Welcome back to the new school term. This newsletter is to help keep you informed about the curriculum for the grade and the day-to-day activities of the grade.

Please be aware that due to the current COVID restrictions, this year parent information sessions will take a different format. This newsletter highlights all the necessary Term 1 information for your child, however, if you have any questions and would like to engage in a “meet and greet” phone call with your child’s teacher please follow the link below and they will be in contact with you as soon as possible. Please complete by 3pm on Wednesday 10 February 2021.

A “meet and greet” conversation is a ten minute phone conversation to discuss your child’s start to the year and for your child’s class teacher to clarify any questions you may have about your child’s school year. It is not a report on your child’s progress at this stage of the year.

https://forms.gle/pNvts9QwNvPBUquU6

This term the following teachers will be supporting learning in Year 5

*Teachers work under the structure of an Enterprise Agreement that includes a number of entitlements. One of these is the engagement in Profession Planning Time (PPT) where they are released from class to carry out other professional responsibilities. Each full time teacher is entitled to the equivalent of 2 hours PPT each week, or a pro-rata thereof for part time teachers. Therefore, all students operate across the school week with at least two teachers engaging in the classroom program of learning.

This Curriculum Outline is designed to communicate what your child is learning so you can support them at home this term. At Good Samaritan, we believe that the partnership between you as parents and our teachers are the most important influences on your son’s or daughter’s education.

The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) is responsible for setting and monitoring quality teaching, learning, assessment and school standards across NSW public, Catholic and independent schools. NESA also develops Kindergarten to Year 12 syllabuses for NSW schools. Syllabuses identify: the knowledge, understanding, skills, values and attitudes students are expected to develop at each stage; what students are expected to know and do; Learning across the curriculum areas: cross-curriculum priorities, general capabilities and other important learning for all students.

At Good Samaritan we have a K-6 Scope & Sequence of learning which supports the implementation of the NESA Syllabuses. Below, is an outline of the Key Learning Area content & skills being taught this term.

All students take part in Religious Education Programs. The school also provides other opportunities for students to express and deepen their Faith through school Masses, liturgies, prayer and in Christian service and witness within their school environment and the wider community. 

Religious Education follows a curriculum set and approved by the Bishop of the Diocese in conjunction with the Catholic Education Office.

This term in Religious Education, Year 5 will:

• The Good Samaritan 

Students will learn: 

• about the parable of the Good Samaritan and what Jesus wanted us to learn from this parable

• about the school emblem

• to reflect on ways we as Christians can live as Good Samaritans in our school 

• about what they can do as leaders in the school to promote the values of compassion, justice and love.

Students will be able to: 

• explain what Jesus wanted us to learn about relating to others through the parable of the Good Samaritan 

• analyse the actions of those in the story in relation to Jesus’ teaching of compassion and love 

• different ways by which individuals continue the mission of Jesus

• name those who were marginalised in Jesus’ time and those marginalised today – those who don’t fit in, who aren’t popular

• explain how we as members of a Christian community respond to each other, especially those who have difficulties in the classroom and playground

• recognise and explain the meaning of the school emblem

• Lent

This unit explores the season of Lent as a time of conversion and growth. It presents Jesus’ passion as an experience of suffering and rejection. It also looks at Jesus’ response to a person suffering rejection. Students are encouraged to reflect on their experiences of acceptance and rejection and explore how times of difficulty can be times of growth. Students will be challenged to reflect on the experience of God with us today in times of difficulty. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving will be linked to Caritas material and raising awareness for Project Compassion. The Church’s celebration of the events of Holy Week will be presented and explored

• The Reign of God

This unit explores the Church’s mission to build a just world. Justice is an important element in bringing about the Reign of God. Students will explore examples of injustice and how the Church continues the mission of Jesus by working for justice. In their exploration, students will need to look at decision-making and conscience.

