Grade 5 Term 1 News 2022

This Term Newsletter will provide you with information about your children’s upcoming teaching and learning experiences in the new term. There is also plenty of additional information provided via Compass throughout the school year, so please make a point of touching base regularly.

Welcome to Term 1, 2022! What a wonderful and positive start we have had. We have transitioned well into our new learning spaces and are slowly filling our classrooms with quality learning tasks. The Grade 5 cohort have shown enthusiasm and respect during our first couple of weeks and we expect this to continue throughout the year. We have begun the year reinforcing the high expectations we have of our students and reflecting on the ways in which we are able to maintain these non-negotiables.

As the Grade 5 teachers, we aim to promote collaboration and unity between the three classes whilst also adhering to the COVID guidelines for schools. This means that learning may take place outside of the classroom where possible. There will be opportunities for students to voice opinions and share feedback with each other and their teachers.

LITERACY

All Grade 5 classes have set up their own classroom libraries. We have a wide variety of fabulous texts of which the students will take ownership, sort, organise and display in their library for everyone to enjoy. Students will have the opportunity to borrow these books to read independently in the classroom daily. Students will continue to be encouraged to practice listening to their ‘inner voice’ and become more aware of their own thinking as they read stories. For example, ‘What questions or wonderings do you have as you are reading?’ ‘Why do you think that?’ ‘Are your wonderings or questions answered in the story?’ ‘How do you know that?’ ‘What does that word mean?’ ‘What can you do if your reading doesn’t make sense?’

Students will be engaged in daily Independent Reading sessions and small group reading support. They will also have the opportunity to be part of a close reading program that will assist in reading a range of articles, highlighting the main idea and answering questions using evidence from the text. Through close reading, students will also be asking detailed questions about the text to further their thinking and comprehension.

In writing, children will once again participate in our Writer’s Workshops, developing their ability to generate seed ideas and write purposeful texts for real audiences. We want students to write with passion and ease, to be motivated, confident writers who see writing as an everyday, useful, even enjoyable tool. Through the use of a ‘Writer’s Notebook’, students will be encouraged to record seed ideas that they can develop into potential written pieces based on their likes, interests and curiosities. Students will be encouraged to explore the many different genres their seed ideas could flow into – narratives, information reports, persuasive pieces etc. Students will create an information report on an Australian endangered animal which they will work on throughout the term. Students will have opportunities to showcase their research and presenting skills with this project.

NUMERACY

In Term 1, the Grade 5s will focus on number and place value. Students will investigate the value of larger numbers including how to represent and manipulate these numbers using a range of strategies and materials. Students will solve equations involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and problem solve using a variety of strategies.

Respectful Relationships/ Play Is The Way

Grade 5 students will be developing their understanding of emotional literacy. Through roleplay, students will learn the importance of empathy. Students will be exploring how to regulate emotions, establish and maintain respectful relationships and identify their personal strengths through the engagement in our Respectful Relationships program.

Inquiry/Science

In Inquiry and Science this semester, students will be ‘Wildlife Warriors’ exploring their local and global natural environment and analysing how adaptations of living things enhance their survival. Students will predict and describe the effect of environmental changes on individual living things. Students will have the opportunity to inquire and research sustainability as well as look into taking action at a personal and local level. Pending confirmation, students will also be visiting Melbourne Zoo to further immerse themselves in the topic.

iPads

Google Classroom will continue to be an accompaniment to our everyday learning. iPads will be required at school, fully charged so that students can continue to access blended learning. Please ensure any non-school based apps are deleted from your child’s iPad to comply with the LLPS User Agreement.

A reminder that New Department of Education guidelines stipulate that no mobile phones or smart watches can be used on the school premises during school hours without Principal approval. For further details please refer to the policy documents on Compass and the Lara Lake PS website.

HOMEWORK

Beginning in Week 4, the Grade 5 students will be expected to complete weekly homework tasks. These tasks will further consolidate the concepts taught in class. It is expected that parents/ guardians sign the weekly homework log. According to the Homework Policy, Grade 5 students are required to read for four nights a week, twenty minutes per night. This equates to eighty minutes of reading.

There will also be opportunities throughout the term for students to actively write when at home as well as revise the Science content covered in class. Homework is due every Tuesday.

Each year level team has provided their families with a detailed newsletter such as this. If you are interested in reading about all the exciting things happening across the rest of the school these can be access online at our school website from early next week.

As always, we look forward to working with our families and students to make 2022 the best year yet!

Mr Joustra, Mr Leggett, Mr Robinson and Ms Clarke Hinch