Week beginning 14 December 2020
Hi everyone
We’re really missing you in school and we can’t wait to have you back. We hope you’re managing to stay happy, healthy and safe while you’re not with us here in school. You are still very much a part of our school community so please get in touch with us. You can email me at paulwilks@spherefederation.org.
Here’s a short video from me introducing the week.
Maths
This week’s maths learning continues our unit on multiplication. Please use the following resources:
Lesson 1: video worksheet answers
Lesson2: video worksheet answers
Lesson 3: video worksheet answers
Lesson 4: video worksheet answers
Lesson 5: arithmetic check
You don’t have to print the worksheet. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Practise times tables on Times Table Rockstars, too. In Y4, we’re concentrating on the 7 times table. Email me if you need your child’s login and password details.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Rockstars daily)
Spelling
Look on the homework page to find this week’s spellings. Your child should complete one task each day.
- Day 1: Generate more words linked to the spelling pattern or ‘rule’. You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text, like a website linked to our science topic of Living Things and their Habitat.
- Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our Super Spelling Strategies guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Reading fluency
Instead of a single fluency text, this week there’s a selection of winter poems to read and respond to.
Choose one and focus on that or read all of them. Follow the sequence below:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
Extra task: Answer the comprehension questions on each link.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Reading comprehension
Day 1: Click here for this week’s RIC text and click here for the questions. It’s about a poem called The dragon who ate our school.
RIC stands for:
- Retrieve: finding information in a text
- Interpret: using clues in the text to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
Day 2: Agree with your child three words from any text they’ve read which they’re less familiar with. Your child should find out what they mean (eg by checking an online dictionary or simply discuss with you) and how to use them in sentences (both when speaking and when writing). Challenge your child to write a sentence with each word in, or to drop the words into conversations at home.
Day 3: Read this article from First News, a newspaper for children, and complete the activity.
Day 4: Read your fluency or RIC text again. We’re also reading another Greek myth called Orpheus and Eurydice. Click here if you’d like to read this. Next, do one of the following:
- Your child could list at least ten facts they’ve read in the text. (If it’s a fiction text (a story), then the facts would be based on the story, like ‘Harry Potter picked up his broomstick’, rather than actual facts from the real world.)
- Your child could create questions and answers for what they’ve read. (For example, it could be a TV or radio interview based on what they’ve read.)
- Your child could create their own ‘RIC’ questions.
- Your child could draw and label a character or setting that they’ve read about.
Day 5: Book Club. Once a week, we have a relaxing lesson where we sit and read quietly, often with an adult. At home, we’d like you to read your favourite book or text, too. If possible, discuss the book with an adult, talking about some or all of the sections of this sheet.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
This week, we’re writing different types of poems. Click the links to find out more.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Topic
Click here for our final Ancient Greek history lesson. It’s an Oak Academy lesson which asks you to write about the achievements of the Ancient Greeks. We’ve learnt about this in class but if you need a recap here’s the previous lesson.
Science
We’ve finished the unit on Sound from Oak National Academy so click here for a Working Scientifically lesson about variables.
Also, there’s a RIC about sound here.
(Suggested time: 45 minutes)
Week beginning 14 December 2020
Hi everyone
We’re really missing you in school and we can’t wait to have you back. We hope you’re managing to stay happy, healthy and safe while you’re not with us here in school. You are still very much a part of our school community so please get in touch with us.
oliwain@spherefederation.org paulwilks@spherefederation.org
Here’s a short video from me introducing the week.
Maths
This week’s maths learning continues our unit on multiplication. Please use the following resources:
Lesson 1: video worksheet answers
Lesson2: video worksheet answers
Lesson 3: video worksheet answers
Lesson 4: video worksheet answers
Lesson 5: arithmetic check
You don’t have to print the worksheet. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Practise times tables on Times Table Rockstars, too. Email me if you need your child’s login and password details.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Rockstars daily)
Spelling
Look on the homework page to find this week’s spellings. Your child should complete one task each day.
- Day 1: Generate more words linked to the spelling pattern or ‘rule’. You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text, like a website linked to our science topic of Living Things and their Habitat.
- Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our Super Spelling Strategies guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Reading fluency
Instead of a single fluency text, this week there’s a selection of winter poems to read and respond to.
