In Science, we explored the Solar System by modelling the relative sizes of the planets and then heading outside to demonstrate their distances from the Sun. We noticed that as the planets get farther from the Sun, the distance between them increases. The rocky planets were clustered close together, while the gas and ice giants were spread much farther apart.
On Monday afternoon, we enjoyed a fantastic music concert featuring pianists, string players, and singers from Year 5 and Year 6. Well done to all the performers, and thank you to the rest of the children for being such a supportive audience!
In English, we completed our suspense narratives, and in Maths, we explored multiples, factors, prime numbers, and square numbers. In PE, we focused on pivoting and footwork in netball.
On Wednesday evening, Year 5 joined the rest of KS2 to lead a beautiful Advent Service at the church. The children were excellent, and many people commented on the prayerfulness and joy they brought to the evening. A huge well done to everyone involved!
Our child-led Collective Worship this week was led by Gabriella, Isabella, Leo, and Ruben. Together, we reflected on how we can ‘prepare the way’ for Jesus during Advent.
Each morning, we’ve been praying the Jesse Tree and have so far learnt about Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, and Jacob. The children have written thoughtful reflections on what these stories mean to them.
Home learning for this week is:
Maths
Mathletics assignments:
· Common multiples
· Common factors
Reading
5 tests on Readtheory or 20 minutes of reading per day
Spelling
We will carry last week’s spellings over into another week as we didn’t get a chance to practise them this week
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and play a variety of games to practise this week’s spelling rule: Words ending ‘-ably’ and ‘-ibly’
· reliably
· terribly
· dependably
· visibly
· comfortably
· incredibly
· possibly
· sensibly
· horribly
· legibly
Wishing you all a lovely weekend—see you on Monday!
Well done for your Mad Hair Day efforts today, Year 5 – I loved the variety and creativity!
Please continue to practise readings and songs for the Advent Service, which is next Wednesday. The blog post is here. If you are a dancer for My Soul Glorifies the Lord, please bring in black clothes for this on Monday ideally. Everyone else should wear their winter school uniform.
Spellings for this week are:
reliably
terribly
dependably
visibly
comfortably
incredibly
possibly
sensibly
horribly
legibly
Yesterday, we enjoyed a trip to see Shrek The Musical at Mount Grace School. The children loved it, especially meeting the cast for high-fives and autographs afterward!
In Science, we researched the planets of the Solar System, while in Maths, we wrapped up our addition and subtraction topic. In English, we used figurative language to create vivid setting descriptions.
In RE, we explored the prophet Elijah and his faith in turning people back to God. This week’s Collective Worship, led by Herbie, Dudley, Emilia, and Rose on the theme of Christ the King, was excellent—well done!
Today, you received a letter about our school trip later this half term to the STEM Discovery Centre to support the children’s Science learning on Space. We need a couple of parent helpers to accompany us, so please let me know if you can help. Thank you!
Home learning this week is learning spellings (below) and practising lines and lyrics for the Advent Service (on Wednesday 4th December at 6:30pm). Lyrics and YouTube links can be found here.
Like a candle flame
Flickering small in our darkness
Uncreated light
Shines through infant eyes
God is with us, alleluia (Y3-5)
God is with us, alleluia (Y6)
Come to save us, alleluia (Y3-5)
Come to save us (Y6)
Alleluia! (All)
Stars and angels sing
Yet the earth sleeps in shadows
Can this tiny spark
Set a world on fire?
Yet his light shall shine
From our lives, Spirit blazing
As we touch the flame
Of his holy fire
O COME, O COME, EMMANUEL (Y3)
O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
shall come to you, O Israel!
O come thou Wisdom from on high,
who orders all things mightily.
To us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
PREPARE THE WAY (Y4)
Prepare the way for the coming of God Prepare the way for the coming of God
Make a straight path for the coming of God Make a straight path for the coming of God
Every valley will be filled in Every valley will be filled in
All hills and mountains will be made low All hills and mountains will be made low
Crooked roads will be straightened out Crooked roads will be straightened out
All the rough lands will be made smooth All the rough lands will be made smooth
And all the people on the earth And all the people on the earth
Shall see the saving power of God. Shall see the saving power of God.
