Happy Half Term Year 5 14.02.24

Happy Half Term Year 5! We have come to the end of another week and also the end of another half term. Wow, where has the time gone? As usual, we have worked hard and achieved lots this week and I am very proud of you.

In maths, we finished our unit on Fractions by learning how to find fractions of amounts and then using an amount to find what the original whole was. After finishing this unit, we moved on to our next one which is all about decimals. We used our place value knowledge and our knowledge of fractions, which helped us to understand what thousandths are. We were surprised to see a thousandths grid and we took the time to look at the value of one thousandth compared to one tenth and one hundredth.

In English, we've continued our exploration of formal letters, particularly focusing on a heartfelt letter from a father to his son which was based on our model text 'FArTHER'. It has been brilliant to see how you all unpicked the language and structure of the text. You really dove deep into understanding the different components that make a formal letter effective. Also, what has particularly impressed me is your willingness to experiment with the style. You showcased your skills by writing your own letters, and it was simply amazing to witness all of you engaging so wholeheartedly with this task. Your handwriting has certainly improved too, which is a big achievement! Keep up the hard work, as it's clear that you've been diligently working towards the targets you set for yourselves at the beginning of the week.

In our Book Club, we have been diving into the wonderful world of poetry! We've been unpicking various poems and learning about the clever rhyming patterns that poets use. It's been fascinating to see how the specific words and phrases chosen can help us paint vivid pictures in our minds.

In our spelling sessions, we've been focusing on turning adjectives into adverbs using the endings '-ibly' and '-ably'. It's exciting to see how just a small change in suffix can alter the form of a word! Remember, this skill will not only enhance your writing but also your vocabulary.

For RE this week, we've continued our exploration of the important question: "Why do Christians think Jesus is a good teacher?" The discussions were great, and it's been wonderful to see how you're all connecting with the messages found in the parables and the beatitudes. These teachings are not just old stories; they offer us valuable lessons about kindness, compassion, and how we interact with one another every day. As we delved deeper into these messages, we drew some fascinating links between what we learned and our own school's vision and aims. It was quite revealing to see how the values we uphold align with those teachings--showing that, just like Jesus, we can all strive to be good, caring individuals.

Also, this week, we have wrapped up our Heartsmart unit on 'Too Much Selfie Isn't Healthy'. It's been a right eye-opener, hasn't it? We had some brilliant discussions about how we can support our friends and family in making smart choices. Remember, it's all about being kind to ourselves and to one another! We came up with some fantastic next steps to improve in this area, and I can't wait to see how you'll all embrace these ideas in your daily lives. In addition to this, we were fortunate enough to have PC Nick visit us. He talked to us all about staying safe online in honour of Internet Safety Week. It was super informative, and I'm sure you all picked up some valuable tips on how to navigate the digital world safely. Remember, always think before you click, and don't hesitate to share any concerns with a trusted adult.

For our last recorder lesson, we played Baby Shark again. We also looked at playing along to Mamma Mia. The part we played to was only a short section of the song. We noticed a pattern when remembering the notes. This helped us to stay in time and to play the correct rhythm.

We enjoyed both of our PE lessons this week. In our first lessons, we put our fitness levels to the test! In pairs, we completed numerous exercises within a 60 second timeframe. We logged how many of each exercise our partner had completed in this time to make sure they were being accurate with their counting. We were very tired after this lesson! In our second lesson, it was time for hockey. We worked hard on practising and perfecting our skills. First, we played a game called 'Cat and Mouse' which meant we had to use the straight dribble and the loose dribble to stay out of reach of our partners. Then we moved on to perfecting the Indian dribble by competing against each other in a relay race. Finally, by popular demand, we finished on the numbers game where we wetn head-to-head to score a goal against our partner.

In computing, we learnt what debugging was and how to find and debug errors in programming. It was great to see your problem-solving skills and determination.

In History, we continued to explore our big question: "What do we have in our lives today that we can thank the Ancient Greeks for?" This week, we delved into the fascinating world of architecture. We discovered how the magnificent temples from ancient times have influenced modern buildings. It's amazing to think that when we look around our towns and cities, we can see echoes of Greek design everywhere!

In Art, we pressed on with our typography unit. This week's activity was particularly fun! We used various items to create the letters. Everyone did a fantastic job drawing and experimenting with interesting mark-making techniques. It was wonderful to see your creativity shine!

I hope you have a fantastic half term,

Miss Pennance