TERM Three, 2013

Term 3 will be another exciting and

busy term for the students of Level 4.

There are a number of extra-curricular

highlights for the students, including

camps for both the Year 5 and Year 6

students, interschool sport for the Year

6 students and the biannual school

concert.

Read on to find out about the exciting things

we have planned for Term 2, 2013.

In this issue

Important Dates p2

Curriculum Overview

Inquiry p3

Numeracy p4

Literacy p5

Homework p6

Technology p7

ChildFund Connect p8

Student Leadership p9

School Camps p9

Level 4 Refurbishment

During the term break holidays continuing

refurbishments were made to the Level 4

classrooms and learning spaces.

The final refurbishment occurred in 5SR and

the students happily returned from their term

break to find their classroom transformed into

a brand new and brightly furnished learning

space.

The next stage of refurbishment will be taking

place outside the Level 4 classrooms, with

improvements being made to the hallway,

including bag boxes, display shelves for

student models and storage being added to the

hallway.

During each term break we are scheduled to

continue making further renovations, as part of

our commitment to improve the learning

facilities of our wonderful school.

Level 4 Newsletter Term Three July 2013 www.glenps.vic.edu.au

2

Important

Diary Dates Level 4

Term Three 2013

As part of the Level 4 Shared Student Calendar, these dates will

automatically appear on each student’s iPad.

Date Event

Friday 14th July Year 6 Soccer Round Robin

Thursday 15th July- Friday 16th July Basketball Clinics

Monday 29th July- Tuesday 30th July Child Fund Connect Visit

Wednesday 31st July UNSW English Exam Parent Information Session for Year 6 Puberty Education

Friday 2nd August Year 5 and 6 Netball Clinic

Monday 5th August Year 5 Camp Information Evening

Wednesday 7th August, Friday 9th August and Monday 12th

August

Year 6 Puberty Sessions

Tuesday 12th August UNSW Mathematics Exam

Wednesday 13th August JSC Lunchtime Movies 1.45pm

Friday 16th August Year 6 Winter Round Robin

Monday 19th August Michael Ymer Mathematics Information Session for Par-ents. Book Week Dress Up Day

Friday 23rd August Curriculum Day

Tuesday 27th- Friday 30th August Year 5 Camp to Cave Hill Creek

Wednesday 28th August Year 6 Camp Parent Information Session

Thursday 29th August Year 6 Melbourne Heart Visit

Wednesday 4th September Year 6 Leadership day at Glendal P.S (for all leaders in year

Thursday 5th September Bike Ed Test Year 5 and 6 Melbourne Heart Visit

Friday 6th September Father’s Day Stall Year 6 Basketball Round Robin

Monday 9th September Dress Rehearsal at GWPS for School Concert

Tuesday 10th September Full Day Rehearsal at Crossways for School Concert School Concert ‘Everybody Dance Now’

Thursday September 12th Year 5 and 6 Melbourne Heart Visit

Friday 13th September Level 4 Assembly

Monday 16th September – Friday 20th September Year 6 Camp

Friday 20th September Last Day of Term 3- 2.30pm finish

3

Media, Marketing and My World

A unit about modern consumerism

and advertising effects on children.

The Level 4 Inquiry unit in Term 2 is titled “Media, Marketing and My World”. In our everyday lives, we are surrounded by various types of media and we are constantly bombarded with advertising. This unit encourages students to observe and examine the impact of media and mar-keting in our lives. Students will also compare how products are adver-tised in different countries, which will help them un-derstand to the im-portance of marketing to the appropriate demo-graphic.

As part of the Tuning-In, students have researched different brands and logos. They have discussed the importance of effective packaging and how it can influence consumers. Stu-dents applied their under-standings to design their own packaging for a prod-uct. Students will learn about how their actions as a con-sumers influence compa-nies’ decisions to make and sell products. They will also learn how to promote ethical consumerism.

Inquiry Learning

4

Learning

through

investigations

Numeracy Beginning in 2013 an Australian National Curriculum is being implemented in the area of Mathematics

(Numeracy). The Mathematics Curriculum is divided into three major content strands, being:

- Number and Algebra - Measurement and Geometry - Statistics and Probability

At Level 4 the teaching of Mathematics is divided into focus areas, which are explicitly taught within the class-

room over number of interconnected sessions. At the conclusion of the explicit teaching the students are giv-

en the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to a series of research investigations.

Focus

Year 5 Year 6

Focus 1 What is smaller than one? Looking at dif-

ferent ways to make up one (eg: fractions,

Fractions, ratios and their relationships with deci-

mals and percentages.

Focus 2 Prime numbers, composite numbers and de-

nominators

Decimals and the four operations

Focus 3 Different types of fractions- mixed, prop-

er and improper

Fractions and the four operations

Focus 4 Adding and subtracting fractions- like and

unlike

Percentage discounts and advertising- is it really a

good bargain

Focus 5 Percentage discounts and advertising- is it

really a good bargain

Algebra- an introduction to relevance

Focus 6 3D shapes and their properties 3D shapes and their properties

Focus 7 Shapes and lines in architecture and the

environment

Shapes and lines in architecture and the environ-

ment

Focus 8 Architectural drawing, scaling and mapping Architectural drawing, scaling and mapping

Focus 9 Research Project: Town Planning Challenge Research Project: Town Planning Challenge

Revision and Throughout the term. Throughout the term.

