Monarch Community Report

Reading:

In Reading, our grade 5/6 students have been developing their reading comprehension skills. Our students have been actively engaged in making text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections. By fostering these connections, students are developing a deeper understanding and appreciation for the literature they encounter. Furthermore, students learnt to make inferences which allows students to draw conclusions, make predictions based on the information provided in the text and use their prior knowledge. Through a variety of activities and discussions, our students have been learning to read between the lines, analyse subtle clues, and uncover deeper meanings in the texts they read.

By learning to make connections and infer, our students are not only strengthening their reading comprehension skills but also expanding their horizons. They are developing empathy by relating to characters' experiences, broadening their knowledge of different cultures and perspectives, and applying their understanding to real-world situations.

Writing:

In Writing, our grade 5/6 students learnt to progress in their persuasive writing skills as part of the "Shark Tank" project. This project allowed our students to explore the exciting world of product design and advertising but also honed their abilities to communicate effectively and persuasively. Throughout the project, our students developed a deep understanding of persuasive techniques and their applications in real-world contexts. They carefully crafted written arguments and engaging narratives to promote their product designs to potential investors in the "Shark Tank" pitch event. Our students demonstrated their ability to tailor their writing to specific audiences, showcasing their knowledge of persuasive language features such as emotive words, rhetorical questions, and logical reasoning. They also employed effective organisational structures, ensuring their arguments were presented in a clear and convincing manner.

Inquiry:

We are thrilled to share an exciting and hands-on learning experience that our grade 5/6 students have been engaged in recently. Our students have been working in groups to undertake a challenging task, researching, designing, producing, and advertising a product to pitch at the much-anticipated "Shark Tank" event.

This immersive project has allowed our students to explore the world of entrepreneurship, problem-solving, and teamwork. Each group was assigned the task of identifying a problem in their community and creating a unique product that addresses that problem. With guidance from their teachers, students conducted research, brainstormed ideas, and developed a detailed plan to bring their product to life.

Working collaboratively, our students embraced the design process, utilising their creativity and critical thinking skills to build prototypes of their products. They experimented, refined their designs, and embraced the iterative nature of innovation. Alongside product development, students explored marketing strategies, creating catchy slogans, eye-catching logos, and persuasive advertisements to captivate their potential customers.

The pinnacle of this endeavour was the much-anticipated "Shark Tank" event, where each group pitched their product to a panel of teachers and students acting as investors. This simulated experience provided our students with a platform to present their ideas, showcase their prototypes, and articulate the market potential of their products.

Numeracy: 

We are excited to share the progress our grade 5/6 students have made in their exploration of time, angles, and transformations as part of their mathematics curriculum. Through engaging activities and hands-on experiences, our students have been developing a deeper understanding of these fundamental concepts.

In their study of time, students have been learning to identify the difference between 12-hour and 24-hour time so they can understand the connection between them. Students looked at converting time, working out the elapsed time and interpreting timetables/schedules so students can apply it to their own lives.

Another key focus has been angles. Our students have been exploring different types of angles, including acute, obtuse, and right angles. They have been measuring and comparing angles using protractors, and discovering how angles are related to shapes and objects in their environment. By applying their knowledge of angles, students have been able to solve geometric puzzles and design their own creative shapes and patterns.

Furthermore, our students have been introduced to the concept of transformations. They have learned about translations, rotations, and reflections, and have been applying these concepts to manipulate and transform shapes. Through hands-on activities and interactive games, students have been exploring the effects of different transformations and recognising their presence in everyday objects and designs.

Reminders:

NAIDOC Week from the 3rd of July -10th of July

International Friendship Day - Sunday, 30th of July

Events:

LaTrobe University Tour - Monday, July 10th

Kangan Tafe Tour - Monday, July 31st

IT’S NOT OKAY TO BE AWAY!

It is imperative that your child comes to school. Of course, if your child is unwell the best place to be is at home for them to recover. Teachers make every effort to provide sequential, challenging and engaging programs. These programs do not factor in absences. If your child is absent they miss out on vital instructions and basic skills. Effects of absences accumulate over time and can have implications to future as well as current academic achievement.

If your child is to be absent, it is your responsibility, as a parent, to alert the office or classroom teacher to this situation - this can be done via Compass, in person or phone call to the office.

IT’S NOT GREAT TO BE LATE!

It is imperative that your child is punctual to school every day. There are so many things to do in a day at school that being late causes frustration to all concerned. Students miss out on the roll call, vital information about the day or events which are coming up, notices and teaching instruction. Of course, if your child has a medical appointment, it is far better that your child comes in late than taking a whole day off. However, sleeping in or being slow in the morning is unacceptable. Again, this sets an unfavourable pattern for later in life.

Homework:

Each week students will have homework to complete. The homework consists of nightly reading and a mathematics activity on Prodigy. Homework is expected to be completed and handed in each Friday morning through the school diary. It would be helpful if you worked out a homework schedule with your child, which will help them to organise their time and reduce stress for them and your whole family. Make sure you take into consideration all of your child’s out of school commitments such as sport, dancing, music lessons and social events etc... Hence the invaluable use of their school diaries.

Water bottles:

It is important to supply your child with a suitable drink bottle filled with fresh water, to use whilst at school. The bottles should be brought to school every day to drink whenever they please. Water helps to improve concentration as well as used to quench their thirst especially after sports. Your understanding will be greatly appreciated.

Fruit, Vegetables and Food:

We are still trying to encourage families to cut down on processed foods such as chips, chocolates and lollies for play lunch in exchange for fabulous fruits and vegetables. We are also trying to encourage students to make healthier choices for lunches and snacks. Please send your child with fresh fruit and vegetables to eat throughout the day. Also, pack a nutritious lunch for your child to eat daily. 

Finally, please feel free to speak with your child’s teacher or our Learning Community Leader - Zeinab. If he or she is unable to speak to you immediately, as their teaching duties are their first priority, they will be more than happy to make an appointment with you to discuss any of your concerns or questions.

Thanks for reading,

From The Monarch Team.

(Zeinab, Paul, Ella, Michelle B. and Con)