Prep | Year 5 News

Coming up in Year 5

UOI

Weeks 4-6

• Sharing the Planet

Mathematics

Week 4

• Whole Number

Week 5-6

• Measurement- Length, area and angles
• Position

English

Writing/Reading

• Writing to Persuade

 Unit of Inquiry

During the Who We Are unit, the boys have explored ‘Who We Are’ as a Year 5 team within our incredible new learning space. The boys collaborated to identify how we might effectively use the space, the teachers and our peers to ensure everyone reaches their goals in 2022. It was amazing to see the boys recognise that teamwork, organisation, respect and independence would be key to working successfully in our flexible classroom, and these ideas have been gathered to inform our Year 5 Essential Agreement.

I don’t understand this…yet!

I’m either winning or I’m learning.

I keep learning, even if I fail through the process.

The Power of… Yet!

The boys from Year 5 have been exploring the impact of maintaining a growth mindset. They have learned the importance of strengthening self-efficacy by using positive affirmations and understanding that growth comes through optimism, persistence and grit. Above are some of the quotes the boys have chosen to use as a reminder to themselves that all great achievements face difficulties and we need to remain positive through these challenges. You can practice this at home by utilising the power of yet. I can’t do this… yet! I don’t understand this… yet! This doesn’t work… yet! I’m not good at this… yet! The boys were also challenged to consider their strengths as a learner and the values they hold as an individual. You might like to ask boys in Year 5 to share their growth mindset quote and their strengths as a learner!

English

In reading, we have been sharing the book There’s a Boy in the Girls’ Bathroom’ by Louis Sachar. The book begins with the following:

‘Bradley Chalkers sat at his desk in the back of the room-last seat, last row. No one sat at the desk next to him or at the one in front of him. He was an island. (pp2)

This powerful introduction leads to the exploration of emotional wellbeing and mental health, personality traits and growth, empathy, and friendship. Already, the boys have explored the inside and outside characteristics of the protagonist, Bradley Chalkers, and have begun to identify his true personality through his actions and behaviours. We will continue to explore this text in Literature Studies and in our weekly Growth lessons.

Mathematics

We have had a great start to Mathematics in Year 5. The boys have been using their knowledge of Whole Number, including place value, ordering numbers, partitioning, factors and multiples, to solve problems and explain their mathematical thinking. Additionally, they have been introduced to the different ways we can use self-reflection, goal setting, flexible grouping, collaboration and independent learning within the learning space to enhance mathematical growth this year. We will finish this unit in the next week and move onto angles, length and area in Week 4.

Music

In Year 5 Music the students are finding their voice again in the Who We Are Unit of Inquiry by reconnecting with the School Song and National Anthem. This week they have begun the Stand Alone Unit of Inquiry Music of Other Cultures beginning with African Music. Through the Concepts of Form, Connection and Perspective, they will continue to develop their analysis skills through listening and viewing Western and Non-Western Music, composition skills using Music Technology through Noteflight software and performing skills on their own and classroom tuned and untuned instruments. Through all these dimensions, music elements are a reference point in developing empathy, appreciation and social awareness of the perspective of others and the power and influence that music holds in other cultures.