It’s been a very busy start to the year for Year 6 Blue. The class has settled in well and has worked collaboratively to establish clear rules and expectations in class. The students are now busy with their daily learning and are making very pleasing progress. The students in 6 Blue have had a number of opportunities to demonstrate their leadership skills at carnivals, assemblies and in the interactions with their kinder buddies. They have done a fantastic job helping their buddies settle in and feel welcome and safe at school. 

Religion
We have just finished a unit on the history of the Catholic Church in the early years of settlement. During this unit Year 6 learned about how Catholics had been persecuted in England prior to settling in Australia. They learned about some of the early missionaries who spread the faith throughout Australia. We have recently begun our learning about the season of Lent.

English
In Year 6 Blue, we start our days off with Spelling Mastery. We all head off to our groups and participate in the intensive spelling lessons. After this we come back together for reading. The next activity is usually our daily review. During our daily review we revise spelling conventions, grammar, sentence structures, vocabulary and much more. Quite often we create some fantastic sentences as a part of our vocabulary studies.

We have been focussing on persuasive writing and Year 6 Blue have become very competent at convincing others to agree with their opinions. Sorry parents if they have been using these newly acquired skills to squeeze you for more pocket money etc.

Maths
In Mathematics this term our explicit lessons and daily review sessions have included comparing fractions and creating common denominators, multiplying numbers with decimals, order of operations equations, perimeter and solving division algorithms with fractions and decimals instead of a remainder.

We also spend time each week completing Maths Pathways modules online. This is a fantastic opportunity for the students to consolidate on previous learning and learn the next skill for a variety of concepts at an individual level. It has enabled many students to extend their learning and others to catch up.

Science
In the biological science unit we are currently studying, the students have investigated how physical conditions of the environment affect the survival of living things. We have Investigated organisms that live in extreme environments.We have learned that changes in physical conditions affect the behaviour and survival of living things, including animals that migrate or hibernate and mould growth. We have just begun an experiment to see how different water quality affects seed growth.

Art
Each Wednesday the class has been doing art with Mrs Wendy Hacket. They have been doing some great work in their sketchbooks.

PDHPE
On Wednesday afternoons Mr Paul Hill has been teaching Year 6 a drug education unit. The students have been very engaged. They have also been playing a number of games focussed around teamwork. Over the last couple of weeks they have also been preparing for the Cross Country Carnival.

Mr Matthew Harpley
6 Blue Teacher