This week’s message (Friday 24 June 2022)
Thanks to everyone who responded to this year’s annual survey. We’ll spend the next few weeks reviewing the responses and building in some action points to our School Improvement Plan.
This week’s message is a little different: it comes from our Junior Leadership Team…
JLT stands for the Junior Leadership Team. The members of the team are voted for by the other kids in their class. All members are committed to their responsibilities.
As part of the JLT, we help to decide which charity the school should support. Each class puts forward a charity and the JLT make a democratic decision.
In meetings, we talk about the school’s safety and what needs improving. The JLT did a safety audit last term and looked at what could be improved or changed in school.
We discuss the school lunches and sometimes we get to choose which meals stay on the menu. We listen to our classmates for ideas and that really helps to improve our school.
As members of the JLT, we take on board all the suggestions that have been put in the Living and Learning box. It is important to listen, share and discuss classmates’ ideas, not just our own.
Friday 24th June
This week’s spellings are practising the ‘al grapheme which can make the /l/, /or/ and /ar/ sound.
medal
talk
walk
calm
half
The spellings will be tested on Friday 1st July.
24 June 2022
During this week’s Talk Time, you’ll explore an important moral dilemma.
Shops should try to sell clothes as cheaply as possible.
When discussing the statement, there are a number of factors to take into consideration. Your conversations at home may begin by attempting to answer the following questions:
- Who would benefit from clothes being sold as cheaply as possible?
- Bear in mind that not everyone shares the same level of wealth.
- How would this impact on the amount of clothes people own?
- Would people buy more clothes than they actually need?
- How would lower prices impact on the shops themselves?
- If more clothes are needed in shops, how would that impact on the manufacturers?
- in terms of issues such as workload and pay
The following R2s will help your child to reflect on the discussion points:
- What are the reasons for (the pros) selling clothes as cheaply as possible?
- What are the reasons against (the cons) doing so?
- Reach a conclusion – Do you take one particular side or is there a compromise that could satisfy everyone?
17 June 2022
We’re now a couple of weeks into our final topic of the school year, Design and Technology.
Thinking about the new topic vocabulary, I can begin to use these words at home.
Years 1 and 2:
- design process: the steps that need to happen for something to go from an idea to a finished product
- to plan: to think about and decide how you’re going to do something
- to evaluate: to decide, after careful consideration, how good or bad something is
- felt: a kind of cloth made from wool
- needle: a thin piece of metal or plastic with a point at one end and a hole or eye for thread in the other, used in sewing
- thread: a long, thin strand of cotton used in sewing or weaving
- over stitch / whip stitch: a stitch that circles the edge of a piece of fabric
Years 3 and 4:
- product: something that is designed and made
- function: the purpose of something
- design brief: a description of what a new product should do
- design criteria: the precise features a product must have to be successful
- annotated sketch: a detailed sketch labelled with notes (eg dimensions, materials)
- fabric: cloth or other material produced by weaving or knitting fibres
- binka: a firm piece of fabric with holes in to help beginners to sew and embroider
- over stitch: a stitch that circles the edge of a piece of fabric
- running stitch: a line of small even stitches
- template: a tool used to mark out shapes repeatedly
Years 5 and 6:
- design criteria: the precise features a product must have in order to be successful
- innovative: an adjective to describe new or original ideas
- sustainable material: a material is sustainable if it comes from renewable sources and it does not damage the environment
- dimension: a measurement of something in a particular direction (eg height, length, width)
- aesthetic: something about the appearance (eg something can be aesthetically pleasing)
- running stitch: of a line of small even stitches
- back stitch: a method of sewing with overlapping stitches to form a solid line of stitching
- applique: pieces of fabric sewn or stuck on to a larger piece to form a picture or pattern
- pattern: a repeated decorative design
When having your discussions at home, you could start by explaining the end goal of this topic. What product are you designing and then making? What materials and skills will be required? Refer to the definitions provided when you’re explaining new vocabulary Challenge yourself to see if you can explain them in your own words.
