Year 5 learning this week
Below you will find our weekly teaching and learning summary to find out how we develop and enrich your child's learning whilst they are with us.
| Week ending | What we have been learning about |
|---|---|
| 26/04/2024 | This week in Literacy, Year 5 have been looking into different verb forms, including the simple, continuous and perfect tenses. We have been using these verb forms whilst writing a letter excusing our Power of Reading text’s protagonist, Dylan, from attending his school Geography trip so that he can fly to the Amazon Rainforest instead. In Maths, we have been looking at units of time and how to convert between them, and are starting to move on to other units of measure. In Religion and World Views, we have begun to study Buddhism; in our first session, the children have been learning who the Buddha was. Spellings: To spell words with irregular spelling patterns: accompany, communicate, conscience, desperate, disastrous, interfere, nuisance, queue, restaurant, rhythm |
| 19/04/2024 | Year 5 have had a brilliant start to the new term. In our Literacy learning this week, we have fully immersed ourselves into our new topic ‘Rainforest Rangers’ by beginning to explore the Amazon Rainforest. Inspired by this, the children have written some wonderful descriptive paragraphs from multiple perspectives, such as a sloth, jaguar, toucan or even a tree! In Maths, we have been learning how to reflect a shape on a graph using a mirror line, including using coordinates to help us describe the shape’s position. It has also been lovely coming back to the warmer weather, and during our PE sessions we began to prepare for Sports Day, which we can already tell the children are feeling very competitive about! Spellings: To spell words that are adverbs of possibility and frequency: certainly, definitely, frequently, infrequently, obviously, occasionally, often, probably, possibly, rarely |
| 28/03/2024 |
It has been a lovely final week in Year 5. In Maths, we have been looking at translating shapes on a grid, and how coordinates can be used to help with this. On Monday, the children prepared and organised their very own salad bar! After spending the morning chopping ingredients, we set up shop and all had the opportunity to try the different vegetables (and croutons) on offer. The rest of the week has been spent wrapping up our Victorians topic, which we are so pleased the children have thoroughly enjoyed. Spellings: To spell words containing ‘ough’: although, bough, dough, doughnut, enough, plough, rough, though, tough, toughen. |
| 22/03/2024 |
This week in Literacy, we have been writing newspaper articles based upon our Power of Reading text, describing the event of Nansi disappearing from the theatre. Whilst writing these, we have been thinking about what different characters might say if they were interviewed for the article, and whether they would be honest or not! In Maths, we have been looking at the relationship between fractions, decimals, and percentages. In Computing, we have been creating our own Victorian inventions, and thinking about how we could design these using a software called ‘Tinkercad’. Spellings: To spell words where ‘ough’ makes an /or/ sound: bought, brought, afterthought, fought, nought, ought, sought, thought, thoughtfulness, wrought. |
| 15/03/2024 |
This week, Year 5 have been enjoying getting stuck into Science Week! On Monday, we conducted a number of Science experiments, including building our own marshmallow catapults and launching baking soda rockets into the sky! We have also been learning about Maggie Aderin-Pocock, an inspirational space scientist, and making our own picture books in the style of the ‘Little People, Big Dreams’ series about her. In Maths, we have been learning about multiplying fractions and mixed numbers by whole numbers. Spellings: To spell words where ‘ough’ makes an /or/ sound: afterthought, bought, brought, fought, nought, ought, sought, thought, thoughtfulness, wrought. |
| 08/03/2024 | This week, Year 5 have been centering our Literacy learning around the life and work of Dr Barnardo. The children have been researching their ideas and learning all about the impact on society he had, ready to write their own biographies about him. In maths, we have been looking at how to add fractions with different denominators, add mixed numbers, and multiply fractions by a whole number. We also had a wonderful time celebrating World Book Day on Thursday! The children were challenged in groups to create the theatre from our Power of Reading text, Gaslight, either by showing the different rooms inside the building or creating a working puppet theatre. Spellings: To spell words with ‘ie’ after ‘c’: society, deficient, efficient, emergencies, glacier, inefficient, science, scientists, species, sufficient. |