Choose one and focus on that or read all of them. Follow the sequence below:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
Extra task: Answer the comprehension questions on each link.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Reading comprehension
Day 1: Click here for this week’s RIC text and click here for the questions. It’s about a poem called The dragon who ate our school.
RIC stands for:
- Retrieve: finding information in a text
- Interpret: using clues in the text to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
Day 2: Agree with your child three words from any text they’ve read which they’re less familiar with. Your child should find out what they mean (eg by checking an online dictionary or simply discuss with you) and how to use them in sentences (both when speaking and when writing). Challenge your child to write a sentence with each word in, or to drop the words into conversations at home.
Day 3: Read this article from First News, a newspaper for children, and complete the activity.
Day 4: Read your fluency or RIC text again. We’re also reading another Greek myth called Orpheus and Eurydice. Click here if you’d like to read this. Next, do one of the following:
- Your child could list at least ten facts they’ve read in the text. (If it’s a fiction text (a story), then the facts would be based on the story, like ‘Harry Potter picked up his broomstick’, rather than actual facts from the real world.)
- Your child could create questions and answers for what they’ve read. (For example, it could be a TV or radio interview based on what they’ve read.)
- Your child could create their own ‘RIC’ questions.
- Your child could draw and label a character or setting that they’ve read about.
Day 5: Book Club. Once a week, we have a relaxing lesson where we sit and read quietly, often with an adult. At home, we’d like you to read your favourite book or text, too. If possible, discuss the book with an adult, talking about some or all of the sections of this sheet.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
This week, we’re writing different types of poems. Click the links to find out more.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Topic
Click here for our final Ancient Greek history lesson. It’s an Oak Academy lesson which asks you to write about the achievements of the Ancient Greeks. We’ve learnt about this in class but if you need a recap here’s the previous lesson.
Science
We’ve finished the unit on Sound from Oak National Academy so click here for a Working Scientifically lesson about variables.
Also, there’s a RIC about sound here.
(Suggested time: 45 minutes)
07 December 2020
Hi everyone
We’re really missing you in school and we can’t wait to have you back. We hope you’re managing to stay happy, healthy and safe while you’re not with us here in school. You are still very much a part of our school community so please get in touch with us.
Our emails are:
benparker@spherefederation.org
carolinetaylor@spherefederation.org
jackiefreeman@spherefederation.org
Here is your home learning this week.
Maths
This week’s maths learning is linked to place value, comparing and ordering numbers.
- Lesson 1 video, worksheet and answers.
- Lesson 2 video, worksheet and answers.
- Lesson 3 video, worksheet and answers.
- Lesson 4 video, worksheet and answers.
- Lesson 5 Numbots
You don’t have to print the worksheets. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Don’t forget to practise number bonds on Numbots or times tables on Times Table Rock Stars. Email your child’s class teacher if you need your login and password details.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Numbots/Rock Stars daily)
Reading fluency
This is the reading fluency that we’ll read in class this week. In school, we generally follow this sequence:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Phonics
We teach a phonics lesson daily at school. Your child should have a ‘Practise Phonics’ book that they bring home from school. The sticker on the front will indicate which phase they’re working at. On Phonics Play, the activities and games match the phases. If you’re unsure which phase your child is working on, email your class teacher.
If your child has completed the phonics reading books, they can use some Phase 5b, 5c, 5d or Phase 6 resources.
Use a different Phonics Play activity for :
- Revisit: Flashcard Speed Trial, Flashcard Time Challenge or Tricky Word Trucks
- Practise: Play Buried Treasure, Dragon’s Den or Picnic on Pluto
- Apply: Have a go reading one of the Comics or the Reading Robots
Login details are Sphere (user name) and Spher3 (password).
(Suggested time: 20 minutes daily)
Reading
We’ll be using this ‘RIC’ text in class to practise comprehension skills.
RIC stands for:
- Retrieve: finding information in a text
- Interpret: using clues in the text or pictures to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
Read for 10-15 minutes daily. You could read the books you have brought home from school or any other books you have at home. Remember that the ‘Practise Phonics’ book is designed to be read more than once, to help with segmenting (sounding out), blending (putting the sounds back together) and fluency.
