Great Learning Happening in Year Five!

Each fortnight we like to put a spotlight on the great learning happening in a particular grade in our school. In this report the spotlight is on Year 5. The classes have worked really hard to develop great routines that foster positive interactions and a growth mindset! During reading sessions Year 5 have focusing on improving their comprehension strategies, in particular the skills of skimming and scanning, summarising,self monitoring and questioning. Students have been working hard on their ability to create their own thick or thin questions based on their shared text which is based on the theme of survival. Each week as part of their reading lesson, Year 5 are introduced to new vocabulary which is pulled from their shared text. During independent work students locate tier 2 words (words that are more frequently in texts than in oral language, so children are less likely to learn them without assistance) or tier 3 words (these have a low user frequency and are often technical and limited to topics or domains) in their texts. Students break the word into its graphemes and record the definition of the base word. They use the word in a sentence. Students record prefixes and suffixes that could be added to the word. Students record synonyms and antonyms of the word. This work requires a high level of concentration and connection to prior learning. The Year 5 teachers have been impressed with the level of effort and collaboration the students engage in during these reading lessons.

In writing, Year 5 have been developing their skills to write a persuasive text that will convince the reader to share their opinion. Students started by planning what topic they would write about and creating a strong introduction that includes rhetorical devices and hyperbole (an exaggerated statement). The students worked on multiple mini lessons prior to starting their persuasive texts in order to ensure they had a good understanding of complex sentences and the skills to build an effective argument. Students worked on developing a plan for their persuasive text based on examples they had heard from previous students writing. Students then worked through developing an introduction which included rhetorical devices, their arguments and finally their conclusion. When students finished their draft they worked through the success criteria points to ensure their writing included everything it requires to be a quality persuasive text.

In Maths, Year 5 has been focussing on extending a number line to include negative numbers. The students having been playing a game that involves moving an elevator up and down in a hotel using a numberline. Through playing the game they have developed a strong mental model of negative integers. Students have then used this knowledge to plot coordinates on a treasure map and have been working with old school video games like Pacman to plot a path using coordinates, which include negative integers. Check out the photos to see the learning in action.

During sport this term, Year 5 have been learning a variety of swimming survival skills to help keep them safe when in pools and in the ocean. Stage 3 have been holding their swim to survive sessions at the Bullring at Forster Main Beach every Friday afternoon. The skills the Stage 3 students have been learning are: Step in entry, head-first and feet-first sculling, orientating the body using rotation skills, sidestroke, dolphin kick, freestyle, and backstroke. The teachers have reported that the students have gained so much confidence in the swimming ability over the past 5 weeks.

 Well done Year Five students and teachers keep up the awesome work!

 Mrs Suzie Monks

Primary Coordinator