Grade 5

The Grade 5 program expands students from previous years to now begin their final years of Primary School. It extends further ownership of their learning, their voice and their agency. They are taught required skills for learning, social development and gaining they gain knowledge and behaviours for life-long learning.

Literacy
Literacy is a combination of Reading, Writing and Speaking & Listening activities. During Reading, students will participate in activities specifically designed to improve student’s comprehension skills and to encourage them to interpret and respond to a variety of genres. In writing, students will develop the necessary skills to produce Narratives, Information Reports, Persuasive Texts, Biographies and various forms of Poetry. The school also has a Reading Eggspress Licence which allows students to log on and participate in activities to develop and expand their reading and comprehension skills. 

Numeracy
Numeracy lessons involve teaching the proficiencies of understanding, fluency, problem solving and reasoning which are fundamental to working mathematically. Multiplicative Thinking is incorporated into day-to-day activities, so the students have a capacity to work flexibly with the concepts, strategies and representations of multiplication (and division) as they occur in a wide range of contexts. These skills are applied across all three strands of Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry, and Statistics and Probability.  The school has a Mathletics Licence, allowing students to participate in online Numeracy games and mathematical learning.

Inquiry Learning
In Grade 5 students will investigate the following topics:

‘What’s the “MATTER” with Fair Testing?’ is a unit where students will learn an understanding of fair testing; including deciding which variables should be changed, measured and controlled, and how to accurately observe, measure and record data.

‘How do Natural Disasters affect the Earth’s Surface and the way people live?’ This topic assists the students understanding of how natural disasters affect the environment and people? What causes a natural disaster and how the Earth’s structure contributes to a natural disaster?

 ‘What’s the “Rush” Down Under?’ Is a unit that enables the students to understand the role of history in developing Australia as a country and the impact significant events and people have had over time in shaping our nation. They will learn about what life was like for different groups of people in the Gold Rush period.

‘What is an Engineer?’ Looks at the design process, the skills and processes that are involved in creating new technologies. Students have the opportunity to design an invention that can be tested, evaluated and improved?

Throughout the year, students participate in a range of incursions and excursions to further enhance and support their learning.

Homework
Grade 5 is an important year to continue developing time management skills and independent work habits. Homework incorporates a variety of Numeracy, Literacy and Inquiry tasks, reflecting learning that has occurred in class. Student Diaries are used to mark special days and due dates, to record reminders and to keep track of students daily/nightly reading progress.

NAPLAN
At the beginning of March, Grade 5 students participate in NAPLAN, a national assessment program in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions and Numeracy. Parents and schools receive the results later in the year, which are used to inform further learning.

Camp
The Grade 5 students have the opportunity to go on Camp during Term 3. The 3-day camp is to Sovereign Hill, Ballarat. Students travel by bus to Sovereign Hill and participate in a variety of activities that allows them to experience what life was like on the Gold Fields. Students also see the amazing ‘Lights on the Southern Cross’ show.