This week...
Literacy
We will be starting a new topic this week of Report Writing. You could help at home by reading lots of different types of newspapers. A particularly good paper, is called 'First News'. It is written with children particularly in mind, and is based on current affairs, written in child-frienly language. There is also a website to accompany this:
http://www.firstnews.co.uk/
Other sites which are useful are:
http://www.headlinehistory.co.uk/swf/main_launcher.htm This is a brillant site, as it links report writing with a history topic. The spoken instructions are particularly easy to follow for this site.
http://www.schooltrain.info/powerpoint/elephant_report.ppt
Spelling Websites
http://www.saintambrosebarlow.wigan.sch.uk/upperjuniorspelling.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/spellits/home_y6flash.shtml
http://www.lgfl.net/dbmaterial/web/learning%20objects/ls/Year%206%20Literacy%20Mnemonics/home/?verb=view
The children wrote some amazing stories on Friday and we have seen the 'PEAT WEEK' ideas really have an impact, particularly on how the children are opening their stories. Keep up the good work!
Numeracy
The three numeracy groups will be continuing the topics from last week, so the links from last week's blog still stand.
We are seeing a real improvement in children's knowledge of the times tables, so thank you for persevering with it! We just need to get a bit quicker on the recall of them now and we will have cracked it! Even the children have to admit, it is making their overall numeracy understanding better. Just think of how good it will be when they get even quicker!!
Have a look back over the last couple of week's blogs for some great websites to use. You can also help by testing them when they least expect it...in the car on the way to school; walking around Tesco...just say six sevens? Hopefully, over time, they should be able to respond even quicker!
Science
For the rest of this term, we will continue with our topic on Forces all around us. A particular feature, is the children's ability to differentiate between air resistance and upthrust. Ask your child when they are out and about, if they can tell you the difference between the forces which they observe. Again, previous websites will help support this.
Christmas Preparations
Due to our visitors last week, the preparations for the Christmas productions have been shortened considerably for Foundation, Key Stage One and Years 3/4. So, our PE sessions will be held outside this week. PLEASE ensure that your child has warm, outdoor kit to wear.
Year 5/6 prepare the Carol Service on the last day of term and our 'big' production takes place at the end of the year. We are currently mulling over a couple of ideas, but it will be fantastic - we have some real actors and performers on Year 6 this year!
and finally...
The children have put in a request that I put the recipe on this blog, for the Barfi sweets which they made on Wednesday. Most children loved them! They are a traditional Indian sweet, made for the Hindu festival of Divali, but if you covered them in chocolate, and then put them in the fridge, they taste just like home-made Snickers bars! If you can't find the rose water, just use a herbal tea - we found it works just as well. Enjoy!
Barfi is a popular Indian sweet, which is always made for Hindu Festivals. It is usually made by boiling sugar and milk together. This recipe is much easier to make and it is just as delicious!
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Makes: 20 pieces
Ingredients: 120g honey
120g peanut butter
80g dates, finely chopped
85g milk powder
130g dessicated coconut
70ml rose water
Equipment: large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Greaseproof paper
Cutting knife
Sweet tin
Mix the honey, peanut butter, dates and milk powder in a bowl using your hands. Make the sticky mixture into a non-sticky dough by kneading it.
Roll the dough into a log about 50cm long. Now wash you hands and dry them as well.
Into the small mixing bowl, mix the coconut and the rose water.
Spread out the coconut and the rose water mixture onto the greaseproof paper.
Cur the log in half and roll each half in the coconut so that it covers the log.
Cut each log into 10 pieces and store in the sweet tin. It will keep for a week in the fridge. It tastes best if you take it out of the fridge about an hour before eating it.
Have a good week!
Year 5/6 team.
