25 April 2014
This week the homework is creative.
I can find out about nocturnal animals.
Year 2’s new mini topic is all about nocturnal animals. We will be looking at bats, badgers, owls, hedgehogs and foxes. For homework, I would like the children to find out all they can and present it creatively.
- Information leaflet
- Poster
- Video
- PowerPoint slide show
- A quiz
It’s the Easter holidays…
…so we have no set homework or spellings, in line with our Homework Policy.
That doesn’t mean we expect your child not to be developing their skills in reading, writing and maths!
Your child should be reading daily – this could be fiction, factual books, a comic or newspaper, and could include being read to at bedtime, too.
It would be good to practise basic skills in writing by writing a letter or email to a relative, perhaps recounting a day-trip or reviewing a film your child watched.
We’re finding quite a few children are ‘squashing their sentences’ such as I went to Leeds City Museum it was really interesting which is wrong. It would be much better with punctuation to separate or a word to join:
- I went to Leeds City Museum. It was really interesting. (A comma isn’t strong enough to separate two sentences.)
- I went to Leeds City Museum – it was really interesting.
- I went to Leeds City Museum; it was really interesting.
- I went to Leeds City Museum and it was really interesting.
- I went to Leeds City Museum which was really interesting.
Finally, to improve calculation skills, please keep practising mental number facts which your child must know:
- number bonds (two numbers which add up to 10, 20 and 100 eg 3+7, 13+7, 30+70) – these facts should be known by children in Y1 – Y2
- times tables (up to 12×12) and the division facts with your child – children in Y2 should have rapid recall of x2, x 5 and x 10 at least
We know we mention these ‘basics’ a lot, but that’s because they involve practice, practice and more practice – we practise a lot at school, but your child will need to practise at home, too, if they are to truly succeed.
Learn more about current expectations for reading, writing and maths. However, do be aware that a new National Curriculum comes into effect from September, meaning these expectations have been raised and so many aspects of learning now feature in younger age groups.
28 March 2014
This week’s homework is creative.
I can show that I am working towards my maths target.
All of the children have written their new maths target in their homework book this week. In as creative a way as they can think of, they need to show that they have started to work towards that target in this week’s homework. We discussed this together and lots of brilliant ideas were suggested for a range of targets:
- Making a shop at home to become more confident with money.
- Designing a picture with lines of given lengths to practise using a ruler accurately.
- Gathering data and creating a graph.
- Doing some baking to practise using scales.
These were just some of the ideas – I wonder what else the children will come up with…
Looking forward to seeing what you do, especially after the high quality of homework last week.
21 March 2014
This week’s homework is creative. Now the Big Topic is finished, we would like to see what your child has learnt and what they have enjoyed the most.
I can show what I have learnt about heroes.
This can be presented in any way that you like. Here are some ideas:
- a mindmap
- dress up as a hero – take a photo and write lots of facts
- what does hero mean?
- collage showing lots of different types of heroes
Looking forward to seeing all sorts of interesting homework. It’s due to be handed in on Thursday 27 March as school will be closed on Wednesday 26 March.
14 March 2014
This week’s homework is talk time and is due in on Wednesday 19 March.
Are all “heroes” paid fairly?
There are heroes in all walks of life but are they all paid appropriately?
Is it fair that a sporting hero earns a lot of money in comparison to a police officer or fire fighter? Does it mean that if you are paid more then you are more of a hero?
These are questions that would be interesting to discuss with your child. We look forward to hearing about your discussions on Wednesday in our homework time.
07 March 2014
For all children in Year 1 – Year 6, the homework this week is creative and is due in on Wednesday 12 March.
I can respond to my reading.
This homework follows the wonderful costumes and learning inspired by World Book Day.
As always, some ways that your children can respond are listed below:
- Write a letter to a character or author.
- Interview a character or author.
- Annotate a page of a novel with words/phrases/sentences/ descriptions that you like and why (top tip: get a photocopy of the page, don’t annotate your actual book!)
- Create a book review.
- Create a comic strip which summarises the story.
It’s half-term…
It’s the half-term, so in line with our current homework policy, there are no homework tasks or spellings to learn.
However, please make sure you’re reading lots with your child – we’re finding children are reading less than they need to if they are to gain fluency and understanding. You could take your child to a local library, hunt down an old favourite to re-visit, plan a story book for each bedtime over the holiday, read more about a favourite subject on the internet, buy a comic or magazine… And, so they have good role models, make sure your child sees you read, too!
Our current homework policy will be reviewed soon. A small number of you have told us you’re not entirely happy with it – it would be really helpful if you tell us more about what you’d like. Send us an email or speak with Mrs Weekes or me about this. Thank you.
07 February 2014
This week’s homework is creative so get those juices flowing!
I can find out about a hero from the past.
Before we all disappear for half term, we’ll learn about two real life heroes from the past. We’ll step into the life of Grace Darling, a young woman who saved 9 people after their ship crashed off the Northumbrian coast, and learn about Rosa Parks, who refused to give her seat up for a white person on a bus in Alabama, 1955.
We want to know what real life heroes in history you can find out about. Choose one and present everything you find out about them in the most creative way you can think of. Here are some ideas:
- Write an autobiography as though you are that person.
- Create an information leaflet on their life and what they did.
- Draw a story board of their life and what they did.
- Create a quiz and answer booklet to challenge your friends.
31 January 2014
For all children in Year 1 – Year 6, the homework this week is creative and is due in on Wednesday 05 February.
I know what makes a good school councillor.
It’s time for children to consider if they would like to stand for election for our new school council. With two representatives from each class, chosen democratically by their peers, all children at Moortown Primary are encouraged to take an active part in pupil voice.
Elections for our new school council will take place next Friday 07 February with our polling station and ballot boxes at the ready. Candidates will have the opportunity to give their election speech to their class on Wednesday 05 February or Thursday 06 February.
What makes a good school councillor has been considered by our current school council and in each class this week. Suggestions have included:
- ‘Communicating with others – pupils and adults.’
- ‘Having good listening skills to know what to contribute in meetings.’
- ‘Thinking of realistic ideas to suggest in meetings.’
We invite children to respond to the sentence above in a creative way – they might choose to use this time to prepare an election speech or otherwise consider this statement and present it as a character description, pictures, an interview with a current school councillor or other ideas of your own. For either option you should include the importance of voting.
Hints for your speech include:
- What skills and abilities would a good school councillor have?
- What are you particularly good at that would help you to be a great school councillor?
- What do you think would make the school better? What could you do that people would really like?
- Think of things that are realistic, maybe that you could do yourself, rather than having to ask other people to do?
Thank you to our current school councillors for all their ideas and contributions over the last year. We hope you have enjoyed this role and responsibility and you are welcome to stand again for election.
Good luck to all children who decide to stand in the elections. Results will be announced in our assembly on Friday 07 February.
24 January 2014
This week’s homework is creative homework.
What is a hero?
After a fantastic “hero day”, we would like to see what the children’s perception of a hero is. There has been a lot of discussion already about heroes but there are many different heroes from fiction, sport, history and real life day to day heroes. Ideas and opinions can be shown in any way your child likes and please remember to be as creative as possible.
This homework needs to be handed in by Wednesday 29 January.
Thank you for providing costumes for your heroes; the day kicked off our topic really well and we defeated the villainous character who appeared in Year 2!
