Five

About Grade Five

In Grade 5, we work hard to get students actively involved in their own learning – giving them a voice in the classroom through class meetings and by developing positive work habits and routines. We also aim to build independent learners and problem solvers – encouraging students to be accountable for their own learning through clear expectations and visible success criteria.

Grade 5 also marks an exciting transition into the final years of school for students at Leongatha Primary School. Students are given many opportunities to take on leadership roles around the school, such as peer mediation in the junior school playground, and filling positions in the canteen or office when Grade 6s are unavailable. They also work closely with junior students to develop and model positive relationships and are involved in many ‘kids teaching kids’ activities.

Students are given clear goals when learning new maths content and are supported to learn this content through a mix of small focus groups, peer teaching, technology (such as iPads) and hands-on activities. They also cover a variety of topics including estimating and rounding, vertical and lattice multiplication, time, calculating percentage, angle, fractions and all core Grade 5 AusVels requirements. The Mathletics program is regularly used to reinforce maths concepts and to allow students to practise skills at their own pace.

The focus for writing in Grade 5 is on a variety of genres, including narratives, recounts, poetry and expositions. Our aim is to develop students into confident and creative writers who enjoy the writing process and feel confident to share and edit with their peers. Students practise new skills regularly, for example similes, descriptive language, metaphors and dialogue to make their writing show rather than tell a story. They also work in ability groups targeting specific needs.

For reading, students are engaged in Literature Circle discussion groups to explore a variety of different books, with the aim of developing critical thinking and reflection, as well as develop their communication skills. There are also teacher led guided reading groups to develop higher order comprehension skills, such as predicting, inferring, analysing and synthesising. Students who love reading get the opportunity to immerse themselves in a variety of books and reluctant readers are supported to become real readers through our Reader’s Workshop program.

General Studies includes a range of topics, specifically Adaptations, The Solar System, Asia (focusing on China), Australian History, science and of course the fantastic Sovereign Hill Camp in Term 4. Within these topics students are able to find areas of interest and are supported with explicit instruction on how to research effectively, present information clearly, write a bibliography and develop a timeline. Students are encouraged to present information in a variety of different ways (written, movie, model etc) to enhance their understanding of the topic.

The Grade 5 Team

Jack Hughes, Sue Harper, Joel Cahir, Tanya Starkey, Jen Holm