Length:

10 months

Subjects:

Module Names:

Modules 10-20

Equivalent school years

Australian years 5 / New Zealand year 6

Maths

Fractions are revisited this year and then extended into decimals and early percentages. The four processes are again consolidated, but this time with larger numbers up to 1,000,000. By now the students are confident and comfortable solving varied multi-step equations and can apply the necessary steps and techniques to find the answer. They move between multiple strategies using the one that best suits the problem. The beginning of statistics introducing data collection, tables and diagrams occurs as does the next level of geometry and mapping. There is considerable work in switching between whole and part numbers and inverse operations to check answers.

English

There is a focus now to utilise research based books to provide detailed content and information to support the learning in class. The student is now confident in forming independent writing that is grammatically correct, is formed into a variety of sentences structures and paragraphs and is spelled correctly the majority of the time. Planning is now a major part of the writing prior to beginning the task and ideas are grouped and researched according to relevance. They are comfortable using direct, indirect and reported speech and can write with an increasing breadth and content on a wider range of topics.

The Arts

As with previous years, there is a continuation of all the arts in every subject. The students continue to draw, paint and sculpt images from the stories told. This year has a large ancient history component and there are ample opportunities to explore the forms and structures from the different epochs (India, Egypt, Persia, Greece and Rome). Music continues to progress, with the students beginning to add harmonies to the songs to overlay the melodies. Written music theory continues with the emphasis on songs becoming more complex. Drama and the recitation of long poems committed to memory and containing unfamiliar vocabulary is continued.

Science

Botany is the main focus this year. The last of the natural phenomena to be studied deeply before the physical phenomena of physics and chemistry are introduced next year. The plant world and its connection to humans and the life force of the earth are themes running through this year. The water cycles, and cycles of photosynthesis along with an introduction to astronomy will lead into geology. The connections between the plant and animal worlds and the similarities in life cycles and habitat requirements are also a part of this years science. The continuation of observation skills along with questioning and investigating is a key focus.

Technology

The students are now able to conceptualise an idea, plan it out, source the required resources and undertake a project from beginning to end with little or no assistance. They have the skills to handle a variety of tools (scissors, knives, measuring implements, handworking tools) and can work with a range of resources (wood, paper, metal, clay, fabric). They can now apply these skills to construct detailed projects to reflect their learning and present it to a high standard of completion within a reasonable time frame.