8 Sep 2017

Yr6 Curriculum Update – 08/09/17

Working together to achieve success for every child

 

 

Dear Y6 parents

Following the feedback we have received via the online survey to parents and the discussions we have had as a staff we will be providing the ‘Curriculum Update’ fortnightly on a Friday for 2017/18. This ensures we can share meaningful reflections with parents regarding the learning that has occurred over the last fortnight, signal upcoming events and activities and provide support for home school links.

The Y6 students are really starting to settle into their learning routines and many are aware of the opportunities they have as Year 6 Leaders. This week each class will be meeting their Y1 buddy class and spending time chatting and eating snack together. In the next few weeks the students will be considering trying out for the school council.  We really are excited about what the 2017/18 Y6 students will contribute to KJS and are already seeing evidence of their positive role modelling.

 

 

Unit of Inquiry

This week we started a new unit under the transdisciplinary theme of Where we are in Place and Time.

Our Central Idea is: Conserving heritage enables people to appreciate the past

Over the next 5 weeks we will be inquiring into:

 

  • Heritage,and how it is identified (reflection)
  • How values influence what is worth conserving (perspective)
  • How heritage connects us (connection)

 

Students started the week with a ‘Chalk Talk’ to get them thinking about the different skills we will use, concepts and central idea. As a class we defined what the word ‘heritage’ means and next week we will be finding out what ‘heritage’ means to individual students.  Students will be asked to bring in an item (or photograph of an item) that represents their own family heritage to share with the class and explain the criteria for how it represents their heritage. Other students will have an opportunity to question and debate whether the items can or can’t be considered heritage.

We enjoyed a visit from UNICEF who shared a presentation about the 17 GLOBAL GOALS. We will be finding out more about the goals throughout the year and they will be the basis for the Y6 Exhibition in Term 3. You can find out more about the goals here  http://www.globalgoals.org/

 

 

English

In reading we have been continuing with the comprehension strategy – Monitoring Comprehension. Listening to our inner voice as we read helps us ask questions, make connections, react and also determine what is new learning. We have discussed what happens when meaning breaks down – what causes us to be distracted from the text and how to get us back on track and concentrating. Ask your child what types of things their inner voice is telling them after they have read.

In writing we have continued identifying the structure and language features of persuasive texts – expositions and discussions. There have been some pretty interesting debates with topics like “Y6 students are incapable of making informed choices about their well-being”, “Should students wear school uniforms?” and “Should mobile phones be allowed in school?”. The students have shown respect in raising a counter argument by using correct debating language.

 

Investigating words that have i and e in them to come up with some rules.

 

Maths

In Maths we have looked at work by Professor Bo Boaler at Stanford University. The idea that no-one has a ‘maths brain’ and that the most important thing is to BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! We have watched videos on what happens in your brain when mistakes are made and have realized the importance of making mistakes so that your brain can grow. We have been looking through the conceptual lens of ‘Function’ to show our understanding of how the base 10 system works. Under the central idea of ‘The base 10 place value system extends infinitely in two directions’ the students have demonstrated their ability to work with very large numbers, decimals and negative numbers. In order to improve mathematical fluency, we have focused on multiplying and dividing any number by 10,100,1000 and explaining the effect. The students are strongly encouraged to spend time using SUMDOG regularly to continue with their personal fluency.

 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Friday 22nd September KJS Lantern Festival

Transition to Y7  – please remember to submit your application – from:

Monday 4 September- Friday 15 September 2017