Information texts

Using the Meerkat information text as a guide, we wrote a text about Camels together. We used the same structure and even stole many great phrases.

It was important we planned it first though, and used the 'boxing up' method to lay out our ideas. We made sure we had all of the great features of information texts, such as;

* title
* subheadings
* introductory sentence
* paragraphs
* facts
* technical vocabulary

We have also been learning to use different types of connectives to make our writing more interesting.

Explaining connectives - and, because, but, so, which

Joining connectives - additionally, in addition, furthermore, as well as this,

Maths

As well as carrying out a few assessments this week,  the children have been practising doubling and halving two digit numbers.

Before they can do this, they should be secure doubling up to 10. (10+10)
From this, they should be able to see that halving is the opposite, and so should also know halves of numbers up to 20.

Here are some good games to reinforce these basics:

stage 1
stage 2



The children enjoyed using this machine to test themselves:
Doubling and halving machine



When teaching the children to double and half two digit numbers. We encourage them to split the number into tens and units. Double or half the tens, then do the same with the units. We call this a doubling or halving diamond.

Like this,

Doubling using place value cards

When you try halving, use only even numbers to start with.

Here is a good game to practise both. You can change the level of difficulty.

Dartboard doubles and halves

Pizza Express!

Rounding and finding the difference

This week's maths has focused on rounding to the nearest ten and finding the difference.

Here is a good game to practise rounding to the nearest ten:

Level 1

Level 2

We have been using blank number lines to practise subtracting. 

Give the chdn a subtraction sum i.e. 63 - 54 =

Ask them to draw a blank number line. They should position the smallest number on the left (as this is the number we are taking away), and the largest on the right.

They can then draw a hop/jump to the nearest 10, and record this on the line. Then a remaining hop/jump to the end number. Adding these hops/jumps together, will find the difference.

 

World Education Games

The school has registered to the World Education Games site for this week only. This is a website where they have the opportunity to complete various maths, science and literacy challenges against children from all over the world. 

The class stuck their individual login in details into their planners this morning, so please do have a go at home!!

Are you ready for a challenge?

Talk for writing

Part 2

Talk for writing

Imitation phase: learning an information text about meerkats 

Part 1

Can you perform this to someone at home?

Where is the Kalahari desert?

How does it compare to where we live?

Harvest time

We had a lovely harvest celebration on Monday morning. Thank you to those that came to celebrate with us.
Well done to all of the children for their wonderful singing, and especially to Laurence for reading so confidently to a large crowd!

Settings!

Our settings unit has now come to an end!

The children have learnt many skills to help improve their descriptive writing, such as how to use;

similes, adjectives, prepositions, clauses and dropped in clauses

After 'share writing' a piece together about a bedroom setting, the children wrote their own 'classroom' setting description today, trying their best to use all of the tools they have learnt.

'The lights were gleaming like golden chandeliers'.

'When he turned around he could see a fake parrot stuck between two pipes.'

'In the left hand corner was a shelf, which was scattered with folders, homework from the children, and books.'

'Sunny could smell coffee on the tip of his nose.'

Maths

Both this week and next week, the children have been/will be focusing on 3D shape and telling the time.

3D - naming and describing some common 3D shapes, using the correct mathematical vocabulary i.e. vertices, edges, faces etc.

Time - telling the time to the nearest 5 minutes both on analogue and digital clocks (12 hour only).

These are good games to practice:

15 minute intervals to begin

5 minute intervals

Teaching tool