The run up to Christmas
There are two weeks left before we all disappear for the festive season. It’ll be busy, as usual, in Y5. What will we be up to?
Topic – We’re starting to round off the learning we’ve enjoyed about space through Tim Peake’s mission to the ISS (International Space Station). To celebrate what a fantastic topic this has been, we’ll be collating all of our knowledge to take on a D&T/Science project to create our own rocket for launch. We’re still using Makewaves to showcase our learning.
English – Our noses are in newspapers at the moment. We’ve explored reports of the moon landings from 1969 and we’ll be coming back to the present next week to report on Tim’s upcoming mission. For the final week, we’ll get our creative juices flowing again and see if we can write for a given audience. The aim will be to create a Christmas story book to be read to the children in Reception and Year 1.
Maths – Dig out your protractors next week as we start learning how to measure angles. We’ll recap the names of different angles before learning how to measure them and then explore angles in shapes.
04 December 2015
For Practice Makes Perfect, we’re returning to Mathletics. All of the children have been assigned three tasks related to time.
- What time will it be?
- Elapsed time.
- Using timetables.
This homework is due on Wednesday 09 December. If there is any reason that this homework cannot be completed at home, please let me know on Monday (before the homework is due).
04 December 2015
This week’s homework is Talk Time and will be discussed on Wednesday 09 December.
To reflect on our topic, ‘Mission to Space’.
As Tim Peake’s launch draws closer, the end of ‘Mission to Space’ does, too. Over dinner, in the car, on your way to and from school, have discussions about the topic.
- Have you enjoyed it? Why?
- What new things have you learnt?
- Is there anything you’d still like to find out?
- What’s been the best thing about it?
- How could it have been improved?
Remember to write yourself some short notes to help with our discussion in class.
I can make healthy choices
We had lots of brilliant, interactive pieces of homework this week. During our homework review, it was great fun not only looking at what we had all done, but playing the different games and challenges that had been set.
There were all sorts of different challenges: word searches, pairs game, top trumps, voting slips and much more.
Healthy drinks update – day 4
These pictures were taken on Monday. So far, the children have been most shocked by the Fruit Shoot and the Monster. We had to throw the milk away as it had started to smell bad!
Healthy drinks update – day 2
Health highlights
Our health themed week has been filled with visitors and learning, providing a variety of experiences for the whole school.
- ‘It was really educational and fun.’
- ‘I enjoyed health week as there were so many activities.’
- ‘I learnt a lot about sugar in foods. I learnt about drugs: good or bad.’
- ‘One of my highlights was judo. We learnt different skills and it has now inspired me to take classes out of school.’
- ‘I did learn a lot and now I am even healthier than before.’
- ‘I learnt how to cope with emotional health.’
- ‘I learnt how to make sure I have my 5 a day.’
- ‘I learnt how to choose the right food.’
We would like to thank the following for their support with our themed week:
- Heart Research UK
- d:side (drug education)
- Tsukuru Judo Academy
- Tom Bosworth, Team GB race walker
- Claire Sparrow, pilates instructor
- Catering Leeds food nutritionists
- Leeds Force basketball
- Leeds City Council road safety team
- Leeds University dental students
- Leeds anti-social behaviour team
- Rachel Frazer, yoga teacher
- Dr Natwar Tibrewal, Corner House dental surgery
- Fabian Hamilton, MP for Leeds North East
- Public health resource centre for the loan of resources and providing health related leaflets
Finally, thank you to all staff and pupils who have fully engaged with all the learning throughout the week. Take a look at the Class News sections of the website to find out what each class have been doing. We have enjoyed a fun-filled week.
For further information about keeping healthy have a look at change4life, KidsHealth, NHS choices, Leeds Let’s Change and Leeds Let’s Get Active (for advice on more local health issues).
And an extra note from Mr Roundtree: Thanks, once again, to Mrs Taylor for organising such a wonderful themed week.
Preparing a healthy wrap
Year 2 are continuing to develop their food technology skills, this time by creating a healthy wrap as an option for packed lunches. Spreading, chopping and grating were some of the techniques used in this simple recipe that I’m sure will be recreated at home.
Learning new skills and respect
In Health week, Reception enjoyed a session with Rob from Tsukuru Judo Academy. As well as the physical skills, Rob taught us about the importance of respecting each other in the discipline of judo.
There were some brave volunteers!
Tsukuru Judo Academy will be starting judo sessions locally at Carr Manor in December.
Maths in Reception
In our maths learning this week, we’re concentrating on counting and using numbers.
In order to count effectively, children need to:
- learn number names in order
- count objects by touching them
- understand that the last number they say is the total number of objects in the group
- transfer these skills effectively from one context to another
- move from counting concrete objects to counting abstractly
Children need to be motivated to count for a purpose. In Reception, we try to provide lots of interesting objects and activities for children to use and improve their counting skills.
Children should also have the opportunity to order numbers. At the moment, the children are enjoying matching the correct number of flies to the spiders’ webs.
Look here for more information and some ideas for you to try at home.