Ms Temple

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone has had a lovely week. It has been so nice to finally have a full week with no interruptions. 

Here is what Year 5/6 have been up to this week:

Maths Year 5 – Multiplication and Division

Aut.3.5 – Prime numbers

Aut.3.6 – Square numbers

Aut.3.7 – Cube numbers

Maths Year 6 – Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division

Aut.2.16 – Mental calculations and estimation

Aut.2.17 – Reason from known facts

Aut.2.16 – Mental calculations and estimation

Study day – Ready for end of unit assessment on Monday

Literacy

As we approach the end of our current unit, we’ve just finished reading ‘Queen of the Falls’. While the ending wasn’t the happy one we had all hoped for, we’re glad that Annie Edson Taylor achieved her daredevil dream, despite being betrayed by Frank Russel and Billy Banks. Next week, the students will bring the story to life by writing three diary entries from the perspectives of different characters, providing a meaningful conclusion to the unit.

IPC 

Science Task 6 – We explored the fascinating role of decomposers in ecosystems and why organisms like worms are vital to maintaining the balance of nature. We learned that decomposers break down dead plants and animals, recycling nutrients back into the soil, which helps new life grow. Without them, our ecosystems would be overwhelmed with waste, and the cycle of life would be disrupted. Worms, in particular, play a crucial part by improving soil health and ensuring plants have the nutrients they need to thrive.

Science Task 7 – We delved into the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates, learning how these two major groups of animals are distinguished by the presence or absence of a backbone. To deepen our understanding, we used a dichotomous key—a tool that helps us identify various species by answering a series of questions about their characteristics. This allowed us to explore the diversity within the animal kingdom, observing how species can be classified based on traits like body structure, movement, and habitats.

Science Task 8 – This week, we explored the unique world of bacteria and fungi, learning that they don’t belong to either the vertebrate or invertebrate groups but instead have their own distinct kingdoms. We discovered how both bacteria and fungi play essential roles in nature—bacteria help decompose organic matter and fix nitrogen, while fungi break down dead organisms and form beneficial relationships with plants. The students have started creating some fascinating posters, showcasing the importance of these often-overlooked organisms and their contributions to the health of ecosystems. 

Useful Information

Next week is shaping up to be an exciting one! In addition to wrapping up the week with a spooktacular Halloween party, we’ll be diving into an ocean of adventure on our class trip to the Busan Aquarium on Thursday. 

A big thank you to everyone who has returned the permission forms. If you haven’t yet paid, please ensure your child brings 6,000 won to school by Tuesday. There is a gift shop at the aquarium, but please avoid sending your child with too much money. Up to 30,000 won in cash will be more than enough for them to purchase a souvenir. Please make sure your child comes prepared with a snack, a packed lunch, and is dressed in their HFS school uniform. Weather permitting, we plan to have lunch on the beach, though there won’t be time to go into the sea.

The Halloween party on Friday will kick off in the afternoon after lunch. If your child is dressing up, it might be a good idea to pack a change of clothes, just in case their costume becomes uncomfortable to wear throughout the day.

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Ms. Temple 😄

Hello everyone,

What a refreshing, cool week it’s been! Wednesday’s Red Day gave us a nice little break—I hope everyone made the most of it!

Here is what Year 5/6 have been up to this week:

Maths Year 5 – Multiplication and Division

Aut.3.1 -Multiples

Aut.3.2 – Common multiples

Aut.3.3 – Factors

Aut.3.4 – Common factors

Maths Year 6 – Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division

Aut.2.13 – Solve problems with division

Aut.2.14 – Solve multi-problems

Aut.2.15 – Order of operations

Literacy

This week, we continued reading Queen of the Falls, and the excitement is building! We’ve reached the moment where Annie’s barrel is perched at the edge of the falls, but we still don’t know if she’ll survive the daring plunge. We’ll have to wait until next week to see what happens! After reading, we planned and wrote three paragraphs from Annie’s perspective, describing the events leading up to that thrilling moment.

IPC 

Science Task 3: We revisited MRS GREN, with a focus on nutrition. We explored how animals adapt to their environments to improve their chances of survival. Our discussion covered which animals are predators, prey, or both, and the unique traits each possesses to help them thrive in the wild.

