Friday 10th June 2022

Bethlehem was God with us, Calvary was God for us, and Pentecost is God in us.

Robert Baer

Welcome back. We hope you all enjoyed the long weekend and had fun taking part in jubilee celebrations.

In our first week back, we have explored the themes of Pentecost through a cross-curricular approach so that our children’s understanding of this important feast was contextualised and enriched.  Working alongside other Catholic schools in our area (St Phillip Howard, Holy Family and Our Lady’s), we devised a week of learning where we took the themes of Pentecost (Water, Wind and Fire) and completed activities based on them.

Water

Using our knowledge of tints and shade, we painted water. Through the different shades, we created depth and movement.

Year 5 made water wheels using polystyrene centres and various items as paddles, which was a fun STEM activity.

A water poem was used to create performance pieces.

Using a stimulus based on the ocean, the children created movement phrases and performed a dance in unison and canon.  Many of the groups shared their performances to the rest of the class.

Using ‘Storm Interlude’ written by Benjamin Britten, the children composed their own chorus based on the words below using a variety of percussion instruments:

‘Here comes the wave; here comes a big one.

Here comes the biggest of the biggest of them.

Here comes the biggest of them!’

                                             Then each group performed their compositions to the rest of the class

Click here to see photos of the children

Wind

Using ‘Can you see the Wind? as a stimulus in English, the children examined this lovely poem and answered questions about it.

For their Geography focus, the children studied tornadoes, learning that they are a violent, rotating column of air between a thunderstorm and the ground. They discovered that most tornadoes occur in Tornado Alley and about 30 tornadoes per year are reported in the UK.  The most shocking fact was that the UK has more tornadoes per unit of land than any other country in the world!  We then went on to build a tornado of our own which Dale assisted us with.

Fire

Under the theme of fire we looked at the Fire Triangle and investigated the question: Does fire need oxygen to continue burning? The children explored this and discovered that by putting the jar over the candle keeps oxygen from outside the jar from getting in.  Running out of oxygen makes the flame go out.

The children went on to find out about Wildfires and the primary and secondary effects of these. We completed our research by discussing how different fires are fought differently, with the big idea to deprive the fire of its fuel and let it go out by itself.

Year 5 also created kenning poems about fire. Take a look at a couple written by Max and Arthur.

Flame-spreader

Light-giving

Heat-blazer

Life-taker

Bright-burner

Blaze-flicker

Light-spreader

Tree-swallower

Smoke-giver

Home-annihilator

-Max

House-illuminator

Life-taker

Air-remover

Ash-creator

Death-maker

City- annihilator

Oxygen-abuser

Fuel-consumer

smoke-spreader

Forest-killer

-Arthur

This morning, we had a visit from  Fr Fidelis, a Spiritan Chaplain at NBS. Year 5 asked him some questions about his vocation. It was wonderful to hear about how the Holy Spirit guides him and the challenges he faces.

This afternoon, Fr Shaun celebrated mass with us in school and the children each received an ice lolly as a special treat – a lovely ending to a busy week of learning!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.  We look forward to seeing you at the Potters Bar Carnival on Sunday.  Please see the newsletter re information on meeting on Sunday near Mount Grace School to take part in our walking float!  Come dressed in red, white and blue!

Mrs Lines and Mrs McNamara

Home Learning

Reading- 5 tests on readtheory

Grammar- spag.com

Spellings- rule 61 on spelling frame

suggest, symbol, system, temperature, thorough, twelfth, variety, vegetable, vehicle , yacht .

Mathletics and Timetables Rockstars.  I will be testing the children on their tables knowledge and speed next week!

Next week is healthy eating week. Please could the children bring in their favourite fruit and vegetable to share with the class on Tuesday. They only need to bring in one of each.