Year 5 News
Reading
This fortnight in Reading, Year 5 students have continued to learn about explanation texts. Students have participated in shared reading and discussions using various explanation texts, each with a different topic to explore how cause and effect is used to explain processes.
Year 5 students have also looked closely at how stories can be told without words, through illustration techniques in wordless books and sound elements in film. Students learned how illustrators use visual techniques, such as setting and background details, colour and light, sequence of images and perspective and framing to tell a story when there are no words on the page. They also explored a variety of short animated films and explored how music, sound effects and voice are used to improve storytelling.
“I have liked learning about different things when reading the explanation texts.” - Aroosh 5D
Writing
In Writing, Year 5 students have been hard at work continuing to write their explanation texts. They drafted their pieces with a clear structure, using technical vocabulary, sequencing words and language of cause and effect. Students then revised and edited their work to ensure it flowed clearly and that all punctuation, spelling and grammar errors were corrected. Once their drafts were finalised, Year 5 students then published their explanation texts using their neatest handwriting and included a diagram to visually represent the how or why process described in their writing. Students were very excited to share their final pieces with the rest of their peers!
“I have enjoyed learning about the Chicken life cycle.” - Santa 5D
“An explanation text is tells the audience how/why something works or occurs.” - Hriday 5C
“My explanation text was a life cycle of a frog.” - Aishani 5C
Maths
Over the past two weeks in Maths, Year 5 students have continued their unit on Location and Transformation. They learnt how transformation refers to how something moves and used the compass directions, North, South, East and West to follow and describe movement. Students practised this by following and writing multi step instructions to describe movement across a grid.
Year 5 students have also been learning about 3D shapes and how they are made from flat 2D surfaces called nets. Students learnt how to identify correct and incorrect nets based on how the faces are arranged. They used their knowledge to sketch and construct nets for various 3D shapes and even used their design skills to construct their own 3D packages! Year 5 students worked with a peer to plan their design, including details such as labels, nutritional information and decorations and followed their plans to cut, fold and assemble their final 3D models. Take a look at some of their designs below!
“I have been enjoying completing the grid worksheets. It has been fun.” - Ivan 5D
“I liked colouring and making the nets.” - Haider 5D
“A 3D net is 2D representation of a 3D shape.” - Mohamed 5C
“My partner and I made a 3D package of an Up&Go drink.” - Ronan 5C
Inquiry
In Inquiry, Year 5 students have been learning about their rights and responsibilities as citizens of Australia. They explored how rights are what the law allows us to have or do, while responsibilities are the actions we must take to respect these rights. Students were also introduced to the Australian electoral system, including who can vote, how voting works and why it is important. They learnt that in Australia, voting is both a right and a responsibility and have reflected on the importance of having a say in how Australia is run.
Students have also explored the three levels of government in Australia: local, state and federal. They have discussed the roles and responsibilities of each and investigated how each level of government helps our community by making decisions, creating laws and providing important services.
“The state government is in charge of making decisions for each state. Some examples of what they are responsible for are: hospitals, education, emergency services and transport.” - Emmerson 5C
“We vote in Australia because we have a voice and we are in a democratic country.” - Ushman 5C
Auslan
This fortnight in Auslan, Year 5 students have been revising the signs that they learnt throughout Term 3. They were also introduced to how to sign a variety of common fruits, such as apple, banana, mango and grapes. Students practised combining signs for colour, number and fruit to create phrases such as “I don’t like green avocado.” They have also learnt how to sign simple questions like “Can I have …?” in Auslan.
Social and Emotional Learning
In SEL, Year 5 students have been exploring thinking strategies to tackle personal problems and make thoughtful decisions. They were introduced to the Daisy Problem Solving Model, which is a visual tool that helps students identify a problem, brainstorm multiple options and choose the best course of action. Students defined what personal problems and options are, then worked collaboratively to map out scenarios using the daisy model. They practised breaking down conflicts, such as disagreements with friends, by listing possible solutions before selecting the best action.
Special Event
Children’s Week - This week, Year 5 students celebrated Children’s Week, where they focused on the rights of children from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Year 5 students worked individually to create creative and informative posters highlighting one of the important rights they have as children.