(Suggested time: 10-15 minutes daily)
Writing
Follow these 10 lessons on diary writing from Oak National Academy. There’s a whole series of lessons, but start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing one (or maybe even two) each day. (If you’re self-isolating in your second week, stick with the series of lessons you’ve already started and aim to complete the full series.)
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes for each)
Spelling
This week’s spellings are on our spelling page. Complete one task each day:
- Day 1: Copy the words out in your best handwriting (like in our handwriting guide) – using a lead-in line or joined handwriting. (You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text.)
- Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our super spelling strategies guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Topic
Our topic this half-term is about history – all about the Great Fire of London.
Follow these lessons about the Great Fire of London from Oak National Academy. There are ten lessons in total, but start at the first lesson and work through, doing two or three in the week.
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes)
Science
Our focus this half-term is about the human body and keeping it healthy.
These six lessons from Oak National Academy link to what we’ve been doing in class. Start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing two or three in the week.
If Science really motivates your child, you could also use these lessons about famous scientists.
(Suggested time: 30-45 minutes)
PE
Don’t forget to do some daily exercise!
Do two of these Five Minute Moves from Joe Wicks each day – spread them across the day as if they were playtimes, maybe!
Have a go at one of the Change for Life indoor activities or a Cosmic Kids yoga session each day.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Extra stuff…
As an extra (or as an alternative, if this helps to motivate your child)…
Geography isn’t a topic-driver this half-term, but you could brush up on your locational knowledge – something that was missed when schools closed earlier this year. You could explore some online maps, find your house or school and find London too. Here are some lessons about the UK and London that might help.
Living and Learning is important to help us get along with each other and learn. While you’re away from school, you could look at these lessons about friends.
07 December 2020
Hi everyone
We’re really missing you in school and we can’t wait to have you back. We hope you’re managing to stay happy, healthy and safe while you’re not with us here in school. You are still very much a part of our school community so please get in touch with us. My email is benparker@spherefederation.org.
Maths
This week’s maths learning is linked to place value, comparing and ordering numbers.
- Lesson 1 video, worksheet and answers.
- Lesson 2 video, worksheet and answers.
- Lesson 3 video, worksheet and answers.
- Lesson 4 video, worksheet and answers.
- Lesson 5 video, worksheet and answers.
You don’t have to print the worksheets. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Don’t forget to practise number bonds on Numbots or times tables on Times Table Rock Stars. Email your child’s class teacher if you need your login and password details.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Numbots/Rock Stars daily)
Reading fluency
This is the reading fluency that we’ll read in class this week. In school, we generally follow this sequence:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Phonics
We teach a phonics lesson daily at school. Your child should have a ‘Practise Phonics’ book that they bring home from school. The sticker on the front will indicate which phase they’re working at. On Phonics Play, the activities and games match the phases. If you’re unsure which phase your child is working on, email your class teacher.
If your child has completed the phonics reading books, they can use some Phase 5b, 5c, 5d or Phase 6 resources.
Use a different Phonics Play activity for :
- Revisit: Flashcard Speed Trial, Flashcard Time Challenge or Tricky Word Trucks
- Practise: Play Buried Treasure, Dragon’s Den or Picnic on Pluto
- Apply: Have a go reading one of the Comics or the Reading Robots
Login details are Sphere (user name) and Spher3 (password).
(Suggested time: 20 minutes daily)
Reading
We’ll be using this ‘RIC’ text in class to practise comprehension skills.
RIC stands for:
- Retrieve: finding information in a text
- Interpret: using clues in the text or pictures to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
Read for 10-15 minutes daily. You could read the books you have brought home from school or any other books you have at home. Remember that the ‘Practise Phonics’ book is designed to be read more than once, to help with segmenting (sounding out), blending (putting the sounds back together) and fluency.
(Suggested time: 10-15 minutes daily)
Writing
Follow these 10 lessons on diary writing from Oak National Academy. There’s a whole series of lessons, but start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing one (or maybe even two) each day. (If you’re self-isolating in your second week, stick with the series of lessons you’ve already started and aim to complete the full series.)
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes for each)
Spelling
This week’s spellings are on our spelling page. Complete one task each day:
- Day 1: Copy the words out in your best handwriting (like in our handwriting guide) – using a lead-in line or joined handwriting. (You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text.)
- Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our super spelling strategies guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Topic
Our topic this half-term is about history – all about the Great Fire of London.
Follow these lessons about the Great Fire of London from Oak National Academy. There are ten lessons in total, but start at the first lesson and work through, doing two or three in the week.
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes)
Science
Our focus this half-term is about the human body and keeping it healthy.
These six lessons from Oak National Academy link to what we’ve been doing in class. Start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing two or three in the week.
If Science really motivates your child, you could also use these lessons about famous scientists.
(Suggested time: 30-45 minutes)
PE
Don’t forget to do some daily exercise!
Do two of these Five Minute Moves from Joe Wicks each day – spread them across the day as if they were playtimes, maybe!
Have a go at one of the Change for Life indoor activities or a Cosmic Kids yoga session each day.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Extra stuff…
As an extra (or as an alternative, if this helps to motivate your child)…
Geography isn’t a topic-driver this half-term, but you could brush up on your locational knowledge – something that was missed when schools closed earlier this year. You could explore some online maps, find your house or school and find London too. Here are some lessons about the UK and London that might help.
Living and Learning is important to help us get along with each other and learn. While you’re away from school, you could look at these lessons about friends.
Week beginning 07 December 2020
Hi everyone
We’re really missing you in school and we can’t wait to have you back. We hope you’re managing to stay happy, healthy and safe while you’re not with us here in school. You are still very much a part of our school community so please get in touch with us. You can email me at paulwilks@spherefederation.org.
Here’s a short video from me introducing the week.
Maths
This week’s maths learning continues our unit on multiplication. Please use the following resources:
Lesson 1: video worksheet answers
Lesson2: video worksheet answers
Lesson 3: video worksheet answers
Lesson 4: video worksheet answers
Lesson 5: arithmetic check
You don’t have to print the worksheet. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Practise times tables on Times Table Rockstars, too. In Y4, we’re concentrating on the 7 times table. Email me if you need your child’s login and password details.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Rockstars daily)
Spelling
Look on the homework page to find this week’s spellings. Your child should complete one task each day.
- Day 1: Generate more words linked to the spelling pattern or ‘rule’. You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text, like a website linked to our science topic of Living Things and their Habitat.
- Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our Super Spelling Strategies guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Reading fluency
Click here for this week’s fluency text to build up fluency skills. In school, we generally follow this sequence:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Reading comprehension
Day 1: Click here for this week’s RIC text and questions. It’s about a poem called The dragon who ate our school.
RIC stands for:
- Retrieve: finding information in a text
- Interpret: using clues in the text to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
Day 2: Agree with your child three words from any text they’ve read which they’re less familiar with. Your child should find out what they mean (eg by checking an online dictionary or simply discuss with you) and how to use them in sentences (both when speaking and when writing). Challenge your child to write a sentence with each word in, or to drop the words into conversations at home.
Day 3: Read this article from First News, a newspaper for children, and complete the activity.
Day 4: Read your fluency or RIC text again. We’re also reading another Greek myth called Orpheus and Eurydice. Click here if you’d like to read this. Next, do one of the following:
- Your child could list at least ten facts they’ve read in the text. (If it’s a fiction text (a story), then the facts would be based on the story, like ‘Harry Potter picked up his broomstick’, rather than actual facts from the real world.)
- Your child could create questions and answers for what they’ve read. (For example, it could be a TV or radio interview based on what they’ve read.)
- Your child could create their own ‘RIC’ questions.
- Your child could draw and label a character or setting that they’ve read about.
Day 5: Book Club. Once a week, we have a relaxing lesson where we sit and read quietly, often with an adult. At home, we’d like you to read your favourite book or text, too. If possible, discuss the book with an adult, talking about some or all of the sections of this sheet.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
This week, we’re focusing on apostrophes and their use. Click below for two lessons from Oak National Academy:
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Topic
Click here for our next Ancient Greek history lesson. It’s an Oak Academy lesson about the achievements of the Ancient Greeks.
Science
Click here for the sixth Oak Academy lesson on sound.
Also, there’s a RIC about sound here.
