Senior Unit - 5/6

What’s happening in Literacy in Year 5/6?

This term the Year 5/6 students have been exploring and writing fantasy stories. As part of our learning in this area, students have been studying author and illustrator Chris Van Allsburg and identifying the different craft techniques of other writers that he uses in his stories, as well as common themes and messages that come through in his books. Students have also been developing their independence and time management skills during what we call Independent Literacy Work, where they spend 20 minutes each day completing a range of tasks, with the aim of improving their reading comprehension, researching and paraphrasing skills, writing skills and speaking and listening skills. One of the tasks students are required to complete as part of this work is a Book Talk. For this task, students are required to prepare a small presentation on a fantasy book of their choice that they will present to their peers. This presentation is a short (30 second – 2 minutes) speech designed to encourage someone to read a book, giving an idea of the plot, characters and theme of the book but unlike a book report it does not summarise the whole plot or give away the ending. We are looking forward to the students presenting their Book Talks to their class in Week 6. 

Year 5/6 Teachers

Nathan Spilsted, Kat Harrap, Jad Geer/Ashleigh Dodds, Courtney Lawrence, 

Mark Condon