This term in English-We will focus on the structure and language features of procedural texts, after revisiting narratives and persuasive texts. In spelling, we will continue to focus on phonemes and graphemes identified in the THRASS program and use the New Wave activities and worksheets to consolidate learning each week. We will continue to use the Jolly Grammar program as a guide to assisting students to improve their grammar, sentence structure and punctuation.Our small reading group rotations will continue this term, which include partner reading, Literacy Pro (e -books), comprehension skills and guided reading activities with me.We will continue to practice our handwriting skills too.

This term in Mathematics –In mathematics, we will continue to develop understanding and reasoning using number and strategies for number fluency, especially using multiplication, division and problem solving. We will have a focus on 3D and 2D shapes, time, data representation and chance.

This term in Science – We will focus on physical science, investigating concepts such as friction, gravity and motion in the Smooth Moves unit.Students will write procedural and scientific reports and draw annotated diagrams.

This term in Health –We will look at parts of the child protection curriculum, focusing on the parts of the body, exploring the meaning of private – our bodies are private and touching – what is safe- and what is not. We will also consider the important area of staying safe when online.

This term in Technology –We will continue with digital programming (Scratch) and look at different ways to build a of catapult and construct at least one.This will complement our work in sciences on forces and actions.

In Japanese this term students will cover –Travelling to Japan (continued), Christmas and New Year, Japanese sports and review past work.

In PE this term – Our focus will be how important fitness, posture, hand and eye coordination plays a part in the fundamental movement skill of hitting a small ball using a bat, this will be delivered through the medium of table tennis. Mrs Boothey acquired a Sporting School grant which has enabled her to purchase three outdoor table tennis tables, bats, balls, nets and four lessons of coaching. PE Week will be celebrated in Week 5 from the 12th to 16th November, one of the highlights will be the Adelaide 36ers coming to our school on Tuesday 13th November. In week 6 all students will attend an annual incursion learning Tae Kwon Do with George England. Mrs Boothey will also run two weeks of gymnastics and circus, finishing off the year with the games classes have created over the year. A busy, fun filled program to end 2018.

In Art this term students will cover:Indigenous Art forms, 3D Sculpture and continue with their project work.

Swimming begins in week 3 and the end of the year concert will be on Thursday of week 8.

A busy term !

Welcome Room 19 families to Term 3.

In Math, this term, we will cover fractions, algebra, data representation, maintain our times table practice, rehearse fluency with all four number operations, and have a focus on angles, mapping and investigations.

In English this term, we will focus on procedural writing, grammar, including abstract and concrete nouns, synonyms, antonyms.  Poetry and oral language will be part of the program too. Understanding and drilling deeper with texts will remain an important focus too. Spelling will continue with a different digraph or trigraph each week. Literacy block rotations are programmed for each week. Handwriting practice will continue with a focus on linking letters.

Our class novel for this term is the beautiful story called Blueback by the Australian author Tim Winton.

In Health this term, we focus on healthy living and healthy foods.

In Science we investigate “Earth’s Place in Space” supported by an engaging hands on workshop including a portable planetarium through a mobile science education provider.

In History year 4 students will, discover and investigate the stories of the First Fleet and the impact and nature of first contact and the early days of the colony. Year 5 students, will look at the nature of the convict and colonial presence and the impact and significance of the Gold Rush and the Eureka Stockade. Students will discover the importance of and identify the difference between primary and secondary sources in history.

In Digital Technologies, students will focus on Visual Programming using ‘Scratch ‘.

In Music this term, all UP classes will be working on drama. They will focus on the elements of drama which include character, situation, emotion, timing and focus. Students will look at using their voice expressively and will work independently, in pairs and in groups to both improvise and create, rehearse and perform short skits. They will also create skits using mime.

In PE this term, our focus will be invasion games where we will be using the fundamental movement skills used in netball and soccer of throwing, catching, kicking and dribbling. Mrs. Boothey successfully applied for a grant from Sporting Schools which will enable the school to purchase new PE netball equipment and have a coach visit the school to assist Mrs. Boothey one day a week for four weeks. We will also be learning a new health hustle and practising relays, hurdles and javelin in readiness for Sports Day on Friday 14th September. Remember, it is an expectation that all students come to a PE lesson with their hat and drink bottle.

In Art this term, Years 3 to 7 students will use layering tools to help create different effects and will complete a mini – project about a theme of their own choice eg space, sunsets, silhouettes, using a range of textures and complete a major project using ‘Procreate” to tell a visual story about themselves.

In Japanese this term, 4/5 classes will cover the topics of travelling to Japan, houses and useful expressions.

Our class will present the assembly on Friday of week 6. We hope to see you there!

Student led presentations will be held later in the term at a time to be confirmed.

Once again, it all adds up to be a very busy term.

TERM 2 CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

English
In the mornings students will rotate through a set of activities in our literacy block whilst a focus on the structure and language features of information reports and procedural texts begins. We will continue to use the Jolly Grammar program as a guide to assisting students to improve their grammar, sentence structure and punctuation. In spelling we will continue to focus on phonemes and graphemes identified in the THRASS program.
Mathematics
Our term 2 focus in mathematics will continue to develop understanding and reasoning using number and strategies for number fluency, especially using multiplication, division and problem solving. Work has already started with, area, capacity and length. Fractions, decimals, and work with financial literacy through budgets will also be a focus. Maths Mental homework will continue.
Science
We will be focusing on chemical science this term beginning with Frank’s Lab on Legs in week 4 and using the Primary Connections unit called “What’s the Matter?” This unit investigates matter in various forms including reversible and irreversible change in matter. Literacy in science will include scientific report writing.
Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS).
HASS this term is in the area of geography. We are combining the year 4 focus of the importance of environments and sustainability with the year 5 focus of how people impact environments, (both natural and built environments.) We will be working with Simone Percy, our teacher librarian, to support our inquiry.
Health
“Mind Your Mind” – a wellbeing and emotional health program will also begin along with a continued emphasis on anti-bullying programs.
We’ll continue to use digital technologies with a focus on a presentation app called Explain Everything.

