YEAR 5

Term 1, 2014 Report

Year 5 students enjoyed starting the year with the House Swimming Carnival and are now training for the River Run.

Meanwhile in the classroom the students settled into Maths groups for place value and the four processes. Assessing and evaluating the students’ abilities has enabled us to accurately stream the children for explicit learning needs. To enhance their personal learning, the children have been doing an IMaths Investigation called IFlakes. This enabled the children to learn about the benefits and comparisons of several different cereals and analyse their data in graphs and charts. The enthusiasm was contagious with all students eagerly completing the assigned tasks. The added bonus of using the laptops was also embraced with enthusiasm.

This investigation tied in very well with our Health Topic ‘Healthy Me’. The children have been immersed in learning the facts and making the right choices for a healthy mind and body. Our Healthy Lunch Day was a huge success which was mostly accredited to parent helpers. We managed a quick local excursion to Bakers Delight for the making of healthy breads.  Our excursion to the MCG will complete our unit, by showing them the sporting heroes of the past and present, while touring Melbourne’s greatest sporting venue.

Goal setting is an important element of personalised learning and differentiating between a wish and a goal has been established.  In Literacy, year 5 have embraced Independent  Reading and have developed reading fitness as well as enjoying ‘Just Right’ books.  Reading strategies are revised and conferencing individual children were also achieved daily. Strategic Spelling has continued to be taught. Writing has covered discussions about junk food and information reports on Australian competitors in the Sochi Games 2014. Persuasive writing is now our focus in preparation for Naplan testing next term.

Year 5 are not included in Inter School Sport this year due to the large numbers in year 6. However we still train in the skills of the sports in our sport session.

Term 2, 2014

Term Two began with intensive practise for the Naplan tests. The students responded well to writing in a set time frame and narratives and expositions were covered in writing groups.  They also spent time revising maths concepts that they were still unsure about.

Due to Anzac Day being in the first week back we touched briefly on our ANZACS. Our next inquiry based topic was Science: ‘What’sThe Matter?’ The students embraced the experiments with liquids, solids and gases and were able to record their findings in their science journals. (Mr Milgate was very proud!)

Mothers’ Day came and went and the Year Fives had a day of writing poems, cards, painting and making cupcake flower arrangements for their mothers. Leanne James was a wonderful helper who organised flowers for 105 children. (She has now unfriended Mrs Macaulay!!).

Thanks to Hannah Hunt, the Year Five teachers are now feeling far more confident with Independent Reading and are looking forward to incorporating Reciprocal Reading as part of the lessons.

Our SMART learning goals are progressing well with every child setting and achieving academic goals. The students are gaining a better understanding of making their goals achievable but challenging. They are still a work in progress though.

Our resident Scientist has joined us in the classroom and the kids are loving it! Mr Milgate sure does know what he is talking about. We have spent sessions in the dark under blankets with torches and making shadow puppets!! The topic is ‘Light Shows’.

The River Run was a success and some students are involved in The Radio Show this term. The cartoonist, Brett Cardwell, was a huge hit with us all. We are now looking forward to our Maths Investigation topic of creating a city and of course finishing with the new swimming program.