MY SOUL GLORIFIES THE LORD
My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices My God forever he will be, bless his holy name.
(Solo) He looks upon me his servant,
looks on me in my lowliness.
He works marvels for me,
Hence forth all ages call me blessed, Call me blessed.
(Solo) He scatters the proud hearted,
casts the mighty from their thrones.
His mighty arm before me,
In strength he raises the lowly, raises the lowly.
(Solo) He fills the starving with plenty,
but empty sends the rich away.
From age to age his mercy,
The mercy promised us forever, promised forever.
DEAR ELIZABETH (Y6)
(Solo) Dear Elizabeth,
It was good to hear your news,
Things here are strained, as you can imagine.
And Joe, well you know!
He doesn’t seem to smile anymore.
Doors slam, people can
Misinterpret Heaven’s plan,
But it hurts to see, how confused he seems.
(Solo) Dear Elizabeth,
The time it seems to fly.
People just stare, as you can imagine.
And Joe, well you know!
He doesn’t seem to talk anymore
Eyes blaze, Joseph says,
There’s only so much he can take
And it occurs to me, that he just can’t see
God’s will be done, God’s will be done.
(Solo) Dear Elizabeth,
We leave for Bethlehem.
The journey will be long, as you can imagine.
And Joe, well you know!
He doesn’t seem so scared anymore.
We’ve made plans, joining hands,
Through the Spirit we understand
That this special birth, will bring peace on earth.
And starlight met the mother’s pain, And heaven’s angels wept in praise, As God’s will was done, God’s will was done.
(Solo) Dear Elizabeth,
Our Son was born this night,
Mary is tired, as you can imagine.
And me, I can’t find the words to tell you how I feel!
All who come bring him things,
Some say he will be a King
And it occurs to me that he just might be …
So sleep my Son, until it’s time to wake
Angels watch, watch for heaven’s sake (x2)
LOVE SHONE DOWN
(Solo) I had a dream that I was standing on a hillside
And all the lights of town
were shining far below
When up in the air beautiful voices
Sing a new song, let everyone know,
Oh and love shone down over the hills and over the valleys, Oh and love shone down over the world
(Solo) Somebody spoke to me
I knew it was an angel
He said there’s something
that I think you ought to know.
Then he just smiled, said don’t be afraid now.
Sing a new song, let everyone know
(Solo) And then he told me all about the baby Jesus,
How to find him where exactly I should go.
Then he was joined by millions of others
Sing a new song, let everyone know
(Solo) Well did I dream or was I really on that hillside
On that Christmas night so very long ago,
When he was born Jesus our Saviour
Sing a new song let everyone know
CLOTH FOR THE CRADLE (ALL)
Cloth for the cradle, cradle for the child,
The child for our every joy and sorrow;
Find him a shawl that’s woven by us all
To welcome the Lord of each tomorrow.
Darkness and light and all that’s known by sight,
Silence and echo fading.
Weave into one a welcome for the Son,
Set earth its own maker serenading.
THIS PROMISE IS FOR YOU (ALL)
When God blessed Abraham
The covenant promise began
By faith he was chosen from all of creation
This promise is for you
And the lips of prophets foretold
How God’s promise of love would unfold
A powerful vision of justice and freedom
This promise is for you
Then came the final sign
At the Lord’s most favoured time
A King, God’s Son, the Holy one
This promise is for you
Come Holy Spirit, send your gifts, inspire our hearts Come Holy Spirit, lead us to the fullness of life The promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ
And the child Mary held in her womb
By the wood of the cross and the tomb
Has died and is risen, our sins are forgiven
This promise is for you
So what do we choose to do?
Where do we choose to go?
Only in Christ is the fullness of life
This promise is for you
Come Holy Spirit, send your gifts, inspire our hearts Come Holy Spirit, lead us to the fullness of life The promise fulfilled in Jesus Christ
https://popepaul.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/advent-footer2-micro2.png287920Margaret Joycehttp://popepaul.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ppnewlogo.pngMargaret Joyce2024-11-22 13:50:492024-11-22 15:09:40Advent Service - lyrics and links
Another week has gone; here are some of the highlights from Year 5!
