2026 Term 2 - Newsletter one
Welcome to Term 2
We have an exciting term ahead filled with rich learning experiences across all subject areas, including persuasive writing, the Australian Gold Rush, states of matter, Scratch game design, using Audiomoths, and much more. It is a busy term with several special events, including the Athletics Carnival, Open Day and our Living Wax Museum.
Students have made a positive start to the term and we are looking forward to seeing them continue to grow in confidence, curiosity and independence. Thank you, as always, for your support at home. Working in partnership with families makes such a difference, and we are excited for another wonderful term of learning together.
Term 2 Subject topics
English
This term in English, students will be exploring persuasive writing, learning how to structure convincing arguments and use literary devices such as emotive language, rhetorical questions and strong evidence to support their ideas. As part of this unit, students will investigate the development of entertainment within the Tamborine National Park area and use this as a real world context for crafting persuasive texts.
Mathematics
In Mathematics, our focus this term will be on fractions, decimals and percentages through Chapters 4, 5 and 6 in Mathspace. Students will build their understanding of how these concepts connect and apply them through problem solving, reasoning and real life contexts.
Science
In Science, students will investigate States of Matter, exploring the properties of solids, liquids and gases through hands on experiments and inquiry. They will examine how materials can change state and begin to understand the science behind everyday phenomena.
HASS
Our HASS learning this term focuses on the development of Australia in the 19th century, with a particular emphasis on the Australian Gold Rush. Students will explore how the gold rush shaped Australia’s population, economy and society, while engaging with rich historical sources and inquiry tasks. As part of their homework project, students will be researching their own Gold Rush character and preparing to bring history to life through our Living Wax Museum performance later in the term, where students will step into character and share the stories of people from this fascinating period.
Health
In Health, students will be learning about Interacting with Others, developing skills in communication, respectful relationships, teamwork and navigating social situations. This unit supports students in building confidence, empathy and positive ways of working and problem solving together.
Technology
In Digital Technologies, students will be exploring game design using Scratch. They will learn coding concepts such as sequencing, variables and loops while designing and creating their own interactive games, combining creativity with computational thinking.
Science - The Audiomoth
TMC is participating in the Powerful Owl Education Program in partnership with Birdlife Australia. Birdlife Australia is an international bird conservation organisation and has been active in Australia for over 100 years. The Powerful Owl Project aims to identify and address the threats facing Australian owls as well as other predatory bird species. For more information about Birdlife’s Powerful Owl Project check their website.
Students in Years 5 will be conducting a survey of the powerful owl using an Audiomoth. This is a small digital sound recording device inside a Tupperware container. Once activated, the Audiomoths automatically records three times one hour each day, one time before sunrise, one time before sunset and one time at midnight. Each student sets up and activates a device in their backyard or other suitable private area, or wherever it is safe to do so (students have an ‘Audiomoth - student deployment file’ for instructions). Each student will keep and look after their Audiomoths for a school week and record some daily observations, mainly about the weather and the moon, on the recording sheet.
We would really appreciate your cooperation by providing them with appropriate supervision and assistance in their task. We understand, however, that you have many demands on your time, so these extra efforts are of course very much appreciated and not obligatory.
Living Wax Museum Homework Project
A highlight of our HASS unit this term will be the Living Wax Museum, where students will bring history to life by researching and performing as a character from the Australian Gold Rush. Visitors will be able to move through the “museum”, interact with the living exhibits and hear students share the stories, struggles and achievements of people from this fascinating period in Australian history.
Event Details
- Tamborine Mountain College
- Wednesday 3 June
- 9:00am to 11:00am
Students will complete and record their work in Google Classroom under HASS using the Google Slides presentation titled “Living Wax Museum Homework Project.” This is the main presentation students should be working from at home.
How Parents Can Support
Families can play a wonderful supporting role by helping students:
• locate and use the correct Google Slides presentation, Living Wax Museum Homework Project
• assist with research, including finding books and useful resources
• help source or create simple costumes and props
• listen to and support rehearsals, including practising accents or performance delivery
• film students practising their presentation to help them prepare for the assessment
While support is encouraged, we ask that the project remains a reflection of student thinking, creativity and effort. We are excited to see our young historians step into character and share their learning in their first homework and very special Year 5 event.
Year 5 Tutoring
Our Year 5 tutoring program will continue this term on Tuesdays from 2:50pm to 3:30pm, with staff walking students back to the carpark at the end of the session for collection.
This term we will be offering both a Maths tutoring group and an English tutoring group, allowing us to provide targeted support in both areas according to student needs. Families of students recommended for tutoring will receive an invitation, though we are also very open to parent requests if you feel your child may benefit from participating.
These small group sessions are designed to build confidence, strengthen understanding and provide extra support in a focused and encouraging environment.
Photo Update
A reminder that new photos from the recent Grandparents visit event will be uploaded to the Year 5 photo folder soon. We look forward to sharing these with families shortly.
Important Dates
April
Tuesday 28 April — First Tutoring session
Wednesday 29 April — HIA Cross Country Round 2
May
Monday 4 May — Labour Day Public Holiday
Wednesday 5 May — Athletics Carnival
Wednesday 6 May — P&F Mother’s Day Stall
Saturday 23 May — 2026 Open Day
June
Wednesday 3 June — Year 5 Living Wax Museum
Tuesday 9 June — Final Tutoring Session
Wednesday 10 June — HIA Soccer
Thank you for your continued support of our Year 5 community. We are excited for the learning, creativity and special events that Term 2 will bring.
Warm regards,
Gemma, Iris and Robert
The Year 5 Team