Year 5 

The children have enjoyed science this week, learning about the reproduction of plants. In small groups, the children have designed and led an investigation into different types of asexual plants, questioning whether bulbs, tubers or cuttings reproduce the quickest. We have tested garlic cloves, potatoes and rosemary sprigs. We hope to see some results in the next few days- the children are very excited (having named the different plants and turned the investigation into a race). In English, we have developed our direct speech skills. The children have been given feedback and, by responding to this, they have started to perfect direct speech within narrative writing. In reading, we have started ‘Bonkers About Beetles’- a nonfiction, non-chronological text about the interesting world beneath our feet. The children were surprised to learn that 25% of all known species are classified as beetles! Finally, the children were introduced to Crumble- our new computing software. Using the chromebooks, they created instructions which made a light flash different colours.  

Key Messages

• Spelling rule: ‘tious’ 

• KIRFs: Number bonds to 1 (e.g. 0.1 + 0.9= 1 or 0.45 + 0.55= 1)

• We are starting our next book. It is a longer read, ‘A Boy at the Back of the Classroom”. Please consider purchasing or loaning a copy for your child. We find reading from a hard copy can really support engagement. No child will be disadvantaged however as we have a Kindle copy which will be displayed on the whiteboard. 

• A gentle reminder to respond to our proposed farm trip. We are currently short of donations, and it would be a great shame to cancel. 

• Key vocabulary: methods of asexual reproduction (tuber, bulb, cutting, runners), borough, population, negotiate

Year 6

For our second week back in this summer term, we have been revising for our SATs. In maths, we have been creating line graphs and completing pie charts using given data. In English we have practised both fiction and nonfiction comprehensions as well as revising the key grammar subjects of relative clauses, subordinating and coordinating conjunctions. We have continued our study of Carl Linnaeus and have enjoyed learning about his unique way of classifying plants and animals. Our favourite part of this week has been finishing two novels! On Wednesday we finished a book we have been studying for eight weeks in English: The Explorer. Today, we came to the end of a very emotional book about evacuees in World War Two, which was called The Valley of the Lost Secrets.

We hope you have a lovely bank holiday weekend! 

• Caitlin & Woody 6 Garnet

Key Messages

• If you would like a book recommendation please feel free to message the year 6 inbox and we will be happy to recommend a new book for your child.

• Key vocab: classification, mean (mathematical), artistic representation, renewable energy.

• Spelling rule: plural nouns including irregular plural nouns (2)

• KIRFs: Can I recall the common factor pairs of two given numbers?