Friday 22nd October

​Good afternoon everybody - Happy Friday!
 We have reached half-term and are all in need of a well-deserved rest.
This week, we have been working hard and have produced some super creative writing, based on slavery. We did some drama and wrote in role as a slave as a final writing piece for our History topic of The Benin Kingdom. We have worked hard in Maths, looking at addition and subtraction, particularly the column method for each. In Science, we explored what a solute, solvent, solution are and what the terms soluble and insoluble mean.  The children have had their Music and PSHE sessions with Miss Boyce and RE with Miss Penny.  We have been active every morning (that it hasn’t been raining!), we have also enjoyed another exciting session with our PE coach Mrs Edwards. This week, we worked on invasion game skills, through netball with a tournament to end this focus area.
New spellings are now on Dojo for the groups. There is a digital copy of this half term's Wider Curriculum Home Learning on Dojo, I have received some very creative examples so far. For this, there is a choice of activities, I would like to see 3 completed activities by Monday 1st November, which is the first Monday back after half term. There is lots of time to complete this so I will be expecting some really good quality pieces.
  In terms of home learning, can I remind everybody that the expectation is that children read for at least 10 minutes at home every day, this can be magazines, newspapers, manuals, cookery books, as well as their reading books, as it is all reading. This is to promote reading for pleasure as there is nothing better than a good book. Remember, that you are your child’s greatest role model, so if they see you enjoying a good book, it really promotes good learning habits.  I will ask that reading is recorded in their home learning folder, and that as on next week, I would like to see the folders every Friday.
  I would also like children to spend time working on their times tables, which are vital in so many areas of the Maths curriculum.  They can do this through Times Tables Rock Stars, I have also posted a list of great websites to practise on for half term.
 
Next week, really enjoy your half term, as the children have worked very hard and have learnt a lot.
Here are a few things that they have had to say about their learning this half-term:
 
In History, we have been learning about the Benin Kingdom.
The kingdom of Benin began in the 900s when the Edo people settled in the rainforests of West Africa. By the 1400s they had created a wealthy kingdom with a powerful ruler, known as the Oba. The Obas lived in beautiful palaces decorated with shining brass.
Gradually, the Obas won more land and built up an empire. They also started trading with merchants from Europe.
 
During this topic, we also learnt about the slave trade and wrote a diary extract as if we were a captured slave.
Dear Diary,
I am now an innocent slave that lives to get out of this prison. Me and my mates are always being beaten up for trying to run. The other day one of our ‘masters’ nearly killed Georgia for not hearing what to do! It’s so cold and dirty down here below deck we’re surrounded by diseases and death. After a week, I had cuts and scars all over me. It stung so much! Our punishments were severe, if we tried to run our ears would be chopped off and also we would be hung by our neck until we died. Outside, I could hear the crashing and thrashing of the waves. This was the worst time of the year, because everyone is bashing onto you which causes more injuries. A body thrown by the wave smashed into me, the smell was indescribable. Blood trickled down my face towards my eyebrow. I clung on for dear life. Could this be the end…
Amber died 20th July 1692.

MINI POLICE
Hello, hello, hello! After 2 weeks  with Matt, we have learnt about Cyberbullying and bullying. Next half-term we are going to focus more on Cyberbullying. In the first week, we learned a bit about Matt’s life as a police officer. Today, we watched a video about a 13 year old boy named Joe and how he was bullied at school.
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Science
In Science this term, we have been focusing on separating mixtures. We also revised what solids liquids and gases are. These are the three states of matter.
 
Have a great week, whatever you are doing, get outside and enjoy yourselves.
 
See you on Monday 1st November
 
Mr F