10 June 2022
Our first Talk Time of this half term has a moral theme.
I can talk about the difference between needs and wants.
Although very similar, our needs and wants aren’t always the same. In your discussions this week, consider if the things you want are things that you need or things that you could, in fact, live without.
One way to approach this Talk Time is to recall your Living and Learning lessons about basic human rights. Identify what those rights are – things that fall outside of those could be considered wants instead of needs.
Our oracy focus for this half term is liveliness and flair. The following R2s will help you to keep others engaged when you’re speaking:
- Talk with enthusiasm in your voice.
- Use your imagination to think of scenarios to support your viewpoint.
- Maintain a good level of eye contact with your audience.
20 May 2022
Our Talk Time this week relates to our recent Geography learning:
I know and can use the topic vocabulary from this half term.
Years 1 and 2:
- continent – a very large area of land
- globe – a model of the Earth which shows what it looks like from space
- ocean – a large area of water between continents
- equator – an imaginary line that goes around the centre of the Earth
- physical geography – physical geography looks at the natural things in our environment
- human geography – human geography looks at changes in the environment by humans
- population – the number of people living in a certain place
- national park – a park or area of land looked after by a country’s government
Years 3 and 4:
- climate zones – areas of the world with similar temperature and weather
- hemisphere – a half of Earth, divided into a northern and southern hemisphere
- equator – an imaginary line that goes around the centre of the Earth
- latitude – the distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees
- tourism – travelling to a place for fun
- economy – how a country or place makes and spends money
- overtourism – when there are too many tourists and it results in conflict with local people who live there
- flood defences – used to prevent flooding in a specific place
Years 5 and 6:
- biome – areas of the world with similar climate, landscapes, animals and plants
- vegetation belt – an area with distinct plant types
- climate zone – areas of the world with similar temperature, weather and precipitation
- natural resources – something that is found in nature and can be used by humans
- exports – goods that are sent to other countries for sale
- deforestation – the destruction of forests by humans
- agriculture – growing and harvesting crops and raising animals; another word for farming
- indigenous people – the earliest or original inhabitants of a place
Encourage your child to think back to their Geography learning so far. The following questions might prompt your child to remember even more about the vocabulary:
- What does this word mean?
- Can you use the word in a sentence?
- Can you (where possible) give an example of this?
- Have you seen a piece of art that links to that word?
- Can you link this word to one or more of the other words?
- Which of these words would you group together?
13 May 2022
This week’s Talk Time has a Living and Learning focus:
I know what consent is.
Consent forms a part of everyday life: permission to take or publish a photo is a form of consent.
Because matters around consent can occur anywhere, it’s important to consider a range of scenarios. That way, you’ll be able to appreciate how you, or others, might feel in those situations and can think about the words or actions that follow. As a starting point, you could look at the following scenarios and consider how you might respond:
- A friend asks you to play football at playtime but you’re feeling quite tired.
- You and a friend did really well in a quiz so you want to give them a hug.
- You’re getting ready for school and you notice your brother/sister has their jumper on backwards.
- Your teacher wants to take pictures of some pictures of your writing to share with the class.
- You’ve been learning a poem and the teacher would like to record the class to use as part of an assembly.
What other situations can your child think of where consent is important?
When we reviewed our Relationships and Sex Education Policy, very many parents and carers wanted consent to feature more. This is why we’re including consent in our homework. Talking about consent in relation to our own bodies can be appropriate for children of any age.
These R2s will help you in a situation where you’re asking for consent:
- ask for permission
- if that person says yes, great
- if they say no, respect their decision (even if it upsets you)
06 May 2022
This week’s Talk Time poses an important question that everyone can and should be mindful of:
How can we better look after our planet?
In our current Geography topic, we’re learning about a wide range of spaces and places across the globe. To ensure that future generations can enjoy those environments, it’s important that everyone plays a part in helping to look after our planet.
Whilst some actions may seem very small and potentially unimportant, small changes can lead to big differences. What do you already do to look after our planet? What changes can you make? You could use the following ideas as a starting point for your discussions:
In and around the home:
- Switch off lights when you’re leaving a room for a while.
