Geography – Grid References

We are into our third week of learning and applying our knowledge of reading four-figure grid references on OS maps. This information helps us locate places, by name or by the appropriate map symbol. We have been looking at things such as where the phone box would be, etc.

Over the last two weeks, the children have studied parts of Ordnance Survey maps for Sheffield and London. The children got very excited when they found places near where they lived and the landmarks we have been learning about! We even created a WAGOLL for this week, so the children could try and read the grid references more securely.

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App Prototype Critiquing

We have been working exceptionally hard researching the facts we need to write our very own London App. The children are now all at the point where they have been working hard to include a range of features in their writing:

• relative clauses to add extra information about the subject noun
• sub-headings to organise information
• synonyms to avoid repetition
• adverbials to create cohesion
• boastful language to describe and interest the reader
• rhetorical questions to hook the reader in

Y5GE were ready to critique their paper prototypes today, the last step before we form the information and pictures onto the apps. We had been through quite a comprehensive marking and checking process already, so we used the cool feedback statements to state what could further be improved. We tried hard to make our feedback kind, specific and helpful. Although there was some small critique of the critique!

Parent’s Survey

Hello all!

We would really appreciate it if you could answer this survey about school:

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/5DBX2H5

Thank you very much.

 

Spelling Hunt

It may not be Easter yet and time for a good old-fashioned hunt for eggs, but that did not stop Y5GE for hunting for spelling patterns! Around the room, Miss Eden had placed lots of words that contained the ‘ci’, ‘cu’ or ‘cc’ letter string around the room in different places. Each letter string, as well as others, have different sounds; such as ‘shun’, ‘shul’, ‘acc/ x’. They had to find the words and record them in the correct place on the tables they were given. We had great fun!

Sheffield Children’s Book Awards – the long list

From his extensive work with people across the city, Mr Smith has managed to get us a really exciting opportunity. Each year, children in school get to vote for which books they think should win the Sheffield Children’s Book Award in its category. However, we only ever see the chosen short list.

This year, we have been lucky enough to receive the picture book long list and have a say on which we think should make the short list and why! Today, we were introduced to the books on offer. The children loved them – it goes to show you are never to old for a picture book!

App-solutely fabulous!

Today it happened. We found out what we are aiming for at the end of this half term. An app! A real-life app ready for us to download onto our school iPods and take to London on the residential. A travel guide for our two day adventure. We. Are. So. EXCITED!

Sue Finnegan, from the ICT support team, came in to launch our app and tell us all about the process. In her own time she has created an app prototype and recorded a video from her colleague to show us the process we will go through. There are many stages we need to complete but we will be taking our prototype to London; including photographs, facts and information, videos and sound files. Each child will contribute in some way. Then, a small group will work alongside the ICT team to create a real-life app that hopefully will make it to the App Store!!!!!!! This is a real-life purpose for our writing and we cannot wait. Here are a few photos from the morning.

And we’re back…

Welcome back and a happy new year. Since we have come back, the Y5s have been working so hard! We cannot believe how much learning we have crammed into just two days.

Our new writing focus is to produce a non-chronological report all about the London Eye. We are at the very beginning of the process – looking at WAGOLLs and giving warm feedback, and then producing text maps on them. We are gathering a whole host of information, ready for our reports. Tomorrow we have a special guest to introduce our product for the term – it is so exciting!

In maths we have have jumped straight in with equivalent fractions, which is proving to be tricky but we are getting there. We are also realising how important our times tables are for this and that, even if we’ve passed them, we don’t know them quite as well as we need to and need to keep practising. Every little helps.

We have crammed in two PE lessons and our guided reading and spelling! Full on but we are rising to the challenge! Keep it up Y5.

Merry Cope-mas

Our children were very excited yesterday as the got given their annual present from the governors of WCM. This excitement tripled when they opened them to find a signed copy of Andy Cope’s newest book for kids! Most of them started reading it last night and have brought it in this morning to read if there was time – we couldn’t resist!

More card games – play at Christmas!

Last Monday, Graham – our resident card expert – came into see us again. He spent half his time with each class and we became more familiar with the game ‘Beggar my Neighbour’. The children had a fantastic time playing and got really quick at playing it. Here are a brief explanation of the rules – all you need is a pack of cards.

1. Deal the whole pack – and don’t look at your cards.
2. Take it in turns in a clockwise direction.
3. The player after the dealer lays their top card face up.
4. If you lay a ‘baby’ card, the next person has their turn. (Baby cards are the number cards).
5. If you lay a picture card, the next person has to lay the equivalent number of cards on top (A = 4, K = 3, Q = 2, J = 1). If the next person lays all ‘baby’ cards then the person who laid the picture card wins the whole pile in the middle.
6. If another picture card is laid, this stops it and the process begins again.

We also played a fun stand up and sit down game, that is based entirely on luck, predicting the colour of the next card shown.

Graham also set us a challenge – how many words can we make out of the word ‘bridge’ with 3 or more letters? Each letter can only be used once. Sabi went home that night and came back with 18 different words. Before we say what they are – how many can you do?

More Home Learning

Despite it being the last week, our class are still putting that 2%er extra effort in at home and bringing in some fabulous home learning. Layton brought in another fabulous Roman sword, Chloe made her own times table hundred square, Regan created a Wooden Horse from Lego, and Lucas created a whole scene from the same Ancient Greek myth! Other children are still bringing in times table practice, spellings, multiplication and division and CLIC gap work. Well done to all!