Grade 5/6

Numeracy

Big Idea Statement: 

Comparison: OPERATION MEANINGS & RELATIONSHIPS: The same number sentence (e.g. 12-4 = 8) can be associated with different concrete or real-world situations and different number sentences can be associated with the same concrete or real-world situation. 

Last week, the Grade 5/6 students finished Big Idea 4 with a post test on everything we have learnt throughout it. It was incredible to see all of the growth that was made. The students are extremely proud of themselves and so are we! 

We have now started Big Idea 5, which has begun with a focus on division and fractions. The Grade 5/6 students have enjoyed learning how to use long division and now understand the importance of knowing our factors and multiples to help us do this. 

In fluency, after learning about different strategies all week, students completed a post test on their multiplication facts of 5. Again, it was amazing to see the growth that was made. They were very excited when they were able to see how much their knowledge had improved within a week! Next, we will be focussing on our multiplication facts of 7, we are interested to see how the students go within this, as there are no strategies that work. It’s all about knowing everything else first. 

Literacy

In Literacy, we completed our narrative topic, that focussed on fables and the morals within their fables. We finally finished reading the story, ‘The Silver Donkey’, which showed a lot of mixed opinions within the classes; it was wonderful to listen to the discussion that came from this. The Grade 5/6 students finished their fables that they created while stating what their moral was. We can’t wait to finish reading these and learn some life lessons while we do! 

We have now started our next topic for Term 2, poetry. We started by reading the poem ‘There Will Come Soft Rains’ by Sara Teasdale, which we have been answering inference questions about.

‘There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground, And swallows circling with their shimmering sound; And frogs in the pool singing at night, And wild plum trees in tremulous white; Robins will wear their feathery fire, Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire; And not one will know of the war, not one Will care at last when it is done. Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree, If mankind perished utterly; And Spring herself when she woke at dawn Would scarcely know that we were gone.’

By the end of this topic, students will be writing their own poem based on ‘a world without…’ Students will talk about natural elements and resilience. They will then share their poems with the rest of the class. 

Young Writers Program.

On Tuesday, we were fortunate enough to have a visit from Jodie Toering, the author of ‘Mallee Sky’, ‘Night Watch’ and ‘Rain on the Rock.’ Some of the Grade 5/6 students were chosen to take part in this program, where they joined in on discussions and participated in various writing activities to improve their writing skills. The students displayed all of our school values throughout the day and were very respectful to our guest! Thank you, Jodie, for spending the day will us!  

Have a great week! 

Miss Stephan and Mr Ward

Reminders:

Thursday May 28th – Earth Ed Excursion

Friday June 5th – Curriculum Day (day off for students)

Monday June 8th – Public Holiday

Tuesday June 9th – Winter Sports Netball

We are very excited about our camp next term, but we understand how nervous and anxious it can make some of us feel. Please continue to have conversations at home about the amazing experience your child will have in Canberra. 

Please reach out to us if you have any concerns, questions or wonderings or if there is anything we can do to make this a little easier for your child.