Exploring Slam Poetry in Reading and Writing

This term, our students has been having a great time exploring slam poetry in both reading and writing lessons. Slam poetry is a fun and lively style of poetry that’s all about expression and performance,  perfect for getting kids excited about language!

Reading: Checking Out Different Slam Poems

In reading, we looked at a range of slam poems, including some from Allen Solly’s kid-friendly poetry. These poems are easy to relate to and full of interesting sounds and images. We explored how poets use rhythm, rhyme and repetition to make their poems come alive.

We focused on:

• How slam poems are structured-  how the lines and stanzas are arranged.

• How poets use language to create mood and meaning.

• What the poems are about and how they make us feel.

Students practised summarising the main ideas and thinking about the feelings the poems created.

Writing: Creating Our Own Slam Poems

In writing, students used what they’d read to write their own slam poems. They came up with ideas from their own experiences and had a go at using different poetic techniques to make their poems interesting.

We worked on:

• Using vivid words to create images.

• Playing with rhythm and repetition to make the poem flow.

• Writing with feeling and voice to connect with the audience.

The students enjoyed having the freedom to express themselves in their own unique way.

This unit has helped students improve their reading skills like summarising and analysing, and their writing skills like developing ideas and using poetic devices. It’s been fantastic to see how enthusiastic they’ve been about poetry!

This term, we’ve been exploring area and perimeter, alongside improper fractions and mixed numbers.

In our work on area and perimeter, students practised adding all the sides of different shapes to find the perimeter, and multiplying length by width to calculate area. We also dug into the connection between area and perimeter, discovering how changing one can affect the other- a great way to understand shapes more deeply.

For fractions, we focused on converting improper fractions (where the top number is bigger than the bottom) into mixed numbers (a whole number plus a fraction), and switching mixed numbers back to improper fractions. Using number lines to show mixed numbers visually really helped make these concepts clear.

We also spent time comparing fractions and looking at their positions on the number line, which boosted students’ number sense and confidence. These lessons have built solid skills in measurement and fractions, helping students see how numbers and shapes relate to each other in everyday maths.

Learning About Governments and Their Members

This term, our class has been exploring the three levels of government in Australia- local, state, and federal, and learning about their roles and the people who represent us.

We started by discussing what government does and why it’s important. Then, we looked closely at the members of each government:

• Federal Government — who the Prime Minister, senators, and members of parliament are.

• State Government — the Premier, state MPs, and their responsibilities.

• Local Government — councillors and what they do in our community.

Students used online tools and websites to find information about their own representatives at each level. This helped make the connection real and relevant.

Through group work and discussions, students gained a better understanding of how governments work and who makes decisions that affect our daily lives.

This CBL unit has built students’ knowledge of civics, while also boosting research, teamwork, and critical thinking skills.

This term in Personal and Social learning, we’ve been focusing on diversity,  understanding and respecting how everyone is different. Through class discussions and activities, students explored different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. This helped build a caring and inclusive classroom where everyone feels valued and accepted. It’s been great to see students sharing their own stories and learning from each other.

Alongside this, each student has their own journal that they use every day. They can write or draw about how they feel, what’s on their mind, or anything they want to express. To make journaling more fun, we gave them colourful pens, highlighters, and other stationery. This daily routine helps students reflect on their emotions, be creative, and have a safe space for self-expression. It’s a valuable part of their personal growth.

This term we have started an Author Study unit in reading, focusing on The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor. Students have been enjoying the chance to dive into this exciting novel, exploring its characters, setting, and themes. We’ve looked closely at how Amelia Mellor uses description and language to bring her story to life, and students have been discussing the author’s style and techniques during reading sessions.

In writing, we’ve launched a Fantasy Writing unit, inspired by Amelia Mellor’s work. Students are creating their own imaginative stories, using some of the techniques we’ve noticed in her writing. Along the way, they have been learning important writing strategies such as the Power of Three, using conjunctions to expand ideas, applying apostrophes correctly, making strong word choices, and using the “show, don’t tell” strategy to add depth to their writing.

This combination of reading and writing has been a fantastic way for students to see how authors craft their work, then apply those skills in their own stories. It’s been wonderful to watch their creativity grow as they build worlds, characters, and adventures of their own.

In maths this term, we have been building on our fraction skills. Students practised how to add and subtract fractions and mixed numerals using strategies like doubling and halving, as well as representing fractions on a number line to better understand their size and value. These strategies have helped make fractions more visual and easier to work with.

We also began our time unit, where students are learning to convert between 12-hour and 24-hour time and understand the use of a.m. and p.m. notations. They’ve been calculating elapsed time and applying this to real-life situations, such as working out flight times from Melbourne Airport. This has given students the chance to see how maths connects to the real world.

In our CBL unit this term, we’ve been learning about the three levels of government in Australia:  local, state, and federal. Students explored what each level is responsible for and then looked closely at the elected representatives who make decisions on our behalf.

They researched members from each level of government, finding out who they are and what roles they play in the community. Building on this, students have now begun drafting their own news reports on their chosen level of government. This task is helping them practise research, writing, and communication skills while deepening their understanding of how government works in real life.