Dear Parents & Guardians,

Welcome to another fun filled year at Malmsbury Primary School. Thank you all for helping your
child/ren get back into the school routine so that they are ready to learn and with rebuilding the
connection between home and school (especially with diaries). This term has been about making
connections with all of our classmates and establishing an optimal learning environment for all
students.
Morning Routine
The first school bell goes at 8:55am. Students are expected to enter the classroom, put their purple
diary in the green tub, hand in any notes and sit on the floor ready to begin the day with the roll. This is
the time for students to transition from home to school mode.
Literacy
Malmsbury Primary School is a village of readers. During Term 1, reading in Grade 5/6 will focus intently
on teaching and reinforcing habits which build stamina and foster deeper engagement with literature.
Students will focus on developing their understanding of written text, focusing on interpreting visual
texts, making predictions, compare and contrast and using context clues.
A daily writing lesson will follow the 10am fruit break. This term students will explore and practise
several writers skills, with a particular focus on composing various types of narratives, writing different
styles such as scary/horror, adventure and humorous. Children will be free to choose their writing topics
on Fridays.
Maths
Maths sessions will begin at 11:30am most days of the week. Lessons are structured around
incorporating all six modes when covering a topic to ensure that all students are capable and
challenged by the topic. Part of this model is to work up to 10 minutes independently on tasks, these
tasks may be considered by your child as challenging. This provides us with a clear indication of what
each individual understands about the concept being taught. Maths concepts will be taught throughout
a variety of experiences: problem solving activities, picture story books, outdoor learning and work on
paper. Our focus areas for this term are using and manipulating decimals and fractions, and
investigating probability and chance.
History & Science
Students are thoroughly enjoying watching Australia: The Story Of Us at school. Student group up and
take notes on each episode, so that we can answer the quiz questions correctly (so far we have scored
an average of 10 out of 10). We were very excited when they showed a segment on Caroline Chisholm
in episode 2. Science lessons happen on a Friday morning, at the moment we are exploring the concept
of Gravity.
Weekly Homework
All students at Malmsbury PS are expected to complete some learning tasks at home each week. For
Grade 5/6 homework will be:
to read each night and record what they read in their diary
complete the World Facts question each week (in their diary)
complete questions or challenges that are set (which students record in their diaries)
complete weekly homework when it has been set (books will begin to come home shortly)
practise multiplication facts and number patterns
play chess, backgammon, snakes & ladders, yahtzee, battleship or other games which sharpen
up mathematical thinking.
use their Studyladder accounts (www.studyladder.com )
Important Dates
Monday 16th of March Responsible Pet Program
Thursday 19th of March Whole school excursion to the Castlemaine State Festival
Friday 17th of March End of Term 1 (2:30pm finish)
Contact
You
can
contact
me
via
email
on
mccormick.tara.l@edumail.vic.gov.au
or
tmccormick@malmsburyps.vic.edu.au. You can also call the school if you would like to have a

conversation over the phone or if you would like to make an appointment to have a face to face
conversation.
Timetable
Monday Australia: The Story Of Us
Tuesday Sport and French
Wednesday Library
Thursday Sport, Art and Music
Friday Science and Assembly
Every

Day
2 x Brain Food (Fruit cake doesnt count as fruit break, must be fruit and vegetables)
Purple Diary
Water Bottle
School Wide-brimmed hat