(Suggested time: 45 minutes)
Week beginning 07 December 2020
Hi everyone
We’re really missing you in school and we can’t wait to have you back. We hope you’re managing to stay happy, healthy and safe while you’re not with us here in school. You are still very much a part of our school community so please get in touch with us. You can email me at paulwilks@spherefederation.org or Mr Wain at oliwain@spherefederation.org.
Here’s a short video from me introducing the week.
Maths
This week’s maths learning continues our unit on multiplication. Please use the following resources:
Lesson 1: video worksheet answers
Lesson2: video worksheet answers
Lesson 3: video worksheet answers
Lesson 4: video worksheet answers
Lesson 5: arithmetic check
You don’t have to print the worksheet. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Practise times tables on Times Table Rockstars, too. In Y4, we’re concentrating on the 7 times table. Email me if you need your child’s login and password details.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Rockstars daily)
Spelling
Look on the homework page to find this week’s spellings. Your child should complete one task each day.
- Day 1: Generate more words linked to the spelling pattern or ‘rule’. You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text, like a website linked to our science topic of Living Things and their Habitat.
- Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our Super Spelling Strategies guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Reading fluency
Click here for this week’s fluency text to build up fluency skills. In school, we generally follow this sequence:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Reading comprehension
Day 1: Click here for this week’s RIC text and questions. It’s about a poem called The dragon who ate our school.
RIC stands for:
- Retrieve: finding information in a text
- Interpret: using clues in the text to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
Day 2: Agree with your child three words from any text they’ve read which they’re less familiar with. Your child should find out what they mean (eg by checking an online dictionary or simply discuss with you) and how to use them in sentences (both when speaking and when writing). Challenge your child to write a sentence with each word in, or to drop the words into conversations at home.
Day 3: Read this article from First News, a newspaper for children, and complete the activity.
Day 4: Read your fluency or RIC text again. We’re also reading another Greek myth called Orpheus and Eurydice. Click here if you’d like to read this. Next, do one of the following:
- Your child could list at least ten facts they’ve read in the text. (If it’s a fiction text (a story), then the facts would be based on the story, like ‘Harry Potter picked up his broomstick’, rather than actual facts from the real world.)
- Your child could create questions and answers for what they’ve read. (For example, it could be a TV or radio interview based on what they’ve read.)
- Your child could create their own ‘RIC’ questions.
- Your child could draw and label a character or setting that they’ve read about.
Day 5: Book Club. Once a week, we have a relaxing lesson where we sit and read quietly, often with an adult. At home, we’d like you to read your favourite book or text, too. If possible, discuss the book with an adult, talking about some or all of the sections of this sheet.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
This week, we’re focusing on apostrophes and their use. Click below for two lessons from Oak National Academy:
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Topic
Click here for our next Ancient Greek history lesson. It’s an Oak Academy lesson about the achievements of the Ancient Greeks.
Science
Click here for the sixth Oak Academy lesson on sound.
Also, there’s a RIC about sound here.
(Suggested time: 45 minutes)
Week beginning: 07 November 2020
Hello everyone working at home this week!
I hope you and your family are well. If there’s anything I can help with, please don’t forget you can email me: jenwilson@spherefederation.org
It’s not long until the holidays – keep working hard!
Maths
In school this week, we’re assessing children on what they’ve understood so far this year. Below, you’ll find links to some tests which children could do to revise what they’ve learnt. Send me your completed sheets so I can see what I need to help you with more! The answers should provide a good opportunity for you to see how to approach each question.
- Place value: test and answers
- Four operations (1): test and answers
- Four operations (2): test and answers
- Fractions (1): test and answers
- Fractions (2): test and answers
Don’t forget to practise times tables on Times Table Rockstars, too.
I’d like everyone to do at least one ‘sound check’ to see how you’re doing on everything. We’ll be doing this in class, too!
Email me if you need your child’s login and password details.
You don’t have to print the worksheets. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Rockstars daily)
Spelling
This week’s spellings are on our spelling page.
Complete one task each day:
- Day 1: Generate more words linked to the spelling pattern or ‘rule’. (You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text, like a website linked to our learning.)
- Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our Super Spelling Strategies Guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Reading fluency
This is the fluency text that we’ll read in class this week.
