North Rocks Public School

The information below is a summary of skills and content on which we will be focusing our teaching and assessment throughout the term. If you have any questions please contact us at paula.mitchell1@det.nsw.edu.au and

Key Learning Area

English:
Reading and Viewing:
A variety of non-fiction texts related to our unit of work on ‘The Olympics’ and our History topic ‘The Australian Colonies’ will be read throughout the term. Reading comprehension will focus on recognising cause and effect, comparing and contrasting and making predictions. Comprehension exercises will allow students to engage critically with the presented texts. Students are encouraged to continue to read the Premier’s Reading Challenge books.
Spelling:
The North Rocks Spelling Bee takes place early this term with all students involved in a class competition. Winners will then compete against others in the grade to decide a grade winner. This winner will go onto representing our school in the Premier’s Spelling Bee competition. The following website has a free online Spelling Bee game http://www.schoolatoz.nsw.edu.au/zh/homework-and-study/educational-games/spelling-bee . Students will continue to receive weekly spelling lists which include word families, components of words (such as prefixes, suffixes and Latin/Greek roots), spelling rules and their application, homophones/homonyms and theme words. Students are encouraged to use a variety of methods to learn these words at home.
Writing and Representing:
Focused text type: Informative texts
This unit aims to develop students’ ability to produce texts which incorporate the correct structure and language features. There will be a focus on reading, viewing, writing and creating information reports, biographies, newspaper reports, multimodal texts and historical recounts. Students will write information reports related to The Olympics and historical recounts about life in Australia in the 1800’s. The grammar focus will be explicitly taught during grammar lessons and embedded throughout the writing activities. A strong emphasis will be placed on student self-assessment and reflection.
Grammar:
prefixes and suffixes, nominalisation, tense (past timeless present and present), quoted and reported speech, punctuation, topic sentences, Australian colloquial language, personal pronouns, and synonyms and antonyms, specialised vocabulary/ technical terms, using factual and precise adjectives, verbs and adverbs
Talking and Listening:
Students will deliver two prepared speeches this the term. More information about this will be provided on the students’ homework sheet. Students will be encouraged to use relevant visual aids. In class activities there will be a focus on eye contact, use of appropriate gesture, effective use of visual aids, preparing and using palm cards, repeating key words to assist in accurate recall, and listening games.

MAthematics

The following content will be taught. Students will:
·  Recognise, represent and order numbers to at least tens of millions
·  Use estimation and rounding to check the reasonableness of answers to calculations
·  Create simple financial plans
·  Solve problems involving division by a one-digit number, including those that result in a remainder
·  Investigate strategies to solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions with the same denominator
·  Use equivalent number sentences involving multiplication and division to find unknown quantities
·  Choose appropriate units of measurement for area
·  Calculate the areas of rectangles using familiar metric units
·  Choose appropriate units of measurement for volume and capacity
·  Determine and compare the duration of events
·  Describe translations, reflections and rotations of two-dimensional shapes
·  Identify line and rotational symmetries
·  Construct angles using a protractor
·  List outcomes of chance experiments involving equally likely outcomes and represent probabilities of those outcomes using fractions
·  Recognise that probabilities range from 0 to 1
·  Construct displays, including column graphs, dot plots and tables, appropriate for data type, with and without the use of digital technologies
·  Describe and interpret different data sets in context

History

History is taught by Mrs Petre.
The Olympics
Students will research the origins and history of the Olympic Games and compare the Ancient Olympics with the Modern Olympics. They will study the significance of the various symbols of the Olympic Games as well as learning about some famous Olympians. Students will make comparisons between the countries Brazil and Australia and look at the advantages and disadvantages of hosting the event.
The Australian Colonies
The following inquiry questions will be answered throughout our unit ‘Heroes and Villains’
·  What do we know about the lives of people in Australia's colonial past and how do we know?
·  What were the significant events and who were the significant people who shaped Australian colonies?
Students will have the opportunity to understand and develop the following historical concepts and skills: chronology, terms and concepts; analysis and use of sources; perspectives and interpretation; empathetic understanding.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Science is taught in class with Mrs Mitchell.
The students will be finishing the unit Earth’s Place in Space. This unit is an ideal way to link science with literacy in the classroom. It provides opportunities for students to explore how the patterns in the sky relate to days, months and years. Students’ understanding of how observation and models can be used to shape ideas and understandings is developed through hands-on activities and student-planned investigations. Students also investigate the elements of our Solar System and Earth’s position within it.
Technology is embedded across the curriculum with the use of tablet computers in class to research and publish work. ICT skills are taught in specific computer lessons and integrated throughout the day using the Interactive White Board

Personal Development And health

This is taught as part of our RFF program. Students will be embarking on a Leadership program to help prepare them for the responsibilities of being a year 6 leader as well as provide skills which they can use in the future. Students will also begin the unit “Keeping myself safe around drugs – Tobacco and Alcohol”. They will identify the effects of their decisions on themselves, others and the environment and devise strategies to respond to situations where people may be smoking or consuming alcohol.

CREATIVE ARTS

·  Music (RFF program) – Friday
·  Visual arts- Weekly lessons integrating the history and science units
·  Drama- Incorporated into writing and history program

Physical Education

Students will be involved in
·  Gymnastic lessons Wednesday ( Week 4, Week 8, Week 10 ) appropriate clothing should be worn underneath school uniform – no stockings for girls
·  Sports program every Friday, which includes the Winter PSSA program for those students in PSSA teams.

ASSESSMENT

Formal assessment procedures used in the grade
·  Maths – embedded into teaching and learning programs and at the conclusion of units of work (normally Week 5 and 10)
·  English – includes comprehension, grammar, punctuation, weekly spelling tests, one writing task per term is assessed
·  History – throughout units of work
·  Science – at the conclusion of unit of work
·  PE – gymnastics and sporting game skills
·  Creative Arts – ongoing assessment dependent on lesson focus

IMPORTANT DATES

·  27th July – Athletics Carnival

·  2nd Aug – ICAS English

·  8th of August - Spelling Bee Final
·  11th of August – Being Brave (PDH incursion)
·  15th of August – Festival of Choral Music Concert (Rehearsal)

·  16th August – ICAS Maths

·  22nd August – Zone Athletics (Track)

·  24th August – Book Week Character Parade

·  26th August – Zone Athletics (Field)

·  27th August – North Rocks Public School Fete!

·  29th of August - Book week illustrator incursion
·  31st of August - Festival of Choral Music Concert (Performance)

·  1st September – Father’s Day Stall

·  9th of September – School Disco
·  13th of September - Out of the Shadows (Band performance)
·  14th /15th of September – Year 5 Bathurst Camp

·  20th September – Band Assembly

·  23rd September – Kids BBQ

LIBRARY

Students are asked to bring a library bag so that they can borrow books on Tuesday.

HOMEWORK

This term homework will be handed out on a Tuesday and will be due the following Monday. As usual please write a note for your child if they are unable to complete the homework.