X-factor - resilience

Last night I happened to see a girl called Gemma Thorpe on The X-Factor. I thought her story was such a positive message to the boys. She had a horrible condition that paralysed the left hand side of her face and as a result her physio suggested she start singing to help her muscles. Even though she faced a horrible situation, it helped her learn that she loved singing. It really puts meaning to the saying "Every cloud has a silver lining". Below is the link to her video if you would like to watch it at home. I will be showing the boys this morning and we will have a chat about how she has shown skills from Aussie Optimism that the boys have learnt about last semester.

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/x-factor/video/watch/18254823/gemma-thorpe-not-ready-to-make-nice/

Spelling words for Term 3 and homework update

Due to a number of boys being absent, as well as enrichment boys and choir boys missing P5 today, I have had to delay our work on debates. Therefore I have told the boys they don't need to complete the research part of their writing homework. I have however asked each boy to find 5 interesting adjectives to describe the Swan River instead that we will discuss Friday.

ALL spelling words for ALL levels for this term can now be found by clicking on the link at the top of the blog which will take you to a specific page. This way it is easier for boys to review at home and find the words without having to search through all our diary dates updates. I will not be placing the spelling words on the diary dates anymore as of next week. I hope everyone finds this easier :)

The Daffodils

Today boys read and analysed a famous poem called "The Daffodils". Our class will be using this structure to write their own poems, with several verses, next week. Below is the poem if you would like to read it with, or have your child read it to you.

Daffodils

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

William Wordsworth

Poetry

As part of our writing program boys have been exploring different types of poetry. Boys have already written diamante poems about their holidays and haiku poems about the Swan River. They have also found a poem that appeals to them and explained why. Below are some poems we read as a class and the boys enjoyed reading. Many of the boys wanted to practice reading the "Twistable, Turnable Man" so I hope you are enjoy reading them :)

Twistable Turnable Man

He's the Twistable Turnable Squeezable Pullable
Stretchable Foldable Man.
He can crawl in your pocket or fit your locket
Or screw himself into a twenty-volt socket,
Or stretch himself up to the steeple or taller,
Or squeeze himself into a thimble or smaller,
Yes he can, course he can,
He's the Twistable Turnable Squeezable Pullable
Stretchable Shrinkable Man.
And he lives a passable life
With his Squeezable Lovable Kissable Hugable
Pullable Tugable Wife.
And they have two twistable kids
Who bend up the way that they did.
And they turn and they stretch
Just as much as they can
For this Bendable Foldable
Do-what-you're-toldable
Easily moldable
Buy-what you're-soldable
Washable Mendable
Highly Dependable
Buyable Saleable
Always available
Bounceable Shakeable
Almost unbreakable
Twistable Turnable Man

By Shel Silverstein

Poetry Month – Emily Dickinson’s “Bee! I’m Expecting You!”

Bee! I’m expecting you!
Was saying Yesterday
To Somebody you know
That you were due –
The Frogs got Home last Week –
Are settled, and at work –
Birds, mostly back –
The Clover warm and thick –
You’ll get my Letter by
The seventeenth; Reply
Or better, be with me –
Yours, Fly.

Daddy Fell into the Pond a poem by Alfred Noyes
		Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey. We had nothing to do and nothing to say. We were nearing the end of a dismal day, And then there seemed to be nothing beyond, Then Daddy fell into the pond! And everyone's face grew merry and bright, And Timothy danced for sheer delight. "Give me the camera, quick, oh quick! He's crawling out of the duckweed!" Click! Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee, And doubled up, shaking silently, And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft, And it sounded as if the old drake laughed. Oh, there wasn't a thing that didn't respond When Daddy Fell into the pond! Alfred Noyes

The Water Cycle

Last year all Year 5 students learnt about the water cycle. This year we are extending their understanding of water and focusing on different elements of the Swan River. Yesterday we reviewed the water cycle and made posters explaining how it works with particular vocabulary.

Here are the websites we used to help us make our posters:
http://earthguide.ucsd.edu/earthguide/diagrams/watercycle/

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html

http://www.sawater.com.au/SAWater/Education/OurWaterSystems/The+Water+Cycle.htm

Diary Dates Week 2 Term 3

MON - Sports training (Rugby and AFL), Library, Chapel

TUES - P.E, Red and Blue free for Anglicare (gold coin donation), Yahoos, Sports training (Hockey and Soccer)

WED - Art shirts, Chapel money, ICAS English competition

THURS - Father/Son matches for Interschool sport, Library, Senior Choir, Yahoos

FRI - Homework due, Founder's Day Assembly, desk checks, Spelling test, iPads for Music

HOMEWORK:
MATHS - Mental Maths Unit 16
ENGLISH - Research for debates (more information will be given next week)
SPELLING - Unit 21 (no extension booklet this week)
READING - Free choice signed in diary at least 4 nights


Spelling Unit 21: ar / a

List 1:
1. Clerk
2. Balm
3. plaster
4. fastened
5. masterful
6. parlour
7. parsley
8. heartily
9. monarch
10. millibar

List 2:
1. articulate
2. artificial
3. memoirs
4. sergeant
5. antarctic
6. participated
7. parliament
8. parliamentary
9. disheartened
10. argumentative

List 3:
1. archive
2. marginal
3. martyr
4. reservoir
5. aghast
6. marquee
7. tarpaulin
8. repertoire
9. archaic
10. gargantuan

Welcome back everyone!

