Year 2 scientists
This half term, Year 2 are being chemists with our learning about materials. Here’s the key vocabulary we are using in this science learning.
Today, we had a note from Nothing (who spent time with us in Year 1). He needed our help to see what material would be the most suitable for a tent so he could go camping with his family.
First of all, we had to think about what properties are the most important.
It needs to be waterproof so that Nothing stays dry inside.
The tent needs to be strong so it doesn’t blow away.
It doesn’t want to be transparent.
Here are the stages of our investigation. We used lots of science skills and our focus for today was carrying out a simple test and recording our results.
Then, it was time to carry out our test. We used some great Living and Learning skills in our groups too including turn taking, helping others and resilience.
Finally, we used our results to answer the original question, ‘Is the material waterproof?’ and to make a conclusion.
The foil and the plastic were waterproof because they didn’t let the water in and no water was absorbed.
The fabric and the paper were not waterproof because they let water in. The water soaked in.
We think plastic would be the most suitable material for the tent because it is waterproof and it is also strong.
Wow, Year 2 – you have been fantastic scientists and Nothing will be so pleased with your testing to find the most suitable material for his tent.
Settling and ready to learn
This week we began learning phonics and the children were all excited and eager to learn.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Phonics meeting last week. We hope you found it useful. If you would like a copy of the slides we used, please let us know.
Phonics
Your child will have brought a book home with the first four sounds. Please practise these. We will learn the next set this week and send the letters home for you to stick in the book.
Reading
We will begin sending reading books home this week. Please read with your child and comment in the reading record book. We will change books once a week and may read with your child often throughout the week. Please keep the book in their bookbag.
Maths
We are continuing to learn about the number 1 and taking part in sorting and matching activities.
The children will be learning to subitise. This means recognising a small number of objects without counting them.
If you have any questions or want to share those ‘wow’ moments please email.
moortownreception@spherefederation.org
A busy week in Year 5!
This week, Year 5 have challenged themselves to become more independent when completing their steps in writing.
We practised helping our partners by proof reading their writing and using dictionaries to correct our spellings.
On Friday, we reviewed our reading records. The task that was set this week was ‘draw it’ – where the children were set the task of drawing a picture based on the book they are currently reading.
Our reading record task for this Friday is fact file. Please ensure that you child has completed this activity by Friday and it is accompanied by your signature confirming that your child has been reading at home.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please ask!
Living and Learning – Mental Health
Reading Record
Well done to everybody who gave Book Wars such a great go. I was thrilled listening to what you’ve all been reading and why you liked your book so much! Well done to Avneet for earning a certificate for her efforts!
This week, we’d like you to complete the ‘question maker’ activity in your reading record – don’t forget to ask an adult to sign this, too.
Thanks
Mr Wain
Our local area
Today, Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed their walk to view our local area. The main focus of our walk was to look for human geography and physical geography.
Human geography in our local area
Physical geography in our local area
We looked at how Moortown had changed over time on the maps displayed in Moortown park.
We enjoyed spotting school from the park.
We discussed how this tree (physical geography), had now become a human feature because humans have made the old trunk into seating.
The children could explain that the hills in the park weren’t physical features. We knew that humans made the hills for the playground equipment.
The children all represented Moortown primary School with impeccable behaviour and a fantastic understanding of human and physical geography.
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?