In school, we generally follow this sequence:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Reading comprehension
Day 1: Watch the video about Tutankhamun and answer these three questions:
- R: How old was Tutankhamun when he became Pharaoh?
- I: Why was Tutankhamun more popular than his father?
- C: Why has the film maker made this a cartoon, rather than a real live-action programme?
Day 2: Agree with your child three words from any text they’ve read which they’re less familiar with. Your child should find out what they mean (eg by checking an online dictionary or simply discuss with you) and how to use them in sentences (both when speaking and when writing). Challenge your child to write a sentence with each word in, or to drop the words into conversations at home.
Day 3: Read this First News and answer the questions. The answers are on the final sheet – no peeking until you’re done!
Day 4: Read your fluency or RIC text again. Next, do one of the following:
- Your child could list at least ten facts they’ve read or heard in the text. (If it’s a fiction text (a story), then the facts would be based on the story, like ‘Harry Potter picked up his broomstick’, rather than actual facts from the real world.)
- Your child could create questions and answers for what they’ve read. (For example, it could be a TV or radio interview based on what they’ve read.)
- Your child could create their own ‘RIC’ questions.
- Your child could draw and label a character or setting that they’ve read about.
Day 5: Book Club. Once a week, we have a relaxing lesson where we sit and read quietly, often with an adult. At home, we’d like you to read your favourite book or text, too. If possible, discuss the book with an adult, talking about some or all of the sections of this grid.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
We’re editing and improving our stories this week, but not doing much writing because of all the assessments.
Oak National Academy have a good sequence of lessons on story writing that you could work through if you’re working from home. There’s a whole series of lessons, but start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing one (or maybe even two) each day. (If you’re self-isolating in your second week, stick with the series of lessons you’ve already started and aim to complete the full series.)
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes for each)
Topic
This week’s topic learning is about history. We’re continuing our topic all about prehistoric Britain compared to Ancient Egypt – an advanced ancient civilisation.
This series of lessons from Oak National Academy is all about prehistoric Britain. Choose one lesson to do that you’ve got a particular interest in.
As always, let me know how you got on with your learning.
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes)
Science
We’re carrying on with our learning about forces.
This series of lessons from Oak National Academy links closely to what we’ve done in class.
Choose one you’ve got a particular interest in or, if you’ve been doing home learning already this term, choose one you’ve not yet done.
Email me to let me know how you got on!
30 November 2020
We’re really missing you in school and we can’t wait to have you back. We hope you’re managing to stay happy, healthy and safe while you’re not with us here in school. You are still very much a part of our school community so please get in touch with us. You can email me at
benparker@spherefederation.org.
This week’s maths learning is linked to addition and subtraction
These five video lessons will roughly match the teaching and learning happening in class:
Lesson 1: video, worksheets and answers
Lesson 2: video, worksheets and answers
Lesson 3: video, worksheets and answers
Lesson 4: video, worksheets and answers
Lesson 5: video
You don’t have to print the worksheet. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Spelling
- Day 1: Write the words and draw shapes round them to show the ascenders and descenders. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 2: Write the words using rainbow writing. (Try some of the other activities in our Super Spelling Strategies guide.)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Reading fluency
This is the text we’ll read in class to to build up fluency skills this week.
In school, we generally follow this sequence:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Reading comprehension
Day 1: We will be using this RIC lesson in class. RIC stands for:
- Retrieve: finding information in a text
- Interpret: using clues in the text to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
Day 2: Watch this video and learn about the ‘ew‘ digraph.
Day 3: Watch this video and learn about the ‘aw‘ digraph.
Day 4: Watch this video and learn about the ‘ow‘ digraph
The three videos above were made by one of our teacher friends from another school in the federation.
Day 5: Book Club. Once a week, we have a relaxing lesson where we sit and read quietly, often with an adult. At home, we’d like you to read your favourite book or text, too. If possible, discuss the book with an adult, talking about some or all of the sections of this grid.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
Activity 1
In school, we will be finding out about verbs and how to identify them in a sentence. Watch this video and have a go at this sheet.
Activity 2
Year 2 children: Write three sentences about a picture or photograph you choose. Your child should remember capital letters, finger spaces, joining up letters if they can (use our handwriting guide to help), and a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?) to end the sentence.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Topic
We’re continuing our new topic learning about The Great Fire of London.