Science Task 4: We explored interdependence and food chains, discovering why they are vital for animal survival. Students researched various biomes and created food chains that reflected their group’s assigned biome. They carefully used the correct terminology to describe each animal’s role: producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, apex predators/top carnivores, and decomposers.

Science Task 5: We explored Yellowstone National Park and the negative impact caused when the park reduced its wolf population in the 1990s. This led to a discussion about the importance of ecosystems and just how delicate they can be. What happens to an ecosystem when even a single species goes extinct?

Useful Information

I’ve emailed everyone about our upcoming class trip to SEA LIFE Busan Aquarium on Thursday, October 24th. Almost all of you have responded already—thank you so much! If you’d like your child to join the trip, please send them to school next week with 6,000 won in an envelope. They can either give it to Ms. Isla in the office or hand it directly to me.

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Ms. Temple 😄

Hello everyone,

Another week filled with red days has gone by! It’s nice to have the time off but I am looking forward to having a full week again! 

Here is what Year 5/6 have been up to this week:

Maths Year 5 – Addition and Subtraction

Aut.2.8 – Find missing numbers

End of unit assessment

Maths Year 6 – Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division

Aut.2.11 – Introduction to long division

Aut.2.12 – Long division with remainders

Literacy

In our literacy lesson, we explored how news was communicated in the early 1900s, a time when information didn’t travel as quickly or easily as it does in today’s world. We delved into the challenges that news reporters of the era would have faced, particularly in their eagerness to uncover the thrilling details of Annie Edson Taylor’s daring stunt. The students embraced this historical context by stepping into the shoes of those reporters, thoughtfully crafting their own questions that they would have asked Annie, imagining the excitement and curiosity surrounding her bold achievement.

IPC 

Science Task 2: This focused on biodiversity and the classification of animals. The students were divided into groups and tasked with researching five different animals, representing the five vertebrate classifications. They recorded their findings on paper leaves, which will be used to create an engaging and informative classroom display. This display will take the form of a large tree, with each group’s leaves contributing to the branches, showcasing the diversity within vertebrate animals.

In Science Task 3, the students were introduced to a new concept through their “friend,” MRS GREN, representing the seven characteristics of living things: movement, respiration, sensitivity, growth, reproduction, excretion, and nutrition. Today’s lesson focused specifically on reproduction, and the students were given the challenge of researching various animals and their life cycles, deepening their understanding of this key life process.

Useful Information

Next week will have another red day (Wednesday 9th October) 

Due to the shorter week, students will only have maths homework assigned.

The date and location for our Term 1 class trip have been confirmed, and it’s going to be fin-tastic—we’re heading to Busan Sea Life Aquarium! I’ll be sending out all the details via email next week, so be sure to keep an eye on your inbox.

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Ms. Temple 😄

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather, I know I am! 

Here is what Year 5/6 have been up to this week:

Maths Year 5 – Addition and Subtraction

Aut.2.4 – Round to check answers

Aut.2.5 – Inverse operations (addition and subtraction)

Aut.2.6 – Multi-addition and subtraction problems

Aut.2.7 – Compare calculations

Maths Year 6 – Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication and Division

Aut.2.8 – Solve problems with multiplication

Aut.2.9 – Short division

Aut.2.10 – Division using factors

Literacy

This week, the students took on the role of a supportive friend to Annie Edson Taylor, the main character in Queen of the Falls. After discussing her daring decision to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel, they imagined what a close friend might write to encourage her. The students practised orally rehearsing what they might say to Annie before writing their letters. It was wonderful to see how they empathised with Annie and expressed their pride in her bold decision!

We also continued our captivating story, Queen of the Falls, and met a new character—Frank Russell, also known as “Russell the Muscle” in class 😂. Will he be the key to helping Annie Edson Taylor achieve her daring dream, or should we be wary of his intentions?

IPC 

Geography Task 1 – We analysed a graph depicting the changes across various types of biomes and engaged in a thoughtful discussion about the potential causes behind these transformations.

