A big thank you to everyone who is putting a comment in their child's diaries. We are getting really close to our 100% target for comments, so let's have a real push to help us reach our Goal! The reading booklets which have come home, seem to have given you all some great ideas for sharing your child's reading. If you have any success stories, please do let us know so that we can share your ideas with others!
Diary
Yes, we really will let you your child wear their own clothes this Friday, in exchange for something for our Christmas Fayre. The school council are also organising a Bring and Buy sale, of old toys and games. All we ask, is that they are in relatively good condition and intact. Imagine finishing a jigsaw and there is just one piece missing... It's also a good opportunity to have that clear out before Christmas!
Mrs Worrall's class will be joined by Miss Hamill on Wednesdays between now and April. She joined us for her first visit last Wednesday and commented on how welcoming all the children and staff were and that she felt as if she had been here for ever! What a lovely comment to make!
Curriculum
The last few weeks blog contain all the themes for what we are covering this half term. So, in response to a number of requests, this week's blog, contains lots of links to help support the children's learning at home.
Please remember that whilst these links are VERY useful, there really is no substitute for visiting the local library and using good old pencil and paper methods!
Numeracy
http://www.emaths.co.uk/KS2SAT.htm Year 6 SATS maths papers online
http://www.st-josephs-pickering.n-yorks.sch.uk/past_test_papers.htm all past sats papers for English, Maths and Science
http://del.icio.us/mathslinks lots of links, primarily for maths, but lots of others ideas too
http://schoolcentral.com/Willoughby5/default.htm use multiplication facts to find the gold
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf We use this on the interactive whiteboard for number bonds etc.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/resources/gordon/Hit%20the%20button%20v9.swf more times tables practice. This time, you can choose to hit the answer, or the question
http://www.sgfl.org.uk/games/games/maths/multiplicationstation multiplication practice - choose two numbers that when multiplied together make the answer
http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/3_num_multiply/eng/Introduction/default.htm multiplication practice for 7 and 8 times tables – online lessons. This is also brilliant for showing you how we teach ‘long multiplication’ in school. Just click on the main activity to help with this.
http://www.wmnet.org.uk/wmnet/custom/files_uploaded/uploaded_resources/504/multiplicationpuzzle.swf multiplication puzzle. This is a bit like Sudoku for tables! Do perseverve with it, as it does require a lot of concentration, but the ‘Well done@ song at the end, is well worth a giggle!
Music
http://ngfl.northumberland.gov.uk/music/orchestra/default.htm virtual orchestra
http://www.dsokids.com/2001/rooms/games.html online music games
http://www.dsokids.com/2001/rooms/musicroom.asp you can explore all the instruments of the orchestra using this site from Dallas Symphony Orchestra
http://www.angliacampus.co.uk/learn/pri/music/explomoo/page01.htm this is a brilliant site for helping to set the scene with music, Try using it when you are writing the opening for a story. Listen to how the music changes the mood of the scene.
Art
http://www.bgfl.org/bgfl/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks1/art/perspective/index.htm exploring how artists use perspective in drawing, to really bring a picture to life
http://www.sanford-artedventures.com/play/leonardo/index.html adventure based on the work of Leonardo Da Vinci
RE
http://www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/Curriculum/RE.htm lots of links for you to explore to add to our current Here I Am topic of ‘Gifts.’
This week, we are looking at the ‘Relate’ section of the topic, where we will be reading bible passages from both the Old and the New testaments.
PSHE
http://www2.bgfl.org/bgfl2/custom/resources_ftp/client_ftp/ks2/pshe/moral_mazes_lower/index.htm This is a really good way of approaching a number of ‘choice issues’which your child may come across. The cartoon characters are particularly helpful in bringing the situation to life,
ICT
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/design/virtualgarden_index.shtml We will be asking the children to use ICT to design our very own ‘Peace Garden’. We really want the children to get involved in this, as the winning design, will actually be built! We would like to thank Mr. Nencini and Mrs Pickavant for all their help with this project so far.
Drama Production
Our Year 6 children are currently working on a very moving play about the Holocaust. This is being led by Mrs Robinson from St. Gregory's, and she has commented on how much the children really respect each other's work and thoughts. The play will form part of the Holocaust Memorial Day reflections at the Pyramid Centre in January. We will let you know more details when we get them.
Christmas Preparations
The other phase team's preparations for their productions are well underway and some of our children seem to be itching to get their 'Equity' cards out too! Because of the demands placed on the hall at this time of year, it would be really difficult to do three Christmas Productions, and so Year 5/6 lead the Carol Service on the last day of term. They will also be doing a fabulous production at the end of the year, which will be worthy of any West End production! Remember Joseph last year?? A big thanks to all the children who are being so patient!
As you can see, there will be lots going on this week, and we appreciate all the support you give to your child and us, from home.
Have a great week,
Year 5/6 team.
