Room 14 - 2021

Term 4

Kia ora and welcome back! Where is the year going - Term 4 already! I hope that you have all had a wonderful time with your family and friends over the school break and stayed safe during the Lockdown period, the brightside is that Summer is just around the corner. This term will be busy consolidating some of our learning from Term Three and developing some knew knowledge around our key learning areas.

Becoming an Independent Learner continues throughout Term Four...

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.

Learning Experiences in Term 4

Written Language – Basic skills to improve writing, Narrative writing will be our focus.

Reading – Guided Silent Reading and Shared Reading with a focus on some key reading strategies such as Inference, Understanding Sequence and Interpreting Figurative Language.

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

Inquiry/Big Idea – Art Stimulates the Mind continues into Term 4.

Maori – Pepeha, Feelings.

Arts – Music (Recorder), Dance & Drama, Visual art (Inquiry based)

Health & PE – Athletics, Fitness.

H.E.A.R.T.– Learning Logs – Reflection on learning

Assessment – Running Records, Writing Samples, Basic Facts, IKAN

Monday 25th October - Labour Day Public Holiday

Tuesday 30th November - Parent Helpers Morning Tea

Tuesday 14th December - Year 5/6 Big Day Out

Thursday 16th December - Prizegiving. Reports go home

Friday 17th December - End of school year

This year, in the Year 5/6 Syndicate, we will have ‘Home Learning Activities’ which will be done over a fortnight and will begin in Week 1. This will consist of activities which are the priority activities to be completed. The other activities on the list will be optional.

Within these activities will be Reading at home. Your child is encouraged to read regularly at home, record this on the Home Learning Activities Sheet and have it signed by a parent or caregiver after each time.

Reading regularly is about encouraging reading mileage and helping your child to develop vocabulary and comprehension knowledge. Reading a variety of materials such as newspapers, comics, magazines, novels and recipes helps to develop a broader understanding of texts. Part of the activities will be having your child read aloud to someone to practise this skill. It is important that this is encouraged to support their learning at school.

Reading aloud can be included as a part of reading activities.

Learning Basic Facts will also be an important part of the activities. The number of times per fortnight your child practises these will depend on their ability to recall basic facts in all four operations with speed and accuracy.

Some suggestions of ways to learn these are:

Using dice or counters
Apps that can be downloaded onto your child’s device
Flashcards (can be purchased from $2 shops or printed off the internet)
Time tables poster
Rock/Paper/Scissors activity
Practising with an adult, saying the answer or question out loud

Along with these two focus areas there will be other optional activities on the Home Learning Sheet. In some fortnights there will be a little competition within the activities for an optional task. Those children who complete the required tasks, with signatures and evidence if required at the end of each fortnight will be rewarded.

Year 5 & 6 Team - Teachers

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

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

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

Room 15 – Mrs Tammy Ohallahan - tohallahan@terapa.school.nz

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

Team Leader - Mrs Abby Ritete - aritete@terapa.school.nz