Grade 6 News

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Upcoming Dates

23/2 – School Photos
27/2 – House Cross Country
9/3 – Public Holiday
27/3 – House Athletics
2/4 - Happy Hat Parade
2/4 - Last day of Term. Dismissal at 2.30pm

Reminders

Icy Poles will be sold on Monday and Tuesday at the Senior School during lunch.
Canberra forms are to be returned to the office as soon as possible. If your child is not attending, please notify the office in writing by Friday, 28th February.

Learning in Action

Literature – Once

This fortnight, students have continued reading our class novel Once. They have been engaging in thoughtful discussions about historical events, including World War II, while also exploring character traits, the author’s use of language, and the main ideas within each chapter.

Students have identified that Felix, the main character, is naive yet caring, and that he deeply values family and friendship. They have also discussed the racism experienced by Jewish people during this period and considered its impact both within the novel and in real life. These conversations have encouraged students to think critically, build empathy, and deepen their understanding of this significant time in history.

Vocabulary Focus

Deserted – If something is deserted, it is abandoned or lonely.
Bombard – To bombard something or someone is to hit or attack them many times.
Wistfully – To think wistfully is to think about something in a sadly thoughtful manner.

Writing

As our novel is set in Poland, students have begun researching key facts about Poland to support their information report writing. They have been learning how to take efficient and organised notes while exploring the key features of an effective information report.

We began by examining the importance of creating a strong and engaging title before focusing on the structure of a well-written introduction. Students were introduced to the GST structure:

General sentence
Specific sentence
Thesis statement

This structure helps students organise their ideas clearly and logically.

Literature Preview

Students will continue reading Once, where they will be introduced to Zelda, an orphan Felix befriends as he continues his journey. Zelda becomes an important character and has a significant impact on Felix’s life.

Alongside their reading, students will develop their summary writing skills, focusing on single-paragraph outlines. They will practise identifying key words and important details, including the when, where and why, to condense a paragraph into one clear and concise sentence. Students will also continue drafting their information report on Poland, focusing on structured body paragraphs to organise and present their ideas effectively.

Mathematics – Prime, Composite, Square & Triangular Numbers

Students recently completed a project on data representation. They analysed a data set, created their own graphs, and then examined these graphs to identify the mode, shape and range.

In the second part of the project, some students explored how data can be misrepresented by designing their own “misleading” graphs. This led to meaningful discussions about how misleading graphs are often used in the media and why it is important to interpret data carefully.

This week, students began exploring number facts, including prime and compositenumbers. Understanding these concepts supports skills in multiplication, fractions and overall number sense. Students have also begun learning about square numbers and triangular numbers, helping them recognise mathematical patterns and connections.

Mathematics Preview

We will continue exploring square and triangular numbers before moving on to the four operations. A key focus will be applying the order of operations to evaluate expressions involving the distributive and associative properties of multiplication and addition.

Students will also practise:

Solving equations involving brackets
Working through multi-step worded problems
Applying reasoning and accurate calculation skills

Knowledge Rich

Over the past fortnight, students have been exploring what it meant to be an Australian citizen in the early 1900s, including who was included and who was excluded. They learned about the rights and responsibilities of citizens and how democracy functions in Australia.

Students also examined the changing experiences of First Nations peoples throughout the 20th century, including the contributions of significant individuals and groups. In addition, they explored the evolving roles and rights of women, learning about key events in the women’s rights movement and the impact these had on Australian society.

Understanding these topics helps students appreciate the development of our nation and the importance of equality, rights and active participation in shaping a fair and inclusive society.

Knowledge Rich Preview

Students will learn how migration patterns to Australia changed throughout the 20th century, shaped by global events and evolving government policies. They will explore the White Australia Policy and the later shift towards multiculturalism, reflecting changing values and ideas about Australian identity and citizenship.

Wellbeing

This week, students began their Friendology unit. They explored the concept of an “inner ninja” and reflected on their own character strengths.

Students identified and considered five personal strengths, thinking about how these influence their behaviour and identity. Some of the strengths identified include humour, creativity and self-regulation.

Optional Homework – Grade 6

The following activities are optional and designed to support learning at home without adding pressure. Students are encouraged to choose activities that interest them.

Mandatory

📚 Independent Reading: Maintain good reading habits by reading nightly. This can include novels, graphic novels, or non-fiction texts of interest.

Optional

✏️ Free Writing: Students are encouraged to get creative with their writing. They may choose to express their ideas in different ways, such as:

Comic strips
Short stories
Advertisements
Journals or reflections

🔍 Research: At school, students are exploring novels and a range of interesting topics across the curriculum. Students may wish to extend their learning by researching these topics further at home.

➗ Maths Practice

Maths Masters – Continue practising individual learning goals at home

White Rose Maths App – 1 Minute Maths (multiplication or division)

NRich – Explore problem-solving activities: https://nrich.maths.org/

Times Table Rock Stars - https://ttrockstars.com/

⌨️ Handwriting / Typing

Develop touch-typing skills https://www.typingclub.com/

Kind regards,

The Grade 6 Team

Melissa Adams, Caillin Ibbotson, Craig McKenzie, Lisa Dealy & Chloe McElroy