Attenborough Class

What a great Autumn term! We are now ready to tackle the spring with lots more fun, challenges and learning!

Our main spring term topic is Ancient Egyptians in history linking with Rivers and how they are used in geography.

     In reading, we are continuing with Active Read, which explores a variety of texts to develop various reading skills and extension of vocabulary. Our work concentrates on The Ashley Booth outline where we jump into various texts based on a weekly theme.  The children will also be enjoying Monty Read texts, which we plan to share with our early years’ children eventually.

     At home, to help continue with the development of reading, please read with and/or listen to your child at least five times per week.  Occasional lucky listeners' tasks will be set for fluency.  Please talk about word meanings when children are reading with you and record the book titles of reading books in journals along with any comments. Please ensure that your child brings this to and from school every day!  The children are also encouraged to record in the journals.  We ask that you and your child keep track of the reads by numbering them so that we can check when your child reaches their Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum award.  We will continue to record in the journal when we hear your child read, as long as they have their journal with them.

     After morning registration, sessions will continue for our phonic learners.

     Reading extended learning will be set this term – Friday to be completed by the following Friday. Phonics work may be set also by your child’s phonics leader.

     In English, last term we continued with Rainbow Grammar which is a fun, practical and colourful way of learning how to build different types of sentences.

     In Rainbow Grammar, there are eight colours and each colour represents a different part of a sentence.

     The children will learn:

• How the different parts of sentences work.
• What the different types of words and parts of sentences are called.
• How to join the different parts of sentences together.
• How to improve their sentences.
• How to punctuate their sentences.

     Most importantly of all, they learn why writers use these different parts and how they help to improve their writing.

     We will link our Rainbow Grammar to our GPS (Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling), moving on to reading and working on some fantastic texts.  Our first block of work, running alongside this, is work on Information texts where we will dive into Non-fiction, learn about the features of these text types and write our own information text on a chosen animal.

     Spellings - new words will be set with a test on Fridays.  Please see homework books for the weekly words as well as the half-termly overview.  (Homework books must come to school every day along with journals).  Common exception words (CEW) are worked on in school and we test on these at least once a term.  A current list of words to work on will be highlighted in the back of your child’s homework book.  In addition to spellings, there are monthly keywords, known as ‘wow words’ to understand and use.  We explore these in class, focusing on their meanings and use them in daily discussions.

     We will continue with handwriting, as we are always looking to improve letter formation and presentation.  Our focus is the one – armed robot family, which includes the letters: n, m, h, k p, b and r.

     In mathematics, we still have weekly arithmetic lessons and tests. The children will repeat the same weekly test until they gain full marks. Support and feedback is given every week and the children will bring these tests home.

Spring KIRFS, (Key Instant Recall Facts) are based on the three times table and a copy will be sent home in homework books to assist learning.

     Power Maths continues to focus initially on multiplication and division.  We will be securing and furthering understanding of the structures and representations, key vocabulary, misconceptions and interventions, alongside learning the three, four and eight times table.  Additionally, we will find a simple remainder when a number is divided and use a bar model to solve multiplication and division problems.  Following this, we will move onto length and perimeter.

     Maths extended learning is linked to the Times Table Rock Stars (TTRS) website to develop multiplication and division.  Please encourage your child to log on to complete their homework to support them with the times tables.  In the near future this will increase to 15 minutes per week as expected time minimum.

     We have worked on our times table facts in school in various ways and are often reminding the children that regular practise now will help very much with  passing the MTC ( Multiplication Tables Check).

     The purpose of the MTC is to determine whether pupils can recall their times tables fluently, which is essential for future success in mathematics.

     The children will also be set a written maths task which will be found in homework books.  This is linked to the unit of the week to extend and consolidate learning.  Homework is set on Fridays, to be completed and marked the following Friday.

     In science, our topic for the first half of the spring term is forces and magnets.  Attenborough Class will compare how things move on different surfaces, observe how magnets having two poles attract or repel each other and attract some materials but not others.  They will also compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis whether they are attracted to a magnet and identify magnetic materials.  In addition, any discoveries at home are always welcome in school.  

Making connections will be covered in the second half to the spring term.  The children will explore the relationship between hand span and grip strength through scientific enquiry.  They will apply their understanding of friction to make predictions, plan investigations and carry them out. 

Attenborough will also be covering the following units in other areas of the curriculum this term;

Music – (1) Pentatonic melodies and composition:  The Chinese New Year.  (2)  Singing techniques/ballads

PSHE – Family and Relationships followed by Health and Wellbeing

P.E – Dance and Athletics

R.E – We will be completing our work on morals and then in our next block will be asking:  Is scripture central to religion?  What happens if we do wrong?

French – Numbers and age with some playground games.

Computing – Programming; scratch email and journey inside a computer

Art – Ancient Egyptian scrolls.

     Finally, we like to celebrate personal achievements so therefore welcome any extra work the children complete at home whether it is written, maths or artwork. 

Reminders: 

• All extended learning (homework) will be set on a Friday
• P.E days are Wednesday and Thursday for this half term (Spring 1)
• Full P.E kit is needed with navy jogging bottoms/sweatshirts in colder weather outside. Trainers keep our feet protected and ready to move!
• Hair must be tied back if shoulder length or longer and earrings must be removed for P.E. 
• Hair must be tied back every day if it is longer than shoulder length.
• Ties must be worn.
• A named water bottle should come into school every day with fresh water only please (no juice).
• A healthy snack can be brought in for break time. We ask for fruits and vegetables please. 

     Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any queries. Thank you for your ongoing support.

The Attenborough Team

Class Teachers:  Mrs Moore and Miss O’Donnell

LSA:  Miss Campbell