Week Beginning 4th May 2009

Hi everyone and welcome to the blogspot,

We have only got 4 days this week but we still have got a lot to do. This week will see the last of our daily revision groups, as next week is test week for our year 6s. Year 5s will also be completing their end of year assessments too. Things will get back to normal after the test week and children will be in their own classes. Year 6s should have brought home a SATs timetable for you to have a look at tonight.

All after school booster sessions will be as normal next week. If any children are feeling a little bit unsure about anything to do with their tests please come and ask, we are always here to help.
Year 5s have been given a letter concerning our annual residential to the Conway Centre. This is a great opportunity for children and teachers alike to have fun outside of the school environment and try different activities. If your child would like to attend the reply slip needs to be back to the office by Wednesday 6th May.

We would like to say a big congratulations to Mrs Morgan on the birth of her baby boy. We welcome James David Morgan into the world. Lots of love and best wishes to Mrs Morgan and her husband at this very special time.

Here is what we are learning this week:

Literacy:

Year 6- This week Mr Slavin and Miss Wright's groups will be focusing on exam technique and looking in depth at the way that their tests will be marked. Children have been encouraged this week to use a checklist when in the planning stage of their writing. We know that all of our year 6s know how to include the elements of VCOP, but it is making opportunities for them within their writing.

Year 5- Mr Tilling's group will be continuing with Myths and Legends. We will be comparing myths and looking at the features of well known myths and legends. See previous weeks for websites.

On Tuesday afternoon we will be having a Creative Writing afternoon in which children will be looking at a variety of ways to make their writing as descriptive as possible. We will be thinking about adverbs/adjectives, similes/metaphors and using all of our senses. Have a look at the following websites:

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/using_similes/eng/Introduction/default.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/grammar/interestsentences/adjectives/

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/ngfl/english/monmouthshire/choose_adj_monmouthshire.html

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/adverbs/adverbs.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/words/grammar/interestsentences/adverbs/quiz.shtml

http://www.examples-help.org.uk/parts-of-speech/list-of-adjectives.htm

http://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/literacy/wordclasses/adjectives.asp

http://www.learnanytime.co.uk/English/Similes%20and%20Metaphors%20(2).htm

Numeracy:

Year 6: Mr Barker and Mr Tilling's group have their last week of revision this week. Children have told us what areas they would like extra work on and we will be covering these areas during the week.

Year 5: Mr Slavin and Miss Wright's groups will be recognising the equivalence between fractions and decimals. We will also be going over percentages again, so have a look at previous blog weeks for website ideas.

Science:
Year 6- Children should have brought home some examples of test work we have been completing in school, just so you can see where they are upto. We realise that as far as homework goes children have finished their CGP books, so we have just asked the children to have a look at the tests they have brought home and brush up on anything they may be unsure of.

Year 5s will be continuing with their Science topic of Forces.

That is all for this week.

Have a great bank holiday weekend :)

Year 5/6 Team

Week beginning 27th April 2009

Hello everyone,

Welcome to another action packed week in the world of Year 5/6.

Our Year 6 children only have 2 weeks left until their SATs, this week we are going to have a practice using the hall for the tests. The children are used to the format of the papers but they have been mostly doing them in classrooms, in order to keep them as calm as possible on the actual week we need to get them used the way the SATs will be administered. We will complete some past papers in the hall throughout the week.

A big thank you to all of the children who attended Booster sessions last week - Well done for remembering!

Also it is lovely to see the amount of books that children have read over the Easter holiday we love hearing all about how much you have enjoyed reading a particular book. We are starting a 'Book Swap Shop' so if any of you have books that are sitting in a cupboard gathering dust, bring them in and maybe you could swap them for another book you might like to read.

We all send our best wishes to Mrs Morgan as she has started her maternity leave we hope to have more news soon.
Here is what is happening this week:

Curriculum:

Numeracy:

Y6 - Mr Barker and Mr Tilling's group will be continuing their revision schedule. We will be looking in particular at practicing different methods of division and multiplication, especially long multiplication. Towards the end of the week children will be using a chosen method to solve multiplication and division multi step word problems. Try some of the following websites, there are also examples that you can practice on here:

http://www.cimt.plymouth.ac.uk/projects/mepres/book7/bk7i6/bk7_6i2.htm

http://www.mathsonline.org/pages/longmult.html

http://www.numeracyworld.com/Multiplication%20Worksheets.html

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/timestable/tricks.html

http://www.sutton.lincs.sch.uk/pages/playground/zone/tablestests/penguin.html

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/dividermachine.html

http://resources.oswego.org/games/Mathmagician/mathsdiv.html

http://resources.oswego.org/games/mathmagician/maths1.html

Y5- Numeracy

Mr Slavin and Miss Wright's class will be looking at Classifying events based on degrees of likelihood. By the end of the week we all should be able to recognise the distinction between 'impossible', ' unlikely', 'likely' and 'certain'. We will also be focusing on handling data in relation to the week's theme of probability. As we are relatively new to this area have a look at the following websites to get some practice before we start!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/numbers/handlingdata/probability/factsheet.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/maths/activities/probability.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/mathsfile/shockwave/games/fish.html

http://nrich.maths.org/public/viewer.php?obj_id=1258

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/probability.htm

http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/node/47794

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/grapher.html

Literacy:

