Bike to school week and reading fluency
This week is Bike to School week and our weekly reading fluency text is based around this. We read this text daily and by the end of the week, we would expect the children to have a go and read the text independently. The texts vary every week and they include both fiction and non-fiction texts.
By reading the text every day, we can explore how to read unfamiliar words and the meaning of any new words. This website helped with this. We can also point out punctuation and look at how that helps us to read the text correctly. Let your child have a go at reading it to you at the end of the week.
At the end of the week, we answer questions about the text. Some of the answers can be found in the text but others might need us to think a bit more and use our inference skills (‘reading between the lines’).
Linked to this, the class created their own bar chart to show how they come to school. It was great to see a lot of active travel!
We are chemists!
This half term, Year 4 have been learning about chemistry in science.
We have been learning as chemists.
Year 4 conducted an experiment investigating the different states of matter, in this case, ice and water and their melting and freezing points. Ask your child what ice’s melting point is!
The melting point is the temperature at which a solid turns to a liquid. The melting point at which ice — a solid — turns to water — a liquid — is 0°C.
We began with some ice hands and made observations using scientific language such as transparent, translucent, smooth and slippery.
We then worked in teams to explore and accurately measure the temperatures of the ice hands and the ice that had melted with thermometers!
Does your child remember what temperature their water was?
Reading Records
Hi everyone,
w/c 27th – reading records!
During our Book Club lesson on Friday, we had a look at everyone’s reading record. It was lovely to see that all of the children had spent time reading at home and engaging with the ‘draw it’ activity! Everyone’s outcomes sparked lots of different conversations and have persuaded some of the children to check out someone else’s book next time.
Just a reminder that:
- The children need to bring in these reading records every Friday for our Book Club lesson where we’ll discuss their books and develop their love of reading.
- The children’s grown-ups can help at home by writing a short comment sharing with us the reading their child has been doing at home.
I’m looking forward to seeing the children’s reading progress and responses for ‘Question Master’ this Friday!
Latin – new inventions!
In today’s Latin lesson, which we’re loving by the way, our task was to create a new invention using some Latin root words.
They proved to be very fun!
Check out these amazing attempts.
Challenge your child to find the relative clause in Violet’s description of her caniporci (and mine above!).
Have a chat about what we’ve been learning in school – what does etc mean? What about eg? What about any other root words we’ve learnt so far and other words that contain them?
Reading Records – Draw It!
Last week’s activity was Draw It!
Thank you to all the adults who wrote some fantastic comments in their child’s reading records. Remember – useful comments might include what went well, what they need help with or how many pages they read at home.
Here are some amazing examples of how Y6 engaged with their task.
We are chemists!
This half term, Year 5 have been learning about chemistry in science.
We have been learning as chemists.
Today, Year 5 conducted an experiment investigating whether various substances were soluble. Ask your child what the word soluble means!
If a substance is soluble, the substance and solvent makes a solution.
We tested three substances: salt, sand and sugar. In order to ensure a fair test, we used the same amount of solvent (water), ensured that the water was at the same temperature and left the substances to dissolve for the same amount of time.
We measured accurately…. 
Worked well in a team…. 
And made a logical conclusion based on our results.
Can your child remember which substances are soluble and which aren’t?
We are geographers!
Year 2 are enjoying our geography based topic ‘Where in the world am I?’
Ask your child what they have learned so far? Can they name the four countries in the United Kingdom? Maybe they could tell you the capital city of any of those four countries. Do they know what continent they live in?
This week, we discussed human and physical geography. What is human geography and what is physical geography? We looked at some examples together before sorting pictures of famous features in the UK.
Next week, we hope to take a walk in our local area to take photos of physical and human features close to school and home.
You may have noticed that ‘physical geography’ and ‘human geography’ are on the vocabulary list as part of this week’s talk time homework. Hopefully, the children can talk confidently about these words at home.
A busy week in Reception
Our first full week in Reception has been a busy one. We have been making friends, learning new routines and exploring the classroom.
Phonics
This week we will begin learning letters and their sounds to read and write simple words.
During this phase children will learn their first 19 phonemes:
- Set 1: s a t p
- Set 2: i n m d
- Set 3: g o c k
- Set 4: ck (as in duck) e u r
- Set 5: h b l f ff (as in puff) ll (as in hill) ss (as in hiss)
They will use these phonemes to read and spell simple “consonant-vowel-consonant” (CVC) words: sat, tap, dig, duck, rug, puff, hill, hiss
Early Reading
The session will start at 6pm and last around 20-25 minutes, plus there will be a questions and answer session at the end of around 5-10 minutes.
The link to this zoom session will be emailed to all parents and carers on Monday 27th September. If you do not receive a link and would like to attend please contact the school office.
Bookbags
We will begin sending phonemes and reading books home this week. Please make sure your child brings their bookbag to school every day.
Your child will be bringing a class library book home each week in a separate bag. Please return this every Thursday for your child to choose a different one.
Don’t forget to email any ‘wow’ moments.
www.moortownreception@spherefederation.org
Living and Learning: 8Rs for learning
The Eight Rs for Learning promote good learning behaviour.
They include being resilient, responsible, reflective, ready, resourceful, risk taking, responsive and there is one more.
Can your child remember the last one?
Although these eight attributes have been our current focus in Living and Learning, we refer to the 8Rs throughout the year. We thought about some ways the children have shown these 8Rs for learning in school or at home and here’s what they said.
Read more about the Eight Rs in our guide for parents and carers.
Living and Learning: 8Rs for learning
The Eight Rs for Learning promote good learning behaviour.
They include being resilient, responsible, reflective, ready, resourceful, risk taking, responsive and remembering. Each attribute is represented by an animal, I wonder if your child can remember which animals they are.
We have been learning all about these in our Living and Learning lessons this week and we have been thinking of different times we have shown these attributes. In doing so, we have been showing excellent resilient, remembering and responsive behaviour. Mrs Taylor was very impressed by how much we remembered in our Monday assembly!
Although these eight attributes have been our current focus in Living and Learning, we refer to the 8Rs throughout the year. Can your child think of different ways they can show these attributes at home and at school?
Read more about the Eight Rs in our guide for parents and carers.