5

Narrative Writing and Reading Comprehension

Literacy

Our literacy program at Glen Waverley Primary School is centred around the Australian Curriculum, current research and most im-

portantly the individual student’s needs. To ensure teaching and learning is effective, recently the staff of G.W.P.S have undergone

professional learning in the area of good literacy practice. Armed with the knowledge and skills taught in these session the Level 4

Team have enthusiastically planned the Term 3 literacy program.

In Level 4 the students are involved in a daily literacy block in which they undergo a series of activities which target their personal-

ised goals. This block is broken into a reading and a writing session. During these sessions we focus on a range of areas each week

including, reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation, handwriting and speaking and listening. Below is a breakdown of Term 3

Reading in Level 4, which is explicitly taught in every classroom each week:

In Writing, all Level 4 students are focusing on the narrative genre in Term 3. In Year 5, students are immersed in the world of super-

heros as they create their superhero narratives. While in Year 6, students are delving into fairy-tales as they develop their own crea-

tive fairy-tale stories. Through writing narratives students not only have the opportunity for their wonderful imaginations to flour-

ish, they also develop key writing skills. These include creativity and an understanding of language, sequence and structure. At the

commencement of the unit students will have their very own books to share with their buddies, family and friends.

To ensure the highest standard of writing in Level 4, the students are expressly taught the “Five Steps of Writing”.

Week Reading Focus CAFE Focus Spelling Grammar & Punctuation Week 1 Making Predictions

Make and adjust predictions; use text to confirm (C) Voracious Reading (F)

Silent letters Capitalisation and end of sen-

tence punctuation.

Week 2 Summarising

Recognize literacy elements (genre, plot, character, setting, problem/resolution, theme) (C) Summarize text; include sequence of main events (C)

‘qu’ and ‘que’ blend Commas – different uses

Contractions – adding apostro-

phe to nouns ending in ‘s’

Week 3 Understanding Sequence

Ask questions throughout the reading process (C) Use word parts to determine the meaning of words (prefixes, suffixes, origins, abbreviations, etc.) (E)

Word elements; mono,

multi, omni, poly. Dialogue – quotation marks and

titles

Week 4 Recalling Facts and Details

Use prior knowledge and context to predict and confirm meaning (E) Use the pictures . . . Do the words and pictures match? (A)

Suffixes: -ment, -dom Using ‘a’ and ‘an’ correctly

Week 5 Text to Text Text to Self

Text to World

Adjust and apply different reading rates to match text (F) Check for Understanding (C)

Modern Terminology Nouns and adjectives (adding

detail)

Week 6 COMPARING and Contrasting

Compare and contrast within and between text (C) Use punctuation to enhance phrasing and prosody (end marks, commas, etc.)(F)

Suffixes: –ship, -hood Verbs (interesting words)

Week 7 Interpreting Figurative Language

Use pictures, illustrations, and diagrams (E) Blend sounds; stretch and reread (A)

‘sce’ and ‘sci’ words Pronouns (pronoun-verb agree-

ment)

Week 8 Distinguishing between Fact and Opinion

Infer and support with evidence (C) Use dictionaries, thesauruses, and glossaries as tools (E)

Antonyms Writing numbers, colons, bullet

points and semi-colons

(professional writing)

Week 9 Finding Word Meaning in Context

Trade a word/guess a word that makes sense (A) Ask someone to define the word for you (E)

Plurals (unusual – foci)

Week 10 Recognising Cause and Effect

Recognize and explain cause-and-effect relationships (C) Practice common sight words and high-frequency words (F)

Prefixes mis- and dis-

6

Homework

Structure, Expectations and Reasoning

At Level 4 all students receive weekly homework.

The homework is handed to the students each Friday and is due back to school on the following

Friday.

Each weekly set of homework contains a variety of tasks, all of which the students are expected

to complete throughout the week.

The tasks are designed to be open-ended, providing opportunities for the students to work

independently and in conjunction with family members.

The students are given seven nights to complete each weekly set of homework in order to them

the opportunity to manage their time and participate in their chosen number of extra-curricular

activities. In preparation for secondary school, the students are required to develop their organi-

sation skills and effectively manage their own time.

Should you have any questions

regarding the format of the

homework, please speak to your

child’s teacher.

Pictured: A sample week of the Level 4 homework format

7

Multimedia and the 1:1 iPad Program

Information and Communication

Technology

During Term 2, Glen Waverley Primary School students extended their understanding of how to use media to present and supplement their work. As

their confidence continues to grow, the teachers are seeing that students are becoming more innovative with their approaches to school work and tech-

nology.

The Change Detectives Inquiry Unit yielded an incredible variety of ICT integration in conjunction with more traditional forms of work. Some students

went so far as to place QR codes on their posters which directed their audience to further information, resources and references.

Term 3 goals see students experiencing more of what the 21st Century classroom has to offer.

