Science: Sound
Our Science topic for this half term is Sound (physics). Last week, we went on a sound survey and assessed the noisiest place in school. It was the playground because this is near the road.
This week, we’ve been learning all about how sounds are made.
Here’s a summary …
When any object vibrates, it causes movement in the air particles. These particles bump into the particles close to them, which makes them vibrate too, causing them to bump into more air particles. This movement, called sound waves, keeps going until they run out of energy.
Using instruments, drums and beaters, rice and lentils against plastic, we explored the sounds we could make. We also tried aking sounds with our bodies. It’s such fun exploring music and sound!
Finally, we discussed making sounds louder and quieter depending on how hard or soft you hit them.
Scholes Show Winners!
We were lucky enough to enjoy an assembly this week in which some winners from Scholes show were announced. This is a yearly event in which children from the local area are encouraged to participate. We had three very surprised winners in our school.
Emma won a huge trophy for the most points overall in the children’s sections, but she also won two more trophies for the best handwriting and baking – well done!
William won a lovely shiny trophy for the best rock painting. He created a circular design using metallic paint.
Clara won a trophy for the best handwriting in the under 8 group – well done.
Let’s hope more children join in next year – it sounds like a lot of fun. Well done again to the winners – keep polishing those trophies!
Nursery coffee morning
Remembrance Day poppies
Today in our art lessons, KS1 made some lovely poppies using their finger prints. We discussed the meaning behind the poppies and their significance.
Art: observational drawings
This art topic has involved the children learning about William Morris – an artist and designer from the Victorian Era. His designs were inspired by nature. This week, we have also used nature to inspire ourselves. Using a selection of leaves, we have completed observational drawings. Whilst sketching, the children had to consider proportion, line, tone and shade. The children were able to complete some excellent, accurate drawings. They were also very confident at looking at each others artwork and talking about strengths and weaknesses – What could the person do to add to their sketch?
Awesome, ace and amazing adjective day
We had a fabulous day learning about word classes today and, in particular, adjectives.
We all dressed up as an adjective, learnt a song about adjectives and made some interesting expanded noun phrases.
Help at home by talking about your favourite adjectives. Mrs Latham’s is discombobulated, Miss Lowry’s is flabbergasted and Miss Young’s is plump!
Bonfire night
Last week in 2C we looked at Bonfire Night. In PE we created dance routines to ‘Firework’ by Katy Perry. We sequenced moves that reminded us of fireworks such as spinning, jumping and moving our arms.
We also looked at the safety aspects of Bonfire Night in English and were able to answer key questions about how to keep safe.
In art we created some fantastic and colourful chalk drawings of fireworks on a black background.
Welcome back Class 5/6A
Hello and a big welcome back to all of Class 5/6A pupils after what I hope was an enjoyable half-term break. It’s great to see everyone again. Let’s catch up on what we have been doing this week.
Our Topic focus for this half-term is Art, in particular the works of William Morris and Orla Kiely. We are building up towards creating our own printed floral picture. To provide us with inspiration, we have been comparing examples of Morris’ work, looking at their colours and patterns; and ended the week with some direct observational drawing of leaves. These leaves will form the basis for our printing work later in the term.
In Writing, we have begun to look at figurative writing; using similes, metaphors, expanded noun phrases and alliteration to help engage the reader. The pupils were like a walking dictionary with all of the different figurative vocabulary they used, and I was as pleased as punch to be able to read their work.
We have had a couple of visitors into class this week as part of our Community themed week. On Wednesday we were joined by a member of West Yorkshire Police Force to speak to us about hate crimes, and what we can do to be more aware of and respect the various members of our community. Thursday saw two guests from Selective Silhouettes join us to talk about the LGBTQ+ community.
Year 5 pupils will have brought home a new reading book this week: Kensuke’s Kingdom. This half-term we will be reading the same text in class, and homework will be set based on this. It is very important that pupils are keeping up to date with their reading targets, homework, and bringing their reading records to Book Club on a Friday.
There’s just time to check out our certificate winners this week:
Great Learning – Esme. Always ready to learn. Calm, collected and organised, she sets a great example for our class.
