Hello everyone,
Wow! The ABC Countdown has definitely added some extra energy to our week! Everyone has had so much fun with it so far and there is more excitement to come!
Here is what Year 5/6 have been up to this week:
Maths:
Year 5
| Decimals | Sum.3.9 – Decimal sequences |
| Decimals | Sum.3.10 – Multiply by 10, 100 and 1,000 |
| Decimals | Sum.3.11 – Divide by 10, 100 and 1,000 |
| Decimals | Sum.3.12 – Multiply and divide decimals – missing values |
| Decimals | End of Unit Assessment |
Year 6
| Shape | Sum.1.11 – Nets of 3-D shapes |
| Position and Direction | Sum.2.1 – The first quadrant, Sum.2.2 – Read and plot points in four quadrants |
| Position and Direction | Sum.2.3 – Solve problems with coordinates, Sum.2.4 – Translations |
| Position and Direction | Sum.2.5 – Reflections |
| Position and Direction | End of Unit Assessment |
Literacy
This week, we continued reading Radiant Child and delved deeper into the early life of Jean-Michel Basquiat. We explored the car accident he experienced as a child and the emotional impact of his mother’s time in a mental institute. This sparked thoughtful conversations about whether these experiences could explain the sense of pain and intensity in his art.
The students practised writing questions they would ask Basquiat if he were here today, helping them develop a sense of curiosity and empathy for his life story. They also wrote a clear, concise paragraph summarising his childhood for someone who may have never heard of him, using evidence from the text to support their explanations.
To finish the week, we analysed some of Basquiat’s artwork, discussing what the pieces might mean and why he chose such a unique, bold style. The class shared insightful ideas and showed great respect and appreciation for the emotions his art conveys.
IPC
This week in IPC, our class engaged in a fascinating exploration of how plants grow, focusing on the journey from flower to fruit and the conditions that help seeds thrive. We began by investigating how pollination and fertilisation lead to fruit formation, examining the important roles of pollinators like bees.
As part of our practical learning, the students conducted an experiment to test how different conditions affect seed growth. They planted seeds in a range of environments, changing one variable (like light, water, or soil) while keeping everything else the same. This taught them about fair testing and the importance of controlling variables in scientific investigations.
In addition to our experiments, students explored real apples to see how fruits protect seeds. They carefully cut apples open to reveal and sketch the different parts – skin, flesh, core, and seeds – and discussed how each part plays a role in protecting and dispersing seeds. Using magnifying glasses and close observation, they considered how different seeds are arranged inside fruits and what that means for the plant.
Students then took their learning further by creating detailed fact files on various fruits and vegetables. They identified whether the plants have fibrous roots or taproots, helping them understand how different root systems support the plant’s growth.
It was an inspiring week of hands-on learning, scientific investigation, and creativity, laying the foundation for even more exciting discoveries to come.
Useful Information
- Monday 2nd of June is the day of our class trip! We’re all so excited!
Here is the link to the permission form with more detailed information about the day.
A gentle reminder: To help us keep all students safe, please ensure that no students are dropped off before 8:45am unless prior arrangements have been made with the school. We understand that there may be special circumstances requiring an earlier drop-off, and we’re happy to assist; just let us know in advance so we can make appropriate supervision plans.
Here is what is coming up this week for the ABC Countdown this week:
Have a lovely weekend.
Ms. Temple 🙂
