Dear Cornflowers and Parents
Here is an update on some of the things we have been doing and some suggestions about how you might continue to investigate them, subject by subject. Please do not feel that you have to do all of the activities or that there is any time limit, they are meant to be reminders and suggestions for you to dip in and out of.
Literacy
Try to read every day. You should all have a reading book, but you may be coming to the end of it. If you run out of books to read, then there’s nothing for it to make your own! Why not start a diary, or write a story of your own (I KNOW how good you all are at that!) I will post up some story starters on our class page soon. I will also be posting some literacy challenges. See how many you can do.
We have been looking at poetry, and we had some fun with list poems. Linked to our science topic we were due to write some shape poems inspired by rollercoaster rides. Shape poems do what they say: twisting, turning, this way and that, up and down and inside out all over the page. Don’t forget the work we have done on expressions and moods – SNOT! Maybe you could include some of these ideas in your poem. Just don’t be sick.
Maths
We have been looking at fractions and I have set some activities on Purple Mash. We know how to change mixed numbers onto improper fractions and the next steps for us are to recognise sequences of fractions and continue them, so what happens if we start with one and a third thirds and add two thirds, then another two thirds, and so on? After that we are due to look at how to add and subtract fractions.
There are links on the school website to lessons on the White Rose website, which is the scheme we use in school. Don’t forget corbettmaths.com for daily practice, and there are also video lessons which explain key ideas.
Don’t forget times tables. Learning them is like giving yourself a great big present, but it’s one no-one else can give you!
Don’t forget that it is important to practise written calculation methods, and we have looked at these for all four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). You can generate your own numbers for these and I will post some up on our class page soon.
Topic (science)
We have been looking at mechanisms and the machines that they consist of (Can you remember the simple machines we studied? How many have you used today? Did you show your lever to someone at home? Did you manage to balance different weights?) Look around your house and see how many you can find. The kitchen drawer might be a good place to start. Think about the rides at a theme park or even on a park. What simple machines do they use? May be you could us some junk materials (cardboard boxes and used packaging) to make your own theme park ride?
We were also due to look at camshafts and how they change the direction of forces. One of the most common uses of camshafts is in car engines where they are used to control the flow of fuel and exhaust gases into the cylinder – this is an internal combustion engine do you remember when we looked at an external combustion engine in the first term? It is external because the combustion (burning) takes place outside the engine. You could find out how a camshaft operates in a car engine, and maybe draw and write about it works.
Spelling
You should all have plenty of spellings to work through. Remember to learn them, and not just write them in sentences, and remember all the ways you have been shown to help you do so.
Music
We started to learn a song on St Patrick’s Day. A song about an Irish highwayman. It’s Mrs Lynch’s favourite. Parents love it, especially when you sing it really really loud just when Coronation Street comes on.
Take care.
Mr D.
Whiskey in the Jar
As I was going over the Cork and Kerry Mountains
I met with Captain Farrell and his money he was counting
I first produced me pistol and then produced me rapier
I said “stand and deliver or the devil he may take yer”
Musha ring dumma do dumma daa
Wack for me daddy-o
Wack for me daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar.
I counted out his money and it made a pretty penny
I put it in me pocket and brought it home to Jenny
She sighed and she swore that she never would deceive me
But the devil take that woman for you know she tricked me easy
Musha ring dumma …
I went into me chamber for to take a slumber
I dreamt of gold and jewels and for sure it was no wonder
But Jenny took me charges and she filled them up with water
And sent for Captain Farrell to ready for the slaughter
Musha ring dumma…
‘Twas early in the morning just before I rose to travel
The guards were all around me and likewise Captain Farrell
I first produced me pistol for she’d stole away me rapier
I couldn’t shoot for water so a prisoner a was taken
Musha ring dumma …
If anyone can aid me it’s me brother in the army
I think that he is stationed in Cork or in Killarney
And if he comes to join me we’ll go rovin’ in Killkenny
I’m sure he treat me better than me darlin’ sportin Jenny
Musha ring dumma do dumma daa
Wack for me daddy-o
Wack for me daddy-o
There’s whiskey in the jar