On Monday, we joined the school for a Remembrance pilgrimage, reflecting on those being remembered in this month of November. Year 5 walked with Year 1, showing great respect throughout.
Tuesday marked Odd Socks Day, where we explored this year’s Anti-Bullying Week theme: Showing Respect. Through scenarios like choosing games or managing group projects, we discussed how to resolve conflicts respectfully and use thoughtful language to compromise.
In Science, we started our new topic on Space, causing great excitement!
In Maths, we practised using the inverse to check answers and tackled multi-step word problems.
In English, we sharpened our suspense-writing skills, while in PE, we focused on mastering the bounce pass.
Finally, in Art, we continued our Mixed Media Land and Cityscapes topic, combining ink lines with watercolour washes. Here are some of the children’s creations!
Home learning for this week:
Maths
Mathletics assignments:
· Inverse operations (addition & subtraction)
· Multi-step addition & subtraction problems
Reading
5 tests on Readtheory or 20 minutes of reading per day
Spelling
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and play a variety of games to practise this week’s spelling rule: Words ending in ‘–ent’ and ‘-ence’
· innocence
· transparent
· eloquence
· frequent
· confidence
· decent
· competence
· emergent
· intelligence
· violent
SPaG
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and take the quiz: Using apostrophes to mark singular possession in nouns
Welcome back to a new half term! Here’s a peek at some of this week’s learning:
In Art, we explored and experimented with mixed media, using the watercolour with wax resist technique.
In PE, we kicked off our new unit on Netball, focusing this week on the chest pass and shoulder pass.
We also had our first child-led Celebration of the Word, beautifully planned and led by Siofra, D’hani, Emily, Jamie, and Jack—well done!
Thank you to everyone who brought in photos of loved ones who have passed away. They have been added, along with your beautiful prayers and poems, to our November Remembrance display in preparation for Monday’s whole-school Remembrance Pilgrimage.
Here’s your home learning for this week:
Maths
Mathletics assignments:
· Rounding to check answers
Reading
5 tests on Readtheory or 20 minutes of reading per day
Spelling
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and play a variety of games to practise this week’s spelling rule: Words ending in ‘-ant’
· distant
· elegant
· abundant
· fragrant
· brilliant
· ignorant
· constant
· tolerant
· dominant
· vacant
SPaG
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and take the quiz: Use an apostrophe where letters are missing or omitted in spelling
This week, Year 5 explored Zimbabwe as part of our One World Week learning. Here’s what we got up to:
Flag and History: We studied Zimbabwe’s flag colours and learned about its rich history—from ancient Shona and Bantu settlers over 2000 years ago to its colonial past under Cecil Rhodes as “Rhodesia” and finally its independence in 1980, when it became Zimbabwe, meaning “Stone House.”
Significant Sites: The class researched and presented on iconic places in Zimbabwe like Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Motobo Hills, Nyanga National Park, and Great Zimbabwe. They even made 3D models of the Great Enclosure in Great Zimbabwe and recreated traditional rock art from Motobo Hills.
Symbolic Art: We made clay replicas of the famous soapstone birds, discovered in the Great Zimbabwe ruins, which have become national symbols of freedom and independence.
Guest Speakers: Mya and Maddie from Year 6 shared interesting facts about Zimbabwe, including Mya’s favourite foods and Maddie’s dad’s Nyami Nyami stick.
Learning from Charities: We discussed challenges Zimbabweans face due to economic issues and drought, and how charities like Caritas, Cafod, and Mary’s Meals support food security and education. Through their work, these organizations live out their Catholic mission of bringing hope to others.
We also held a special class Mass, where Fr. Shaun reminded us of our global responsibility, urging us to stand in solidarity with all people as part of one human family, made in God’s image. It was a meaningful week of learning and reflection!
Here’s the song that Mya played to us:
Well done Clodagh, D’hani, Hanna, Isabella B, Isabella P and Sophia P for your efforts in organising and running this afternoon’s cake sale in aid of the British Heart Foundation – hopefully it has raised lots of money!