This week, we’re looking at how we know about the Great Fire of London. This Oak National Academy lesson will really help to support learning at home. Once your child has watched the video, try the quiz that follows.
(Suggested time: 30-45 minutes)
Science
This half term, we’re learning about animals including humans. This Oak National Academy lesson will really help to support learning at home. Once your child has watched the video, try the quiz that follows.
(Suggested time: 30-45 minutes)
30 November 2020
We’re really missing you in school and we can’t wait to have you back. We hope you’re managing to stay happy, healthy and safe while you’re not with us here in school. You are still very much a part of our school community so please get in touch with us. You can email me at
benparker@spherefederation.org.
This week’s maths learning is linked to addition and subtraction
These five video lessons will roughly match the teaching and learning happening in class:
Lesson 1: video, worksheets and answers
Lesson 2: video, worksheets and answers
Lesson 3: video, worksheets and answers
Lesson 4: video, worksheets and answers
Lesson 5: Numbots
You don’t have to print the worksheet. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Spelling
- Day 1: Write the words and draw shapes round them to show the ascenders and descenders. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 2: Write the words using rainbow writing. (Try some of the other activities in our Super Spelling Strategies guide.)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Reading fluency
This is the text we’ll read in class to to build up fluency skills this week.
In school, we generally follow this sequence:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Reading comprehension
Day 1: We will be using this RIC lesson in class. RIC stands for:
- Retrieve: finding information in a text
- Interpret: using clues in the text to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
Day 2: Watch this video and learn about the ‘ure‘ digraph.
Day 3: Watch this video and learn about the ‘ear‘ digraph.
Day 4: Watch this video and learn about the ‘air‘ digraph
The three videos above were made by one of our teacher friends from another school in the federation.
Day 5: Book Club. Once a week, we have a relaxing lesson where we sit and read quietly, often with an adult. At home, we’d like you to read your favourite book or text, too. If possible, discuss the book with an adult, talking about some or all of the sections of this grid.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
Activity 1
Finger strengthening activities support the development of fine motor skills needed for writing.
Challenge your child to have a go at 3 or more of these activities: practise tying shoe laces, fasten and unfasten buttons, attach nuts and bolts, separate dried pasta and dried peas (or similar) into two separate piles, do some mindfulness colouring in, do a jigsaw, cut up drinking straws and thread them on to a shoe lace, attach clothes pegs (the squeezable type) to a shoe box or similar, use a paint brush and water to make pictures or words on a wall, chalk words or pictures on the ground, make a Lego model.
Activity 2Year 1 children: Talk to your child about a picture or photograph you choose. Write three words or phrases to label different things in the picture (eg ‘a car’ or ‘a red car’). Your child should aim to spell in a sensible way and use finger spaces between the words, joining up letters if they can (use our handwriting guide to help).
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Topic
We’re continuing our new topic learning about The Great Fire of London.
This week, we’re looking at how we know about the Great Fire of London. This Oak National Academy lesson will really help to support learning at home. Once your child has watched the video, try the quiz that follows.
(Suggested time: 30-45 minutes)
Science
This half term, we’re learning about animals including humans. This Oak National Academy lesson will really help to support learning at home. Once your child has watched the video, try the quiz that follows.
(Suggested time: 30-45 minutes)
Week beginning: 30 November 2020
Hey everyone!
I hope you’ve had a lovely weekend no matter what you’ve been up to!
Here’s a little video from me all about this week’s learning.
If you need any help or want to ask any questions, please don’t hesitate to send an email to jenwilson@spherefederation.org!
Now, onto this week’s learning.
Maths
In school, this week, we’re carrying on with the same topic: fractions.
Children should use these resources:
- Compare and order: video, worksheet, answers
- Multiply fractions by integers: video, worksheet, answers
- Multiply fractions by fractions: video, worksheet, answers
- Divide fractions (1): video, worksheet, answers
- Divide fractions (2): video, worksheet, answers
You don’t have to print the worksheets. Your child can write or draw their answers on paper. Your child’s learning will be most effective if you sit with them to pause the clip and check / praise / support your child as the clip moves on.
