GRADE 5/6 AREA NEWSLETTER TERM 3 2018 ENGLISH READING 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, tracking their understanding of the text they are reading through: clarifying unknown vocabulary and statements within read texts, re-reading information to gain a clearer understanding, reading on to discover the authors underlying message, interpreting explicit information and reorganising information from different parts of the text to gain an in depth understanding of the writing they are reading. 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 writing focus is Information Report writing. The Grade 5/6 students will be discussing and writing about Governments around the World with a focus on comparing Government Institutions around the world. The Grade 5/6 students will be researching how to conduct themselves during a ‘Debate’ in which they will be transferring their skills from ‘Persuasive Writing’ to pass a ‘Bill’ within a mock Parliamentary setting. You might like to talk about these topics at home with your child. We will also explore grammar: looking particularly at sentence structures, use of prefixes and suffixes and adopting technical words into our everyday vocabulary. 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
Transcript
GRADE 5/6 AREA NEWSLETTER TERM 3 2018
ENGLISH
READING 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, tracking their understanding of the text they are reading through: clarifying unknown vocabulary and statements within read texts, re-reading information to gain a clearer understanding, reading on to discover the authors underlying message, interpreting explicit information and reorganising information from different parts of the text to gain an in depth understanding of the writing they are reading. 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.
WRITINGFor the first part of the term, the writing focus is Information Report writing. The Grade 5/6 students will be discussing and writing about Governments around the World with a focus on comparing Government Institutions around the world. The Grade 5/6 students will be researching how to conduct themselves during a ‘Debate’ in which they will be transferring their skills from ‘Persuasive Writing’ to pass a ‘Bill’ within a mock Parliamentary setting. You might like to talk about these topics at home with your child. We will also explore grammar: looking particularly at sentence structures, use of prefixes and suffixes and adopting technical words into our everyday vocabulary. 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 with a high focus on speaking and listening.
*Following this focus, students will write a letter to the local member of parliament addressing a ‘Topical Issue of their choice’ to be consistent with student voice and promoting our school value of student agency within the local community.
SPEAKING & LISTENINGSpeaking and listening is 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. Debating and Persuading an audience. They will also explore and develop 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.
BOOK WEEKBook Week Celebrations will begin 17th – 24th August. The theme for 2018 is ‘Find your treasure’. There will be a ‘dress up day’ and weekly activities that will be published online at a closer date.
VALUESDeveloping 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 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.
INQUIRYIn Term 3 will be learning about the Australian Government. This will include aspects of the key institutions and traditions of Australia's democratic system of government based on the Westminster system, including the monarchy, parliaments, and courts. The students will also be introduced to the roles and responsibilities of the three levels of government, including shared roles and responsibilities within Australia's federal system. They will also look at how state/territory and federal laws are initiated and passed through parliament. Students will have the opportunity to participate in role playing activities during their own class parliament.
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. The process for solving worded problems will continue to be a focus and students will develop skills in choosing and articulating their choices, learning from each other. 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, and support their thinking by making links to real world settings. SPECIAL EVENTS:
*The "World of Maths Roadshow" will present a Family Maths Problem Solving Night on Wednesday August 1st. This event will be held to celebrate mathematical learning across the school.*MANGA HIGH ROCKSTARS OF MATHS CHALLENGE August 13th-24th. This event is similar to the Ninja Challenge and requires students to complete a concentrated amount of Manga High challenges over the two- week period to achieve mathematical growth, increased mental computation and a bronze, silver or gold medal if they work really hard. *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.
HOME LEARNINGIs located on the school website under learning teams: Year 5/6 Tab.A hard copy can be requested from your child’s classroom teacher. The tasks 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. 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. *Maths Home Learning: three challenges on Manga High for the week. Students to choose one, two or all three. Students are also encouraged to consolidate new learning and address identified gaps using Manga High.
TERM 3 SPORTIn Term 3, students in grades 3 – 6 will be focusing their learning on athletics, in preparation of our Athletics Carnival on Wednesday 29th August. Students have the opportunity to learn and practise their skills in Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump, Discus, Shot Put and other track running events. Students who are successful in their age group in the track and field events will represent the school in the Athletics Carnival day. On Friday’s grade, 5 /6 students will have the opportunity to practise their skills and further their understanding in track and field events.
IMPORTANT DATES FOR TERM 3Week Date Event 1 19/6/1
8Brunswick Secondary School performance of Oliver at The Clocktower Centre Moonee Ponds
2 27/7/18
Grade 5/6 Footy Gala Day
3 1/8/18 World of Maths Roadshow problem solving night 6-8pm45 13/8/1
8-
24/8/18
Mangahigh Rockstars of Maths ChallengeNational Science Week 17/8/18-24/8/18 Book Week begins
