5/6 AREA NEWSLETTER TERM 3 2017

ENGLISHReading:The students will continue to learn and practise a range of reading strategies and skills that will support their learning. Some areas that we will continue to focus on will include; exploring vocabulary, reorganising information, making inferences, interpreting explicit information and developing the ability to make connections between the text, personal experiences and the world around us. The students will do this by exploring a variety of reading materials including guided readers, posters, diagrams, newspaper articles, electronic media and complete tasks independently and/or cooperatively. Each reading lesson will include independent reading.

Students will continue to be involved in ‘Guided Reading’ or ‘Reciprocal Reading’ Groups while some students will be introduced to ‘Literature Circles’. During Literature Circle groups students will read and discuss a text. They will be given a new role to perform each session. Roles include Word Wizard, Artistic Adventurer, Cunning Connector, Literary Luminary, Character Captain and Discussion Director. Students use these roles to connect to the text and develop a better understanding of what is being read.

Writing:For the first part of the term, the focus is descriptive writing. This writing aims to prepare the students to write a piece to share for the Writer’s Festival with the topic: My Wish For The World; Celebrating The Past and Creating The Future. Grade 5/6 will be discussing and writing about WW1 as the context for when our school was opened in 1917. We will also be discussing sustainability in creating a better world. You might like to talk about these topics at home with your child. We will also explore grammar, looking particularly at nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, paragraphing, tense and we will also explore rhetorical questions. Particular attention will be given to ensuring students understand the writing process and each element of it. That is, Planning, Composing, Recording, Revising, Editing, Publishing and Conferencing. Students will create pieces of work in written and electronic form with the purpose of sharing their work.

*Following this focus, students will learn about how to write scientific reports. This links with our inquiry topic called, Our Future Earth. Students will learn about the different components of a scientific report which include an hypothesis, method, data and resources. They will then use this knowledge to formally write up experiments.Speaking and Listening:Speaking and listening are necessary for effective communication. Students will have the opportunity to explore and practice important skills which include the ability to share and clarify their ideas depending on the context and purpose, eg. entertaining, informing and/or influencing others. They will also explore and develop the spoken language features such as pace, pitch and pronunciation to enhance meaning. Students will do this through class discussions, circle time, presentations and a variety of other class, unit and whole school activities.

Writer’s FestivalIt has been a few years since we have hosted a Coburg West Writer’s Festival. This year to coincide with our school’s 100 year birthday we have decided to resurrect this amazing experience. The students across the school will work through the writing process to present a published piece with the topic being: ‘My Wish For The World, Connecting The Past and Creating The Future.’ A final assembly to open the display of work will be held on Monday 21st August, all families are welcome. The work will then be displayed throughout the week in the small hall for you to come and see.

Book Week Book Week Celebrations will begin on Monday 21st August with the Writer’s Festival. On Tuesday 22ndAugust we are encouraging all students to come to school dressed as their favourite book character. Parents and carers are also invited to come along and see our inaugural ‘Read Around the School’ activity which will begin from 2:40pm on the same day. Details will be forwarded to all families as we get closer to the date.

Author Visit*Finally, we will also have an opportunity to meet, discuss and write with the author Archie Fusillo. He will be at the Monday 28th August assembly to talk to the entire school before he completes workshops with the

students in grade 5/6. Again, more details regarding this event will be forwarded closer to the date.

VALUES Developing positive relationships in the classroom through the value of Friendliness. ‘Take care of each other. Share your energies with the group. No one must feel alone, cut off, for that is when you do not make it.’Our focus for this term is to endeavor to build positive relationships within our classroom, unit and in the playground. Through shared value activities and Circle Time, each class will explore what cooperative, collaborative work is, not just in structured lessons but during play, specialist classes and visiting teacher lessons. We feel it is important for all 5/6 students to build the capacity to show friendliness towards all, to find positive elements in everyone and to practice the strategies and skills that will support their positive contribution to our school community and beyond.

MATHEMATICSIn Term 3 students will continue their study of multiplication and make links with division. This will involve whole numbers, fractions, decimals and percentages. Students will identify factors and multiples to assist in solving equations and to improve their mathematical understanding. Worded problems will continue to be a focus and students will be required to choose mathematical strategies to solve them. They will need to justify their reasoning and use estimation to check the reasonableness of their answers. Multi stepped problems will require some or all of the four

operations. The instant recall of basic mathematical facts will continue to be of vital importance to your child’s mathematical success. You can support your child by testing their automatic recall of number facts in multiplication and division by simply drilling them with tables facts. Allow your child a week to focus on one set of timetables until they are confident in all tables up to 12s. Playing online maths games is also a valid way to support their number fluency, particularly on Manga High.

In measurement, students will explore volume and capacity, and the conversion of units in metric measurement. They will learn to choose the appropriate units of measurement for length, area, volume, capacity and mass. *The "World of Maths Roadshow" will present a Family Maths Problem Solving Night on Wednesday August 2nd. This event will be held to celebrate mathematical learning across the school.*All students in Grade 5/6 have their own log in to Manga High and can access tasks at home to practise skills and work towards gaining points in tasks. They are encouraged to work on their areas of need throughout the week, as part of their regular home learning.

INQUIRYIn Term 3 the students in grade 5/6 will be learning about environmental issues and sustainable practices, on a global scale. Our unit title is ‘Our Future Earth’ which is also this year’s National Science Week theme. In this unit, students will explore definitions of sustainability and sustainable consumption and consider the need for sustainable behavior in their own lives, as well as in local and global communities. They will explore environmental issues that are impacting our planet and look at the solutions and potential to change practices on a local and global level to reduce or eliminate the issues. Students will also be involved in a class project, working collaboratively in small groups through a field study investigation. This will require decision-making about issues concerning society and the environment and how to make them more sustainable.

HOME LEARNINGNew website: Learning Teams Year 5/6 Tab. Each week students will be expected to read a take home book (this text can be chosen from a variety of books at school including their school library book or it may be from the student’s personal collection or local library). Students must also practise their times tables, learn spelling words and in addition complete a task as directed by the teacher. The tasks can vary from week to week and can include hands on experiences such as completing worksheets or investigating inquiry topics and creating projects. If you have any questions about homework, speak to your child’s classroom teacher. * New Maths Home Leaning under the Curriculum Tab*Homework will be written in your child’s diary and available on the school website. Ensure that the diary and the take home books return to school daily and that it is checked regularly.

*YEAR 6 – 7 TRANSITION Please note that all applications for year 7 entry have been forwarded to the nominated secondary schools. You will receive notification of your child’s secondary school placement offer on Wednesday 9 th August. Orientation day for all government secondary schools will be held on Tuesday 12 th December for grade 6 students.

TERM 3 SPORT: ATHLETICS

IMPORTANT DATE FOR TERM 3

Monday 17th Friday July-22nd September

TERM 3

Week 3 Wednesday 2nd August Maths World of Maths Problem Solving Night 6-8 pm

Week 5 Wednesday 16th August AFL Footy Gala Day12th-20th August National Science Week

Week 6 Monday 21st August Writers FestivalTuesday 22ndAugust Book Week Dress Up Day

Read Around the School 2.30Week 7 Monday 28th August Assembly Author Visit: Archie Fusillo

Tuesday 29th August Father’s Day StallWednesday 30th August Athletics Championships

Week 9 Monday 11th September Curriculum Day Pupil Free DayFriday 15th September School Disco

Week 10 Tuesday 19th September Grade 6 Graduation PhotoSpecial Groups Photo

Friday 22nd September Last day term