- Reduce the need to put the heating on by closing doors and putting on an extra layer.
- When something can no longer be used for its purpose, how can you use it for something else?
- Don’t leave TVs, consoles and other electricals on (or on standby) when you’re not using them.
Out in the community:
- Hold on to litter until you can dispose of it correctly.
- Pick up litter and put it in a nearby bin when possible.
- Travel in ways that aren’t harmful to the environment (walk, cycle, scoot etc)
- Take a reusable bottle/cup with you that can be filled up in shops.
We look forward to hearing what creative things you’re going to do to help look after our planet when we have our homework reviews in class next week.
29 April 2022
The latest Talk Time relates to our current Geography topic, Explorers:
I can show off my knowledge of world geography.
Years 1 and 2:
I know the world’s seven continents and the world’s five oceans.
Years 3 and 4 (as above plus):
I know at least four European countries and their capital cities (not including those in the UK) and I know some of the main rivers and mountains in Europe.
Years 5 and 6 (as above plus):
I know some world-wide countries and some of their major cities.
Think back to your lessons as a geographer so far this year. What strategies have you used, or could you use, to help you remember these facts? It could be drawings, pictures, map, videos, songs or other resources.
Our oracy focus this half term is vocabulary so when having your discussions at home, make sure to use the correct terminology eg city, capital city, country, continent.
Week beginning 25 April 2022
Sorry that you can’t be in school this week. Here are a range of resources linked to what is happening in class. Don’t forget to get in touch with your class teacher if you need support.
Maths
Follow this sequence of maths learning which is linked to ratio, proportion and negative numbers.
Lesson 1: video, worksheet, answers
Lesson 2: video, worksheet, answers
Lesson 3: video, worksheet, answers
Lesson 4: video, worksheet, answers
Lesson 5: video, worksheet, answers
Lesson 6: video, worksheet, answers
Lesson 7: video, worksheet, answers
Lesson 8: video, worksheet, answers
Lesson 9: video, worksheet, answers
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 the class teacher 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. They should choose some past spellings that they feel less confident with. 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.
This is the text that we will be using in school. 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
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 to unlock information
- Choice: thinking about the author’s choice of words, techniques or organisation that make the text interesting and enjoyable to read
At school, we like to promote a passion for reading. This website has a range of extracts and interviews with different authors. Choose one author each day and read an extract from their book. If you like it, carry out your own research on the author and book.
(Suggested time: 30 minutes daily)
Writing
In writing, we will be reviewing how punctuation is used correctly in our writing. Follow this sequence of lessons on punctuation. 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.) Finished? Try this mixed grammar practice.
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes for each)
Topic
Our topic this half-term is Explorers. In school, we’ll be comparing an area of South America with that of the UK.
Follow these lessons on Building Locational Knowledge: South America from Oak Academy. Follow the lesson sequence. It has 4 lessons so you could do two a week. We’ll also be looking at different biomes.
(Suggested time: 30-40 minutes)
Science
This term is all about electricity.
These six lessons from Oak Academy link closely to what we’ll be doing in class this half term. Start at Lesson 1 and work through, doing two or three in the week.
If Science really motivates your child, you could also use look at these lessons all about practical Science.
(Suggested time: 30-45 minutes)
PE
Don’t forget to do some daily exercise!
Do two or three of these Five Minute Moves from Joe Wicks each day – spread them across the day as if they were playtimes, maybe!
Try working through this series of 25 lessons from the Association for Physical Education – do two or three in the week.
(Suggested time: 5 minutes daily, plus 30 minutes for the longer PE lessons)
Extra stuff…
As an extra (or as an alternative, if this helps to motivate your child)…
Geography is our topic-driver this half-term so you could brush up on your locational knowledge. You could explore some online maps and try to memorise some new countries, capitals, rivers and mountain ranges. These three lessons about Europe are worth checking out.
What about some Living and Learning? While you’re away from school, you could check out these lessons on money!
