We are designers!
This half term we are designers. In yesterday’s lesson, the children learnt/recapped how to tie a knot, thread a needle and create a running stitch. Year 5 were very resilient and had lots of concentration.
Help at home: Why not practise the running stitch? Discuss the difference between a running stitch and back stitch.
What can you achieve?
Today, Jess Wright, who is a coach with PE Partner and leads one of our after-school clubs, came to speak to the children in an assembly.
At only 17, Jess has been playing football for over ten years and currently plays for Sheffield Wednesday. She also coaches at different levels from children to adults and referees too.
Jess has another role which is to try to get children, especially girls, into football and providing opportunities for children who want to get involved.
Jess shared information of how to get involved in local physical activities. This could be our school after-school clubs, other local physical activities listed in our guide for parents and carers or other opportunities especially around football and getting girls into football.
Leeds City JFC are a local club looking for new members especially in their girls teams.
Wigton Moor JFC are another local club with opportunities.
Catalan Soccer offer classes and camps.
Thank you to Jess for coming into school to inspire the children and to share her experiences around football and the opportunities and skills it provides.
Super Science at Allerton Grange!
Today, Year 5 went to Allerton Grange for a science lesson. The children leant a lot of new words: pH, alkali and hydrophobic! They also were able to practise their pipetting skills. We had try to identify unknown chemicals by using indicators. The children were amazing at following instructions and had a wonderful time.
Design & Technology: How have designers changed the world?
This week, Year 5 have started their design and technology topic. Our first lesson looked at how designers have changed the world. The children had time to research three different designers: Isambard Kingdom Brunel, George Stephenson and Lewis Latimer.
Year 5 discussed that they changed the world in lots of different ways:
- Isambard’s bridges meant that people could join together and travel over water.
- George’s locomotive meant that people could travel faster and more efficiently as well as hauling larger quantities of coal out of mines.
- Lewis’ electric lightbulb meant that people could have light immediately and stop using candles.
All of these designers were creative, imaginative and problem-solvers. They all had great determination, perseverance and scientific skills.
Help at home: What other designers do you know? How did they change the world?
Cricketers
Today, some of our Year 5 and 6 children took part in the Leeds School Games Y5/6 mixed cricket event at Old Leos.
It was a cold and damp June day for the event but despite the conditions, the children worked hard as a team and performed some great cricketing skills. Well done to all the children who took part and thanks to Mrs Russell and Miss Kidd for taking and supporting the children.
Triathlon
This week, thirty of our Key Stage 2 pupils took part in the Brownlee Foundation Mini Triathlon event at John Smeaton. This is always a great event and it introduces the children to the elements of triathlon – a swim, a bike ride and a run.
Well done to all the children for taking part.
If your child is interested in triathlons, please see more details in our physical activity guide or have a look at this bike and run offer at the Brownlee Centre.
Reading: Y5 met Liz Pichon AGAIN!
Once again, we had a surprise video call from author Liz Pichon – who writes the Tom Gates novels.
Liz talked about where she gets inspiration for her stories and how she plans out the novels before writing. She talked us through how she draws the doodles in her stories and we also had a go – what do you think of our front covers?
Finally, she talked about her book: the book of everything! This book has pages that YOU can write and draw on. It is full of funny characters, hilarious stories and fabulous doodles.
Living and Learning: Physical health and fitness
Over the past two weeks, Year 5 have been discussing physical heath and fitness. We looked at the ‘5 ways to wellbeing’.
The children discussed how they were already looking after their wellbeing for each category and then set a target for how they could improve. Some children suggested:
- more exercise
- helping with cooking a healthy dinner
- talking to friends outside of school
- joining a new club
- playing games with family
In our last lesson, we looked at how to keep a balanced lifestyle. We talked about what a balanced lifestyle might look like.
The children identified how different fictional character led a balanced lifestyle and then shared how they themselves kept a balanced lifestyle.
Help at home: Discuss their targets for each category in the ‘5 ways to wellbeing’.
Food Technology: Tomato Sauce
On Friday, Year 5 made a tomato sauce base for pasta.
We worked in small groups to prepare the ingredients and then cook them. We made sure that we washed our hands and wore our aprons for hygiene reasons.
We used the bridge cutting method and the claw cutting method to cut up our vegetables. These methods are the safest way to cut food as they help us from hurting ourselves!
We cooked some pasta alongside our sauce so we could try it!
The recipe for this was sent home with your child today, if they wish to make it at home too.
Living and Learning: Healthy Eating
This week’s Living and Learning lesson focused on healthy eating. By the end of the lesson, Year 5 were able to:
- plan a healthy meal
- explain how to prepare a healthy meal at home
- recognise adverts are designed to influence food and drink choices
- describe some ways that home-cooked food might be healthier than ready-made (takeaway / processed) food
The children discussed the different food groups and how we could get a good balance of each food group into our diet. The Eatwell Guide is a key document to show how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. The bigger the section the more food from that group we should eat. The balance of foods from each group does not need to be achieved with every meal but we should aim for the balance over a day or even a week.
The children shared meals that they thought were healthy and how they could help prepare them at home.
Help at home: look at the Eatwell guide together and think about any improvements that could be made. This may be having an extra vegetable a day, trying a new fruit or vegetable, switching to brown bread or pasta or having a healthier snack after school.
