Wye

Wye Class Newsletter

Spring Term 2020

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all had a relaxing and peaceful Christmas and are ready for the exciting start to our Spring term. Here is a brief outline of some of the things we will be learning about this term – as always we are going to be very busy!

Literacy and Topic

The children and I are continuing our learning journey through Britain’s invasion history with the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings this term. In literacy, we will be first focusing on the adventure book ‘How to Train your Dragon’ by Cressida Cowell.  The children will be writing their own version of the story, learning how to tame dragons and may even start talking dragonese!  If your child would like to read more of Cressida Cowell’s dragon stories there are 11 books in the series and also an interactive website (http://www.howtotrainyourdragon.co.uk/) for them to explore. To continue with our Viking theme this term we will also be learning about myths and legends from this period and learning about which Gods they worshipped and why. In addition, to link with our topic this term, we will be performing the Anglo Saxon/Viking play – The legend of Beowulf.

Maths

We will be progressing with our skills in place value knowledge and learning more formal techniques for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division including our mental recall strategies. We will be using data collection to produce bar graphs, pictograms, Venn and Carroll diagrams.  We will in addition learn how to sort and interpret information from these graphs.  Symmetry is another area which we will be focusing on using shapes in horizontal and vertical axis.

The ‘Froggy Maths Club’ will still continue and I am amazed and delighted to see how much the children are enjoying and embracing working hard to leap to their next lily pad! The children are also working very hard on their multiplication challenges, so well done for all that extra practise they are having at home and once again – practise, practise makes perfect! They are expected to answer the mixed up times table, they are practising, within 1 minute.  The children know which times table they are being challenged on and it is better for them to focus on one, to really embed those important life-long facts.

History

As you are already aware, we are continuing to learn about Britain’s invasion history and are studying the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings this term. We will be learning about how the Vikings invaded Britain, where they came from, why they came and what they did when they arrived.  We will find out how the Anglo Saxons managed to live alongside the Vikings with the peace treaty from Alfred the Great.  We will be learning about the design of long boats, researching prow heads and discovering how the Vikings invented the first keel to steady boats in 794AD, which is still used in today’s boat designs!  We will be researching their homes, home-life, artefacts and why they were known as the vicious Viking raiders and robbers.

Science

In Science this term we will be looking at Magnets and Forces. We will be investigating different forces, magnetic and non-magnetic materials and the magnetic field surrounding a magnet.  The children are always excited and keen to use magnets and I know they will enjoy it! 

P.E.

Our P.E. sessions this term will be on Monday and Wednesday afternoons. On Monday we will be taking part in the ‘Paces’ scheme of work where the children will be learning techniques for speed and direction.  On Wednesday we will be learning different balances, jumps, techniques and gymnastic skills including using the apparatus.  As these sessions will be held in the hall, indoor P.E. kit will be required however we will also be continuing our invasion techniques, therefore can you please provide warm outdoor kit too for use on the playground.

R.E.

This term we will be learning to retell some bible and real-life stories when miracles have happened, discuss Christian viewpoints and explain the interpretation and meaning of these miracles.   We will also identify questions people ask about Jesus’ healing miracles and discuss our own personal viewpoint.

Art and Design

In art and design we will be using our history topic this term to make and design Viking long boats, prow heads and will look at seascapes including using different tones, tints and shades.

Spellings will be given every Monday to be tested on Friday. Please encourage your child to learn these at home.  Homework will be given out on a Monday to be handed in by Friday.  Reading is still going to be focused on heavily this term and regular practise at home really helps your child to improve.  I am asking each child to read four times a week, in their own time.  I would be most grateful for your help and encouragement with this.  Well done to all those children (and encouragement from the parents) who completed their Christmas reading challenge, the book reviews were a delight to read and inspired some reluctant readers to try some new books and authors!  Also, if any parents are able to come into school to hear individual readers in the class, please let me know, I would be very grateful.

Many thanks, as always, for all your support. Please feel free to pop in to discuss any matters or concerns you may have at any time or just to check on your child’s progress. 

Miss Glover

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