Welcome back to Term 3 everyone! It is going to be another packed term. We have Week of the Arts, Debates, the Father Son Breakfast, Learning Journeys, Year 6 play, plus lots more coming up (all of which are in the Student Diary or will come up in the newsletters).

Don't forget that Winter sport only goes for part of the term before we start athletics. Training for athletics will be on a Tuesday afternoon as noted in the student diaries.

Our focus for this term will be the Swan River for Geography, Science and S&E. We will be investigating tributaries, looking at introduced species, learning about eutrophication, exploring the health of waterways, constructing water filters, writing poetry, investigating aboriginal names for rivers, mapping our waterways, investigating catchments, studying food chains and more. There are lots of really interesting, hands on activities coming up that I know the boys will just love!

Homework will start this week slowly with boys practising their automatic response skills for short addition, subtraction, multiplication and division in preparation for our review next week. Boys may use mathletics or get parents/friends/siblings to ask them questions. They will also be given an editing sheet today to complete as homework. We have been using these sheets last term to try practice our writing skills so all boys know how to complete the sheets. As always all boys are expected to be reading on top of their homework every night and homework will be due Friday.

*Our class novel won't be starting until around Week 5 of this term and boys will be given their own copy of the book again. Spelling words will be given to boys on Friday to start our first unit next week.

For English we are continuing our comprehension work looking at word meaning in context, drawing conclusions and making inferences, as well as distinguishing fact and opinion. We will be using STARS, guided reading, our class novel and other reading materials to consolidate these skills and review skills we have covered in previous terms.

In Writing we are looking at poetry to start with, before moving into debates. Students will be doing a lot of the work in the class for debates, but there will be expectations of them completing research for their team or completing their speeches at home if need be. This will be catered into their writing section of their homework and will not be on top as this will overload the boys. We will also be looking at writing another information report and explanation during Term 3 and 4.

*As part of debating three boys will be selected to form a team to debate against a team of three fathers after the special breakfast later in the term. If there are any Dads out there who may be interested please let me know as it will be first in best dressed. Our Father Son debate last year was absolutely hilarious and is always a hit with the boys.

In Maths boys will be continuing to look at measurement in greater detail (volume, capacity, conversions), explore 2D and 3D shapes, measure and draw angles, reading time and durations, exploring chance and data and revising basic number operations covered previously in the year.

On a personal note, it was so lovely to see all the boys smiling faces this morning. We have such a positive, friendly class and I know they all came up in the best possible attitudes today. A lot of boys also requested to know whether I was having a boy or girl this morning and the answer is.......... a boy! Thank you once again for all the kind comments, wishes and thoughts from parents and boys alike.

Let's have a fantastic term everyone!

Holidays

Well done to all boys on an exceptionally busy and hard working term. We covered a lot of information on the Vietnam War, Tsunamis, Earthquakes and Volcanoes. Next term we are integrating our Science and S&E units to focus on the Swan River, particularly the impact of introduced species and eutrophication.

During some weeks we will also have a visiting Prac Teacher, who I know will be welcomed whole heartedly by our class. I will also be finding out whether I have a boy or girl during the holidays, so I can't wait to share that news with all the boys when I return!

I hope everyone has a really relaxing break and I can't wait to see all the boys return refreshed in a few weeks. Remember to stay safe!

Mrs Geelhoed

Interschool cross country

A massive good luck to Ollie S, Fletch and Louis who will be competing in the Interschool Cross Country today. You have already achieved so much getting to this level boys! Have a great day and remember we will all be supporting and thinking of you from school.

Sport next term

Good morning everyone,
as most of you probably know from seeing the student diaries and newsletters, boys will recommence interschool Winter sport next term. This must be the same sport as we only play for the first 4 weeks of the term before changing to athletics. Training days will change slightly for the boys who had training on Mondays for winter sport once athletics begins. All athletics will be run after school on a Tuesday afternoon 3.20-4.20 starting from Week 5.

Remember we have NO extra curricula after school activities on the first and last week of the term so there will be no training in Week 1 when we return.