Homework

20 May 2022

Our Talk Time this week relates to our recent Geography learning:

I know and can use the topic vocabulary from this half term.

Years 1 and 2:

• continent – a very large area of land
• globe – a model of the Earth which shows what it looks like from space
• ocean – a large area of water between continents
• equator – an imaginary line that goes around the centre of the Earth
• physical geography – physical geography looks at the natural things in our environment
• human geography – human geography looks at changes in the environment by humans
• population – the number of people living in a certain place
• national park – a park or area of land looked after by a country’s government

Years 3 and 4:

• climate zones – areas of the world with similar temperature and weather
• hemisphere – a half of Earth, divided into a northern and southern hemisphere
• equator – an imaginary line that goes around the centre of the Earth
• latitude – the distance north or south of the equator, measured in degrees
• tourism – travelling to a place for fun
• economy – how a country or place makes and spends money
• overtourism – when there are too many tourists and it results in conflict with local people who live there
• flood defences – used to prevent flooding in a specific place

Years 5 and 6:

• biome – areas of the world with similar climate, landscapes, animals and plants
• vegetation belt – an area with distinct plant types
• climate zone – areas of the world with similar temperature, weather and precipitation
• natural resources – something that is found in nature and can be used by humans
• exports – goods that are sent to other countries for sale
• deforestation – the destruction of forests by humans
• agriculture – growing and harvesting crops and raising animals; another word for farming
• indigenous people – the earliest or original inhabitants of a place

Encourage your child to think back to their Geography learning so far. The following questions might prompt your child to remember even more about the vocabulary:

• What does this word mean?
• Can you use the word in a sentence?
• Can you (where possible) give an example of this?
• Have you seen a piece of art that links to that word?
• Can you link this word to one or more of the other words?
• Which of these words would you group together?

13 May 2022

This week’s Talk Time has a Living and Learning focus:

I know what consent is.

Consent forms a part of everyday life: permission to take or publish a photo is a form of consent.

Because matters around consent can occur anywhere, it’s important to consider a range of scenarios. That way, you’ll be able to appreciate how you, or others, might feel in those situations and can think about the words or actions that follow. As a starting point, you could look at the following scenarios and consider how you might respond:

• A friend asks you to play football at playtime but you’re feeling quite tired.
• You and a friend did really well in a quiz so you want to give them a hug.
• You’re getting ready for school and you notice your brother/sister has their jumper on backwards.
• Your teacher wants to take pictures of some pictures of your writing to share with the class.
• You’ve been learning a poem and the teacher would like to record the class to use as part of an assembly.

What other situations can your child think of where consent is important?

When we reviewed our Relationships and Sex Education Policy, very many parents and carers wanted consent to feature more. This is why we’re including consent in our homework. Talking about consent in relation to our own bodies can be appropriate for children of any age.

These R2s will help you in a situation where you’re asking for consent:

• ask for permission
• if that person says yes, great
• if they say no, respect their decision (even if it upsets you)

06 May 2022

This week’s Talk Time poses an important question that everyone can and should be mindful of:

How can we better look after our planet?

 In our current Geography topic, we’re learning about a wide range of spaces and places across the globe. To ensure that future generations can enjoy those environments, it’s important that everyone plays a part in helping to look after our planet.

Whilst some actions may seem very small and potentially unimportant, small changes can lead to big differences. What do you already do to look after our planet? What changes can you make? You could use the following ideas as a starting point for your discussions:

In and around the home:

• Switch off lights when you’re leaving a room for a while.
• Reduce the need to put the heating on by closing doors and putting on an extra layer.
• When something can no longer be used for its purpose, how can you use it for something else?
• Don’t leave TVs, consoles and other electricals on (or on standby) when you’re not using them.

Out in the community:

• Hold on to litter until you can dispose of it correctly.
• Pick up litter and put it in a nearby bin when possible.
• Travel in ways that aren’t harmful to the environment (walk, cycle, scoot etc)
• Take a reusable bottle/cup with you that can be filled up in shops.

We look forward to hearing what creative things you’re going to do to help look after our planet when we have our homework reviews in class next week.

29 April 2022

The latest Talk Time relates to our current Geography topic, Explorers:

I can show off my knowledge of world geography.

Years 1 and 2:

I know the world’s seven continents and the world’s five oceans.

Years 3 and 4 (as above plus):

I know at least four European countries and their capital cities (not including those in the UK) and I know some of the main rivers and mountains in Europe.

Years 5 and 6 (as above plus):

I know some world-wide countries and some of their major cities.

Think back to your lessons as a geographer so far this year. What strategies have you used, or could you use, to help you remember these facts? It could be drawings, pictures, map, videos, songs or other resources.

Our oracy focus this half term is vocabulary so when having your discussions at home, make sure to use the correct terminology eg city, capital city, country, continent.

22 April 2022

Our first Talk Time of this term poses a moral dilemma.

Plants and animals should not have the same rights as humans.

 In a previous Talk Time, you’ve discussed human rights and the responsibilities that go with them. Recapping these could be how you choose to start this week’s conversations.

You might already have strong opinions on the matter but when faced with a statement such as this, it’s always worth exploring both sides of the argument so that you can make an informed decision.

