Year 5 have continued to build on their understanding of the sacraments of healing this week. We were lucky enough to have a visit from Fr Shaun to explain the sacrament of anointing the sick and he brought along his kit to show us. The children listened well and asked some interesting questions. Later in the week, the children brought their knowledge of the sacraments together to create a podcast. I was really impressed with how they worked together to produce some really interesting pieces about how the sacraments offer healing to our world. We will be editing and recording these next week and will share them on the school website when they are complete.

In science, we have been developing our enquiry skills by designing an investigation that required using repeated measures. Year 5 made gyros that they dropped to find out if surface area affects how fast an object falls. We had some interesting results! Year 5 were able to identify some strange data and saw how taking repeated measures created a more reliable result.

To end our week, we learned about copyright and plagiarism as part of Safer Internet Day. Year 5 now know the symbols to look out for and how they can avoid infringing copyright.

Have a great weekend

Another week has flown by in Year 5. We have been very busy thinking about what it means to be sacramental people and seeing where we could find God in our local area. On Wednesday, Year 5 took a walk to Darkes Lane and were able to identify where they could see God in nature and through others. Once we returned to school, we then thought about where we see God in our own lives and how we let God act through us.  Later in the week, we developed this idea by discussing social dilemmas and what we should or would do. The children were very reflective and made thoughtful contributions.

On Thursday, along with the rest of the school, we were visited by Bishop John Sherington. Year 5 asked some fantastic questions and listened thoughtfully to his responses.

In science, we continued our new topic on forces. We investigated air resistance by dropping paper with different surface areas from a height and timing their fall. Next week, Year 5 will use this knowledge to develop their own investigations relating both surface area and air resistance.

Year 5 have really been enjoying our new class text. ‘Boy in the Tower’ is a mystery story about buildings in Camberwell suddenly falling.  It is narrated by the main character, a young boy named Ade, who lives a challenging life. The children have shown great empathy for this character and have appreciated how lucky they are to be so well taken care of.

Have a great weekend

Mrs Lines

Welcome back. It has been wonderful to see the children again and catch up with their holiday news.

This week, we have focused on the three epiphanies of the lord. Using Fr Shaun’s newsletter as a starting point, we explored each of them through art and drama to explain what they tell us about Jesus and God. This morning, the children wore crowns to assembly to celebrate the Magi’s visit to Jesus and presented what gift they will be bringing to home and school this year. Many of them feel they will be bringing patience and good listening skills to their homes.

Division has now become our focus in maths. We have established the difference between grouping and sharing and have begun to use the short method to calculate.

With our biographies finished, we have now turned our attention to narrative. Over the next half term, we will be reading a picture book and a novel from the ‘mystery and suspense’ genre. This week, Year 5 became detectives and searched illustrations for evidence of tension and suspense; identifying common elements. They also made some interesting predictions about what our first text, ‘The Watertower’, might be about. A large percentage feel there will be an alien element to the story due to the shape of the watertower and the mysterious green light beaming down from it. We shall find out if their predictions are right next week.

In science today, the children developed their enquiry skills. I presented them with a question: what factors might cause the colour to dissolve from a skittle? From this, they generated their own investigations, collected data and presented it. Well done, year 5!

Have a wonderful weekend

Mrs Lines