our students to continue their hard work and curiosity. The resilience and dedication shown throughout Term 2 have set a high bar, and we’re excited to see what the rest of the year holds.
Final Words
To all our Year 5 students: keep up the stellar effort!
You’ve made this term memorable with your hard work, creativity, and enthusiasm.
Enjoy the well-deserved break, and we’ll see you ready to conquer new challenges in Term 3.
Warm regards,
The Year 5 Teaching Team