Geography: What is a rainforest?
We have been exploring the Amazon Rainforest this week. The children have a secure understanding of the location and climate of this region now. They studied the four different layers of the forest and how this offers up a huge variety of plant and animal species. Discussions took place about how the rainforest is different to the forests we have in the UK. Earlier in the week, the children researched the Dalby Forest and understood its location and uses. These are two very contrasting locations.
Help at home: Can your child remember the name of the four layers of the rainforest? Can they describe the vegetation and animals that exist within each layer?
Science: reversible changes
In Science, year 5/6 have been learning about reversible changes.
We discussed how we could separate salt from water after making a salt water solution.
The children agreed that through evaporation we should be able to extract the salt. We decided to observe our experiment over a series of days. The picture shows what happened to the salt water solution over three days.
Help at home: discuss other reversible/ irreversible changes. Plan some of your own experiments to check whether a change is reversible or irreversible.
Scholes in Bloom flower bed competition winner
Larraine came in to our assembly in school on Monday this week. She announced the winner of the competition. It was chosen because of the eye-catching design featuring lovely bright coloured stripes and a love heart. The winning design will be made using flowers in the bed outside the school on Morwick Grove.
Well done to the runners up too.
Living and learning: I recognise the importance of sleep
In the 5,6 phase we have been discussing how important sleep is and how this can impact your every day life we all know how good it is!
It plays a vital role in use being happy and healthy. It can boost our immune systems and it allows us to fight off diseases and our bodies can repair themselves. It can give you more energy and allows you to focus on your learning at school. If you don’t get enough sleep, it can really impact your mood – leaving you grumpy and irritable.
The recommended amount of sleep for children is between 9 and 13 hours a night. Did you get enough sleep last night?
Soluble or Insoluble?
This half term, Year 5 and 6 have started a new Chemistry topic: Materials and their properties.
In this week’s Science learning, we learnt all about which materials are soluble (do dissolve in water) and which materials are insoluble (don’t dissolve in water).
We tested each material by placing an amount into a cup of water and observing whether they dissolved or not.
Independent variable: the material
Dependent variable: the solubility
Control variable: the amount of the material, the amount of water, time observed for, temperature of water
We found out which materials were soluble and recorded our results in a table!
Help at home: Ask your child to define: soluble, insoluble, dissolve, independent variable, dependent variable and control variable!
PE – basketball
This half term, we are developing our basketball skills. Today we were learning how to pass the ball with increasing accuracy – using bounce and chest passes. The children increased the distance of their throws to add more challenge. We then used our skills within Possession Ball – a fast paced team game. There was some brilliant dribbling and passing and even better communication between the children We ended the lesson working on our personal best challenges. How fast can we dribble the ball between a set of cones? They will do this each week and hopefully break their previous records!
Living and Learning: I know how to cope with change.
In this week’s Living and Learning session, Year 5 and 6 learnt all about how to cope with change.
Change is something that happens to everybody in life and it could include:
– moving to a new school
– moving house
– a friend moving away
– losing a family member
and many more.
We watched a video about a child who had joined a new school and we identified and discussed how he was feeling at different parts of the video. At first, he felt alone and isolated in his new school. We discussed strategies that he could’ve used to cope with this change. These included: talking to an adult, asking to join in a game with peers, sitting on the friendship bench or doing something like reading to focus your mind!
We then saw how some other children approached the new child and involved them in their game – we agreed this would be an inclusive and friendly thing to do to help somebody that was struggling.
Overall, Year 5 and 6 learnt about empathy and how to show consideration for the thoughts and feelings of others – a vital life skill.
Help at home: Regularly talk to your child and have conversations about showing empathy for others and how to cope with change.
Road Safety
The road safety team from Leeds City Council visited the 5,6 phase today. They began by sharing statistics about how much accidents on our roads cost society each year. It was explained that roads and strategies to keep our roads safe, are paid for by the tax payer and we were shocked at the cost implications. It costs a whopping £55, 000 to install and run a speed camera!
The children were given maps of the local area and they had to locate their houses. They had to think about what the roads are like in their area and choose road safety measure that would make trips to the local amenities safer. They were given a budget of £100, 000 to spend and we thought it would be easy! Little did we know how expensive things were, like speed bumps and pedestrian crossings. The activity was enjoyable and also got the children working collaboratively.
Celebrating Success
Jeevan, in Year 5, is going for his black belt in taekondo. As part of the grading he has written an essay that he would like to share with the Scholes community:
Why I want to be a Black Belt in Taekwondo
As a ten year old boy who loves martial arts, earning a black belt is my biggest dream! It’s not just a cool belt, it’s about what it represents. To me, a black belt means I’ve worked hard, learned a lot, and become stronger, both inside and outside.
Having a black belt shows that I’ve practiced a lot. Every punch, kick, and block takes a lot of practice to get right. Sometimes I make mistakes, but that’s okay because it helps me learn. I imagine wearing a black belt and feeling proud of all the effort and time I’ve put into training. It’s like a trophy, but even better because I can wear it!
Also, a black belt means I’ve learned to be disciplined. In Taekwondo, I need to listen carefully, follow instructions, and respect my teachers and classmates. This has helped me become more focused in school and at home too. I’ve learned that to achieve something great, like a black belt, I need to stay dedicated and work hard, even when it’s tough.
Being brave is another reason I want a black belt. Sometimes learning new moves can be scary, and sparring with partners can be intimidating. But Taekwondo has taught me to face my fears. Earning a black belt would show that I’ve overcome many challenges and become braver. It’s not just about fighting, it’s about having the courage to keep trying, even when I’m afraid.
A black belt also means I can help others. In class, I see people with black belts teaching and helping younger students. I want to be like them. It feels good to share what I’ve learned and to encourage others to keep going, even when it’s hard. Being a black belt is like being a leader, and I want to inspire others by showing them what they can achieve if they don’t give up.
Lastly, I believe having a black belt will make me a better person. It’s not just about being strong in fighting, it’s about being kind, respectful, and patient. Martial arts teach important values, like how to be a good friend and how to stand up for what’s right. I think being a black belt means carrying these values everywhere, not just in the dojang.
A black belt is more than just a belt. It represents hard work, discipline, bravery, the joy of helping others, and becoming a better person. I can’t wait for the day I earn my black belt, but I also know that the journey doesn’t end there. It’s just the beginning of continuing to learn, grow, and maybe one day helping others achieve their dream.
Computing: making our own version of Times Tables Rock Stars.
Children in year 5/6 have been learning how to use Scratch to create their own Times Tables Rock Stars game. Children have learned how to use repetition to simplify their algorithm and create variables such as timers or number generators.
Help at home: have a go at exploring scratch with your child. Are there any other games that you want to make? It might be a maze game or a playform game. Discuss the skills needed to code your own game.
