Supporting Children at Home

Dear Parents/Carers,

In light of the current situation, the Year 5 teachers would like to inform you that we are creating support for children who are unwell or forced to isolate as a form of prevention.

Every day, the Year 5 team will upload on the Year 5 blog the activities carried out in class that day. In this way, the children at home will be accessing the same learning and activities as everybody else.

Please, send your child’s work to us at the following Year 5 email address:

year5@selsdonprimary.org.uk

We would like to thank you for your support and cooperation, and we are sure we are going to see fantastic work!!!

We hope this meets the needs and the expectations of children and parents.

The Year 5 Teachers

TTRS TOURNAMENT “FIXED” & RESTARTED! Current Puffins vs. Cormorants!

Just a friendly reminder that TimesTables Rockstars is still running, and that in order for you all to be prepared for Year 5, you should still be using it regularly. Knowing your tables, inside and out, is the basis of SO much of the Maths work you will do this year.

So come on, Year 5! Get those clicks dancing back to the TTRS website (link below) and let’s beat the other class to win the tournament this week. It’s all good practice… and FUN!

TTRS LINK: https://ttrockstars.com/

Books you are reading at home

Good afternoon, Year 5!

Each week we will be posting on the blog where you can react and comment about a story you are reading at home. There will be a few prompt questions to think about but feel free to leave a comment at some point during the week saying what you are enjoying about the book and who you would recommend the book to (remember to include the title so others can see what book you’re talking about!)

Prompt questions:

1. Where is the book set? Is it set in the real world or somewhere else?
2. What genre is the book? How do you know?
3. Use three words to describe the main character of the story.

For example: Over the past week I have been re-reading the Harry Potter series of books. I love reading these books as they are a way of escaping from what feels like a pretty hectic world at the moment! The Philosopher’s Stone is set in Hogwarts (mainly!) but has parts of our normal world included in it. One of my favourite parts of the book is when Harry walks through the ‘portal’ to Platform 9 and three quarters and enters the magical world. I know that Harry Potter is a fantasy fiction novel because it is not a factual book and is set in a magical world which does not exist (although I like to think it does somewhere!). Three words that I would use to describe Harry are adventurous, brave and humble (he doesn’t like the spotlight).

Comment your reaction to a book you’re reading at home or answer some of the questions in the comment section below!

The Year 5 Team.

Cormorant Week 3

Over the last few days we have covered English, Religious Education and Computing. Everyone has been really engaged with all of our activities and lots of us have remembered much of what we learnt last year. Have a look at some of the photos of some of what we have focused on below

Home Learning Support – 25/9/20: Computing

The following post has been created to support any children who are unwell or forced to isolate as a form of prevention and are therefore learning at home. If this applies to you, please complete the activities presented here and email them to the Year 5 email address shown at the bottom of this post.

Today, in Computing, we were focusing on learning about algorithms and how to program computers efficiently.

For our first task, we concentrated on writing a clear and precise program as a set of bullet point INSTRUCTIONS. “How do you make a Jam Sandwich?” was the challenge to program! So, writing a set of STEPS that could instruct a person PRECISELY how to make a jam sandwich.

FOR EXAMPLE: “Get some bread” wouldn’t be precise enough… “Get 1 slice of plain, white bread and place it on a medium-sized plate” is far more precise and clear.

Here is a sequence of images that may help some realise many of the basic steps to take (but there are more steps between that may not be shown):

making-a-jam-sandwich-sequencing-cardsDownload

Here is a set of slides that may help to explain:

Session 1 Computing AlgorithmsDownload

For our second task, we were learning about DEBUGGING: looking for errors in our program or instructions and knowing how to fix them. Each child was asked to write a set of instructions for how to draw a simple 2d shape, BUT deliberately add 3 MISTAKES for a partner to “identify, think & change”. Mistakes could be wrong sizes, wrong direction, or wrong order.

We also tried to write a set of instructions to draw out a SET of coloured, 2d shapes with 3 mistakes hidden; and asked a partner to find the errors. Similar to this:

Here is a worked example we used in class:

Session 2 worked exampleDownload

Here is a set of slides that may help to explain:

Session 2 Computing AlgorithmsDownload

For our third task, we used a website called “Lightbot” (NB: will need Adobe Flash Player to run):

https://lightbot.com/flash.html

By using this website, we were learning how to think and program in repeatable steps, and avoid writing long lists of instructions… to simplify!

