Literacy In literacy we have used our learning about Mt Vesuvius and Pompeii to write recounts as if we were survivors of the eruption. We read some extracts from Pliny’s letters and watched videos about the eruption to help us compile a bank of useful ideas and vocabulary which we then used in our writing.

Mathematics In Mrs Prowle’s group, we have calculating the perimeter of compound shapes. Some of us challenged ourselves by choosing shapes where we needed to work out the length of one or more sides first. In Mrs Roche’s group we have been finding fractions of numbers. We have also started to look at equivalent fractions.

Topic Nick Rowland's Original artwork We have had a ‘volcano theme’ this week throughout the curriculum.  In topic we learned about the eruption of Mt Vesuvius to help us with our literacy and in art we have been building volcanoes out of plastic bottles and paper mache as well as studying a brilliant painting of a volcano by the artist Nick Rowland.  Building our volcano Some realistic paintwork. Adding the lava. The finished product!   In science we used vinegar, water, washing up liquid, red food colouring and bicarbonate of soda to create a chemical reaction in our volcanoes that made them look like they were erupting. It was really effective and great fun!

  

Literacy

In literacy we have been continuing our work on The Hobbit, thinking about how the author describes characters and settings so that they come ‘alive’. In particular we have been thinking about Smaug and developing our descriptive language around him. Here are some of our ideas:

“He approached the town, gliding swiftly on huge, silvery wings.”

“Ebony eyes glinting in the milky moonlight.”

“Crimson bejewelled scales shone in the moonlight.”

Mathematics

 

In Mrs Prowle’s group, we have been practising telling the time on analogue and digital clocks, including using 24 hour time. We also learned how to use a number line to accurately calculate time intervals.

 

In Mrs Roche’s group we have been finding fractions of numbers. We have also started to look at equivalent fractions.

 

In Mrs Williams and Mrs Gilder’s group we have been practising our number bonds to 10, 20 and 100.  We also did a recap on some tips to help us with our multiplication tables.

Science

Maple Class have been testing different soils to identify their properties and think about how to solve a problem from Farmer Bloom; his fields keep flooding and his crops are being ruined.

In Poplar class we have been testing which rocks are permeable, we have also carried out an experiment to find out which was the hardest rock from our samples.

Topic

We have learned about the structure of volcanoes. We watched video clips of different volcanic eruptions and were surprised to see that there is not always a lava flow or, in fact, lava exploding out of a crater. It was interesting to find out that volcanoes grow and change all the time as they erupt.

Art

In art this week Maple and Poplar class have continued to look at natural materials to create art in the woodland area. On Friday afternoon we went outside to build shelters for imaginary creatures and ourselves. We used lots of skills like teamwork and patience and had to overcome lots of problems with securing different parts of our dens. It was great fun!

Lime class used lots of skills in building dens.  We had to use team-work, problem solving and even some knot tying skills. 

                                                      

Computing

We have been continuing to explore Logo. This week we refined the algorithms to write our names and some of us started to develop a program for drawing 2D shapes.

Useful websites to practise:
www.j2e.com/j2code
https://www.purplemash.com/#tools/2go

https://www.purplemash.com/#tools/logo