Practise times tables on Times Table Rockstars, too. We’re concentrating on a mix of times tables, so your child should focus on the times table they find most difficult. Email me if you need your child’s login and password details.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes of Maths and 15 minutes of Rockstars daily)
Spelling
Look on our spelling page for this week’s words.
Your child should complete one task each day.
- Day 1: Generate more words linked to the spelling pattern or ‘rule’. (You could look out for the words in the book you’re reading at home, or any other text, like a website linked to our learning.)
- Day 2: Practise the spellings using two of the ideas in our Super Spelling Strategies Guide. (Set yourself and others at home a challenge of using some of the words when you’re speaking, too!)
- Day 3: Write separate sentences, each containing one of the spellings. (Don’t forget to show off really neat handwriting and make sure you sentence starts with a capital letter and ends with a full stop, exclamation mark (!) or question mark (?).
- Day 4: Repeat Task 2 or 3.
- Day 5: Get an adult at home to test you on your spellings. Practise any you spell incorrectly – you could write them out carefully until you’re sure.
(Suggested time: 15-20 minutes daily)
Reading fluency
This is the fluency text on Egyptian gods that we’ll read in class this week.
In school, we generally follow this sequence:
- Day 1: Read the text aloud with your child listening. Read it clearly and slowly, pointing to each word as you read. Have a chat about any unfamiliar words.
- Day 2: Read aloud each sentence (a full short sentence or part of a longer sentence), and have your child read it back to you. Do this ‘echo reading’ for the whole text.
- Day 3: Read the text and talk about the effect of the punctuation on how you read it – pauses for full stops and expression for exclamations (!) or questions (?). Your child reads the text aloud.
- Day 4: Read together with expression (just like you practised on Day 3).
- Day 5: Your child reads independently and fluently.
(Suggested time: 15 minutes daily)
Reading comprehension
Day 1: Read this extract of Wolf Brother and answer the RIC questions at the bottom.
Day 2: Agree with your child three words from any text they’ve read which they’re less familiar with. Your child should find out what they mean (eg by checking an online dictionary or simply discuss with you) and how to use them in sentences (both when speaking and when writing). Challenge your child to write a sentence with each word in, or to drop the words into conversations at home.
Day 3: Read this First News article and answer the questions. The answers are on the final sheet – no peeking until you’re done!
Day 4: Read your fluency or RIC text again. Next, do one of the following:
- Your child could list at least ten facts they’ve read in the text. (If it’s a fiction text (a story), then the facts would be based on the story, like ‘Harry Potter picked up his broomstick’, rather than actual facts from the real world.)
- Your child could create questions and answers for what they’ve read. (For example, it could be a TV or radio interview based on what they’ve read.)
- Your child could create their own ‘RIC’ questions.
- Your child could draw and label a character or setting that they’ve read about.
Day 5: Book Club. Once a week, we have a relaxing lesson where we sit and read quietly, often with an adult. At home, we’d like you to read your favourite book or text, too. If possible, discuss the book with an adult, talking about some or all of the sections of this grid.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
We’re writing stories this week.
These are the slides we’ll be using in class to help you.
Day 1: Plan your story using this sheet and referring back to this extract from The Hobbit
Day 2: Plan your setting and character descriptions by drawing and labelling your own villain, hero, messenger and setting, for your story.
Day 3: Write your story, referring to your planning sheet and drawings.
Day 4: Edit your story, looking out for Must Dos especially – see slides. Use the assessment grid to help you understand what you’ve done well. If you realised you haven’t included something, now is a great time to add it!
Day 5: Write your story as neatly as possibly, illustrating it once you’ve finished. You could even add a border if you have time.
Topic
This week’s topic learning is about history. We’re continuing our topic all about prehistoric Britain compared to Ancient Egypt – an advanced ancient civilisation.
This week, just like we’re doing in class, you’re going to learn about the mummification process.
First, have a look at these slides to learn about the process. Next, summarise it in your own words using this activity.
Finally, use this template to design your own canopic jar! Which Egyptian god will you use for its lid? What hieroglyphics will you include on the outside? What colour would you paint it?
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes)
Science
We’re carrying on with our learning about forces. Use these slides to learn about friction and have a go at the Kahoot if you can so make sure you’re reading the information carefully!
Next, use this sheet to plan an investigation involving friction.
Email me to let me know how you got on!