These prompts might help you to consider things in a different way:

• Could plants and animals share all of the same rights as humans?
• If the rights were the same, who would be responsible for ensuring it?
• Are some rights easier to achieve than others?
• What should the consequences be for neglecting those rights?
• Should the level of punishment depend on whether the victim is a plant, animal or human?
• These are some topics you might discuss: deforestation, animal testing, human diet, hunting animals for fun

 Last half term’s oracy focus was turn-taking. This skill will be very important in this task so refer to these R2s:

• If a person is speaking, listen to what they are saying.
• Let that person finish their point without interrupting them.
• When that person has spoken, acknowledge what they’ve said before making your point. Try using some of these phrases:
  • I agree with that because…
  • I also think that…
  • Adding to what you said…
  • I disagree with that because…
  • I hear what you’re saying but…
  • On the other hand, …

25 March 2022

As we near the end of our Computing topic, this Talk Time will help you to reflect on your learning.

I know and can use the topic vocabulary from this half term.

Years 1 and 2:

• algorithm – a sequence of instructions or a set of rules to get something done.
• program – a collection of algorithms
• debug – to find and fix errors in algorithms
• computer – a type of machine that can follow instructions and do useful things
• password – a string of letters, numbers or symbols which give you access to something (eg a computer, a service like NumBots)
• personal information – something that can be used to identify you (eg age, school, address, password)
• appropriate – something that is suitable

Years 3 and 4:

• computer – a machine that can input, process and output data
• program – a collection of algorithms
• repetition – to repeat the execution of certain instructions
• sequence – to arrange instructions in a particular order
• logical reasoning – helps us explain why something happens
• sprite – a 2D character in a computer game
• decomposition – the process of breaking down a task into smaller, more manageable parts
• input – data sent to a computer system from a device (eg keyboard, mouse, microphone)
• output – data sent out of a computer system via a device (eg monitor, printer, speaker)
• digital footprint – information about a particular person that exists on the internet as a result of their online activity

Years 5 and 6:

• computer – a machine that can input, process, store and output data
• computer network – a collection of interconnected computer systems which ‘talk’ to each other by exchanging data
• internet – a huge global computer network
• decomposition – the process of breaking down a task into smaller, more manageable parts
• repetition – to repeat the execution of certain instructions
• selection – choosing to execute one set of instructions over another
• variable – something that is stored in a program and can be changed or used (eg a timer, a score, a number of lives left)
• logical reasoning – helps us to explain why something happens
• simulation – modelling a real-world or imaginary situation

 For your discussions at home, think about the learning that has happened in your Computing lessons. What was your favourite lesson and why? Refer to the list of vocabulary for your year group.

18 March 2022

Living and learning provides the focus for this week’s Talk Time.

I can describe what to do in different sorts of emergencies.

 An emergency situation is when there is an immediate risk that needs to be addressed right away.

We suggest approaching this Talk Time in two parts. First, where and when might you face an emergency? Think of a range of settings and scenarios.

After that, consider what your response would be. If there’s not a trusted adult around, call 999 if possible. The LIONEL acronym below is one that we’d like you to learn. It will help you if you ever need to phone the emergency services.

L – Location – Tell them where the emergency is and where they need to come to.
I – Incident – Tell them what has happened.
O – Other services – Do you need the ambulance, police and fire service?
N – Number of people – How many are involved?
E – Extent of injuries – How badly are they hurt?
L – Location – Repeat again where they need to come to.

11 March 2022

This week’s Talk Time poses a moral dilemma and makes links to our current computing topic.

Playing computer games is bad for your health.

We suggest approaching this Talk Time with an open mind. You may already have strong views on this but it’s important to consider both sides of an argument before reaching your conclusions.

Check out these R2s to help you with your discussions at home:

• What are the health benefits of playing computer games?
  • Remember that mental health is crucial to being a healthy person.
• How does playing computer games negatively impact on your health?
  • How could this impact on your physical health?
  • Is gaming always an enjoyable experience?
• Decide which argument is the strongest.
  • This might be the side with the most points to back it up.
  • You might consider some points to be more important than others.
  • You may not agree with people you speak to – that’s okay!

After the discussion with friends and family, what conclusion do you reach? Do others around you agree?

04 March 2022

This week’s Talk Time has a Living and Learning focus:

I can say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, and show good manners in other ways, too.

Showing good manners costs nothing but can make a big difference to a person’s feelings. Saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ are just two of the ways you can show good manners. How else could you show good manners? Think about actions as well as words. You could talk about things you can do or say at home, at school or out and about. Remember, saying things like ‘please’ and ‘excuse me’ aren’t just means for getting what you want.

Our school rules might help you to remember times when you’ve used good manners or seen others using them:

• We respect everyone and everything.
• We follow instructions.
• We keep hands, feet and objects to ourselves.

11 February 2022

With it being Safety Week at school, this Talk Time brings together lots of the learning that has taken place.

I can show different ways to stay safe including how to seek help.

Because safety covers so many areas, your discussions could centre around these forms of safety as well as any others that you know of:

• Online safety (e-safety)
• Fire safety
• Road safety
• Electrical safety
• Water safety

For each type of safety, talk about different settings and examples of when you might be faced with risks and how you’d safely deal with them. In each situation, it’s crucial you discuss the help you’d need if something goes wrong. Imagine that you’re in different places and with different people in each scenario. Perhaps you’re with family, friends or on your own. Are there any services that you can contact?

Here are some R2s to help you stay safe:

• Think before you act.
• Assess the risks. Is it safe?
• If something goes wrong, again, think before you act.
• Who can help you and how can you reach them?