Hello and welcome back to our existing Te Rapa families and those joining us in the 2021 school year.  Our Year 5 and 6 team teachers hope that you have all had a wonderful time with your family and friends over the Christmas holidays and have enjoyed the summer sun as there has been plenty this summer! This term is already turning out to be action packed with loads of opportunities for learning and reflecting…and of course, CAMP.  This newsletter is an introduction of our team members, team events and organisation for this term.                                                

A major goal for the students in the Year 5 and 6 Syndicate is to work towards becoming an ‘Independent Learner.’ This encourages them to take charge of being ready to learn and also helps them to monitor their own learning.  This learning will help to ensure that they will be prepared for future years of learning. 

Criteria for being an Independent Learner: 

An Independent Learner would do these things: Ask these questions frequently, ‘Do I know what I am supposed to be doing?’  ‘Am I doing it?’   An independent learner would answer ‘Yes’ to both questions. 

 Plan time on a task carefully so that it can be finished on time. Look after all personal learning resources. If I misplace something, it is my own learning that suffers. 

 Is ready to start at the beginning of the day, with a clear and organised desk as well as a clear and organised frame of mind. 

 Knows the best way to learn is to ask questions of others when unsure.  

 Works quickly and quietly on set tasks to maximise learning but is also conscious of the learning needs of others.  

 Set realistic goals and work hard to achieve them as it is clear that education plays a very important part in my future. 

Term 1 Activities

Written Language – Recount and Instructional Writing, consolidating basic skills to improve writing 

 Reading – Guided Silent Reading and questioning and Shared Reading 

 Maths – Maths knowledge (basic facts, place value, fractions), PRIME Mathematics Programme 

 Inquiry/Big Idea –  Becoming a powerful learner - How can I be a Powerful Learner? We can learn how to learn 

 Maori – Mihi, Greetings and Classroom Objects 

 Arts – Identity Art and visual art related to camp 

 Health & PE – Swimming and Fitness Circuits 

 HEART– Learning Logs – Reflection on learning 

 Assessment – Running Records, Journal Reading Assessment, Writing Samples, PAT’s, Basic Facts, IKAN

Up and Coming Events for Term 1

 Orientation Evening: Thursday 18th February

 Yr 5/6 Papamoa Camp: Tuesday 2nd -Friday 5th March

 Class Photos: Wednesday 10th March 

 Year 5/6 Swimming Sports: Friday 19th March

 Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences: Wednesday 14th April and Thursday 15th April

Stationery 

 Please ensure that all stationery requirements are at school as soon as possible. The sooner we have stationery items in class the sooner we are able to have everyone working to their full potential. It is expected that students have the required stationery at school every day and if certain items run out, break or go missing, students must organise to have these replaced as soon as possible.

Year 5 & 6 Team - Teachers 

 Room 12 – Miss Georgia Gilmore - ggilmore@terapa.school.nz 

 Room 13 – Ms Penny Jackson - pjackson@terapa.school.nz 

 Room 14 – Mr Shaun Wright - swright@terapa.school.nz 

 Room 15 – Mrs Abby Ritete - aritete@terapa.school.nz 

 Room 16 – Mr Mike McCurry mmccurry@terapa.school.nz