North Melbourne Primary School

Teaching Team

Term 2 Curriculum Overview

Welcome back to Term 2, 2024!

We hope you had a wonderful break and are ready for the busy, upcoming school term . We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead supporting our students to reach their full potential in their last year at North Melbourne Primary School.

You are always welcome to meet with a Year 6 member of staff should you have any concerns or queries throughout the year. Please contact us in order to organise a mutually convenient time to meet. 

High School Transition 

Early this term, we will send home the high school transition packs and application forms with your child.

What you need to do:

1. Read the transition information pack that your child will be given.
2. Look at the timeline for important dates (in the transition pack).
3. Locate your designated neighbourhood school or preferred secondary schools using https://www.findmyschool.vic.gov.au
4. Complete the Application for Year 7 Placement form and return to your primary school by by Friday 10 May 2024
5. If your child will be attending a private school, please inform Kristen Pepyat, the NMPS transition coordinator, the name of the school and if your child has a confirmed place.
6. Families will receive the high school placement letter from NMPS in Term 3.

Term 2 Curriculum
Our expectations, as per our class agreement, will be re-established this term, to quickly reorient students to effective learning routines. We will continue our Morning Circles and weekly Wellbeing lessons to support the needs of our cohort. 

In Writing, students will delve into a comprehensive exploration of language and communication skills. They’ll dive into a range of key areas, from mastering spelling strategies for complex words to crafting a personal voice that captivates readers through thoughtful choices. They’ll also harness the power of direct word choices to infuse their writing with depth and emotion, while honing their sentence craft through techniques like pacing, imagery, and varied structures. This ensures their writing resonates deeply with its audience. Through writing workshops, literature discussions, creative projects, and peer feedback sessions, students will refine their ability to express themselves clearly, creatively, and persuasively.

In Reading, students will be working on understanding texts more deeply through analysis and in-depth and thoughtful response. Students will continue to engage in Literature Circle groups, applying their depth of comprehension skills and strategies to discussions and further the learning of themselves and others within their group.

The focus for term two will be on:

• Purpose, Audience, and Organisation: This means analysing and explaining how authors use text structures, language features, imagery, and vocabulary to influence readers and achieve particular purposes.
• Making Connections: Students will identify, describe, and evaluate characteristics that define an author’s individual style through mentor texts and shared texts within Literature Circles.
• Predicting and Prior Knowledge: Using multiple sources of information, students will justify, confirm, disprove and revise predictions.

In Mathematics, the key focus will be on further developing students skills in Number, beginning with Multiplication and Division strategies for mental computation and problem solving. They will learn how to multiply and divide decimals by multiples of powers of 10 without relying on a calculator, honing their understanding of place value and mastering multiplication facts. Moreover, students will apply estimation techniques and rounding strategies to verify the reasonableness of their answers, fostering a comprehensive approach to mathematical problem-solving.

Furthermore, students will explore the properties of numbers, distinguishing between prime numbers, composite numbers, square numbers, and triangular numbers. They will grasp the unique characteristics of each type of number and leverage this knowledge to solve problems and streamline calculations effectively. By identifying and describing these properties, students will develop a deeper appreciation for the underlying patterns and structures within the realm of numbers.

We will continue using Maths Pathway. This is an online platform where students learn Mathematical concepts through different modules based on the Victorian Curriculum. Students will need to continue bringing in headphones for Maths Pathway, so please ensure your child has access to them. Additionally, be aware if students do not complete the allocated modules, this will become homework.

In Inquiry or OLA’S, students this term will be engaging in a multicultural investigation looking at significant Aboriginal voices and diverse Australian perspectives in our History unit of work. This area will also be embedded within our Literacy unit this term.

Homework expectations

If students are unable to complete tasks in Maths Pathway, we will ask them to complete their modules at home to be up to date with their work so as to not fall behind. Students also have the option to work on further modules if they so choose at home.

Reminder– Phones and Smart Watch Policy

In line with our school’s ICT agreement, students who have smart watches/phones will have them stored by teachers during the hours of 8:45am – 3:15pm. This is per the Department of Education policy. If you do need to communicate with your child during the day please contact the Front Office.

Warm Regards, 

Kristine, Kim, Kristen, Liz, Brad and Isaac

The Grade 6 Teaching Team