Phones at school and absentees

Just a quick reminder to all boys and parents that mobile phones at school should not be used during school time unless approved by a teacher. We have a number of boys in Year 6 who have been playing with their phones, sending text messages or making phone calls at recess, lunchtime and sport. There is also a class phone that boys are able to use in important situations to ring parents with the approval of a class teacher.

Also just a friendly reminder about absentees. Please either call the school or email me on laxton@ccgs.wa.edu.au to notify us if your child will be away for the day so we are able to formally note it down on our class attendances that morning. A note in the diary is also a great way of letting me know the next day if you have forgotten or don't have time on the day your child is absent.

Thank you for your understanding.

Freedom Ride (Australia) and Suffragette

After learning about these two concepts in Australia's history earlier in the week boys presented their own point of view in class. We posed several scenarios before our class positioned themselves along an opinion scale line and explained their stance.

Here are a couple of websites we read through as part of the activity that boys may like to look at again to help prepare for the test next week:

http://indigenousrights.net.au/section.asp?sID=33 (Also has information regarding the referndum which allowed aboriginals to vote)


http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-suffragettes

Helpful maths tools

If any boys have forgotten a process or strategy we have learnt in maths there are a few great tools they can use to help at home.

Maths online dictionary
http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/dictionary.html
Is a great website where boys can find a strategy. If they click through the steps it often models and then presents an interactive activity that they can complete.

Help button on Mathletics.
When completing a Mathletics set task there is always a question mark button on the left hand side of the page. Once clicked, an example of a similar problem will pop up on the computer screen modelling how to complete the question.

Maths is fun website
http://www.mathsisfun.com/index.htm
This is also a pretty good website that has examples and activities of a range of mathematical strategies.

Maths drills website.
http://www.math-drills.com/
A great website if you want to print off any extra worksheets for boys to practice at home.

I hope this helps some of you out.

Reminder about last day next week

Just a reminder for all boys that due to Term 2 finishing on a Friday it will only be a half day of school.

Ring of Fire

Many boys have been asking me how to locate the ring of fire, where most of the Earth's volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis occur. Here is a map below to help you practice:

Another great revision tool - tectonic plate rap

Here is a Rap made by a teacher that may also help you remember the three different types of plate boundaries we have learnt about in class. *If you do watch this Rap please focus only on the parts we have been learning in class and that are written below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkELENdZukI 

Remember these following tips:
CONVERGENT - plates collide (rub or push together). These can create earthquakes deep in the earth, volcanoes from the melted slab or mountains along the boundary line.

DIVERGENT - plate move away from each other (usually on the ocean floor). Maybe rises and cools to form new crust on the sea floor. Underwater volcanoes usually have gentle eruptions.

TRANSFORM - slide horizontally against each other. Either one plate moves quicker than another or they move in opposite directions. They cause POWERFUL earthquakes.

PLATE THEORY:
As we have discussed earlier in the term the plate tectonics theory is the theory that the Earth's outer layer is made up of a number of plates which have slowly moved throughout Earth's history. All of the world's land mass was considered to be one piece called Pangea (225 million years ago). The land mass then split into two (200 million years ago) to create Gondwanaland and Laurasia. Overtime the plates have continued to move at about the speed of a human's fingernail growth to create the continents we know today.

Homework week 10/11

Due to a lot of boys not completing Mathletics tasks that have been set in class across the semester this week that will be our maths homework instead of mental maths.

We will be using our mental maths books more frequently in class next semester and Mathletics work or worksheets may be sent home to consolidate concepts being learnt in class to help boys prepare for unit tests.

We will also be having a re-test for our timetables next week. It will be the same test boys did at the end of Term 1 to see how much they have improved.

HOMEWORK WEEKS 10/11:
1. All mathletics set tasks completed. If boys have completed all tasks they should be doing Mathletics Live.
2. Times tables practice for test
3. Reading at least 5 nights a week
4. Spelling at least 5 nights a week

Cross Country

Just a quick reminder to all parents that Cross Country is on tomorrow. All boys MUST wear their house shirts. I also recommend all boys have a drink bottle that they can take with them.

Good luck to all boys for tomorrow and remember to keep those PEST thoughts are bay!

Congratulations to Angus

A special mention to Angus Kitto who has been selected to swim in States for West Side Aquatic Centre. We all wish you the best of luck Angus!