English is the Key Learning Area where students develop knowledge, skills and understandings about English language and literature. The students will be actively engaged in the development of skills through:

This term in English, Year 5 will: 

• Write Better Sentences - Simple, Compound and Complex

• Investigate a mentor sentence each week

• Use spelling strategies where we recognise the sounds in unknown words and implement our knowledge of graphemes to spell them correctly

• Recognise how authors develop characters in their writing and use these strategies in our own writing

In this unit, students will further develop their understanding of how a sentence is formed and how to link more than one sentence in a text to produce a description of a character. Students will focus on a grammar perspective with the use of nouns, adjectives, descriptive language, verbs (past and present) and time connectives. Students will also continue to develop their use of reading cues and punctuation to enhance fluency when reading.

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING in ENGLISH

An essential component of Mathematics is the development of students’ ability to Work Mathematically. This includes the skills of Communicating, Problem Solving, Reasoning, Understanding and Fluency. 

Students’ ability to work mathematically is development through the achievement of outcomes and working with content of the Mathematics K-6 Syllabus. Content is organised within the following content strands: 

This term in Mathematics, Year 5 will learn about:

Data- collecting and displaying information. 

Fractions and decimals - compare and order fractions and locate on a number line.

Length and perimeter - understanding of appropriate units of measurements and Calculating perimeters of rectangles. 

Multiplication - solve problems involving multiplication of large numbers by one or two digit numbers.

2D shapes - Classify two-dimensional shapes and describe their features.

Volume and capacity - Learn to choose appropriate units of measurement. 

Open ended math problem solving challenges.

SUPPORTING YOUR CHILD’S LEARNING in MATHEMATICS

Relate maths to real life

Talk to your child about how you use maths everyday so they can see how the maths they’re learning at school relates to real life. For example, explore how you use fractions in cooking, percentages while shopping, distance in driving, keeping score in sports games and telling the time.

Discover the beauty of Maths

What shape can be made by unfolding a carton? How many apples can be packed into the fruit tray? What shape is that box? How do you draw a circle with a piece of rope? Next, explore mathematics in nature, music, visual arts, music and architecture.

The objectives and outcomes of the Geography Syllabus are based on courses of study across Kindergarten to Year 6. The organisation of content for the stages in primary school is as follows:

This term in Geography, Year 5 will:

Investigate distinctive and well-known features of the Australian environment to determine why they became national landmarks. We will learn about both natural and built landmarks. Students will also learn and consolidate mapping skills, planning a mock journey around Australia.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The outcomes and content in the Science and Technology Syllabus are organised in the following strands and substrands:

This term in Science & Technology, Year 5 will:

In this unit Space and Planets Around Us, students will explore the solar system and space.  They will develop an understanding of the 8 planets and other celestial objects in the Solar System and beyond.  Students will investigate cultural appreciation of the night sky and how this is viewed beyond Western contexts.

The Creative Arts K-6 Syllabus is organised within the following strands: 

This term in Creative Arts, Year 5 will:

Year 5 will be exploring different music genres - pop, rock, jazz, classical, reggae, country and disco.  They will be listening to and analysing examples of each of these genres using the musical concepts of dynamics, pitch, tone / colour, structure and duration to identify features that are prevalent to that style. Towards the end of the term they will be investigating and using the GarageBand app to create their own song.

Students at Good Samaritan have Physical Education/Sport each week. All students participate in the School Athletics and Cross Country Carnivals. Eligible students participate in the Swimming Carnival. After these carnivals squads are chosen to represent the School at Regional and Diocesan Carnivals. Students can then be selected to compete at MacKillop and State levels. Good Samaritan has a clear policy regarding student participation in sporting gala days and representation at competitive sports. Parents are asked to become familiar with this policy. 

This term in PDHPE, Year 5 will learn about:

Personal Development and Health

PB4L Classroom expectations

• We are learning to be good listeners so that we are successful in our learning.
• We are learning the best way to communicate with our peers in a group. 
• We are learning to work respectfully with a partner.
• We are learning to recognise and use non-verbal communication.
• We are learning the best way to communicate with teachers / adults
• We are learning to recognise and use effective and safe strategies when we are faced with a challenge. 

