General Information
Welcome to Year 5 at Discovery College!
The Year 5 team consists of Mr. Marshall Hudson (5MHN), Mr. Matthew Gallagher (5MGR), Miss Edeh Nobari (5ENI) and Mrs. Hennie Cadenas (Educational Assistant). We are also fortunate to have the expertise of Mr. Jonathan Climas who will work regularly in our classrooms as part of the Learning Development team providing ongoing support for the needs of our students.
To contact us please use our email addresses as listed.
Edeh Nobari
Marshall Hudson
Matt Gallagher
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We look forward to a year full of many new experiences, rewarding moments and ongoing achievements.
Warm regards
The Year 5 teachers
Calendars and other useful documents
Below you will find links to the Year 5 Calendar, Programme of Inquiry and the Maths and Language Overviews.
Year 5 - Calendar
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Programme of Inquiry
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Maths Overview
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Language Overview
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News & Updates
August 24, 2010
Below you can see some photos of our first few days at school and our exciting new playground!
Year 5's first week 2010-11
August 24, 2010
Below you will find slides from the Year 5 Parent Information Evening presentation:
Keynote (1.9MB) | Powerpoint (2.9MB) | PDF (4.6MB)
August 20, 2010
Our current unit of inquiry focuses on how 'individuals and groups can often be catalysts for big ideas or big impact on society'. You will find more information on this unit and some targets under the 'Unit Info' tab.
In language we are looking at the use of effective oral and visual techniques when making presentations, particularly digital ones. In reading we are focusing on setting up routines for the year and digital literacy skills. We will also be focusing on the writing process. You can find targets for our 'writing process' unit under the 'English' tab and targets for visual and oral language are included on the unit of inquiry target sheet.
Our Maths unit is on Place Value and Number Properties. Targets for this unit can be found under the 'Maths' tab.
Programme of Inquiry
Unit 1 - Who we are
Our first unit this term is about the Power of One. The Central Idea for this Unit of Inquiry is:
Individuals and groups can often be catalysts for big ideas or big impact on society.
During this unit we will inquire into:
- What motivates humans to support others
- Challenges individuals or groups have to overcome in bringing about change
- The effect individuals and groups have had on others
Teacher questions:
- What motivates humans to support other people?
- What are the challenges this individual or group has had to overcome in order to bring about change?
- What effect has this individual or group had on others and/or society?
Key Concepts: Change and causation
Learner Profile Focus: Balanced, caring and risk taker
Attitude Focus: Empathy and independence
Useful websites:
Below you will find targets for the presentation component of this unit.
Power of One Unit Presentation Targets
Unit 2 - How the world works
Our second unit this term will be on Space. Our Central Idea for this unit will be:
The Earth's position in space is essential for sustaining life.
During this unit we will inquire into:
- The structure and function of the solar system
- The conditions on Earth that makes earth livable
- How the position of Earth in space affects these conditions
Teacher questions:
- How does the solar system work?
- Why is earth the only planet that can sustain life?
- How does the position of earth in space affect its conditions?
Key Concepts: Function and causation
Learner Profile Focus: Knowledgeable and inquirer
Attitude Focus: Curiosity and commitment
Useful websites:
Unit 3 - Where we are in place and time
Our third unit will be on Indigenous Peoples. Our Central Idea for this unit will be:
The world's indigenous peoples have changed over time.
During this unit we will inquire into:
- What it means to be indigenous
- How indigenous communities have changed over time
- What has caused these changes to occur
Teacher questions:
- What is an indigenous person?
- How have indigenous communities changed over time?
- What has caused these changes to occur?
- What has been the impact of these changes?
Key Concepts: Form, change and causation
Learner Profile Focus: Thinker, inquirer, open-minded
Attitude Focus: Tolerance, appreciation and empathy
Useful websites:
- Native Americans:
- Aborigines:
- New Zealand Maori:
Unit 4 - How we organise ourselves
Our fourth unit this term will be on Trade. Our Central Idea for this unit will be:
People trade to satisfy the wants and needs of the local and global community.
During this unit we will inquire into:
- What is trade
- The reasons why we acquire goods from other countries
- What factors influence trade
Key Concepts: Form and causation
Learner Profile Focus: Principled, thinker and communicator
Attitude Focus: Integrity and cooperation
Unit 5 - How we express ourselves
Our fifth unit is on Media. Our Central Idea for this unit will be:
Media influences how we think, and the choices we make.