Children using the website at home should work through the basic steps, learning first how to program the little bot to light up the dark blue squares and then work their way through the PROCEDURES SECTION. This will help them learn to have a main, simple program (forward, forward, turn, light up) that can be REPEATED to beat the challenge. It’s good fun!

For our final task, we asked the children to ‘program’ a set of flow diagram instructions (“steps”) for a TRAFFIC LIGHT SEQUENCE. First, we had to discuss and identify what the sequence was:

We then modelled the idea of Flow Diagrams: using box shapes to separate instructions and arrows between them; as well as using YES / NO loops if choices were needed & a different box shape for WAIT instructions. It’s quite the challenge and may need some support!

Here is a file of helpful diagrams that may be of use:

Session 4 Traffic Light SequencingDownload

Please use this email address to contact us with any issues: year5@selsdonprimary.org.uk

Home Learning Support – 24/9/20: R.E.

The following post has been created to support any children who are unwell or forced to isolate as a form of prevention and are therefore learning at home. If this applies to you, please complete the activities on this post and email them to the Year 5 email address shown at the bottom of this post.

Today in Year 5, we focused on examining, explaining and comparing religious artefacts from the Christian and Jewish Faiths.

For our first task, we looked at familiar and less-familiar Christian symbols and objects, aiming to draw a thumbnail sketch, label its name and give a quick sentence explanation of its purpose, for 6-8 chosen examples: Bible, church, altar, cross, pew, lectern, chalice, stole and font.

Here is a photo-pack file that may be useful:

Christian Artefact Photo PackDownload

For our second task, we also created a small picture explanation for many Jewish artefacts, starting with more familiar examples like Star of David, Synagogue, Bismah and Torah. We then tried to recall or discussed the significance of less-familiar examples like a tallit, tefillin, mezuzah and many others. We then added 6-8 explanation drawings for Jewish artefacts, just as we did for Christian objects (see above).

Here is the second useful photo-pack:

Jewish Artefact Photo PackDownload

Finally, we began to compare the items we had explored from both faiths, looking for similarities between them (E.g. both faiths use BREAD in some aspects / both faiths use CANDLES as important items) and placing them, with a quick explanation phrase, into a Venn Diagram. (There are some class examples on the blog to make this clearer).

Here is a PDF of some explanation slides, that may help to cover these three tasks:

RE DAY AUT1 WK3 SlidesDownload

Please use this email address to contact us with any issues: year5@selsdonprimary.org.uk

PUFFIN R.E. Day

Today, we have revisited our learning about Christianity and Judaism: we examined and explained what we knew about Christian and Jewish artefacts, then compared them to find similarities and differences.

We started by looking over Christian symbols and objects – we could recall and explain the importance of a church, bible, cross and altar… and many could reason and use experience to describe items such as pews, lecterns, candles and stoles. Well done, Puffins… you clearly have some excellent knowledge of such objects!

Next, we tried to recall our Year 4 studies on Judaism and its significant artefacts: we had some knowledge of the Star of David, the Torah, a Synagogue and the Bismah… but we did find the lesser-known items such as a tallit, teffilin, mezuzah and menorah a bit more challenging!

Finally, we drew a Venn diagram to compare the artefacts of the two faiths, using the overlap for similarities and the separate sections for differences. We soon discovered and explained the idea of holy symbols, books, places of worship and even some of the uses of candles and bread as being VERY similar. Very good use of reasoning and logic, Puffins!

Here are a few examples in progress:

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Well done for all your hard work today and yesterday, Puffins… Computing Day tomorrow… hope you know how to make a Jam Sandwich!

Heron English

We started the day by doing a cold write based on a picture from Alice in Wonderland, I was really impressed with what you all came up with.

Then, we spent the rest of the day creating our own fantasy stories. We started by creating our own portals, we had some fantastic ideas from elevators to paintings and mirrors to sunglasses!

A hand coming out of Drilon’s TV portal!

Then we planned and finally wrote our fantasy stories, I was SO impressed with how well all of Heron class used their imaginations. The wonderlands you came up with are creations that even Lewis Carroll would be proud of!

Well done for all your hard work today Heron Class!

