Year 6 2024 Parent Information Newsletter

Welcome back to Term 2

6SO Mission Statement

In 2024 we will create a community of passionate, helpful and confident learners. We will do this by being respectful towards each other and our teachers, contributing and including our classmates in discussions and activities, and taking pride and finding joy in our work.

We will support and encourage each other’s accomplishments, be honest and generous in how we treat each other, and be humble and grateful for opportunities that come our way.

The following newsletter contains some key reminders and important dates for the coming term:

Please remember that the school is open from 8:30am and it is important that students arrive on time to ensure they are organised before the beginning of the day. Our prayer and morning routine begins on the first bell at 8:50am, where students engage in meditative prayer and are informed of the day's proceedings. It is extremely beneficial for students to arrive on time for school to support their organisational skills and connectedness to their peers. Please ensure you are able to access your child’s ‘Class Dojo’ as information and updates will be sent out weekly using this platform.

IMPORTANT DATES
Week 3
Tuesday 30th April	Da Vinci Decathlon - Y5/6 select students
Wednesday 1st May	St Joseph’s Feast Day Liturgy Dendy District Cross Country
Friday 3rd May	InterSchool Sport
Week 4
Monday 6th May	STEM incursion with Dr Ayse
Tuesday 7th May	Open Day 9-11am
Friday 10th May	Mothers Day Liturgy InterSchool Sport
Week 5	No InterSchool Sport - BYE week
Week 6 Friday 24th May	InterSchool Sport

Week 7
Friday 31st May	InterSchool Sport
Week 8
Thursday 6th June	Athletics Carnival
Friday 7th June	InterSchool Sports
Week 9
Monday 10th June	Public Holiday - King’s Birthday
Wednesday 12th June	Dendy District Soccer Lightning Premiership
Thursday 13th June	Dendy District Netball Lightning Premiership
Friday 14th June	Dendy District AFL Lightning Premiership
Week 11
Friday 28th June	Friendship Fair Day Last Day of Term 2
Monday 15th July	Term 3 begins
Week 2 Thursday 25th July	Parent/Teacher Interviews 2-7pm

BELL TIMES

8:30am Students can enter their classroom
8:50am Beginning of school bell
9am Lessons begin
11:05-11:45am Recess
1:20-2:00pm Lunch
3:30pm End of school bell

Weekly Timetable

Year 6

Monday: Homework goes home. STEM lessons every other week

Tuesday: Drama and Art

Wednesday:

Thursday: PE

Friday: Assembly, Italian and SEL. Year 6 Class Sport, Diaries handed in to be signed by the teacher. Homework due.

English

We will be focusing on the English Curriculum for two hours each morning. This block is made up of the following components:

Reading

Our Term Two Core Knowledge Units are Astronomy and Energy and Matter in Ecosystems. These units are rich in language and content, which support students in building their worldly knowledge as well as promote the use of rich vocabulary. These units are also used to support students' oral and written comprehension development as well as provide opportunities to consolidate students' reading strategies.

Writing

This term we will continue to build the students' skills and knowledge in writing through sequential, explicit, and focused teaching sessions. We will also continue to focus on spelling, grammar, and punctuation as well as the presentation of work.

Spelling

Students complete the ‘Spelling Mastery’ program four mornings a week in ability groups from Years 3-6. This program uses specific spelling rules and students are guided through lessons that cater to their specific needs.

Students that have completed the Spelling Mastery program participate in the Spelling Extension Group. Here, the students examine specific Topic vocabulary words and conduct research into the words’ etymology and morphology. They are guided in how to research and record their findings and then present their work to the group at the end of the term.

Speaking & Listening

Students will be encouraged to participate in a variety of formal and informal oral language activities throughout the year.

Mathematics

In Term 2, students will be provided with many opportunities to explore the following topics, using a range of relevant and open-ended learning experiences:

Number & Algebra: Fractions; Decimals; Pattern
Measurement & Geometry: 3D Objects
Statistics & Probability: Probability

Please encourage your child to continually review their multiplication and division facts to ensure they develop and maintain an immediate recall.

Religion

Our school focus in Religious Education for Term 2 is as follows:

God, Religion and Life

The Year 6 students will explore this topic by reading, comparing and reflecting upon scripture. Students will delve into personal and diverse perspectives on God from various faith traditions. They will explore the concept of the Trinity; decipher how belief in God holds significance for individuals' lives and choices. Then reflect on their beliefs, contemplating how our understanding of God impacts both ourselves and others, and ponder how religion contributes to believers' identities.

Topic

Unit: Earth and Beyond!

Our topics are based on the Victorian Curriculum areas of Biological Science and the Ethical and Personal, and Social Capabilities

Areas to be studied:

Earth and Space Science

Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star
Sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can affect Earth’s surface

Biological Sciences

The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment

InterSchool Sport

On the following weeks in Term 2, students will participate in either AFL* or Netball games on the Friday:

Week 3, Week 4, Week 6, Week 7 and our final round takes place Week 8

Please note Week 5 is our bye week - NO InterSchool Sport

*Students participating in AFL games must have a mouthguard

Dendy district competitions this Term:

Cross Country - Wednesday 1st May week 3

Soccer Lightning Premiership - Wednesday 12th June week 9

Netball Lightning Premiership - Thursday 13th June week 9

AFL Lightning Premiership - Friday 14th June week 9

Homework

Students will receive streamlined homework on a weekly basis. This will be given out on Mondays and corrected on Fridays. Homework includes:

At least 20 minutes of reading each day, recorded in school diary
English: Literature Circles, one role per week until the book is completed. We will then be trialing a new homework book after this time.
Maths: Selection of questions from across the curriculum. Extension challenge: Open-ended tasks from the Maths Olympiad book.
Practising the words covered in the Spelling Mastery lessons

Personal & Social Capability (Wellbeing)

Students will participate in weekly social and emotional (SEL) sessions. These sessions will enable students to share and discuss social issues in a safe and supportive environment, as well as learn and practice skills for peer negotiation and conflict resolution.

The students are connected to Class Dojo for communication purposes and as a positive reinforcement tool in the classroom. Points can be earned individually or as a whole class. Dojo points are only gained for positive behaviours in accordance with the star values and not taken away.

Class Dojo will be used to communicate upcoming events at the end of each week so please ensure you are connected as parents to receive this communication. Please note that we no longer use the private message function on Dojo.

You are always welcome to make contact with us, either after school or via email, if you have any questions or comments.

We are looking forward to a jam-packed Term 2!

Clare Smith clare.smith@sjmalvern.catholic.edu.au

Monday - Wednesday

Siobhan O’Dwyer siobhan.odwyer@sjmalvern.catholic.edu.au

Thursday - Friday

STEM Incursion - Yrs 4, 5 & 6

Student Reflection