The Grade 5/6 students have had a smooth transition into Remote Learning. I would like to congratulate the students and their families for the tremendous effort they have put in. Even though we aren’t in the same place, it has been a rewarding experience to see the students tackle new concepts and enjoy the successful moments they have when completing their learning.

Our reading focus has been on expanding or vocabulary. Students have been reading a variety of non-fiction and fiction texts, looking at strategies authors implement to incorporate high tiered language. During our investigation into short fiction stories, students explored the use of adjectives and sentence lengths to describe events to the reader. We then shifted our focus to non-fiction texts, looking at how an author uses adjectives to assist the reader in understanding new, Tier 3 language. Students used both these skills in constructing their own short story and information report on a chosen planet.

Our recent unit on division, saw students expand their ability to use a variety of strategies in solving problems. We began by using our prior knowledge of multiplication, working backwards; using reverse multiplication. We saw how this understanding was related to division, allowing us to solve problems efficiently. We then took our learning further applying to various problems as we explored short division and other strategies that can help. We have recently brought these skills into identifying patterns, with students exploring the dreaded algebra! Even through Remote Learning, the Grade 5/6 students continue to give it their all, never afraid of challenges and grow as mathematicians!

As students explored and researched their country, we were able to watch our countries compete during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. It was wonderful to see students cheering for Australia and the other countries, showing sportsmanship when the results didn’t go their way. We started to explore the Paralympics, learning about some of the unusual sports that are played, goalball and modified volleyball. This enabled students to gain a deeper appreciation for the athletes, overcoming obstacles and how we can apply these attitudes and values to our lives.

Our inquiry topic for the next few weeks is “Earth’s Place In Space”. This topic will strengthen students’ understanding of the solar system and how Earth’s position in space affects life. Students spent last week undertaking a variety of experiments that help reinforce scientific views, such as living on a round Earth.

-Mr Fetherston