Newsletters

This week Wrens have been learning all about Remembrance and why we wear poppies. For our Drawing Club text we studied the book "Where the poppies now grow" by Hilary Robinson which introduces remembrance to children in an age appropriate manner.  We also created some fantastic poppy themed artwork  using oil pastels.  We were very impressed how the children looked carefully at the different photographs of poppies to ensure the shapes and colours of the poppies in their artwork were realistic.

In maths, we have been learning all about the number 5 and the different number bonds within it.  For our maths challenge this week we enjoyed playing a maths game which involved subitising numbers on a dice and careful counting skills. Games are a great way to practise and consolidate maths learning so why not have a go at playing some at home.

In RE, we have been learning about how new babies are welcomed into different faiths. Last week we looked at a Christian Baptism ceremony and held our own christening in the classroom. This week our classroom turned into a mosque and we looked at the ceremonies that are carried out by Muslims to welcome a new baby into the Islamic faith.

In phonics, the children have been working really hard. They are coming to the end of learning the single letter sounds and will be moving onto consonant digraphs (2 letters 1 sound) next week, for example ch and sh.  We are also learning a lot of new tricky (non phonetic) words. These cannot be sounded out and must be learnt by sight. Please continue to practise these at home with your child - they are all included in the orange phonics books.  Thank you.

This week in English, we continued reading George's Marvellous Medicine, where the children explored the importance of clear instructions. I showed this by making a not very successful sandwich by following their instructions exactly. We then did it again and the children had to ensure that each step was explained precisely. The children then applied their understanding of clear instructions by beginning to write their own for creating their magical potion, using their creativity and attention to detail.

In maths, we have been practising using doubles to identify near doubles, which has been helping the children to solve calculations more quickly. The children have also been practising adding three 1-digit numbers together and showing their workings out. To finish the week, we began to focus on subtraction, using it to identify a part of a whole, helping to show the relationship between addition and subtraction.

In science, we observed and described what autumn is like. The children went outside to explore the season, gathering inspiration from nature and then came inside to draw and describe their observations.

In PE, the children had fun practising team-building games. They worked really well together and realised that communication and working together were the key to success.

In history, the children brought in their own toys, which they then compared and sorted with their peers. They made lots of connections between their toys and began to think about the differences with the older toys we studied last week.

Timetable

Tuesday: Wellies and a coat suitable for the weather

Thursday & Friday: PE kits

This week in English, the children have continued to work on tasks linked to our story 'Charlotte's Web'. The children learnt all about 'fronted adverbials' and how to use and recognise them in writing. We focused on using fronted adverbials of place and manner and practised using the correct punctuation within the sentences. Fronted adverbials come at the beginning of sentences to tell the reader more about the following part of the sentence, for example, instead of 'Wilbur woke up feeling hungry.' we would see 'Every morning, Wilbur woke up feeling hungry.'  This fronted adverbial gives us more information about how often this happens and makes writing more interesting.

At the end of the week, the children continued with their work on formal and informal speech and writing. This week we wrote short formal letters linked to traditional tales. The children included some fantastic vocabulary choices and made their opinions and feelings very clear! They will use these skills in the next few weeks to write letters linked to Charlotte's Web.

In music, we have started our new project 'Dinosuars'. Using drums and maracas, we explored dynamics and how to play the instruments loudly or quietly. We looked at graphic notation and how it shows which dynamic to use when performing.

In maths this week, both Y3 and Y4 have been focussing on times tables. Y3 have been recapping their knowledge of the 2, 5 and 10 times tables and Y4 have been working on the 3, 6 and 9 times tables. Having a secure and solid understanding of times tables and division facts helps the children in so many areas of maths. It is so important that they complete their TTRS homework to support their learning.

In science, the children came to the end of our Rocks topic and learned about how fossils are formed. We went through the process and the children were able to create a comic strip to show each step.

In PE, we started our gymnastics sessions. The children were able to use their prior learning to explain the importance of stretching and warming up at the start of each lesson. It was lovely to see the children using some of the poses they learned in yoga last half-term as warm up stretches and be able to explain which muscles they were using.

In computing, we have been learning how to send emails and the importance of writing kind words. We had great fun sending and receiving emails from our friends. 

This week in English, we have begun reading our new class book The Silver Sword by Ian Serraillier. Set during World War II in Poland, the story follows three siblings on a mission to be reunited with their lost parents. In our lessons, the children have explored the features of suspense writing, focusing on how authors build tension and keep readers on the edge of their seats. This will prepare them to write their own suspenseful stories in the coming weeks.

In maths, the children have been exploring fractions. They have been learning to find equivalent fractions and simplifying fractions to their lowest terms. Next week, we will be moving on to converting improper fractions into mixed numbers and vice versa, which will further deepen their understanding of how fractions work.

In science, the children have started their new topic on living things and their habitats. This week, we focused on the key life processes that define living organisms, using the acronym MRS GREN to help us remember: Movement, Respiration, Sensitivity, Growth, Reproduction, Excretion and Nutrition. Following this, the children created fact files on notable natural scientists, which they shared with their peers.

Finally, in history, we have shifted our focus to Anglo-Saxon and Viking Britain, specifically the fifth century. However, before diving into this period, we took time to explore how the Roman Empire came to an end in Britannia, helping to set the stage for the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings.

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