During this unit we will focus on advertising and will inquire into:
- The purpose, types and styles of advertising
- The persuasive techniques used in advertising
- Influencing target audiences
Teacher questions:
- What are the different types of advertising?
- What makes a good advertisement?
- What advertising strategies persuade different target audiences to buy a product?
Key Concepts: Perspective, function and reflection
Learner Profile Focus: Communicator, risk taker and reflective
Attitude Focus: Cooperation and creativity
Useful websites:
Unit 6 - Sharing the planet
Our final unit for the year is on the world's natural resources. Our Central Idea for this unit will be:
People can establish practises in order to sustain the Earth's resources.
During this unit we will inquire into:
- The limited nature of the Earth's resources
- The consequences of how we use resources
- Personal choices that can help sustain the Earth's resources
Teacher questions:
- Why have the Earth's natural resources become more limited over time?
- What are the consequences of how we are using the earth's resources?
- How can we best sustain and share the planet's resources?
Key Concepts: Responsibility, change and causation
Learner Profile Focus: Principled, caring
Attitude focus: Integrity, commitment and respect
Useful websites:
English Language Overview
English Curriculum
The IB Language Scope and Sequence document is used as the basis of the English language programme in the PYP. You can find this document by clicking on the link below.
IB Language Scope and Sequence
Year 5 English Overview
The following document outlines the language units covered in Year 5. Please note the timing and duration of these are approximate and may change to suit the needs of a particular class. You will also note that our language programme is closely tied into our units of inquiry and to information and communication technology (ICT).
Year 5 Language Overview 2010/11
Written Language (Reading and Writing)
Skills in written language can be organised into two categories: surface features and deeper features.
Surface features refer to the conventions of grammar, spelling and punctuation. These skills are common to all written language units in Year 5. The rubric below outlines some of the expected skills in this area.
Year 5 Writing Rubric - Surface Features
High Frequency Words refer to words that are very common in text in general. The document below shows a list of approximately 300 of these words.
High Frequency Words
The deeper features of written language refers to skills such as audience awareness and purpose; content and ideas; organization and structure and language features. The characteristics of these features differ depending on the genre of the text being read or written. For example, the organization and structure of narrative text differs greatly to that of a persuasive piece of writing.
Criteria for the units covered in Year 5 will be posted below as each unit begins.
Year 5 Writing Process Targets
Reading is a key feature of all daily activities in Year 5. Some of the reading activities students in Year 5 will be engaged in are listed below.
- Book Clubs/Literature Circles
- Guided Reading
- Reading for research
- Independent reading - reading for a purpose
- Independent reading – reading for pleasure
- Using reference books, dictionaries and web-based applications
Spelling is a strong feature of our written language programme. In Year 5 students are expected to revise and proof read their own written pieces. Students are firstly taught skills to be able to identify when they make mistakes or when they are unsure of a spelling. Secondly, they are taught strategies of how to correct their own errors.
Students take part in a regular spelling and word study programme. They are expected to learn a set of 6-10 words, focus on breaking each word into syllables and may work on finding the root of the words, build on the word roots and identify specific patterns and features related to those words.
Student word lists will come from the following sources:
- Students' own writing (words they spell incorrectly when writing)
- Words related to the current unit of inquiry and/or Maths related vocabulary
- Words from books students read
- Word lists, which focus on various word patterns, e.g. '–cian' , '-ea-'
Oral Language (Speaking and Listening)
Oral language encompasses all aspects of listening and speaking - skills that are essential for ongoing language development, for learning and for relating to others. Our oral language programme provides opportunities for learners to participate as listeners and speakers in formal and informal settings. During some units students will be required to make formal oral presentations in order to describe or explain their learning or to persuade others.
Visual Language (Viewing and Presenting)
Students are provided with many opportunities to develop their visual language skills. They will develop skills of interpreting, using and constructing visuals and multimedia in a variety of situations and for a range of purposes and audiences. ICT will naturally play a large role in the development of visual language skills.
Maths Overview
Maths Curriculum
The IB Mathematics Scope and Sequence document is used as the basis of the mathematics programme in the PYP. You can find this document by clicking on the link below.
IB Mathematics Scope and Sequence
Year 5 Maths Overview
The following document outlines the Maths units covered in Year 5. Please note the timing and duration of these are approximate and may change to suit the needs of a particular class. As each unit begins, Maths targets for that unit will be posted below.