Geography Task 2 – We examined additional graphs and explored how rising temperatures are driving sea level increases, the loss of Arctic ice, and global warming. The students discussed how these issues are interconnected and completed a cause-and-effect chart to deepen their understanding of the impact of global warming.

Science Task 1 – We explored the term biodiversity and discussed its meaning. Following this, the students played an engaging animal classification game. They examined traits like webbed feet, drinking mother’s milk, and laying hard-shelled eggs, and had to determine which of the five animal groups—birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, or fish—each characteristic belonged to.

Useful Information

Next week is another week filled with public holidays. We will only be at school Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 😄

For this week’s Maths homework, the students will be working from a fantastic resource provided by White Rose Maths—a practice journal that aligns perfectly with what they’ve been learning in class. Please encourage your child to complete their work independently and to check their answers once they’re finished. I’ve included a QR code for easy access to the answer key, which can be used on any smart device.

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Ms. Temple 😄

Hello everyone,

I hope everyone enjoyed their 5 day weekend this week! 

Here is what Year 5/6 have been up to for the past 2 days:

Maths Year 5 – Place Value

Aut.2.2 – Add whole numbers with more than four digits

Aut.2.3 – Subtract whole numbers with more than four digits

Maths Year 6 – Place Value

Aut.2.6 – Square and cube numbers (Review)

Aut.2.8 – Solve problems with multiplication (Started in class to be continued next week)

Literacy

There was no literacy this week, but the students did manage to complete their English INCAS tests. Great job everyone!

IPC 

We started Geography Task 1 where we started looking at the devastating effects of global warming and what it is doing to the habitats the students researched last week. 

Useful Information

Only Maths has been assigned for homework this week. 🙂

It has come to my attention that some students in our class do not yet know how to tie their shoelaces. This is an essential life skill, not only for their independence but also for ensuring their safety. Mastering this skill will be highly beneficial, helping to prevent accidents and ensuring that PE lessons can run more efficiently and smoothly. We spent some time today practising, but I would like them to continue to practise at home. Here is a useful youtube video to help them learn: 

Have a wonderful weekend, 

Ms. Temple 😄

Hello everyone,

Yet another week filled with fun and exciting learning has flown by!

Here is what Year 5/6 have been up to this week:

Maths Year 5 – Place Value

Aut.1.14 – Round within 1,000,000

Place Value Review

Place Value Assessment

Incas Mathematics Assessment

Aut.2.1 – Mental strategies

Maths Year 6 – Place Value

Aut.2.4 – Rules of divisibility

Aut.2.5 – Primes to 100

Aut.2.6 – Square and cube numbers

Incas Mathematics Assessment

Aut.2.7 – Multiply up to a 4-digit number by a 2-digit number

Literacy

This week, the students created character profiles for Annie Edson Taylor, applying their newly acquired descriptive language to express their opinions of her. The Year 5s focused on enhancing their sentence writing by incorporating subordinate clauses, while the Year 6s practised using the passive voice to craft more descriptive sentences. To wrap up the week, we held a lively debate, where students discussed the statement: ‘Annie should go over the falls in a barrel.’

IPC 

This week, we have started our new unit, ‘Existing, Endangered, Extinct’ where students will explore how animals are classified and how living things adapt to their environments. They will also learn about the interdependence of all living things, including humans. As part of the ‘web of life,’ we’ll discuss the role humans play and explore important questions like: How is human behaviour threatening the survival of many species? And, can we preserve the biodiversity of our planet?”

Knowledge Harvest: Students were introduced to the unit through a detailed description, both verbally and in written form, which included key terms related to the topic. They were asked to highlight the words they already understood and those they didn’t. At the end of the unit, they’ll revisit these descriptions to reflect on how much they’ve learned over the coming weeks and track their progress.

Entry Point: Students worked in pairs to create posters about a chosen habitat. They researched the animals that live there, the plants that grow, specific food chains or webs, and any conservation concerns related to their habitat. The finished posters were fantastic, and I’m incredibly impressed with how well the students collaborated to produce such thoughtful work.

Useful Information

No homework has been assigned this week. Wishing you all a wonderful Chuseok holiday, however your family chooses to celebrate!

Have a wonderful holiday! 

Ms. Temple 😄