Kind regards,
Heather Frances

I would like to extend a warm welcome to 2018.        

Our class blog will be one of many ways that information will be shared between school and home. You will be able to obtain updates about classroom news and coming events. You can join by the “Subscribe by Email” link and then you’ll receive any new posts as they happen.

Occasionally too for last minute reminders, a group parent email may also be sent to you.

A reminder too that you can also subscribe to “Çlass Dojo” by installing the app on your device and entering the code sent home. There may be videos, quick pics, comments or reminders added regularly.

I hope that you keep checking in and feel connected with your child’s learning throughout the year.

The term has already got off to a hectic start.

Below is a brief outline of the term program.

In Maths the main focus will be measurement, chance and data and a series of mini real life investigations.

Revision of number, including fractions, decimals and percentages will be maintained throughout the term.

Maths mental homework practice remains and is due each Friday.

In English, book club, a novel study, comprehension, poetry and grammar and punctuation will all be strong components of the term four program. Reading for pleasure and regular borrowing from the library will continue to be encouraged.

In Biological Science we look at ”Desert Survivors” where students come to understand that in such places  an amazing diversity of plants and animals can survive and still be found. Students will learn about the structural features and adaptations that not only help them to survive, but thrive under these conditions.

In HASS, students will complete an assignment in pairs about the geographical features of one ASIAN country and in history will look briefly at the structure and responsibilities of levels of government in Australia.

In Technology,students will use their digital technologies, process and production skills to code a program using Spheros.

Swimming for the year 5 students will be held in week 5 at the Unley pool.

Footsteps will run for five weeks each Friday for the year 6 students.

Our class will be presenting the week 6 assembly.

The end of year excursion will be on Thursday December 14.

A busy term ahead!

Attached below is the planner and rubric for the passion project this term.

Students have already started to draft their big question.

Personal Passion Project heather 2017-202j8wn

Rubric 2017 in word-1el8sfi

Here is a summary of the this term’s program

In Geography, an inquiry into – A diverse and connected world –   takes a global view and focuses particularly on the concepts of place and interconnections. Students will learn about the diversity of peoples and cultures, identify factors that influence these interconnections and describe how they change places and affect people. This inquiry will also be supported by our ‘Transient’ collaboration with Unley High School.

In Technology, students will look at different construction materials, their applications in different communities and understand the global and local sustainability of the products used.

In Science, we will look at the strand of chemical science with the unit What’s the Matter? Students will explore, observe and understand the different properties of solids, liquids and gasses, their relationship with each other and apply their understanding to real life phenomena’s.

In Health, year 6 students will complete a 4 week course on ‘Growth and Development, where students will learn strategies to manage changes and transitions associated with puberty, whilst year 5 students will plan and practise strategies to promote their own health and well being.

In English, students will listen and respond to a class novel, write a scientific report and write a report on a book of their choice. Students will continue with: literacy circles, vocabulary development, comprehension strategies, developing complex sentences, writing their own rich texts and interpreting and understanding a range of texts.

In Maths, topics will focus on geometry and measurement.

These will include; connecting three-dimensional objects with their nets, investigating combinations of translations, reflections and rotations, using a grid reference system to describe locations, describing routes using landmarks and directional language, using all four quadrants of the Cartesian coordinate system, investigating combinations of translations, reflections and rotations, angles on a straight line, angles at a point and vertically opposite angles, and constructing simple prisms and pyramids. Number fluency and problem solving investigations will continue.

We will continue to develop our own understandings about the importance and benefits of building a growth mindset, particularly in the area of mathematics.

There will also be an opportunity for students to be involved in an inquiry of their choice. This will involve each student deciding on a passionate interest, constructing a relevant big question and inquiring/investigating it in many ways. Students will work independently but may at times collaborate with others to complete their inquiry.

Maths mental homewrk will continue as usual.

Welcome back to term 3. This term begins with an exciting initiative that all 5/6 students have already begun.

We are pleased to be collaborating with the Unley HS art faculty in an exhibition based on displacement and relocation called ‘Transient’. It is based on the Badjao people, a minority group of people in the Philippines and how they use natural materials to construct their homes in response to their environment and location.

This week the students will consider their own sense of home and place and design their own and in week 3, onsite at the Unley HS art space, build it using sustainable materials. Each ‘home’ will then become part of one large structure that will open for the public to view late in August at the high school as part of the school’s 2017 Biennale.

It is an exciting event that we are very pleased to be a part of !

(Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmZJyPwbjFk to see the world famous Badjao divers!)

ENGLISH ASSIGNMENT

An independent novel study assignment was introduced today,

The students will be working on this over the next few weeks.

I look forward to seeing them work independently and observe how they manage their own time to produce something that they can be really proud of.

click on the link below

Independent Novel Study Lion Witch and the Wardrobe

It has been wonderful to watch the teamwork and engagement of students with the unit of work on Light and Circuits. Each science lesson the students decide who from their team will fulfil the role of Manager, Director and Speaker. I hope that students have been sharing with you some of the outcomes of the team tasks that they have been involved in as they continue to explore this unit. 

Thank you to all those families who are responding to the class dojo.

The students really love it and are keen to collect as many o[points as they can each day.

It was encouraging to see so many students run for the position of Student Representative this year.

They all presented their thoughtful speeches confidently and proudly.

Well done Max, Georgina, Alex and Sophie.