Y6 Mr Slavin and Miss Wright's revision groups will be completing Writing and Reading past test papers as a means of getting us familiar with how they will be administered on the day. As a means of revision this week it would be a good idea if all Year 6s looked in particular at the features of non-fiction texts, we have looked at these quite a lot and all children should already have revision notes within their revision books. These features are recipes for success for particular text types.

Y5- Mr Tilling's group will be looking at Evaluating myths and identifying key features to use as a model for writing. Children will be looking at a number of different myths and fantastic tales and seeing what the similarities and differences are. Children will then be using this as a basis for putting into action their own fantastic stories which we will be very excited to hear.

Look at the following websites for ideas and how myths are structured and written.

http://teacher.scholastic.com/writewit/mff/index.htm

http://myths.e2bn.org/

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/how_to_write_a_legend

http://www.midlandit.co.uk/education/writingtips.htm


Science:

Year 5 will be carrying on with their new topic of 'Forces in Action' Children are becoming familiar with the different types of forces and how the are exerted upon different objects. What causes objects to move faster, slow down and stay still. We will all also be recapping on other scientific aspects throughout the week. We will be linking art to science on Wednesday. Working in our Co-Operative groups to create a collage based upon the Life Cycle of a Flowering Plant. To get a clear idea of this life cycle look at the following websites:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/revision_bites/life_cycles1.shtml

http://www.blithfieldeducationcentre.co.uk/kp/environmentpages/flower_life_cycle.htm

http://www.berghuis.co.nz/abiator/patana/5t/science/lifecycles.swf

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/science/plants/index.htm

http://www.thekidsgarden.co.uk/

http://www.pollinator.com/kids/kids_index.htm

Have a great week.

Year 5/6 Team.

Week Beginning 20th April 2009

Hi everyone and welcome to the Summer Term.

We have a very busy term ahead but we still have lots to look forward to. This half term is five weeks long and on our fourth week it is the SATs tests. The year 5s will also be completing their tests this week, the week beginning the 11th May.

All booster and tuition sessions will resume as from Monday 20th April.

Our Year 6's have been working really hard in preparation for their tests both at school and at home and we really appreciate your support in preparing the children.Here are some websites that may help you with your preparation.http://www.icteachers.co.uk/children/children_sats.htm SATs questions, you can choose which subject you want to look at.http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/index.shtml our old favourite bbc revisewise.http://www.yourschoolsite.co.uk/tests/Introduction.html SATS question quiz.http://www.buzzin.net/revision_tips/revtips.htm revision tips.http://www.st-josephs-pickering.n-yorks.sch.uk/past_test_papers.htm download SATs papers.http://www.samlearning.co.uk/primary/index.html revision exercises and SATs questions.http://www.teachingtreasures.com.au/maths/year_6_maths_true_or_false.htm maths true or false quiz.http://www.counton.org/games/mathonaire/ who wants to be a mathonaire.http://www.subtangent.com/maths/games.php lots of maths games to help you revise, I love the Weakest Link.http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/engindex.html reading comprehension practise.http://www.channel4learning.net/sites/essentials/science/index.shtml choose a science area to revise.http://www.teachingandlearningresources.co.uk/millionscience.html who wants to be a Science Millionaire

Curriculum:

Year 6 Numeracy:

Year 6s will be continuing with their revision programme this week they will be consolidating knowledge gained throughout this year and will be focusing on :

* Reviewing conversions looking at grams/kilograms, cm/m etc.

* Reviewing capacity, weight and length.

* Area and Perimeter of shapes

* Measuring and creating angles within triangles.

Have a look at the following websites to help revise these areas:

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/protractor.html

http://www.lgfl.net/dbmaterial/web/learning%20objects/ls/Year%206%20Angles%20QCA%202243/home/?verb=view

http://www.innovationslearning.co.uk/subjects/maths/activities/year6/angles/game.asp

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/angleshapes.html

http://www.mystery-productions.info/hyper/Hypermedia_2003/Jobling/htt.swf

http://www.toonuniversity.com/6m_angle_d.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/keyskills/flash/kfa/kfa.shtml

http://www.ictgames.com/weight.html

http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/maths/measures/index.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/numbers/measuring/distance/

Year 5 Numeracy:

This week we will be looking at:

calculating angles on a straight line rehearsing the relationship between degrees and right angles.
Identifying, estimating and ordering acute, obtuse and reflex angles.

try some of the websites above to help to practice measuring and identifying angles. We are also continuing with our weekly multiplication and division facts tests so keep practicing!