The deadline is Friday 8 November 2024 and submission is online, but if you do get involved, I’d love to see what you come up with so please bring in a copy!
Wishing you all a lovely half term.
Miss Donatantonio
https://popepaul.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/900_Tony-Tudor_Zimbabwe_name.jpg447899Margaret Joycehttp://popepaul.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ppnewlogo.pngMargaret Joyce2024-10-25 16:14:182024-10-25 16:14:18Year 5 - One World Week | Zimbabwe
It’s been another fast-paced week in Year 5! Here’s what we’ve been up to:
Maths – We started our unit on addition and subtraction by exploring mental strategies before moving on to formal written methods. The children then applied these methods to solve a range of problems.
English – We have been sharpening our writing skills by exploring how varying sentence lengths can build tension. This was all within the context of our book, Everest.
Science – We investigated water resistance by timing how long differently shaped objects took to sink when dropped into water. This experiment helped us understand that streamlined shapes reduce the effect of water resistance.
RE – We explored the Holy Trinity through artwork. After reflecting on its meaning, the children created their own interpretations in their artwork.
PE – The children put their invasion game skills into action. In groups, they designed their own original invasion games, using the techniques we’ve practised over the past few weeks.
Computing – We learned that vector drawings are electronic images created by combining lines and shapes. The children then used Google Drawings to create their own basic vector drawings.
Geography – Using relief maps, the children identified mountain regions around the world and compared their different heights.
Home learning:
Maths
Mathletics assignments:
· Adding whole numbers with more than four digits
· Subtracting whole numbers with more than four digits
Reading
5 tests on Readtheory or 20 minutes of reading per day
Spelling
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and play a variety of games to practise this week’s spelling rule: Words from Year 5 and 6 Statutory Spellings
· appreciate
· immediately
· cemetery
· language
· conscious
· sufficient
· convenience
· thorough
· environment
· vegetable
SPaG
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and take the quiz: Rearrange sentences so that the adverbial is at the front
Next week, we will be finding out about Zimbabwe for One World Week. We also have our class Mass on Wednesday at 09:15 – all our welcome, so please join us!
Here is this week’s home learning and the links to practise the songs for our Mass (which is on Wednesday 23rd October).
Maths
Mathletics assignments:
· Roman numerals to 1,000
· Rounding within 1,000,000
Reading
5 tests on Readtheory or 20 minutes of reading per day
Spelling
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and play a variety of games to practise this week’s spelling rule: Words containing ‘-cial’ and ‘-tial’
· commercial
· controversial
· controversially
· financial
· financially
· initial
· initially
· palatial
· provincial
· spatial
SPaG
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and take the quiz: Punctuate sentences with fronted adverbials correctly
A huge well done, Year 5, for your wonderful assembly on the Care of Creation this morning! I was so proud of how you shared the important message of looking after our planet.
This week in Year 5:
RE: On Monday, the children deepened their understanding of how the story of the Burning Bush from Exodus helped develop the belief in one God (monotheism). Yesterday, we explored our responsibility as stewards of the world, taking a look at how Coldplay has made their Music of the Spheres tour as sustainable as possible.
Maths: This week has been all about rounding. We’ve worked on rounding to the nearest 10, 100, 1000, and today, to 10,000.
English: We’re making great progress with our book Everest, enjoying the race to the summit while expanding our vocabulary and honing our writing skills.
Science: We shifted our focus to water resistance, planning an investigation to see how the shape of an object affects its speed through water. We discussed streamlining and made predictions for next week’s experiment.
PE: This week, we worked on attacking skills as part of our invasion games unit.
Maths
Mathletics assignments:
· Rounding to nearest 10, 100 & 1,000
· Rounding within 100,000
Reading
5 tests on Readtheory or 20 minutes of reading per day
Spelling
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and play a variety of games to practise this week’s spelling rule: Words ending in ‘-tial’
· potential
· confidential
· essential
· impartial
· substantial
· preferential
· influential
· torrential
· residential
· circumstantial
SPaG
Log on to Spelling Shed using your EdShed login, and take the quiz: Identify a sentence (independent clause)
