Friday 2nd December

Good afternoon everybody - Happy Friday!

Another extremely busy week in year 5! 
Today, we saw the Christmas Fayre - can you believe there's only 23 days to go?
Thank for your entries to the decorate the bauble competition, they are superb (see photos). 
The elves in Hazel class have also been busy making pop up Christmas cards as their DT project, I hope you were at the Christmas Fayre to buy one - they're amazing! 

This week, Hazel class have been working hard on our English unit based on biographies, we have written our own short biography based on the author of Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling (our latest class reader).  We have worked hard in Maths, exploring multiplying and dividing by powers of 10 for which we used a lot of manipulatives to help us (see photos) and completing our end of unit assessment for Multiplication and Division.
 
In Science, we looked at what a chemical change is compared to a physical change. In Geography, we explored the 2 informal settlements Dharavi and Rochina, which are in India and Brazil respectively. The living conditions here are different but both very poor. The children have enjoyed their Music session with Miss Boyce this week, really getting to grips with Christmas songs and their R.E. session with Miss Penny, when they learnt about the 5 Pillars of Islam. 

We ended the week today, with a P.E session with our Saints Southwest coach Mrs Edwards, based on Uni-Hoc, we learnt about passing, tackling and shooting and put it into practise in match play.

 There is a digital copy of this half term's Wider Curriculum Home Learning on Dojo and the website, as well as the paper one you've already received.  For this, there is a choice of activities, I would like to see 1 completed activity by Thursday 15th December, which is the last Thursday before the end of term. Although this is our optional home learning, the activities are creative and fun and there is lots of time to complete this so I would be delighted to see some really good quality pieces. 
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  In terms of home learning, I sent a letter home at the beginning of this half term, outlining expectations, as well as a recording sheet for time spent on TTRS, which will renew every week. Please take the time to fill this in, as multiplication tables knowledge has such an impact on the children's Maths learning.    I would like the children to spend 25 minutes a week on TTRS, this can be 5 minutes every day, or blocked to fit around what you are doing at home. I will also be in class during some lunchtimes, if children cannot access TTRS at home. Spellings also came home this week and the new spellings are on Dojo.

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 have posted a list of great reads for year 5 children on the button at the edge of this page, if you are unsure, or need ideas as to what your children should be reading.

Next week we will be continuing our unit on biographies in English, Fractions in Maths, Physical and Chemical Changes in Science, and Islam in R.E.

Please look out for upcoming events, this will be updated on Dojo on Monday.

Have a great weekend, whatever you are up to - enjoy your family time together.
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See you on Monday 
 
Mr F