Literacy:

Year 6- This week we will be focusing on how to write an effective and persuasive argument. We will be imagining that all Children's T.V is about to be cancelled! Children will be planning their own response trying to put forward their own arguments and then finally drafting a letter. We will also be reviewing the features of persuasive texts. Children also have the features of other non-fiction texts within their revision books. These are especially important to know before our writing test in May.


Year 5-Will be finishing off Writing to Persuade, children will be having a debate about whether school uniform should be replaced and sharing views for and against. By the end of the week children will have written a persuasive letter to Mr Barker outlining their reasons for or against.

Science:

Year 6 will be reviewing the following areas:

Light:

Children must know about the path of light into our eyes.

The scientific terms Opaque, Translucent, Transparent.

How a shadow is formed.

Sound:

How sound is produced.

The terms Vibration and Pitch.

The Earth and Beyond:

How we come to have day and night.

Key times and orbits of the Earth, Sun and Moon

Forces acting upon the Earth.

How seasons occur.

Year 5:
Will be continuing with their new area of 'Forces in Action' This week children will review that pushes and pulls are examples of forces, that forces are needed to start things and to change their speed and/ or direction, that friction, including air resistance is a measure of force.

R.E
We are starting our new theme of Good News. We will be recognising some of the effects of good news and reflecting on how good news can bring joy and happiness. Children will be working within their co-operative learning groups to explore and investigate good news given at home, in class, our neighbourhood and our country.



That is all for this week.



Year 5/6 Team.

Week Beginning 6th April 2009

Hello and welcome to last week of the Spring Term, here comes the summer, and hopefully the weather along with it!!!

Even though it is the last week of term we are still very Year 5 and 6.

Firstly could we say a big thank you from Mrs Walker for all the money collected on the spots and stripes day last Friday, she was really amazed by the response and she would like us to pass on her thanks.

On Tuesday afternoon this week we will holding our annual fundraising event in aid of the Nugent Care Society. The children have lots of interesting events planned and they will also be able to take part in activities that other children have put on, so it may a good idea if they have a small amount of change for the afternoon.

On Wednesday we will be holding our Easter Garden competition in the morning. The children will need to bring the gardens in on the morning of the competition and take them home from school that night as we do not have the space to store them. Thank you.

On Thursday we will be having an Easter Service in school in the morning. We will have songs, prayers and the Easter Story. As always you are welcome to join us in the celebration but please remember that space is limited.

This weeks curriculum....

Literacy

Our children are working really hard in literacy at the moment and we have really seen an improvement in their reading and writing skills, well done children for all your effort.
This week Year 6's will be working on newspaper reports. We will be recapping the features and planning and writing our own newspaper report.
Try these websites in preparation:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english/revision_bites/deduction1.shtml
http://www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/curriculum/Literacy.htm#KS2%20On-line%20Activities%20NEW
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/big_news/eng/Introduct/default.htm
http://www.thenewspaper.org.uk/staffroom/using.php

Year 5's will be continuing with their theme of persuasive writing.

Numeray

Mrs Morgan's and Mr Barker's groups will be continuing with their revision programme.

Miss Wright's and Mr Slavin's groups will be looking at areas that we need to develop after assessing what we have learned this half term at the beginning of the week.

Science

This week in science we will be working on the water cycle in preparation for our new topic of Waterworlds which we will be starting after the half term.
We will be researching the water cycle and producing a power point presentation on what we have learned.

Try these websites to help:-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/science/revision_bites/changing_state2.shtml
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks2science.html
http://www.mikecurtis.org.uk/ks2_watercycle.htm
http://www.thegrid.org.uk/learning/science/ks1-2/resources/index.shtml

Here I Am

We will be continuing with our topic of Growing as well as looking at the Easter Story.
The children will be expected to know how Christians try to grow during lent and how this is preparation for celebrating Easter.

Please remember we finish for the Easter holidays at 3pm and Thursday and return to school at 8.45am on Monday 20th April.

Boosters and one-to-one tuition will continue next week and will also take place on the first week back.

The Year 5/6 Team would like to thank all the staff for giving up their valuable time to help prepare the children for their SATs we really do appreciate it.

Finally, we would like to wish you a happy and holy Easter, and look forward to seeing the children in their summer uniforms and hope that they bring the weather with them!

Year 5/6 Team.