Term 3 will see students utilising a range of ICT to create, collaborate and communicate with their classmates and teachers. We will achieve this through

a variety of ICT resources.

It is with great excitement that we announce that the trial Moodle site has been completed. This is a major achievement for the teachers and students

and has put our school at the forefront of Educational Technology. Moodle is an online learning management system that will allow for a great deal of

collaboration between teachers, students and the parent community. Moodle is currently being used by institutions such as Monash and La Trobe Uni-

versities.

While teachers and students are in email contact, we are limited by file size attachments. The Moodle site will allow us to upload a range of media and

activities for the students without having to worry about file sizes and email servers. It will also allow for safer collaboration, communication and creativ-

ity amongst students, teachers and the parent community.

We are fortunate enough to have a parent who is passionate and extremely gifted at setting up Moodle for educational institutions. Without the help,

support and guidance of this parent, we would not be able to be at the forefront of this leading technology!

In addition to that, we will continue expanding our student’s understanding of a variety of ICT resources. One such resource is the website Prezi. This

popular presentation resource allows users to create intuitive, engaging and creative work which they can share with their peers. The teachers will help

students create a Prezi education account.

The 21st Century classroom is an exciting place to be. It’s engaging, fast moving and vastly adaptive. We are very lucky to be in an environment that em-

braces and supports this type of learning.

Goal

How will it improve my learning

To begin utilising our Moodle website for the creation of digital work and the maintenance of seamless online communication between teachers and students. (More on Moodle below)

It will allow students to seamlessly receive, share and comment on work that has been completed by their peers. It will promote digital safety and awareness for students.

To use the WebDAV server in conjunction with iPads and Moodle to send, receive and edit documents.

Not only will his have a positive environmental impact, but it will allow students to directly edit the work of their teachers or peers. It will pro-mote communication and collaboration across classrooms.

Work in collaboration with Glen Waverley Secondary College students on a Maths Investigation.

This will provide our students with the opportunity to liaise with peers from the Secondary College. It will further develop their communication skills and give them a chance to collaborate with older peers.

Using the Socrative App in class to gauge students responses to a range of real world issues.

The Socrative App is a student response system that will allow teachers to engage their classrooms through the use of educational exercises and games.

8

An AusAid Initiative in partnership with the

Australia Government and Child Fund

Australia

ChildFund Connect

Connecting Children From Around the World Through Multimedia

During term 2, Students in Year 6 participated in the in the ChildFund Connect Program. They completed docu-mentaries which illustrate an aspect of Australian life and culture. These stories where then translated and shared with our partner schools in Vietnam and Timor-Leste. Kelly and Raul, Program Coordinators from ChildFund Connect, visited the students on the 29th of July. They share with the students the videos from our partner schools in Hop Thanh, Vietnam and Timor- Leste. Students where excited to see videos and were interested in comparing the similar and differences to their own experi-ences. We were also fortunate to make a Skype call to the partner schools’ teachers of the ChildFund program. Students we able to ask any questions they had about the videos and some feedback about the response they received from the students in Vietnam and Timor-Leste. Our next exciting project is creating an entry for the ChildFund connect film festival. This project is optional and will require extra commitments outside of school. Students who are involved in this project have started writing their script and filming. We hope to have a Glen Waverley Film festival to share the videos. Students will also vote for the best video to enter in the ChildFund Film Festival.

Students from 6LT and 56K watching videos from their partner

school in Vietnam.

9

Student Leadership at Level 4

On Thursday 27th June, GWPS held the second of our Leadership Days with Mount View and Glendal Primary Schools. Starting with a school tour, the students toured our wonderful school and viewed our excellent facilities. The students then participated in a hands on Tower Building Group Challenge which was the highlight of the day for some students. After recess, students sat with their own school where they planned their "Project for Change". GWPS leaders decided that their project would be to paint a mural outside the library that celebrates reading and learning from books. The student leaders are cur-rently underway with the help of Mr Hudson in beginning this fabulous project.

We were also privileged to have a talk from a story scriptwriter, Shaun Topp, who spoke to the stu-dents about working towards your dreams and inspirations while also identifying some of the exciting things about his work which includes writing storylines for 'Neighbours', 'Home and Away' and 'Dance Academy'.

After we shared a pizza lunch, students socialised and networked at lunchtime. We finished the day by sharing our project ideas. Our next Leadership Day will be held at Glendal Primary School towards the end of Term 3 with information sent home soon.

Year 5 Camp

Year 5 Camp is fast approaching!! The camp will be held at Cave Hill Creek, Beaufort from Tuesday 27th August-Friday 30th August. The camp is an opportunity for students to experience adventure ac-tivities, such as canoeing, archery rock climbing and bush cooking.

Year 6 Camp

Year 6 Camp to Maldon is not far away! Leaving on Monday 16th September and returning on Friday 20th September, students will have five jam-packed days filled with bike riding, mountain climbing, yab-bying, damper making, a steam train ride and a visit to the Maldon Lolly shop! Its a very exciting time and a Parent Information Evening will be held on Wednesday28th August in the staffroom at 6.30pm. Hope to see you there!