Year 5 Maths Overview 2010/11
Ongoing Targets
In Mathematics we cover a number of ongoing targets, which we focus on throughout the year. They are very important and will be regularly revised in class. We also encourage that the students revise these concepts regularly at home to keep them fresh in their minds.
You will find the ongoing targets by clicking on the link below.
Year 5 Maths Ongoing Targets
Unit Targets
Throughout our Year 5 Mathematics units, the students are working towards achieving targets that show their understanding of the content and their ability to implement them in various contexts. Student success for each 'I can' statement is measured through their formative and summative assessments, a range of 'hands-on' classroom activities and observation of the student's understandings as well as independent working skills. At the start of each unit a target sheet for that unit will be added below, which you can access by clicking on the link:
Place Value and Number Properties
Mathematical Strands
The Maths curriculum is organised into 5 strands. Below you will find a short descriptor for each strand for this level. It is important to note that different learners develop at different rates and may therefore be moved beyond these or be working on skills and concepts to build up to this level.
- Number
- In this strand learners will consolidate their understanding of the base 10 number system and that it extends infinitely in two directions. They will model, compare, read, write and order numbers to millions and beyond. They will develop their understanding that fractions and decimals are ways of representing part-whole relationships and will demonstrate this understanding by modelling equivalent fractions and decimals to hundredths or beyond. Learners at this stage should develop automatic recall of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division facts. They will select, use and describe a range of mental and written strategies to solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, using estimation strategies to check the reasonableness of their answers.
- Pattern and Function
- Learners will understand that patterns can be represented, analysed and generalized using algebraic expressions and equations. They will use words, tables, and graphs and where possible, symbolic rules to analyse and represent patterns. They will be able to use their understanding of patterns and function to represent and makes sense of real-life situations and where possible solve problems involving the four operations.
- Measurement
- Learners will understand that a range of procedures exists to measure different attributes of objects and events, for example, the use of formulas for finding area and perimeter. They will be able to decide on the level of accuracy required for measuring and using decimal and fraction notation when precise measurements are necessary. Learners will be given the opportunity to construct meaning about the concept of an angle as a measure of rotation and will measure and construct angles. This strand is taught in close association with the Shape and Space strand.
- Shape and Space
- Learners will sort, describe and model regular and irregular polygons and basic 3D objects, developing an understanding of their properties. They will model and describe the similarities in 2D and 3D shapes. They will continue to develop their understanding of reflective and rotational symmetry. They will develop an understanding of how geometric shapes and their associated vocabulary are useful for representing and describing objects and events in real-world situations. This strand is taught in close association with the Measurement strand.
- Data Handling
- Learners will continue to collect, organize and display data for the purposes of valid interpretation and communication. They will understand that scale can represent different quantities in graphs and that mode can be used to summarize a set of data. They will set up spreadsheets to create graphs. This aspect of data handling is taught during units of inquiry and in close association with the Pattern and Function strand. Learners will also make the connection that probability is based on experimental events and can be expressed numerically.
Learning Activities to do at home
Click on the link below to find some activities you can do at home with your child.
Maths Learning Activities To Do At Home (Year 5)
Web Resources
Multimedia
Chinese
Dear Year 5 Parents and students,
Welcome to Chinese. We are your Chinese teachers, Susan Peng, Suvy Shu
and Debbie Tai. Below is some general information about Chinese class
this year. It may help you know how we learn.
Lesson
Each topic/ lesson will contain vocabulary, characters, sentence
patterns, and integral applications. We will use several learning
materials as our resources. If you have any questions about our lesson
plans, pedagogy, or suggestions, please contact us through the student
diary or E-mail, which you can find on the school website.
Homework
This year, our homework policy remains the same as last year. We will
give out homework on Monday and collect the previous week's homework at
the same time. There will be two folders; one for homework and one for
classroom work. The classroom folder will be kept at school and made
into a learning portfolio at the end of the year. Year One doesn't have
any writing homework.
Expectation
We expect students to always come to class with stationery, Chinese
folders, and prepared minds for learning. Meanwhile, may we ask the
parents to kindly make sure students complete their homework and bring
them it in on time. When parents and teachers work together, the
possibility for successful learning will be maximized! Before and
after holidays, there will be a week for preparation and revision so
homework might be in an alternative format.
