Literacy in Maple Class

We are learning to write tetractys poems. We will start the week by writing alliterative sentences to describe what the lighthouse keeper could see through his binoculars. Then, after a shorter grammar lesson focussing on the past tense of verbs, we will plan and publish our poems. This will be added to our Hello Lighthouse display in the corridor. 

Literacy in Ash

This week we learn about Ahmet's story. We will be looking at formal and informal language and begin to plan a formal letter.

Maths

Yr 3 - We will be learning about equivalent lengths using centimetres and millimetres, we will be comparing adding a subtracting lengths before moving onto perimeter by the end of the week.

Yr 4 - We are finding missing lengths, calculating the perimeter of shapes before finishing this unit with a short assessment to reflect on our learning from this unit. 

RE

We are exploring how the Jewish festival of Passover is celebrated this week, and how this reminds the Jewish people of their covenant with God. We will look at a Seder (rhymes with 'raider') plate and consider the foods eaten at a traditional Pesach ('pay-sack') meal. We will reflect on memories that we have which may also be bitter and sweet. 

Computing

Yr 3 - We are continuing with branching databases this week, creating our own using riddles and answering our friends' databases. 

Yr 4 - Using Scratch again this lesson, the year 4s will be adding sounds to their coded animations. 

History

Yr 3  and Yr 5 - The children will be learning about the mummification process this week by using mod - roc and old dolls. 

Yr 4 - We found out about the Shang Dynasty people last week, and this week, we will be learning about their gods and kings. 

Science

Yr 3 - We are learning about soils now. We will be looking at different soils and the importance of soil. 

Yr 4 - This week we will be exploring pitch and volume.

Art

The children have bene experimenting with colour as well as pattern this half term and are ready to create their final tessellating patterns onto card. Using their final template, they will tessellate their templates and finish their pieces by painting using various shades, tones and tints. 

Reading

A gentle reminder to keep reading 5 times in a week, and record this in the diaries please. Reading regularly really does make a big difference to your child's development; their imaginative ideas when writing, their ability to read and comprehend texts in literacy, RE and history, their confidence to read and understand questions in maths and science, their language development when articulating themselves ... and most importantly, their passion for reading for pleasure. 

Spellings

I have had a lot of requests for new spelling books recently due to books being lost or damaged. I've also noticed a lot of spelling books being left behind in the classroom at the end of the day. If books have been lost, I am happy to replace them (if we have any spares in our stock cupboard!) but please be patient with me as it takes a while to prepare a new spelling book with new highlighted Common Exception Words as well as past spelling patterns. These spelling books are used daily by the children as word banks during Literacy lessons.

Please can parents encourage and support children when practising their spellings every day for a few minutes. Just like with reading, it can make a huge difference to your child's writing and understanding of language. To meet the expected standard for writing in year 3 and in year 4, children must be able to use many of the spelling patterns taught in our spelling lessons consistently correctly in their writing. This will only come from regularly practising and using these spellings in sentences. 

Year 3s - We have started to talk about our residential trip to Goodwood in March. There will be an invitation sent out to year 3 parents very soon to attend a short presentation about Goodwood so watch out for that. I will do my best to answer any questions you may have, and a booklet containing all the information you need including a kit list, will be handed out at this meeting. 

A similar meeting will be held for the Year 4 parents for their residential trip in April.