Language & Literacy Approach

To teach reading and writing skills in Grade 5 and 6 students are exposed to a diverse range of reading, writing, speaking and listening activities for authentic purposes using high quality literature. Students explore story and sentence structure and analyse and examine the use of language features in written texts. Students participate in Guided Reading and Reciprocal Reading activities that develop skills such as predicting, clarifying, questioning and summarising.

Numeracy

Numeracy has never been more important. The rapidly evolving nature of knowledge, work and technology, demands stronger understanding, reasoning, strategic and problem-solving skills.

The Victorian mathematics curriculum is based on three sub strands Number and Algebra, Measurement and Geometry, and Statistics and Probability.

The proficiencies of Understanding, Fluency, Problem Solving and Reasoning are fundamental to learning mathematics and working mathematically and are applied across all three strands.

There is a focus on students connecting Numeracy to real life applications in which they can assess their own learning.

Each week numeracy consists of a combination of whole class lessons and needs-based student workshops designed to:

• Foster a love of mathematics
• Cater for individual differences
• Monitor and assess individual progress
• Provide classroom cultures where the students are encouraged and rewarded to take risks and experiment
• Provide students and teachers with comprehensive and up to date resources and materials
• Be stimulating and relevant to real life 

We use Essential Assessment and learning continuums to guide our cohort needs and then are able to determine individual needs and develop individual learning plans.

Student Leadership

At Mentone Primary School we consider all students are leaders and we encourage and provide a variety of ways for our students to become involved as leaders within the school and the community. In grades 5 & 6 there is added emphasis on developing these students’ leadership skills. Grade 5 & 6 students participate in the Young Leaders’ Program. Grade 6 students have the opportunity to develop leadership skills and actively contribute to the school community through the roles of School Captain, School Vice-Captain, House Captain, House Vice-Captain and Student Leader and Student Agent. Other opportunities for leadership roles include Dolphin Research Institute (DRI) Ambassadors and Kids Teaching Kids.

Puttin’ on the Hits

Grade 5 & 6 students participate in a term-long process culminating in a mime competition called 

Puttin’ on the Hits (POTH). This competition is a long standing tradition that Mentone Primary School is extremely proud of.

The learning program that underpins POTH is closely linked to outcomes in the Victorian Curriculum. Over the course of the term students participate in activities designed to develop resilience, confidence, critical and creative thinking, teamwork, problem solving, responsibility, and planning and performance skills. Students learn to recognise and regulate emotions, develop empathy for others, and establish and build a framework for positive relationships. They work effectively in teams and develop leadership skills, and handle challenging situations constructively.

POTH Program 2023 - Battle of the Bands

Buddies

Each Grade 5 student is paired with a Prep buddy. Grade 5 students meet with their buddies every fortnight and participate in activities such as sharing stories, drawing, writing, sport, cooking and eating lunch together. This is a very special and rewarding relationship for the students.