Online resources
There are some helpful web links for Chinese learning. It can give you
a hand when you do homework or learn at home. Find out what they are
about!
Online Dictionary http://us.mdbg.net/chindict/chindict.php
MDBG is a free but very useful online Chinese-English dictionary. This
website offers dictionary both in Chinese to English and English to
Chinese, flashcards, quizzes, text annotation, Chinese text input and
more.
More will be coming soon.
Textbook
In non-background class, all the lessons are by theme. There is not a
sole textbook we use as resource. If any student wants to do some extra
learning, support books called “Chinese Made Easy” can be found in PTA
shop. They come in textbook and activities books. There are four
levels. Parents can help the student to pick the level suits them.
(Year Three starts with Book 1) In background glass, teachers are using
小学华文 as textbook. Each selected lesson will be copied and given to
students. The publisher of 小学华文is called 人民教育出版社. The distributer can
be found in Hong Kong as following information:
SAP Publications (HK) Ltd.
23 Nam Long Shan Road, Aberdeen, Hong Kong
Tel.: (852) 2553 9188 Fax: (852) 2533 0099
You can place an order from the following bookshops:
- T H LEE & Co Ltd (天利行有限公司)
Mongkok Branch - Tel. No.: 2388 1743
Causeway Bay Branch - Tel. No.: 2527 7430 - Commercial Press (商務印書館)
Shatin Branch - 2693 1933
CP Plus, Mei Foo Branch - 2741 1030 - Ling Kee Book Store Ltd (齡記書店有限公司)
Kowloon Branch - 2394 3486
Central Branch - 2545 1540
Other Mandarin Questions
1. How are the students divided into Pathways?
The Mandarin Pathway system is common to all ESF and PIS schools. It
has been established to help students learn Mandarin at their level.
The range of Mandarin proficiency is very wide, as some students enter
the school with no experience of the language while for others it is
their mother tongue and they are proficient at speaking and listening
when they enter Year One. Each of these groups of students has
different needs. At Discovery College we have three Pathways and three
teachers. Students are tested either at the beginning of the year or in
some cases at the end of the previous year. They are then divided into
their groups. Over the year students may move from one group to another
if, in the judgment of the teacher, their needs will be best served by
doing so.
2. How does the homework system work in Mandarin?
The purpose of Mandarin homework is to give students opportunities to
practise skills learnt in class and to share what they are learning
with their parents. Homework is given to students on Mondays, they then
have a week to complete it and it is returned to the teacher the
following Monday. A special folder is used to organize the homework.
3. How proficient in Mandarin can I expect my child to be?
It is important to understand that while Discovery College is committed
to providing a comprehensive Mandarin program our language of
instruction is English. We do not provide an immersion program in which
some subjects are taught in Mandarin, neither are we a bilingual
school. With this understood, we aim to provide a program which will
allow students to achieve a standard of proficiency over their time at
the school commensurate with their ability and commitment. Many parents
choose to supplement the school program with after school tutoring in
order to give their children the opportunity to achieve a higher level
of proficiency than can be achieved by in school classes.
4. How can I contact my child's teacher?
If you have any other questions about Mandarin please forward them to Debbie Tai at
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and
we will endeavour to answer them in future newsletters. If you want to
discuss your child's progress with their Mandarin teacher please email
them to make an appointment. Email addresses for all the teachers are
on the web site In the mornings they are very busy preparing for the
day and cannot give you the time both you and they need to talk about
your child's progress.
Hope the above information can help you and the learning!
Topic |
Language Focus |
Duration |
Communities
(UOI 7th week) |
Vocabulary
电影院，商店，学校，医院，超市，车站，便利店，公园，会所，商场，社区， 路，楼，附近 Sentence patterns
我的社区有＊＊，你家附近有＊＊吗？有／没有 |
4 weeks |
Clothes and colours |
Vocabulary
衣服，蓝色短袖，红色上衣，黑色裤子，白色鞋子，帽子， 穿，戴 Sentence patterns
他穿红色短袖，他穿白色鞋子。你喜欢什么颜色？我喜欢黄色。 |
4 weeks |
Body parts |
Vocabulary
眼睛，鼻子，嘴巴，耳朵，头发，眉毛，手，头，个子，腿，脸，大， 小，长，短，高，矮，圆，方，弯，直。 Sentence patterns
他有大眼睛，他有短头发。他的脸圆圆的，他的眉毛弯弯的。 |
4 weeks |
PYP