| 01/03/2024 | This week, Year 5 have continued to learn all about Victorian England, and what it was like to live in the era. In Literacy, we have seen Nansi face a dilemma: should she try to escape the theatre or should she stay? The children have written a balanced argument based on this question, making sure to not show any bias in their writing until their conclusion! In Maths, we have finished learning about angles, including how to identify angles within shapes. We have also returned to learning about fractions, thinking about how to add and subtract fractions with the same denominator. In Science, we have continued to use our enquiry skills to discover more about properties and changes of materials. Spellings: To spell words with irregular spelling patterns: ancient, amateur, awkward, criticise, equipment, excellent, foreign, pronunciation, symbol, yacht. |
| 23/02/2024 |
It has been lovely to welcome Year 5 back to Echelford. This week, we have been immersing ourselves in our new topic on the Victorians. Our Literacy learning has been centred around our new Power of Reading text, ‘Gaslight’ by Eloise Williams, and we have been writing diary entries from the perspective of our protagonist Nansi. We have also tested our historical enquiry skills, by looking at and analysing a variety of sources from the Victorian era. In Maths, we have been learning how to draw reflex angles, as well as how to calculate missing angles both around a point and on a straight line. |
| 09/02/2024 | Year 5 have had a busy final week of term! On Tuesday, we took part in ‘Safer Internet Day’, where the children thoroughly enjoyed discussing all the ways that technology has advanced and improved over time. Then, the children created their own ‘influencers’, thinking about how their influencers could have a positive impact on others. In Literacy, we have been thinking about how to correctly punctuate direct speech, and writing recounts from the perspective of Shackleton after returning home safely from the expedition. In Maths, we have been continuing to practise measuring and drawing angles using a protractor. Spellings: To spell words with silent first letters: knife, knight, knowledge, knuckle, mnemonic, pterodactyl, wreath, wreckage, wrestler, writer. |
| 02/02/2024 | This week, Year 5 have been thoroughly enjoying taking part in ‘Echelford Enterprise Week’! The children have been making their own magnets, and have had to consider factors such as profit, budget and design. Over the course of the week, we have sculpted our magnets, painted them and packaged them so that they are ready to sell to raise money for the NSPCC. We have also been thinking about how to write persuasive adverts that will convince someone to buy their product. In Computing, we have been preparing to film our own weather report for Shackleton’s Antarctica expedition, using iMovie to edit and put them together. Spellings: Words with the suffix ‘-fer’: conferring, difference, inference, preference, preferred, referee, reference, referring, transference, transferring. |
| 26/01/2024 | This week, Year 5 have thoroughly enjoyed writing complaint letters to Ernest Shackleton, as if they are disgruntled members of the crew who aren’t happy with the experience they’ve been having since the Endurance sank! In Maths, we are taking a short break from fractions, learning about identifying different angles and how to measure them using a protractor. In Design and Technology, the children have been practising their sewing skills, including the running, back and blanket stitches, ready to make a pair of mittens that could keep them warm on an Antarctic expedition. Spellings: We have been learning to spell words that are adverbs of time: afterwards, earlier, eventually, finally, immediately, previously, recently, tomorrow, whilst, yesterday. |
| 19/01/2024 |
This week, Year 5 have been writing application forms as if they are applying for a job on Shackleton’s ship - the ‘Endurance’. We were also learning about how to use commas in a variety of ways. The children had to research a member of the crew, write their applications using persuasive language, and then be interviewed for the job by one of their peers! In Maths, we have investigated the relationship between fractions and decimals, in order to be able to order and compare them. In Science, we have been exploring the properties of materials and their changes, thinking about all the different properties a material might have. Spellings: Words with the suffix ‘-able’: changeable, agreeable, rechargeable, noticeable, knowledgeable, microwaveable, irreplaceable, manageable, replaceable, salvageable. |
| 12/01/2024 |
It has been lovely to see all of Year 5 again as we kick off the Spring term. In Literacy, the children have been introduced to our topic this term - Shackleton’s expedition to Antarctica! We have been writing diary entries from Shackleton’s perspective aboard the ‘Endurance’, predicting how his mood and opinions might change the longer he is on the ship. In Maths, we have been looking at fractions, including equivalent fractions and equivalent tenths and hundredths. We have also started to look at Antarctica’s climate in more detail in our Geography lessons, as well as thinking about why the world has different time zones. |
