Year 5/6 - Senior Unit

Dear Senior Unit Families,

It is hard to believe we are halfway through Term 2! Students have been working hard on various areas of the curriculum. 

Please find some important updates and an overview of our learning focus below:

Interschool Sports

This week, students from the Senior Unit proudly represented Woodend Primary School at the Winter Interschool Sports, competing in Football, Netball and Softball. It was a fantastic day filled with sunshine, teamwork and determination. The students displayed outstanding sportsmanship throughout the day, encouraging one another and showing respect to both teammates and opponents. Their positive attitude, effort and behaviour on and off the field were a credit to themselves and to our school community.

A special congratulations goes to the Girls Softball team, who played with exceptional skill and teamwork to earn a well-deserved place in the next round of competition. 

Literacy

This term, our Year 5/6 students have been developing their skills in writing explanation texts, with a strong emphasis on understanding and applying appropriate structure and text features. Drawing on the knowledge they acquired during our science inquiry unit, students have crafted explanation pieces that clearly communicate scientific concepts and processes.

Maths

In Maths, students have been working through a unit on measurement, exploring different units for length, capacity and mass. They’ve used a range of hands-on tools and resources to solve real-world problems and challenges. As part of this unit, students have also practised adding and subtracting decimals in measurement contexts and revised how to calculate area and perimeter. 

Inquiry

This fortnight in Inquiry, students have continued their exploration of gravity in space, investigating how mass affects an object's gravity and how this keeps planets and moons in orbit. They have engaged in hands-on experiments, digital simulations and videos to deepen their understanding. Students have recorded their observations and thinking, which have supported their explanation texts in writing. We have now begun our next focus on light, exploring how it travels, and will continue learning through interactive and engaging activities.

Upcoming Events 

SWIMMING 

Ahead of our Year 5/6 Aqua Aware swimming program next week, students had the valuable opportunity to attend a water safety presentation delivered by a representative from Kyneton Aquatic Centre. The session was engaging  informative. The speaker covered essential topics such as identifying water hazards, the importance of adult supervision, how to respond in an emergency, and basic safety practices in pools, rivers, and at the beach. Students also learned about the importance of swimming between the flags, understanding water conditions, and using flotation devices when appropriate.

Students are very excited about our upcoming excursion to Scienceworks on Thursday 5th June. All details have been sent out via Compass, including payment and consent forms. Students will need a packed lunch and water bottle. 

Year 5/6 Teachers

Katie Cashen (56C), Brenda Elliot (56E), Ann Ireland (56I)