Year 5

In literacy this term we have been building on our skills through our literacy block. In the first 20 minutes of our literacy block students have been rotating through editing, comprehension, vocabulary activities, Reading eggs and Sharp reading with the teacher. Students are becoming more settled in the routine and are able to keep themselves on task. During our second 20 minute block students are led through Spelling Mastery with a mixture of dictation and building words using morphographs. In our final 20 minute block students have been focused on creating narratives that follow the 7 Step format. We have been particularly focused on using descriptive language such as personification and hyperbole to help situate our readers in our stories. We can’t wait to read their latest creations!

In numeracy this term we have been exploring how budgeting can help us in our day-to-day life. Students got some hands-on learning experience through planning and budgeting for a proposed school camp. Students have also been able to deepen their knowledge about decimals. We have begun to add, subtract and order decimals and inshallah we will be able to multiply and divide them soon. We have also started to learn about angles. We have learned to read angles, measure angles, draw and angles and answer word problems about them.

In science this term we have been exploring structural, behavioural and physical adaptations. We have learned a lot through theory but even more through our experiments. We constructed hypotheses and planned our investigations. Students have conducted experiments about how surface areas effect water retention and heat loss. Students have graphed their results and are able to explain whether their hypotheses were correct and if they were not, they were able to explain why it was not. Mashallah Year 5’s!

Our HASS this term has helped the students explore Australia’s beautiful and diverse landscapes. We have learned about traditional farming methods and how they were sustainable methods compared to our modern farming methods. Students have also discovered what to do to prepare themselves and their houses in the event of a bushfire. They can read a bushfire alert scale and act/plan accordingly.

In today’s modern society technological literacy is a must. This term we have been learning about classifications for media and how to identify appropriate content. With our modern world leaning heavily into social media it is important that out students are able to navigate these platforms with ease and are able to make informed decisions.

Our artists have been hard at work this term creating and critiquing Aboriginal artwork. We have analysed Jimmy Pike artwork and have been critiquing the methods used to create various types of artworks. Students have also been trying their hand at smudging and shading to create depth in their artwork. We can’t wait to see what amazing pieces students will create with their newly acquired skills.

National Science Week bought us two very special visitors from high school to demonstrate some wonderful science experiments. The wonderful chemical reactions we witnessed have definitely stoked the curious scientific minds of the year 5 students.