Grade 5 Community News

Hello Grade 5 families!

The past couple of weeks have flown by fast! This has reminded us that although this term has 11 weeks, time moves quickly at this stage of the year. Make sure you know what is happening via Compass. As always, we appreciate your support in getting your child to school on time, every day.

Here is what we have been up to in class…

English 

We are sad to have finished our novel Once by Morris Gleitzman. The character of Felix, a 10-year-old Jewish boy, has taken us on an emotional ride as he navigated Poland during WW11.

Ask your child about Felix’s story and whether they think it could have happened to a real person in the past. 

This novel Once is the first in a series of seven books. In order, the other book titles are Then, Now, After, Soon, Maybe, Always.

The next text we will be studying is How Was That Built? Written by Roma Agrawal and illustrated by Kate Hickey. This non-fiction text explores buildings from around the world and how they were made. Your child may develop an interest in a particular building and want to research it further at home. 

Please note: there is no need for students to purchase this text. 

We have been using our writing skills to extend our sentences using subordinating clauses. 

We have also been practising using summary sentences that are packed with details. These sentences help us analyse and show our understanding of what we have read. 

Our reports on Poland have been written, and we are excited to share a few of our favourite body paragraphs with you. 

The spelling morphographs programme continues to be a key feature of our English time. Spelling contests, a mixture of oral and written tasks, and regular testing are just a few features of this amazing programme. 

Ask your child how many words they got right on their last spelling test! The results across Grade 5 have been impressive.

Mathematics

In Mathematics, students have completed our Data Investigation unit, putting their statistical skills into practice by conducting their own investigations. Students developed investigation questions, designed and carried out surveys, collected and organised their data, and represented their findings using graphs such as column graphs and dot plots. They also practised interpreting their results and communicating what their data revealed.

Ask your child about their investigation question and the results they found after doing the survey.

We are now moving into our Fractions, Decimals and Percentages unit. Students are exploring how these three representations are connected and how they can be used to describe the same amount in different ways. They will learn to recognise and represent percentages, convert between familiar fractions, decimals and percentages, and compare and order these values on a number line.

As the unit progresses, students will apply their understanding to practical problems, including calculating percentages of amounts and solving real-world problems involving percentages. Visual models and problem-solving activities will help students build confidence in recognising these relationships and using them in everyday contexts.

Humanities

This term in Humanities, students are exploring environments and our relationship with the world around us. They have been learning how people rely on environmental resources for food, water and materials, as well as how communities manage environmental challenges such as droughts and floods. Students have considered how these events affect people and places and the importance of preparing for and responding to extreme weather.

In the coming weeks, students will investigate the impacts of bushfires and cyclones, before exploring how human activities have changed environments over time. They will consider how individuals and communities can help protect the environment, examining sustainable practices and our shared responsibility for caring for the natural world.

Students will also explore significant natural and cultural sites around the world and learn how World Heritage status helps protect them for future generations. An important part of this learning will be examining sustainable practices used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, recognising the value of Indigenous knowledge and approaches to caring for Country and the environment.

Reminders

• IPads charged for school every day
• Hats are required every day
• Be on time for morning circle every day - 8:45 am sharp
• Grade 5 Sports are on Fridays
• Record reasons for absences via Compass

Challenges

• Go on Timestable Rockstars and try to beat your last score!
• Try to read at least one novel independently before the next newsletter comes out!

Thank you for your ongoing support, 

Grade 5 Teachers