For the final week of the half term, we celebrated Other Faiths Week, where we looked this time at the Islamic faith. The class learnt about the Five Pillars of Islam, and on Thursday visited the Watford Mosque, where along with Year 5 they had the opportunity to hear from the Imam about prayer rituals and the importance of the Five Pillars. The children’s behaviour was impeccable, for which they earned an extra playtime. Thank you to Axcel and Mrs Darling for accompanying the classes.
In D&T, the children have learnt different stitches which they can choose to use for their felt phone cover. They learnt how to do running stitch, backstitch and overcast stitch.
In English, the children wrote non-chronological reports for their mythical creatures, and did paintings to illustrate their writing. They have used fantastic language and I can’t wait to compile all of their beautiful work into a book.
In maths, our topic has been Area, and so we have been doing lots of reasoning and problem solving for finding the area of composite shapes, triangles and parallelograms.
Home learning for the half term:
Spellings (from Year 5 & 6 Statutory Spelling List):
attached
available
average
competition
conscience
controversy
correspond
embarrass
especially
exaggerate
We need your help!
The class gardens this year are going to be designed to encourage biodiversity in the area. Year 6 are lucky enough to be making a garden for butterflies, and so it would be fantastic to receive any donations to include in our garden. Butterflies enjoy bluebells, marigolds, buttercups, hyacinth, clover, garden mint, knapweed, thistles, blackberry bushes, heather, lavender, Bowles’ Mauve wallflower, marjoram and willowherbs.
In English, we have focused on using a variety of clause structures in our writing, as well as learning how to use and spot the passive voice. In maths, we learnt how to find fraction, decimal and percentage equivalents. In RE, we started pulling apart the Lord’s Prayer to really think about its meaning. In PE, we continued our dance unit, this time focusing on telling a story through dance to the music of You’ve Got A Friend In Me. In D&T, we made templates for the mobile phone cases, and in geography, we learnt about the varied physical features of the Americas due to its sheer size.
On Wednesday, the class took part in an e-safety workshop, where they had the opportunity to ask lots of questions relating to things scenarios in which they may find themselves online.
We did some more eco-brick making on Tuesday.
On Thursday, the Year 6s partnered up with the Year 3s to help them find where they’d met their writing targets. They worked brilliantly together, with the Year 6s being excellent role models.
This week’s home learning (due Tuesday 4th February) is as follows:
English
(online) spag.com – Passive and Active x2, Subordinate clauses & conjunctions x2
In our Evolution science topic this week, we modelled the the timeline of our planet and were amazed to see that of a 200-sheet toilet roll, only the final couple of centimetres represented humans’ presence on Earth!
On Thursday afternoon, we welcomed a police officer and two PCSOs into the classroom to talk to the class about the dangers of carrying a knife and the possible consequences of a) carrying one and b) using one. It was very eye-opening and the children were full of questions.
In RE, we learnt about the Beatitudes and in particular the 8th Beatitude: Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We learnt about St Maximilian Kolbe and wrote about how he embodied this Beatitude.
We did more eco-brick making on Tuesday; hopefully it won’t be too much longer until we can start making them into a seat for the playground.
In English, we heard about Ms Lawler’s hair-raising encounter with a phooka; we also read and wrote about trolls. In maths, we have continued our work on fractions and have learnt how to add and subtract fractions with different denominators.
This week’s home learning (due Tuesday 28th January) is as follows:
We were all excited and intrigued this week by the mysterious stone that I came across in Gobions Wood at the weekend. Upon looking through the hole in the stone, I spotted an unusual-looking creature in the trees that only appeared when looking through the hole. After some research into this and reading about it in the Field Guide to the Fantastical World Around You, I found out that the stone is a gateway to a world full of hundreds of magical creatures. So in English this week, the children wrote persuasive posters to warn people in Gobions Wood that the lethal cockatrice had been spotted there. Today, we learnt all about another fantastical creature – the havoc-wreaking boggart – and the children imagined the mischief they would get up to if they were boggarts themselves. Here they are, up to no good:
In maths this week, the children have been comparing fractions with different denominators, whilst in RE they began learning about the Sermon on the Mount. In PE, we began our new dance unit in which the children created short sequences to Daft Punk. In science, we had our first lesson on our new Evolution topic; in geography, we started our Amazing Americas topic; in D&T, we started a unit in which we will design, make and evaluate a phone case.
