Biome- in- a Box project

This week there will be no official homework as the children have been doing tests all week. However, I would like the children to start collating their things for our biome- in -a -box   Art/DT project which is closely connected to our geography topic: Biomes

The children will be working in pairs and may choose from the following land biomes:

• Tundra
• Taiga (coniferous forest)
• Desert
• Temperate deciduous forest
• Tropical rain forest
• Grassland/savannah

They will need a shoe box or other similar sized lidded box by next Friday.

We will be making our biome in school creating a background on the back and sides of the box that may be painted, drawn or coloured or made of printed pictures. We will be starting these next Friday 27^th November.

The children will need to think about the floor of their box and what is a suitable covering.

The children need to think about the landscape, the plants/ trees that grow there and show some animal species that live in their biome. They may wish to include human habitation within the biome.

In school we have tissue paper, newspaper, coloured paper, paint, glue etc. We will be looking at how to create paper trees and bushes, and how to get 2D animals etc to stand up. However, the children may wish to bring from home small plastic animals, fake grass, sand or anything else to portray their biome correctly. All these small extras do not need to be in next week, but I wanted to give you ample warning!

I have attached some pictures so you know the type of thing we are aiming for and there are some super you-tube videos on how to build a biome in a box diorama to get some ideas

Biomes -in -a -box  pictures

This week we are trying some on-line homework. We realise this may not present a great challenge to some of our children but it is an opportunity to see that children can open the websites at home.

English homework is on classroom secrets kids, and is Recognising and the using the perfect form in sentences.

Maths homework is  Equivalent fractions. This is on Purple Mash.

You may need to scroll down to see this particular homework as there is a lot of work on both sites because we are providing work for those who are isolating. If you want to attempt this too – please do.

Homework needs to be completed by Tuesday 17th November. We are able to see all the children that have completed their homework, and their score.

The children have logins for both purple mash and classroom secrets kids.

Times tables test tomorrow -Friday -for those revising the facts are x2, x5, x10 and related division facts. Other  children are tested on all their times tables and related division facts.

Next week we are focusing on x4 and x8 and related division facts.

Children in year 5/6 should have immediate recall of all multiplication and division facts. Without these, they will struggle with the year 5/6 curriculum -in particular with the work we are studying this half term. For those of you who are not so confident, we have been going over the x table facts. From the 9th November, we will be focussing on the division facts 32÷ 4 =

w/c 2nd November x11 and x9

w/c 9th November x2, x5, x10 division facts

w/c 16th November x4, x8 division facts

w/c 23rd November x3  x6 division facts

w/c 30th  November x6 x 12   division facts

w/c 7th December x7   division facts

w/c 14th December  x9 x 11   division facts

This week in Maths we will be focusing on prime numbers, multiples and common  multiples, square and cube numbers. As always, if you are having to isolate video lessons are available on White Rose. We are continuing to learn our practise our times tables. Those children who are not yet  confident will be tested on their x9 and x11 in this week. Other children will be tested, as usual, on all  the times tables up to and including x12 . After this, we will be going through the times tables again focusing on  the related division facts.

In English for the next two weeks we are looking at The Highwayman – a narrative poem.

Our new topic for geography is Biomes.

In science, we will be starting a topic on  Living things and Habitats– classification and characteristics. h In RE we are starting work on Islam.

As this this the last week of term, We said good bye to our year 6 on Thursday. Some of those children will be going to visit their new school next week.

The year 5 children have all been invited into school to meet in their new class next week so we are not setting formal lessons.

However, we would like to remind you that there is the Lockdown writing from last week which children may like to finish and enter in to competition. There are also lots of lessons available on BBC Bitesize and Oak Academy. Espresso is great for revising grammar and punctuation.

Oldbury Wells have also organised a competition for Year 5 and 6 – you might like to have a go!

http://twc-cms2.azurewebsites.net/transition/transition-2020/transition-activities/competitions

Competition details here http://twc-cms2.azurewebsites.net/media/18920/exciting-new-competitions-1.pdf

For maths, time spent on learning times tables and rehearsing mental maths skill is never wasted.The Time times Rock Stars and Numbots apps are always available and useful.

For those of you who wish to think about the basic skills and knowledge which are needed to access the year 5 and 6 curriculum – and to prepare  for your next stage of learning –  we have uploaded these worksheets. They are based on your current year group’s end of year expectations.

Mathematics-Year-4- essential end of year expectations

Mathematics-Year-5-essential end of year expectations