What a busy week we have ahead of us! There is so much happening for our children in Year 6 this week, even we aren’t sure that we will get through everything, so here goes with the plan…
On Monday morning, the Year 6 children, will be going to the Peace Centre, to take part in the Young Citizen programme. The Year 5’s will remain in school with myself to continue work on some of the fantastic poetry which was started last week. You will have already read some of the great examples from each of the classes in last week’s newsletter, and this week, we shall be compiling our own poetry, using some of the key phrases learned last week. We have given details of a national poetry competition called ‘Young Laureate’ and these poems certainly stand a superb chance of being shortlisted for a prize.
We used a ‘formula’ last week to help the children write poetry – maybe you could have a go at using this to write your own poems at home.
Write a NOUN (with article)
Write a fact about the noun
Write three adjectives to describe the noun
Write a simile to describe the noun
Write another simile
Write how you feel about it
Write a simile about how you feel
Repeat the noun
Express an important idea that the noun makes you think of
In order for us to set further targets to develop your child’s writing, we shall be assessing their writing on Monday afternoon. Why not ask them to talk about some of the strategies which they tried before Christmas, when we did our ‘Peat week’ activities?
2A sentences
OI sentences – a chance to use brackets (level 5)
Show NOT tell
Similes – remember to add a WHERE and a WHEN statement; also a chance to use semi-colons (an example of Level 5 punctuation)
On Tuesday, the Year 5 children, will be assessed in Numeracy. General Targets from this will be communicated to you through this blog and homework for Year 5’s will be tailored according to these targets. Year 6’s will be going through the practice SATs paper which they did last week. This will help them to create an effective and appropriate revision programme for numeracy, with guidance from staff.
We have had some lovely comments this week about the usefulness of this blog and you have told us, that the websites we provide for numeracy have been particularly useful. Thank you!
On Wednesday morning, the Year 6’s will be visiting St. Gregory’s for their production of ‘Oliver’. This is always an enjoyable visit, as they get to see lots of their classmates from last year, who are now a very mature Year 7!!
Again, the Year 5’s will remain in school. Don’t worry – we have something fantastic planned as a real treat for them next week. I can’t wait!!
On Thursday, Mrs Millington has her AST outreach day, and so her class will, as always, be taken by Mr McGreal. The children will be assessed on their reading, by a practice SAT paper. Please encourage the children not to panic about levels at this stage, as we still have time to make improvements. Your support and encouragement at home, will make a world of difference to them, and they really do appreciate you asking them about their learning – even at this age, they are keen to talk about what is going on in school!
Friday, see the Year 6’s going to the Pyramid Centre to perform their drama for Holocaust Memorial Day. They quality of their work is remarkable. Mrs Robinson from St. Gregory’s has been extremely complimentary about the standard of the children’s work and the thought and respect with which they perform the drama. She is very eager to have them as Year 7’s at the high school! They will be leaving school at approx. 10.15 and returning at 3.30pm. Please ensure that the relevant permission slips have been returned to school; many thanks.
The Year 5’s will be beginning their Reconciliation preparation programme with gusto this week, as they will be together as a year group for the vast majority of this week. Details of Parent’s meetings will be published in the next couple of weeks. The actual Sacrament, will be received during an ‘Away Day’. This was incredibly successful last year and I am sure that the children will get a lot out of it again this year.
The websites from last week will still be useful for this week’s learning, particularly the ‘Delicious Maths site’ and the sites suggested for Revision.
Revision programme
A number of parents have asked about the Year 6 Revision programme for this year. The children should have already received the CGP revision text books before Christmas, and these are being used in school each morning, as something called ‘Morning Activities’. The children are given a key question, which they have to find the answer to, either through their own knowledge, or locating the answer in the text books.
We have also purchased revision text books in school, which are differentiated according to ability. The children complete these ‘exercises’ in school and are monitored and marked by staff in school on a daily basis.
As mentioned in the Induction meeting at the start of the year, we have produced a ‘guide revision programme’ for the children, which will be sent home at the end of January, as a paper booklet. It contains all the objectives which the children are expected to know by the end of the year. This is also available to download on the school website, in the documents section, should you feel that your child would like to begin the programme earlier.
The children will be shown how to do ‘effective’ revision next week and also will be shown how to use the booklet. Should you require any further information on this, please do not hesitate to contact any member of the 5/6 team.
Finally, we thought that we would share our poetry with you again on the blog, as they are an example of the outstanding work, of which your children are capable!!
I Have A Dream…
That one day, the cruel acts of racism will be no more separating all God’s people through hatred.
Disturbing! Destructive! Diabolical!
Like a huge volcano, erupting with poisonous lava.
It makes me feel useless; like a heart without love.
The cruel acts of racism.
It reminds me of a world without colour.
I have a Dream..
That one day we will be free from the pollution, contaminating our lives with suffocation.
Vile! Vicious! Venomous!
Like smoke strangling with Earth.
Like fire burning our souls.
It makes me feel breathless.
Like running; fighting for air.
We will be free from pollution.
Reminding us of a selfish world.
I have a dream…
To feed the countless children,
Living (no exisiting!) in third world countries.
Hungry! Desperate! Dying!
Like living skeletons, walking hot earth.
Lives like despairing, living nightmares.
It makes me feel so helpless,
Like a tiny, insignificant ant.
The countless starving children need feeding now!
I have a dream…
To travel every corner of the world.
The mighty Sphinx, the elusive Loch Ness Monster.
Colossal! Inspiring! Everlasting!
Like a box of chocolates, each unique in flavour.
Like an orbiting marble of green and blue swirls.
I feel like I’m drowning in a sea of anticipation;
Like a spectator sitting silently in awe.
Every corner of this wonderful world,
Needs exploring now!
The Bully
The Bully
The aggressor versus the targeted one.
Fierce; vicious; unrelenting.
Like a pit-bull clamped firmly to its prize;
Like a blinkered racehorse, ready to charge.
I make myself stand tall and proud (inside I am churning around!)
Bully!
Need to Tell!
The Bully
The pressure button-pusher.
Thoughtless; cruel; hurtful.
Like a tornado, twisting and turning its way through the unsuspecting town;
Like an impending vaccination.
The victim’s face – expressionless; (inside they feel like an expectant volcanic eruption.)
Bully.
Need to talk!
Have a good week!
