Year 5 News  

Our Learning Celebrations  

Literacy 

Text Studies 

During our Text Study sessions, students have been exploring Bindi through close reading, discussion and writing activities. They have examined key themes including healing, belonging, caring for Country and personal growth, while developing their ability to make inferences, identify perspectives and support ideas with evidence from the text. Students have also been building their writing skills by taking notes, organising ideas and using complex sentences to develop well-structured paragraphs. Alongside the novel, students have expanded their understanding of First Nations fire practices and how traditional knowledge and modern technology can work together to care for Country and manage bushfire risks. 

Spelling, punctuation and grammar 

In Year 5 spelling, students have been continuing to develop their understanding of how words are built and how their meanings are connected through word roots and morphemes. They have explored the Greek root ‘spir’ and the Latin roots ‘vis/vid’ and ‘val’, building new vocabulary, investigating meanings and applying these words in sentences. Students have also strengthened their spelling through studying morphemes and syllables, completing word-building activities, word sums and dictation tasks. Alongside this, students have been developing their grammar knowledge by revisiting pronouns and learning how the impersonal pronoun ‘it’ can be used to express opinions. These activities are helping students become more confident spellers while also developing their vocabulary, word knowledge and understanding of how language works. 

Partner Reading  

Year 5 students are continuing to develop their reading fluency by practising longer texts in pairs and shorter sections of our novel in front of the class, building their confidence when reading aloud to an audience. They are focusing on reading with accuracy, appropriate pace, phrasing and expression, rather than simply reading the words correctly. Developing fluency helps students read more smoothly and confidently, allowing them to focus their attention on understanding, interpreting and responding to what they read. Regular opportunities to read aloud also help students develop expression, vocabulary and confidence as communicators. We are really proud of their efforts and willingness to be risk takers. 

Mathematics   

We have wrapped up our algebraic reasoning and algorithmic thinking unit, demonstrating confidence in using inverse operations, identifying unknown values, applying number properties, and following branching algorithms. Year 5 have been extending their number knowledge by exploring how adding decimals, subtracting decimals and multiplying decimals all rely on strong place value understanding. Students have learned to line up digits carefully in vertical algorithms, recognise tenths and hundredths as parts of a whole, and use renaming when calculations cross place value boundaries. Through visual models, worked examples and problem‑solving tasks, they are building confidence in applying these skills to real‑world contexts and explaining the reasoning behind each step.  

Unit of Inquiry 

In Inquiry, Year 5 students have been exploring influence and trends, investigating the different ways people and the world around us can shape our choices and actions. To bring their learning together, students worked collaboratively to create their own podcast episodes about a trend. They planned engaging scripts featuring a catchy introduction, an explanation of their trend, personal examples, interviews or imagined conversations, and a call to action. Students then practised their delivery, added creative elements such as sound effects and fun facts, and recorded their podcasts. They developed their communication, collaboration and digital literacy skills while thinking critically about who and what influences us. Students are now excited to share their finished podcasts with their Prep buddies! 

Yr 5 Camp 

We were thrilled to show the children a special presentation about this year’s school camp adventure to Forest Edge CYC in Neerim East! As the name suggests, the campsite sits on the stunning edge of the forest. The students are already buzzing with excitement about the incredible activities waiting for them (though the exact lineup remains a surprise for now!). 

Parents, please mark your diaries for Monday 26th October to Wednesday 28th October (Term 4, Week 4). To secure your child’s place on this fantastic adventure, please log into Compass to make the first instalment. Further details and medical/consent forms will be sent out in the coming weeks. 

Online session Bully No Way 

Year 5 recently took part in an engaging Bullying. No Way! online session, where students explored what bullying looks like, why it happens, and how to respond safely and confidently. The session encouraged them to think deeply about respect, kind choices, and the importance of being an upstander rather than a bystander. Students learned practical strategies for seeking help, supporting peers, and contributing to a positive school culture. It was a powerful reminder that everyone plays a role in creating a safe, inclusive environment, both online and in the classroom. 

Farewell 

We have loved having Aimee join our 5A class for the past four weeks during her visit from China. She has been a wonderful member of our classroom community, and we will miss her friendly nature and enthusiasm. We wish you all the best, Aimee, and thank you for being part of 5A! 

What we are learning next  

Text Studies 

In our upcoming Grade 5 Text Study sessions, students will be planning, writing and refining an information report. They will learn how to structure effective introductions, body paragraphs and conclusions, using supporting details, complex sentences and subject-specific vocabulary. Students will also develop their editing and feedback skills by self-assessing and peer-reviewing their work before revising, editing and publishing a final copy of their report. 

Spelling, punctuation and grammar 

Coming up in our Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar lessons, students will be developing their sentence construction and punctuation skills by exploring appositives, possessive apostrophes and ellipses. They will practise expanding and combining sentences, showing shared ownership, and using punctuation accurately and effectively. 

Mathematics  

Year 5 will continue strengthening their skills in multiplying decimals, moving from confident work with 1‑digit factors into more complex problems involving 2‑digit and 3‑digit numbers. Year 5 will be diving deeper into decimal operations over the coming weeks, focusing on three key areas that build precision, confidence and strong place‑value understanding. Students will begin with dividing with remainders, learning how to interpret leftover amounts when numbers don’t divide evenly. They will then extend this skill into fractional remainders and finally, they will apply their knowledge of tenths and hundredths to dividing decimals with renaming, using vertical algorithms to rename across place values and correctly position the decimal point in the quotient.  

Inquiry 

We will be continuing our new Unit of Inquiry, How We Organise Ourselves, with the central idea “Government systems impact the citizens of a country.” 

Throughout this unit, students will explore how governments are organised and the important role they play in shaping the lives of citizens. We will be investigating: 

• Government systems 
• The roles and responsibilities of governments 
• The development of laws 
• The election process 

We are also looking forward to an exciting incursion in Week 8, which will provide students with an engaging, hands-on opportunity to further develop their understanding of government and democracy. We can’t wait to share more about this experience with you!