Science: Seasons
This half term, our biology topic in science is seasonal changes.
In line with the KS1 science expectations, our main learning objectives are:
- I can observe changes across the four seasons.
- I can observe and describe weather associated with the seasons and how day length varies.
The vocabulary we will be learning and using in this topic include:
- winter
- spring
- summer
- autumn
- seasons
- day length
- temperature
- change
So far we have been learning the seasons and the corresponding months of the year that match each season. Some of the things we have noted that change across the seasons include:
- weather
- temperature
- trees
- plants
- animals
- clothes we might wear
This video (One year in forty seconds) helps to show the changes across the seasons.
On our class calendar, we note the weather and season on a daily basis. We also record the temperature using our thermometer giving children the chance to develop an important maths skill of reading scales.
We will be moving onto learning more about weather across the seasons and how the length of the day (and night) changes across the year.
Animals Adapt
In our Science lesson this week, we investigated how animals with blubber are more adapted to a cold environment than animals without. Challenge your child to fill in the gaps with the words below – the ones from our Science vocabulary list for the half term are in bold.
- inherit
- evolved
- survive
- thin
- adapted
- environment
Tennis opportunities
Today, Year 2 – Year 6 pupils have taken part in tennis sessions to give children a taster of tennis and to promote sessions starting locally at Chapel Allerton Tennis and Squash Club.
Celebrate Yorkshire themed menu
Catering Agency, our school meal provider, will be running a special themed menu on Thursday 16 January. Please contact the office, in the next few days, if your child would like a school dinner on this day (no action needed if your child normally has a school meal on this day).
13 December 2019
This week’s homework is Talk Time and will be discussed on Friday 20th December.
I can talk about what I was learning in these photos.
Below are some photographs from learning that we have done this term. Ask your children what the children in the photograph are doing, what they learned from this lesson and what more they might like to learn or get better at in this area of learning.
This is a fantastic opportunity to find out more about your child’s learning and experiences at school. If you enjoyed this discussion, Check Year 5’s Class News section of the website where photographs are regularly uploaded!
Geography – Moortown Park
Living and Learning
Drama in Writing
Geography
School Savings Club
The next School Savings Club paying in date is 09 December 2019 at 3.15-3.45pm.
The account is open to all children and it is free to set up. As there is not minimum deposit requirement, it is a great way for your child/children to begin to manage their own money and understand the importance of saving. We offer paying in sessions every half term where you can bring along any savings to be paid into your child’s account.
As an extra incentive, Year 3 pupils who open an account, or who currently have an account, will be credited with £10.
If you’re unable to attend in person, please hand in any money to be deposited to the office in a sealed envelope addressed to Mrs Tiffany.
Here are the remaining paying in dates for this year (the penultimate Monday of each half term).
- 03 February
- 23 March
- 11 May
- 06 July
To find out more about the accounts or if your child would like to open account, please enquire at the office.
Living and Learning: My Community week so far
This week, we are enjoying our ‘My Community’ themed week based around these themes.
- Who am I? (identity)
- Who are we? (diversity)
- Where do I live? (community)
- How do we all live together? (equality)
There have been lots of events, visits and visitors so far.
- School community coffee morning and Wake Up Shake Up on Monday
- Bulb planting with Friends of Moortown Park
- Visiting Allerton Grange drama department for a community themed drama session led by Year 12 pupils
- A visit from Linda Gledhill from the deaf and hearing impairment team
- A visit from the RNIB to raise awareness of visually impaired members of our community
- JustDifferent disability workshops
- Litter picking in the local area
- Hate Crime workshops led by West Yorkshire Police
- Visiting Donisthorpe Hall
- A visit from Moortown fire service
- A visit from our PCSOs
- Learning carousels across different classes
Still to come is a visit to a group run by Moor Allerton Elderly Care; Greek language sessions led by a parent; a visit to St Gemma’s Hospice and choosing our new school charity.
The week will culminate with Identity Day on Friday 29 November.
Children are invited to dress in clothing that represents part of their identity, for example uniform from a club they attend, a team they are part of or support or traditional dress to represent their heritage. We invite a donation for the PTA Christmas fair.
Thank you for all the entries we have received for the active travel in the community competition.
We encourage families to get out in the community in an active way on the way to and from school. Email (moortownoffice@spherefederation.org) a picture of your active travel, maybe by a landmark on the route to school, for the chance to win one of five £10 vouchers. The winners will be drawn in the assembly tomorrow afternoon so please ensure your entries are sent by 12 o’clock tomorrow.
Thank you for supporting the themed week and please discuss the week with your child to reinforce this important learning.
Friday 22 November 2019
This week, the whole school has the same Talk Time homework: Which charity should our school support?
Next week, a charity will be decided for us to support for the year ahead – for example, when we have a performance, we’ll collect money for this particular charity. What charity does your child think we should support?
You could talk about:
- what a charity is
- why charities are important
- what sort of work they do
- charities that have meaning to your family, to school or the community
- national and international charities and their work
Next week, each class will vote (because in our school we make democratic decisions) for the charity they would like to support to form a shortlist. Then, our recently elected School Council will decide which charity we will support for the next year.
Christmas themed menu
Catering Agency, our school meal provider, will be running a special themed menu on Thursday 12 December. Please contact the office, before 28 November, if your child would like a school dinner on this day (no action needed if your child normally has a school meal on this day).
Digital Mapping
Our geography topic for this half term is: Where in the world am I?
We kicked off our topic in Moortown Park with a treasure hunt.
The children learnt lots about map reading, compass reading, using a trundle wheel, teamwork and more.
This week we have been focusing on digital mapping through the use of Digimap.
The children have been able to locate places of interest and map their routes to and from school!
