Another week passes by!...

This week, we've been really knuckling down and working hard with our pre-SATs revision, particularly in Maths. We've recapped statistics including different types of graphs, plus revised place value including comparing numbers, rounding and negative numbers. We'll continue with this type of revision for the next couple of weeks, making sure to focus on those key areas which children need to understand, notably: calculations, fractions, decimals and percentages.
In English, we've delved further into our book 'The Boy in the Tower'. We've discovered that it's a mysterious and somewhat sinister plant-like being which is causing the buildings to collapse (in the book!) Based on this, we have written a class non-chronological report in the style of a fact file to educate people about these dangerous plants. Next week, the children will be creating their own imaginary plants and producing their own factfile about these. I hope that they will have chance to publish them with illustrations as well as wonderful writing.
We finished our letters home from the trenches in History this week. These were brilliant to read and show a clear understanding of life in the trenches and what it was like for soldiers in WWI. We will move on to learn about the end of WWI next week, and then the lead up to WWII after this.
In Science, we continued our 'cells' topic by learning about organ systems. I was very impressed with the recall of organs and their functions (as I remember teaching the class this when we were together in Year 4)! We went on to develop this learning by understanding that organs often don't work alone and work as part of a bigger system e.g. the digestive system or the circulatory system.
We've been outside again this week and enjoyed some rounders in P.E. A particular highlight was 'throwing rounders' where we had no bats! It definitely made them think about aiming for the space without any fielders.

Have a read of some our letters from the trenches below, and have a lovely weekend.

Hi everyone,

Welcome back! I can't quite believe the summer term is starting. The last term of primary school for Sycamore Class! We've got a lot of things to get through this half term. There are 3 weeks until SATs so they are approaching quickly. We have started plenty of revision in class, focusing on our reading comprehension skills, our knowledge of spelling and grammar, and revising all of the key areas in Maths. We complete a revision sheet for early work every day, followed by further activities within lessons. Homework is an important part of revision so please keep up with this at home.

In Maths this week, we have been finishing off our learning about shape. We recapped the names and properties of 3D shapes and looked at their 3D nets. In English, we've started a new text called 'A Boy in the Tower'. It's proving very thought-provoking and mysterious, leaving us all wondering what might happen next. A highlight of the week was History where we began learning about WW1. We discussed the many factors that led to the war and we have learnt what life in the trenches was like. Science involved learning the acronym 'MRS GREN' and the 7 life processes.

​Lots more to come next week! Have a great weekend.