Kestrel

Welcome to Kestrel class

Kestrel Class - w/b 14th October 2019

We are over half way through this half term and so much learning has been happening in Kestrel class! Our trip to Winchester Science Centre was a great success. You will find some photo of our day at the bottom of the page.

Maths:

We have now completed our Place Value unit. Over the course of the last few weeks we have learned to compare and order, round to the nearest 100,000, count backwards into negative numbers and count in powers of 10. Next, we will be learning how to add and subtract large numbers using formal column methods.

On Fridays, we are continuing to learn about data and statistics.

English:

The children's writing amount seeds was fantastic! They really did consider how to convey a sense of awe and wonder, just like H.G. Wells did in his story "The First Men in the Moon". Currently, we are focusing on non-fiction writing. The pupils have been writing a non-chronological about a moon called Pandora. We have designed our own alien creatures and describe them in a factual formal style.

Guided Reading:

We have now finished reading 'Stig of the Dump', which the children really enjoyed. The children will now read a book called 'My Friend Walter', by Michael Morpurgo.

We will continue developing many reading skills:

Retrieval - we created a map of the story's setting by finding key words and phrases in the text;
Inference - we explored how the characters might feel by looking closely at what they say and do;
Predict - we predicted what might happen next to the main characters by creating a 'prediction road', plotting where they might go and what they might do next.

Music:
Our lessons with Mr Baker from Berkshire Maestros have continued. The children have now started pressing down different combinations of valves to create different pitches.

Science:
Our trip to the Planetarium was very informative and helped the children learn even more about the planets in the Solar System and other galaxies. We are now discussing why we have day and night, seasons and the phases of the moon. We will use Oreo biscuist to illustrate 8 different phases of the moon; it promises to be a very fun lesson!

Topic:

In our Florida topic, we have been learning about hurricanes, and how they affect the people in Florida. The children created information leaflets with instructions on what to do before, during and after a hurricane.

Computing:

Our E-safety topic is almost complete. The children have learned about age-appropriate content, setting safe and strong passwords, using emojis appropriately and staying safe with online profiles. The children have used everything they have learned to create e-safety posters.

PE:

We are learning to incorporate leaps and gallops into a range of 'space dances'. So far, we have created dances based on Holst's Planet Suites 'Mars - the Bringer of War', 'Jupiter - the Bringer of Jollity', the soundtrack of "E.T" and Elton John's classic "Rocket Man".

DT:

In DT this term, we are learning about food and nutrition. So far, we have learned how to have a balanced diet and found out where different foods come from. On Tuesday 22nd of October Kestrels will be walking to Tesco at The Meadows to take part in a cookery workshop. We will be designing and making our own burgers and side sauces.

In PSHE, our unit of learning is called 'Being Me in my World'. In RE we are learning about Christianity and in Spanish we have learned how to say numbers from 1-31 and basic colours .

Please visit our class page regularly to keep informed and find out what is happening in Year 5. I will continue posting photographs, examples of work and reminders about diary dates etc.

If you have any queries, questions, concerns or celebrations, please don't hesitate to come and speak to me at drop off or pick up times.

Useful reminders:

PE lessons are every Monday. Please ensure your child has a complete PE kit for this lesson and during the whole week
Homework books need to be returned every Friday so I can look at what the children have done. Please aim to do a task a week from your homework grid and keep practising times tables and reading at home.
School Trip to Tesco at The Meadows is on Tuesday 22nd October in the afternoon. If any parents are able to come with us, please let the school office know.
Please ensure all children bring a water bottle with them.
Please also make sure your child wears a coat to school as the weather will be getting colder and colder!