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Through out the year, students will participate in a variety of games and activities developing these skills: 

• Static Balance
• Sprint Run
• Vertical Jump
• Catching
• Hop
• Side Gallop
• Skip
• Overarm Throw

In Term 1, we will work on skills involving striking and catching, using these skills to play cricket and hockey.

There will be no regular, set homework, but students should be reading regularly. Regular reading often helps students with their spelling and writing skills.

Google Classroom will be used to post a great deal of set work and this can be accessed at home when required, to complete any unfinished work or for students to share some of their learning with you. Students will also use Google Classroom to upload some of their work. Google Classroom is a closed group, meaning only enrolled students can access it, but please feel free to ask your child to show you what they have been doing - we will also be encouraging the students to show you.

There may also be times when research tasks are set and students may engage in some of this work at home.

• Where possible, arrive at school on time by 8:45am as it helps the children settle into the day.

• Ask your child to share some of their learning with you - Google Classroom.

Please support your child to be Ready to Learn each day by ensuring he/she has the following:

• In class requirements - pens, pencils, ruler, fully charged iPad, headphones, munch and crunch, a reading book.
• Correct uniform, school hat, lunch and drink bottle.

•  Year 5 students are encouraged to choose positive behaviours simply because they are the right thing to do. In saying this, they will also be rewarded for making positive behaviour choices in a variety of ways.

• Students will each have a reward card that once a pre determined number of rewards have been reached they can choose from a variety of pre-discussed rewards.

• Focus for the term - Love of Learning 

UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS

All students are expected to be neatly dressed in their school uniform or sports uniform each day. Classroom teachers will monitor the wearing of the uniform on a day-to-day basis and inappropriate dress will be brought to the attention of the student and, where necessary, parents. 

This term students are to wear the correct Summer/Winter uniform.

GOOD SAMARITAN CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL UNIFORM

Students are also expected to wear the correct Sports Uniform on sports days:

ALL ITEMS OF UNIFORM MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED WITH THE CHILD’S NAME

Ongoing communication between school and home is essential. The school aims to work in partnership with the home and recognises that parents wish to be informed of any problems. Likewise, there is a need for parents to keep the school informed of any events that may impact on the life of their child at school.

Through this mutual communication we aim to provide a safe and supportive environment for your child.

1. If you have any educational/behaviour concerns about your child always contact your child’s classroom teacher in the first instance. Your child’s classroom teacher will always make contact with you if they have any concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. 
2. Grades and classes across the school are supported by Middle Leaders. You are welcome to contact the Middle Leader/s responsible for your child’s class/grade if you have continued concerns regarding your child’s education or behaviour. The Middle Leaders will also contact you when and if necessary.

Middle Leaders 2021

3. If the issue remains unresolved beyond the Middle Leader then please address your concern/s to the Assistant Principal or the Principal. 

4.Parents may contact teachers by email via the school office (info@gsfmdow.catholic.edu.au) but are asked to understand that a response may not be immediate and certainly cannot be expected beyond the regular hours of the school day or week. 

At Good Samaritan, we believe it is important to speak with parents either in a face-to-face meeting or over the phone when responding to emails that may be of a sensitive nature or, that may require a lengthy response. Therefore, the email response you receive may be of a generic nature. 

5.Parents are asked to understand that teachers primary responsibility throughout the school day is towards the students. Therefore, teachers are unable to engage in discussion when they are in direct supervision of students.

For any absence the school must receive notification of the reason for the absence within 7 days of the return to school. This applies for partial absences as well as whole day absences. Please supply the reason via Compass. In the event that a notification is not supplied the absence will be recorded as Unjustified/Unexplained.

• No Grade Liturgies this term

• Monday 8th February: St Mary’s and Edmund Rice College representatives visiting
• Week 3 - Internet safety week activities week 3 (IPads are now able to come to school)
• Friday 12th February: Opening School Mass 
• Wednesday 17th February: Ash Wednesday 
• Friday 19th February: swimming trials (competitors only)