Year 5 & 6 Teachers
Room 12 – Mrs Shannon Runciman - srunciman@terapa.school.nz
Room 13 – Mr Shaun Wright - swright@terapa.school.nz
Room 14 – Ms Penny Jackson (Team Leader) - pjackson@terapa.school.nz
Room 15 – Miss Isabel Buckhurst - ibuckhurst@terapa.school.nz
Room 16 – Mr Mike McCurry mmccurry@terapa.school.nz
Part time teachers: Mrs Amy John and Mrs Abby Ritete
Term 1 Learning Activities
Written Language – Recount and Instructional Writing, consolidating basic writing skills
Reading – Guided Silent Reading and questioning and Shared Reading
Maths – Number: knowledge (basic facts, place value, fractions) Statistics: Statistical Investigations, Data Gathering and Analysing
Inquiry/Big Idea – Belonging
Maori – Mihi, Whakatau, Greetings and Classroom Objects
Arts – Portraits and visual art related to camp and Inquiry
Health & PE – Swimming
Competencies & H.E.A.R.T.–Building a positive learning environment
Assessment – Running Records, Journal Reading Assessment, Writing Samples, PAT’s, Basic Facts, IKAN
Up and Coming Events for Term 1
7th Feb - First Day of Term 1
12th Feb - Camp parents meeting: 6pm
15th Feb - Meet the teacher evening: 3-5:30pm
27th Feb - Camp Day 1: Leave for Camp Ngaruawahia
28th Feb - Camp Day 2
29th Feb - Camp Day 3
1st March - Camp Day 4: Return from Camp Ngaruawahia
5th March - House Colours Day
6th March - School Photos Day
11th March - Year 5/6 Swimming Sports
22nd March - Celebrating Cultures Day
29th March - Good Friday
1st April - Easter Monday
2nd April - Easter Tuesday
12th April - Last Day Term 1
Becoming an Independent Learner
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.
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 be able to 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.
Know the best way to learn is to ask questions of others.
Work 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.
Team Behaviour Process
This is the procedure we will follow as a team for unacceptable behaviour. This rarely applies to most students but it is important to recognise the procedure we follow.
Minor Issues
Reminder of expected behaviour
First warning Name on board
Second warning 1 beside name
Third warning 2 beside name
Fourth warning 3 beside name and sent to Team Leader
These steps can be reversed if a child is able to bring about positive change in their behaviour.
Major Issues Sent to Team Leader or Mrs Ritete/Mrs Franklin
Home Learning
This year, in the Year 5/6 Syndicate, we will have ‘Home Learning Activities’. This will consist of activities which are the priority activities to be completed. Each class teacher will set what their students are to do, but the main focus is on Reading, Essential List Spelling and Basic Facts.
Reading for Home Learning
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.
Maths for Home Learning
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
Other Home Learning
Along with these two focus areas there will be other optional activities on the Home Learning Sheet. Sometimes there will be a little competition within the activities for an optional task.