Have a look at us learning about plants. This half term we are learning that seeds grow into plants and identifying different parts of a plant. We will be identifying and naming some common garden and wild plants and learn about evergreen and deciduous trees. We will also record the growth of a plant. In these pictures, we are planting different seeds and will watch them grow. We have planted cress seeds and beans. 

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English

This week the children made a great start to our topic all about non-chronological reports. We started by reading the story called The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry and discussed what could happen if the characters chose to cut down the Kapok Tree. We then thought about the purpose of a non-chronological report and what genre this writing is. We worked out it is an information text so it is non-fiction.

Then, we read our WAGOLL (what a good one looks like) all about Kapok trees. We found some features of a non-chronological report and coloured these in on our own WAGOLLs. Later on in the week, we started to learn about the four main sentence types: commands, statements, exclamations and questions. We then found lots of statements and exclamations in the WAGOLL before we started to write our own statement sentences all about Kapok trees. We watched this video below to help us understand the four main sentence types: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zvp6dp3. 

Maths

We are continuing to focus on number this half term and we have started to look at multiplication and division. This week we focused just on multiplication and although it was tricky at first, we used our school value of determination to keep us going! We first looked at equal groups and what this meant. From this, we could understand that our equal groups were repeating and we could write addition number sentences to match these. Once we practised this a few times, we then introduced the multiplication symbol and thought about some different ways of saying it to help us understand. Then, we were able to apply our knowledge of repeated addition and equal groups to multiplication calculations. This was definitely tough but we tried and tried again and by the end of the week, it was much easier! Well done Year 2. 

This is us practising recognising equal groups. We had to identify how many groups there were and how many there were in each group.

Then we started to write repeated addition number sentences about equal groups.

Then we were able to use our knowledge of equal groups and repeated addition to help us write multiplication calculations to match pictures.

PE

This week we started our unit all about gymnastics. We started off with a warm up and then, most importantly, stretching our muscles. We then thought about different ways in which we can move our bodies that may be similar to a gymnast. We thought about stretching our bodies all the way down to our toes and also curling our bodies in different ways.

Then we enjoyed using benches to practise our balancing skills and moving in stretched and curled positions along the benches. Next week we will start to look at sequencing moves together to make a small routine. 

This week 3/4B have made a cracking start on our new topics. In Science we began our learning by recapping what a plant needs to grow. We designed our own experiments and planted seeds to test the conditions in which a plant grows best. I wonder whether the plants we put in the freezer will grow? We also learnt what photosynthesis is and why it is so important for plants (and humans!)

In geography, we are learning about Mexico. The children have been asking lots of curious questions about Mexico, such as:

• Does Mexico have big forests?
• Does Mexico have volcanoes?
• How hot is it in Mexico?
• Where is Mexico?
• Does Mexico have rivers?
• What is the climate like in Mexico?
• How many people live in Mexico?

We will be finding out the answers to these questions throughout the term.

In English we have enjoyed reading "The Tunnel" by Anthony Browne which will inspire our own adventure stories. In Maths we are learning about multiplication. It is as ever extremely beneficial if the children can keep learning, and recapping, those KIRFs at home and reading every day please :) The KIRFs for this term are attached as well as a mind map explaining all of the topics we are learning this term.

Maps and Micro:bits

We have had a great week this week.  As well as learning about suspense stories in English, and converting mixed numbers and improper fractions in maths - we have had a chance to get into our new topics.

In our learning adventure we are learning about China - and comparing China to the UK.  We were excellent at using the atlases and maps to identify the different continents and labelling the UK and China.  We found out that although China has the worlds biggest population, it is only the third largest country in the world.

We looked at how China is separated into provinces, and autonomous regions and compared it to the UK, which is split into counties.

We also had the chance to learn how to use Micro:bits.  They are small computers which we can program on the i-pads.  We used our algorithms to create a name badge which displayed our names on the LED lights of the Micro:bits.  We can't wait to use the Micro:bits again as we were becoming a lot more confident!

Haunting learning

This week, we discovered that St Cleer is haunted by a ghost!  To launch our writing unit on 'suspense narratives' we were told the story of 'The Ghost of St Cleer.'

Year 5 and 6 were taken into the hall, given a candle to hold and all the lights were turned out!  Mr Hazlewood told us the ghost story.  Incredibly, while he was reading the story the fire-door slammed and at the end of the story we came face-to-face with the GHOST!!

Once we had calmed down, we learned our story map and are starting to learn about tricks we can use as authors to build and drop the tension in our stories!

