Grade 5 Community News
Dear Grade 5 families,
Hello Year 5 families!!!
Weeks 4 and 5 were productive learning weeks for year 5. In week 4, Bastille Day celebrations were amazing. That was followed by Book Week which was a story-packed, laughter-filled, adventure-loaded week.
Upcoming events:
- 11 September - Grade 5 Open Day
- 11 September - SS Spectacular Rehearsal 7am-7pm
- 12 September - VSSEC Excursion 5C and 5D
- 12 September - State School Spectacular Rehearsal 7am-7pm
- 15 September - VSSEC Excursion 5B and 5F
- 16 September - VSSEC Excursion 5E and 5G
- 17 September - VSSEC Excursion 5H and 5J
- 18 September - VSSEC Excursion 5A and 5I
- 19 September - Last Day school finishes at 2:30pm
Knowledge Building
We continue to read the novel Tom Appleby Convict Boy by Jackie French. Throughout his journey, Tom's resilience and resourcefulness are tested as he forges unexpected friendships, falls in love, and seeks redemption. The novel sheds light on the harsh realities faced by convicts and explores themes of justice, hope, and the enduring human spirit.
Tom Appleby, Convict Boy is a captivating tale that transports readers to a time and place where the distinction between right and wrong is blurred, and where a young boy's courage and determination pave the way for an unforgettable adventure.
For Book Week characters dress up, our Year 5 teachers dressed up as Tom Appleby, the chimney sweeper.
Our Class Winners
The Winner
Mathematics
In this eight-lesson topic, students deepen their understanding of place value in the context of decimal numbers. They build on the introduction of thousandths earlier in Year 5 and progress to applying place value knowledge in different contexts. This knowledge provides a foundation for operations with decimals in Year 6.
To support understanding of the mathematical concept of decimals, numbers should be read as their values. For example: 0.3 would be named as ‘three tenths’, not ‘zero point three’; 0.36 would be ‘thirty six hundredths’, not ‘zero point three six’; and 0.651 would be ‘six hundred and fifty-one thousandths’, not ‘zero point six five one’. This reinforces the value of each digit, rather than just naming the digits. Similarly, for numbers greater than one, ‘2.5’ would be read as ‘two and five tenths’ not ‘two point five’, etc.
Partitioning by place and writing the expanded form is a systematic way of emphasising the value of each digit in the number. Renaming is a crucial element of understanding place value, for decimal fractions as well as whole numbers. Working flexibly between tenths, hundredths and thousandths supports students with this understanding. This concept is applied when non-standard expanded forms are developed, preparing students for using operations with decimals in Year 6.
Pictorial supports such as decimats and place value charts and counters are used initially to model the decimals. Teachers may choose to continue with these scaffolds, based on the needs of their students.
Later lessons in the unit provide opportunities to apply knowledge of place value with decimals, with problem-solving and usage in the context of measurement.
Vocabulary
Over the past two weeks the students have been learning 5 new words each week from the novel and fluency reading passages. Students look at the meaning of the words, synonyms and antonyms for the words, and how to use the words in sentences. They then use these words in their writing and reading.
Reminders
- Student journals will not be being sent home this year. Students will write their reading in the journals when they arrive at school each day.
PLC 5