This week’s home learning (due Tuesday 21st January) is as follows:
English
You have each been given a sheet with your writing targets on and a story starter underneath. Your task is to write another paragraph of the story whilst focusing on your targets and attempting to use two of this week’s spelling words below.
Spellings
Words with a long /e/ sound spelt ‘ie’:
siege
niece
grief
chief
fiend
shriek
believe
achieve
convenience
mischief
Maths
Times tables
(online) Mathletics tasks – comparing and ordering fractions
Continue to revise all times tables.
Elysia and Jude, here is the youtube to help you with Sunday’s psalm:
Happy New Year and welcome back! Year 6 have jumped straight back into their learning: in RE, we have learnt about the three epiphanies; in maths, we were building our understanding on number magnitude with fractions; in English, the children have been practising their reading comprehension skills; and in science, the children carried out investigations about light.
Here are some of the questions the children answered on the topic of light:
How do we see things?
How do mirrors help us see objects?
Why do shadows have the same shape as the objects that cast them?
Do darker objects make darker shadows?
Does distance from a light source affect the size of the shadow?
This week’s home learning (due Tuesday 14th January) is as follows:
On Monday, we had our Year 5 & 6 music concert; well done to all the performers who treated us to such a rich and varied musical programme.
On Wednesday, we had our Christmas lunch and talent show day. There were smiles all around as everyone spread the Christmas cheer! Well done to Liam and Owen for representing our class in the talent show.
Yesterday, things got competitive as the class worked in teams to complete a Christmas Maths Relay. The problems they had to solve were not easy, and I witnessed some wonderful resilience as the children developed their problem solving skills.
Thank you very much for your Christmas gifts; they were very generous and thoughtful. Well done and thank you Year 6 for all your efforts in this first term. See you all buzzing and raring to go in January after a good rest!
First of all, well done Year 6 for your fantastic participation in Tuesday’s Advent Service. You led it so beautifully and were a credit to the school.
In RE this week, we have focused on Matthew’s message of the Incarnation in his account of the nativity. On Wednesday, the children carried this message into writing their own words to songs that we have sung in our Advent Service over the past couple of years. We will be recording some of them next week, so stay tuned to hear those!
Our art topic this term has seen the children producing self-portraits in a variety of media. This week, they had a go at drawing other people, paying particular attention to shape and figure. See if you can guess who some of these familiar faces are!
This week’s home learning (due Tuesday 17th December) is as follows:
lightening (the sky was slowly lightening as the sun came up)
daylight
enlighten
twilight
limelight
Maths
Times tables
Questions on multiples, factors and primes:
· CGP Year 6 book p. 15
· CGP Year 5 book pp. 18-19
Continue to revise all times tables.
Reading
Daily reading and recording in Reading Records.
How to complete your reading record
As you’re reading, take notice of the language used then. When you’ve finished reading, choose an aspect of language that you really liked, write it into your reading record, and then explain why you found it effective.
Things you might comment on:
· Effective use of personification;
· An effective metaphor;
· An example of ‘show don’t tell’ ;
· Good use of the semi-colon;
· Hyphenation;
· Direct speech that develops the characterisation;
· Formal language;
A new word whose meaning you worked out from the context.
This week’s home learning (due Tuesday 17th December) is as follows:
RE
Please learn all song words for Tuesday’s Advent Service. Words and links can be found on previous blog post.
Spellings
Doubling the consonant when adding a suffix – “short vowel, one consonant, double it, add suffix”:
begging
digging
dragging
dropping
hoping
hopping
moping
mopping
planning
running
stopping
taping
tapping
wagging
wrapping
writing
Maths
Times tables
(online) Mathletics tasks – simplifying fractions
Continue to revise all times tables.
Reading
Daily reading and recording in Reading Records.