Partitioning in Math

This week we have been consolidating our understanding of partitioning and repeated addition to support our multiplication. We have discussed related facts and factors too. Keep practising those KIRFS.


English

We have revised our knowledge of: nouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs to create some fantastic descriptive character descriptions as well as think carefully about how description creates imagery and can 'paint a picture' for the reader. We'll be moving on to innovate an adventure story in the next few weeks. Keep reading!

Science
Y3/4a have ventured into the topic of 'Plants' planning a fair test to see which factors will affect plant growth and how this compares to our 'control' plant.


P.E
"Pepperoni, cheese, tomato salsa and pineapple!" we've introduced Tag Rugby through fun games, learning how to tag, dodge using 'snake hips' and pass the ball. Well done Year 3/4a it was COLD! Brrrrr!

CONGRATULATIONS to all those who completed the Christmas Reading Challenge - there will be another one soon!

Pulleys and Gears

The Year 6 children have been working hard today to design their WWII vehicles for their DT project. They created the frames for their vehicles and will soon be adding a pulley system with a battery operated motor to power their vehicles. 

Spring 2 learning update

Welcome back to a new half term! I hope that you and the children have had a great half term.  We have a whole range of fantastic learning opportunities planned for this half term. Please see some of the important details below.

Year 5 Mind-map
Attached below is a mind-map which details what we plan to learn across the curriculum this half term.

PE Lessons
Our timetable for PE remains the same this half term. Our PE will be on Tuesday. Children can come into school in their PE kit on PE days.

Supporting learning at home
We encourage learning at home to support the work we do in school and enable children to become more confident. Our home-learning expectations are:

Daily reading (15 minutes) - reading which is recorded in your reading record will contribute towards your Reading Karate reward.

Times-tables and KIRF practice (20 minutes weekly) using Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) and the KIRF sheets (attached below).

Spellings (20 minutes weekly) - focusing on our focus spellings and the Year 4/5 and 5/6 statutory spelling lists (attached below).

Online learning - This will be set on Atom Prime (logins stuck in thy front of children's reading records)


As always, if you have any questions or concerns please do get in touch. All the very best, the Year 5 team.

Christmas fun!

We had so much fun the last few days of term. We decorated the Christmas tree, made reindeer food, sang carold and made lots of other lovely Christmas bits to put in the boxes to take home :) We   dressed up for 'Elf day' and visited the church for the school carol service. The children sang beautifully!

Thirza Schaap inspired sculptures

The children have bene hard at work today completing their sculptures which were inspired by the works of Thirza Schaap. Using household plastic, they planned and created their sculptures. Have a look at see pictures below to see 6K's amazing creativity.

Happy New Year!
The Autumn Term and the Christmas festivities seem a distant memory now. I hope you've all had a magical and restful Christmas and are feeling rejuvenated and ready for a new term of learning? With new learning goals?

We're heading to the warmer weather of Mexico for our Learning Adventure; I can't wait! 

Please find attached the: Spring Timetable, Year 3 and 4 KIRFS and our topic mind-map.

Well done to Glee who welcomed Sarah Riggs to our end of term assembly to present her with £197.35 for the Liskeard Food Bank. Glee performed to the school as well as to family and friends on the 5th December and wanted to show their appreciated to Liskeard Food Bank for everything they do to support our community. Thank you to everyone who donated and to all who give their time for free as volunteers to our local Food Bank. Merry Christmas from all at St Cleer. 

Christmas carols

This Thursday we were excited to visit St Cleer church for our Christmas Carol service.  We always enjoy our carol service and there were SO many of our parents and friends there to join us!

As well as singing some of the songs we have learned in singing assembly, we listened to poems from our student leaders and the sermon.

It was also a chance to perform the music we have been learning in our music lessons for our parents.  Mr Warwick said that it was the best we have ever performed the song!

Merry Christmas!

We've been elfed!

There have been some suspicious events happening over the last few weeks!  Mistletoe - the school's mischievous elf - has gone missing and we've all had to help search for her!

We know that she is still in the school because she leaves clues - and mischief - wherever she has been.  Mrs Spencer's room had all of the furniture tuned up-side down.  Other classrooms have been glitter-bombed by Mistletoe and she has even kidnapped class teddy-bears!

Unfortunately, our class was elfed this week.  We arrived to warning tape across our classroom door - and it was clear that Mistletoe had left her mischievous gifts in our class.

After our initial concern that something might have been stolen - we soon realised that Mistletoe just wanted to bring some fun to our classroom!  Merry Christmas!