Just for fun and revision

On you tube there is an interesting song that has been made up to revise information about volcanoes. It is sung to Katie Perry's Fireworks. If you would like to see the song, or use it to help you revise the parts about volcanoes we have learnt, click on the link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nEUUVPTtUI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnilQsno2WI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcFtpWjZwlE

Here are also some videos we watched about volancoes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkbsKVfbBsA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZp1dNybgfc

Diary dates

WEEK 10
MON - Book club, sports training, library

TUES - P.E, cross country, A team winter sport photographs, science incursion, sport training

WED - Chapel money,

THURS - Interschool sport, library

FRI - Science test, library projects due, spelling test, homework, desk check

Art ideas for the holidays

Poster reminder

Just a quick reminder to all boys that their Government posters are due on Friday.

We wrote all information in class and typed then printed our work. All boys have a checklist that they need to check off and a piece of A3 paper they were given to complete all the presentation at home.

Writing is not to be changed or adjusted at home and all boys should be able to complete their work without the need for help.

I can't wait to see all your amazing work on Friday.

Speech competition

Well done to Riki and Max who performed extremely well today at the Speech Competition. A special mention must go to Charlie Ausden who not only came second, but will also be competing for our school in Week 11 at the Interschool Speech Competition. Our class wish you all the best of luck Charlie.

Cross Country

Just to let everyone know cross country will be next Tuesday for all boys. We leave on bus 5 at 1:10 and return back to school at 2:50.

Once again we are running a fundraiser to help orphans overseas so any contribution you would be able to give would be greatly appreciated.

Good luck to all boys for Tuesday.

Fractions overview

Our class has been working hard on fractions the last couple of weeks. We have already done a test for adding and subtracting fractions which we made flash cards to use to study. Next week we will be doing a test on multiplying and dividing fractions, as well as finding a fraction of a whole. Below are some tips to help the boys study for our test and a great game they can use to practice.

RULE FOR ALL FRACTIONS WORK: Always simplify your answers!

ADDING AND SUBTRACTING FRACTIONS

Rule - the denominator must be made the same before adding or subtracting. You only add or subtract the numerator, the denominator stays the same.

ADDING
2/3 + 4/12 =
Step 1 - Change the denominator to be the same using equivalent fraction knowledge
2/3 + 1/3 =
Step 2 - Add the numerators but keep the denominator the same
3/3
Step 3 - Simplify your answer
3/3 = 1

SUBTRACTING

4/5 - 2/10 =
Step 1 - Change the denominator to be the same using equivalent fraction knowledge
4/5 - 1/5 =
Step 2 - Subtract the numerators but keep the denominator the same.
3/5
Step 3 - Simplify the answer if you can
3/5

FINDING A FRACTION OF A WHOLE

3/4 of 12 =
Step 1 - divide the whole number by the denominator
12 divided by 4 = 3
Step 2 - multiply the answer you get by the numerator and that is your answer
3 x 3 = 9

MULTIPLYING FRACTIONS

Rule - The denominator doesn't have to be the same to multiply

4/8 x 3/12 =
Step 1 - Simplify your fractions separately as much as possible first.
1/2 x 1/4 =
Step 2 - Multiply numerators and denominators
1 x 1                      1
____      =        ______

2 x 4                      8

Step 3 - Simplify answer if possible

DIVIDING FRACTIONS

http://www.mathsisfun.com/fractions_division.html - this website will explain for you.
Rule - always circle the operation and second fraction to remind you to change them

2/3 divided by 4/5 =
Step 1 - Change divided by to multiply (inverse operation) and turn the second fraction around
2/3 x 5/4 =
Step 2 - Complete exactly like normal multiplying. Multiply numerators and denominators.
2 x 5                  10
_____     =      ______

3 x 4                   12
Step 3 - Simplify answer
=5/6

http://www.math-play.com/Fractions-Jeopardy/fractions-jeopardy.html
This is a great game to play to revise what we have learnt.

Diary dates Week 8

MON -  Book club, sport training (AFL and Rugby), library, know scripts off by heart, start bringing in costumes

TUES -  P.E, sport training (soccer and hockey)

WED -  chapel money, photos (wear formals)

THURS -  library, cross country training, interschool sport

FRI - Assembly performance, homework due, spelling test, persuasive speech, desk check