Living & Learning – Louis W. Louis provided some very mature and insightful comments during our Community discussions this week. Well done Louis!
P.E – Ella. Full of energy, and with a smile on her face, Ella is always looking for fun and innovative ways to make P.E fun for her peers and herself.
Have a very happy and healthy bonfire weekend!
Mr. Robson
Living and Learning : Community week (being respectful)
We have talked through some scenarios this week in our classes, deciding whether they were showing being respectful or not. Some classes sorted them and others played a game where you moved to a certain side of the room to show what you thought. What do you think about these scenarios? Are they respectful or not?
Lighting the way into Autumn 2!
We’ve whizzed into Autumn 2, with a super busy week! We’ve been learning about Diwali, Guy Fawkes; The Gunpowder Plot (linked to Bonfire Night) and fire safety.
Diwali
During half term, there was a very special celebration- Diwali! We watched a video of children celebrating the Hindu ‘Festival of Lights’ and read the story Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar, which tells the story of a child sharing the celebration with her class.
We’ve been exploring the Diwali interest table, making Rangoli patterns, designing and painting Mehndi on a friend’s hand and making diya lamps at the dough table.
What can your child tell you about the festival of Diwali?
Phonics
This week, the children have learnt the digraphs (two letters that make one sound) ff, ll, ss and the phoneme j. They’ve also been practising writing the graphemes (the written letters)
Can your child tell you where you would find these digraphs (ff, ll, ss); the beginning, middle or end of a word?
You could challenge your child to write these words, by supporting them to segment the sounds that they can hear:
Maths
This week, we’ve been composing 5. We often use our fingers to represent numbers and to practise our subitising skills. Using a ‘high five’ hand, the children were introduced to an easy way to represent the number. We used hand images to make collections of 5, placing an object on each finger. We also used five frames, die frames and objects of different colours to explore which numbers can be added together to make 5.
“I have three green pom poms and two blue pom poms… that makes five!”
Light and shadows
We’ve been exploring how light can be used to create shadows! We made large models and projected a light across them, observing the shadows made on the whiteboard. Next week, we’ll be looking at light again, as we explore the differences between day and night.
Fire safety
On Thursday, we met some real life superheroes! As part of our whole school ‘Me and my community’ week, local firefighters came to talk to Reception. We were lucky enough to take a look at the fire appliance and the firefighters equipment and we even got to use the powerful hose (with a little help from the firefighters, of course!)
The children were keen to share their knowledge:
“I know about fire alarms…the smoke goes in them and it sets off an alarm for the fire”- Keira
“You save people in the water!”- Daniel
“Those are called ‘jaws of life’”- Jack
And they asked some questions about things they’d like to know:
“Have you got a mask for breathing?”- Alyzah
“Do you have a life boat?”- Bethany
“How do you get people out of water?”- Olivia S
The firefighters spoke to the children about fire alarms. We learnt that they should be tested every month.
We also spoke about fire safety on Bonfire Night. Can your child talk about some of the ways to keep safe?
You can find out more about how to keep safe this Bonfire Night, here
Poetry Picnic
Each week, we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line.
This week’s poem is Pointy Hat
Ask your child to tell you the poem at home! Can they remember it by heart?
Learn at home phonics sheet
Today, your child has come home with a ‘learn at home’ phonics sheet. The sheets link to our current learning in phonics and will be sent home each Friday. Please support your child by practising their new sounds and reading skills at home.
Home-link challenge
Following on from our maths learning this week, please support your child to make a collection of 5 at home.
Discuss what you can see- is it 5 of the same object? If not, how many are the same/ how many are different? Your collection of 5 could be made from objects of two different colours. What does your collection tell you about the numbers we can add together, to make 5?
Reminders
Early Maths- Supporting your child to become a confident mathematician 14.11.22, 6.00pm
Attendance via Zoom- a link will be sent next week.
Maths Stay and Play 17.11.22, 9.00-9.30am
Join your child in the classroom and explore some maths activities together.
Swimming Dates
Please send swimming kits on the following dates:
Rainbow Class- 2 Nov, 16 Nov, 30 Nov
Sunshine Class- 9 Nov, 23 Nov, 7 Dec