Computing!
In Year 5/6, our topic this half term is Comptuing.
We’ve been using Scratch programming software to create our own algorithms to instruct sprites (2d characters in computer games) to execute certain instructions.
Repetition
Firstly, we designed a program which instructed a sprite to climb up some stairs, say hello to another sprite before then returning down the stairs.
Selection
Next, we designed a chat bot game where sprites asked us questions and depending on if our answer was correct or not, a message displaying ‘Well done’ or ‘Unlucky’ was shown as well as a sound being made.
Variables
After that, we added variables to our chat bot game. These included the number of points for a correct answer or lives decreasing for a wrong answer.
Help at home:
Have a look at this computing display from one of the 5/6 classes.
Help at home by asking your child to explain the what you can see in the picture to consolidate their learning!
Living and Learning – I can talk about how I am feeling
Our Living Learning statement this week is ‘I can talk about how I am feeling.’
During this session, KS1 identified and discussed different emotions. We discussed vocabulary linking to these emotions and how to recognise such feelings in ourselves and in others.
The children recognised that everybody experiences a range of different feelings and this is completely normal and okay. We can experience and recognise these through thoughts, facial expression and body language.
We talked about how we can deal with our emotions and manage them effectively.
In class, children watched a pixar animation where they were asked to spot different emotions and explain why they thought each character was feeling a certain way.
Help at home: by discussing feelings often with your children and find techniques that help children to understand and regulate these emotions.
Road safety
This afternoon, the Year 2’s had a very important visitor in school. The visitor was from Leeds City council and spoke to the children about road safety.
First, the children spoke about different parts of a typical road: a road, kerb and pavement. The children then spoke about what type of traffic they might see on the road and path, and added images to a map.
They were given scenarios both within a car and whilst walking or riding on the pavement, and discussed how to stay safe.
We know that we must wear a seatbelt whenever we are in a moving vehicle. We must never distract our driver to ensure the journey is safe.
We also know when we are crossing the road, we have to follow the rules: stop, look and listen.
Help at home: by talking to your child about road safety at home.
Year 5 Theatre Visit
We were very lucky to take year 5 to John Smeaton today to watch their version of Beauty and the Beast. This was a fantastic opportunity for the children to see what facilities there are at a local high school but also to experience what it would be like if they were to study drama at secondary school. The students were absolutely fantastic and the performance was very memorable. The acting was great and the singing was super, with a lot of the children performing solos. It definitely taught our children the importance of self-confidence, hard work and teamwork. Our children behaved so well and even helped to tidy up before we left. They represented our school brilliantly.
Living and learning : solving problems
We have been discussing ways to solve problems. It is important we learn how to work and play with other people. Problems will always arise in life and we have been talking how we can approach and solve problems.
Help at home by talking through problems and possible solutions.
3,4A Class News
This week, we have continued to rehearse for our production of ‘Gladis Baker, Gladiator’. We’ve been adding actions to the songs and props to the different scenes so it’s starting to come together! Your child should either have a script or song lyrics to take home with them – it would be greatly appreciated if you could help them to practise their parts/ the songs at home. The children have also been sent home with a slip for their costume. Please don’t buy anything new – if you’re stuck, let us know!
In Science, we have continued our learning about light. So far, we’ve learnt about different light sources (natural vs artificial), how to protect ourselves from the sun, how light travels in straight lines and how some materials let light through whilst others don’t – transparent, translucent, opaque.
In Writing, we have started a new unit on writing a report about Scratch Jr. This links with our current topic – Computing. We’ve been learning about repetition and sequencing and have created our own programs on Scratch Jr by writing different algorithms for our sprites.
Help at home by asking your child about the vocabulary in bold above! 
3,4 C Class News
Well done 3,4 C – what a busy couple of weeks!
This week, we have enjoyed creating our own animations using Scratch. We have explored the different codes and have used repetition in our algorithms.
Today, we raised money for Red Nose Day by wearing non-school uniform and making a voluntary contribution. Thank you to everyone who donated.
Last Thursday, we celebrated World Book Day! We shared the books that we particularly enjoy and dressed as our favourite characters.
The children are working hard on the Year 3,4 production. Help at home by encouraging your child to learn their lines and/or the lyrics to the songs. Well done Year 3,4. Keep projecting your voices!
Eat your peas!
Look at our beanstalks! Children have been fascinated over the last few weeks as they watched and waited for their seeds to grow. We talked about the shoot and roots as they appeared and have made sure that we watered and kept them in the sunlight to help them grow.
We read ‘Eat your peas’ during story time and continued our learning about vegetables and healthy foods. We picked some healthy foods to add to our plates and talked about other food that we might choose to eat occasionally.
In the creative area, we did some observational drawing of different vegetables and looked at the shape and colours as we drew. We even had some beetroot to draw that we harvested from our Nursery garden.
In the play dough area, we rolled tiny balls of dough to make peas and counted out the correct number to go into each pod.
In the maths area, children looked at lots of carrots and sorted them by length. There was lots of conversation using different vocabulary related to size. Look how long this one is! This carrot is tiny, it’s very short. Your carrot is longer than mine.
Children have also been practising their counting skills and have been trying to make sure that they count carefully, saying one number for each item as they touch it or point.
Help at home: Practise counting different objects during play and in everyday life. Make sure children say one number for each item; it often helps to move each item as you count or line them up so that children only count each object once. Can they remember how many they had in total without counting again?
We also enjoyed exploring and peeling different vegetables and outside, we cleared the planters, ready to start growing our own veggies!
Next Week’s Learning
Letter sound of the week – b for bear
Nursery rhymes of the week – 5 Little Ducks and Pat-a-cake
Debating
Three year 5 children were selected to take part in an interschool debating competition. 14 schools took part in the debate at Wigton Moor Primary School.
The debate topic had many views: Should zoos be abolished?
The children said ithat overall it was a very good experience.
Help at home: What are your child’s views on zoos? Debating at home while having dinner or on a car journey can help develop good oracy skills.
The children represented our school with pride. Well done.
3,4 B Class News
This week has been a very busy week of rehearsals for our phase production. The children have worked really hard on the songs and lines and it is certainly coming together! Your child should have either a script or song lyrics to take home with them – it would be greatly appreciated if you could help them to practice their parts/the songs at home.
As well as rehearsals, we have been working hard in lessons have completed a brilliant narrative based on a short clip called, ‘The Dragon Slayer’. Please ask us about this at home! We have also thoroughly enjoyed our learning in computing – creating our own ‘unplugged’ games and then exploring writing programs on Scratch Jnr.
We continue to work hard on our times tables and are ‘going for gold’ with our times table facts – recalling them at speed and practicing the ones we are less sure of.
Help at home by continuing to help your child access TTRS and asking them to read regularly to you. Thank you for your continued support.
Have a lovely weekend!