Home Learning Support – 23/9/20: English

The following post has been created to support any children who are unwell or forced to isolate as a form of prevention and are therefore learning at home. If this applies to you, please complete the activities on this post and email them to the Year 5 email address shown below.

Today in year 5 we focused on English.

We started the day by doing a cold write. Have a look at the picture and write how it makes you feel.
You may want to think about:
– Where has Alice come from?
– Where is she going?
– What are all the objects around her, do they have any significance? How do you think Alice would be feeling?

We then did a comprehension text, looking at an extract from Alice in Wonderland.

Click here to find text and questions:

ComprehensionDownload

Then, we started creating our own fantasy stories!
You will remember from year 4 that Alice falls down a rabbit hole and ends up in Wonderland, the rabbit hole is her portal to this amazing fantasy land!
Having a portal that transports you to a magical land is common in fantasy novels, have a look at these examples:
Can you spot the portal in each example?

Choosing your own portal:
What would you pick to be your portal to a fantasy land?

Once, you have chosen your portal. We want you to think about where this portal would take you. Use the planning format below to help you create your own fantasy land that your portal has transported you to.

Once you have completed your plan, have a go at writing your story. Starting with you discovering your portal and then telling us what magical land it transports you to!

To help you make your writing the best it can possibly be, have a look at this checklist and see how many you can tick off when writing your story.

We can’t wait to hear your stories – email them to year5@selsdonprimary.org.uk

Best wishes,
The Year 5 Team.

PUFFIN History Day

Today, we have been revisiting our learning about the Anglo-Saxon period… a fascinating period of English History.

We started the day recalling our knowledge of this period in history, and organised a timeline of some facts and events, in correct chronological order: well done, Puffins, for using chronological ordering so well and accurately! That was a skill we retained very well.

SESSION 1 CHRONOLOGY EventsDownload

(This was the events list we worked from)

Next, we recalled and considered aspects of Anglo-Saxon life. Puffins really remembered how children were brought up to follow in the footsteps of their parents. We then aimed to represent a story of Saxon Life in comic strip form. These pictures are from halfway through our process:

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Finally, we were tested on our knowledge of Longships: discussing and stating what the particular PARTS of longships were, and how they were designed to instill fear in their enemies, sneak up to isolated farms to attack and have defence in mind for all the hardened warriors! Well done, Puffins, for recalling the specific parts and using logical, historical knowledge to ‘work out’ their use! Good work, there!

We even used ORIGAMI skills in building a model longship: this was a very challenging way to start learning this tricky skill and everyone did themselves (and ME!) very proud in achieving their hull shapes!! I’m impressed!

Origami Sampan BoatDownload

(These are the instructions I showed you, Puffins, if you want to try this fold again… remember to start with a SQUARE of paper first! We ignored the last step of ‘turning it inside out’… really rather tricky!!)

These images are part of the stages we went through, to quickly create a mock-up of a viking ship, with all the specific parts we had discussed:

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Well done for all your hard work today and yesterday, Puffins… there’s more to come!

Heron History

Today we focused on history – seeing what we could remember about the Anglo Saxons from our year 4 learning.

We started the day by creating cartoon strips of Anglo Saxon life.

Then we created time lines, showing that we knew how to put events in chronological order, you were all FANTASTIC at this!

Then we thought about how our lives compared to an Anglo Saxon’s life thinking about they lived their life THEN V.s how we live are lives NOW.

Then we finished the day but creating either an Anglo Saxon boat OR an Anglo Saxon Village, using our knowledge of the Anglo Saxons to help guide our creations.

Well done for all your hard work today Heron!

Cormorant History

Today in Cormorant we have been looking in detail at the past. We have thought about what we learnt last year about the Anglo-Saxons. By the end of the day lots of Cormorant were really excited about exploring lots more history throughout the year! In relation to the Anglo-Saxons we have created comic strips to show what we remembered, created timelines and looked at sources to compare how similar or different life was.

SCIENCE

Today in science we completed an investigation to see if the weight of paper clips affected the time it took for our paper helicopters to fall to the ground. We started by writing our hypothesis for our experiment, predicting what we thought was going to happen. We then started creating our paper helicopters, carefully folding and cutting our card so that it would be able to fly like helicopter. Then we added paper clips and timed the helicopters, ensuring that we were dropping our helicopters from the same height every time to ensure that it was a fair test.

Well done for all your hard work today Heron Class.

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