What's Happening in Upper Division

Youth Week Meeting with the Mayor

Congratulations to our Year 6 school leaders for attending last week's Youth Week Meeting with the Mayor.  Our students were asked a range of questions about what they felt was working well in our town and shire, and what could be improved.  Our leaders held a discussion here at school to gauge their ideas from our class before they attended the meeting.  They were able to be frank and honest and we were very impressed with their ideas.  

What's on this term?

Term 2 is well underway and we are set for a very busy time with lots of activities and events to enjoy and explore. A warm welcome to our new student Melody who has joined our year 5 class. 

English

Persuasive texts will be at the centre of our learning in literacy and we will be focusing on the writing process and putting our ideas on paper and building coherency. We will be reading the book ‘Hey, Little Ant’ by Hannah and Phillip Hoose. 

We will be looking at spoken, written and visual texts as well as persuasive language devices to craft our writing. We are hoping to apply our knowledge and understanding of persuasive texts to complete an in-class debate at the end of the term.

Mr Hunt’s class will be using the text “Black Snake” which is an informative text about Ned Kelly, to focus on these techniques as well.

Mathematics

In Mathematics students will be covering the sub strands of whole-number, addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, patterns and algebra, fractions and decimals, data, position, length, area, position and time.   

Science

In Science, the content focus will be ‘The Material World.’ Stage 3 of the Material World strand focuses on how the properties of a range of materials and the way in which they are combined, determine their use and inform design solutions. Students investigate the different properties of solids, liquids and gases, and consider combining and separating mixtures. Stage 3 of this strand introduces students to fundamental concepts of chemistry and is an introduction to materials technologies.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education

The strand Healthy, Safe and Active Lifestyles focuses on the interrelationship between health and physical activity concepts. Students develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to empower them to make healthy and safe choices and take action to promote the health and wellbeing of their communities. Students engage with a range of health issues and identify strategies to keep them healthy, safe and active.

For Physical Education we will be focusing on athletic skills for the upcoming carnival. The strand Movement Skill and Performance focuses on active participation in a broad range of movement contexts to develop movement skill and enhance performance. Students develop confidence and competence to engage in physical activity. They develop an understanding of movement concepts and the features of movement composition as they engage in a variety of planned and improvised movement experiences

History

The unit ‘Australia as a Nation’ will continue to be studies this term. This topic moves from colonial Australia to the development of Australia as a nation, particularly after 1901. Students explore the factors that led to Federation and experiences of democracy and citizenship over time. Students understand the significance of Australia's British heritage, the Westminster system and other models that influenced the development of Australia's system of government. Students learn about the way of life of people who migrated to Australia and their contributions to Australia's economic and social development.

Creative Arts

In Visual Arts Students will look at artworks by Piet Mondrian and Wassily Kandinsky to appreciate the ways that artists have used colour, line, shape and texture. Using these elements, students will be creating abstract paintings, relief sculptures and collages, representing aspects of the environment and faces.

On Tuesday afternoon we will continue our NECOM Music lessons with Jess. In Music, students will continue to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in performing music of different styles and from different times and cultures by singing, playing and moving, and in organising sound into musical compositions using musical concepts. They will also develop their knowledge, skills and understanding in listening to and discussing their own music and that of others.

Jess is also helping us to get ready for the Eisteddfod Choir and there is also practices being conducted for An Evening with ACOS which will be held at Armidale Secondary College.

Leah Miller and Brad Hunt