How to complete your reading record
As you’re reading, take notice of the language used then. When you’ve finished reading, choose an aspect of language that you really liked, write it into your reading record, and then explain why you found it effective.
Things you might comment on:
· Effective use of personification;
· An effective metaphor;
· An example of ‘show don’t tell’ ;
· Good use of the semi-colon;
· Hyphenation;
· Direct speech that develops the characterisation;
· Formal language;
· A new word whose meaning you worked out from the context.
When is he coming, when, oh when is he coming, the Redeemer?
When will we see him, when, oh when will we see him, the Redeemer?
Come, oh come, from your kingdom up there, from your kingdom up there above!
Come, oh come, to your people on earth, to your people on earth bring love!
Emmanuel! Emmanuel! Emmanuel!
Long years a-waiting, Many years here a-waiting the Redeemer!
Ready to greet him, always ready to meet him, the Redeemer!
Come, oh come, from your kingdom up there, from your kingdom up there above!
Come, oh come, to your people on earth, to your people on earth bring love!
Emmanuel! Emmanuel! Emmanuel!
Think of a world without any flowers
Think of a world without any flowers, think of a world without any trees.
Think of a sky without any sunshine, think of the air without any breeze.
We thank you, Lord, for flowers and trees and sunshine
We thank you, Lord, and praise your holy name.
Think of the world without any animals, think of a field without any herd.
Think of a stream without any fishes, think of a dawn without any bird.
We thank you, Lord, for all your living creatures,
We thank you, Lord, and praise your holy name.
Somewhere out there
Somewhere out there, beneath the pale blue light
Someone’s thinking of me and loving me tonight.
Somewhere out there, someone’s saying a prayer
That we’ll find one another in that big somewhere out there.
And even though I know how very far apart we are
It helps to think we might be wishing on the same bright star.
And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby
It helps to think we’re sleeping underneath the same big sky.
Somewhere out there, if love can see us through.
Then we’ll be together somewhere out there
Out where dreams come true.
The Angel, Gabriel
The angel Gabriel from heaven came. His wings as drifted snow, his eyes as flame. All hail said he thou lowly maiden Mary, most highly favoured lady. Gloria.
For known a blessed mother thou shalt be. All generations laud and honour thee. Thy son shall be Emmanuel, by seers foretold Most highly favoured lady. Gloria.
Then gentle Mary meekly bowed her head. To me be, as it pleaseth God, she said. My soul shall laud and magnify his holy name. Most highly favoured lady. Gloria.
Joseph’s Coat
Joseph, he was Jacob’s favourite son. Of all the family Joseph was the special one. So Jacob bought his son a coat a multi-coloured coat to wear.
Joseph’s coat was elegant, the cut was fine. The tasteful style was the ultimate in good design. And this is why it caught the eye; a king would stop and stare. And when Joseph tried it on he knew his sheepskin days were gone.
Such a dazzling coat of many colours; how he loved his coat of many colours.
In a class above the rest it even went well with his vest.
Such a stunning coat of many colours; how he loved his coat of many colours.
It was red and yellow and green and brown and blue.
Joseph’s brothers weren’t too pleased with what they saw
they had never liked him all that much before
And now this coat had got their goat
They felt life was unfair. And when Joseph graced the scene, his brothers turned a shade of green.
His astounding clothing took the biscuit quite the smoothest person in the district. He looked handsome, he looked smart, he was a walking work of art.
Such a dazzling coat of many colours; how he loved his coat of many colours.
It was red and yellow and green and brown and scarlet and black and ochre and peach
And ruby and olive and violet and fawn And lilac and gold and chocolate and mauve
And cream and crimson and silver and rose And azure and lemon and russet and grey
And purple and white and pink and orange and blue.
This Promise Is For You
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 in 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.
Magnificat
My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices
My God forever he will be, bless his holy name.
https://popepaul.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/download.jpg168299Margaret Joycehttp://popepaul.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/ppnewlogo.pngMargaret Joyce2019-12-06 16:52:192019-12-06 16:53:29KS2 Advent Service words and links
