Class 5

Welcome to Class 5 with Mrs Cooper!

 

A big welcome back to school and I hope you have all had a lovely summer. I am looking forward to getting back into routine with a new topic and lots of exciting learning opportunities ahead of us.

 

During this Autumn term our topic is ‘Dynamic Dynasties’. In Dynamic Dynasties, your child will learn about periods of ancient Chinese history. They will explore a timeline of the first five Chinese dynasties and learn about the legends surrounding the beginning of Chinese civilisation. They will take a deep dive into the history of the Bronze Age Shang Dynasty and explore evidence found in the ancient city of Yin. They will study oracle bones, learn about religious beliefs and explore bronze artefacts that set the Shang Dynasty apart from other civilisations. They will also study the hierarchy of the Shang Dynasty and discover who was powerful and who was powerless. They will look at warfare and find out how bronze technology gave the Shang Dynasty an advantage over their enemies. They will learn about the life of the great military leader, Fu Hao. The children will then look at significant aspects of life after the Shang Dynasty, including the work of Confucius in the Zhou Dynasty, the short but significant reign of Emperor Qin Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty and the importance of the Silk Road created by the Han Dynasty. To end the project, your child will find out how ancient China’s lasting legacy can be seen in the world today.

 

In Maths, we will spend this term going over place value and calculation skills. We will also look at fractions, decimals and percentages and focus on consolidating the links between them as this is a key skill that children need to master. The children will have chance to practise and master their addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills. Please ask your child what they have been learning and encourage them to share this with you.

 

Don’t forget that the children can access ‘Times Table Rockstars’ from home to practise and improve upon their times table knowledge. This is a really good tool to use if your child doesn’t yet have quick recall and can be played for just a couple of minutes each day. I will give DoJo points out in class when children have accessed this home learning.

 

Our PE days are on Wednesdays and Thursdays (this will change when we finish our block of swimming lessons). Please ensure correct kits are in school on these days. Kits should consist of a white or black t-shirt, shorts/ jogging bottoms and trainers. Mrs Parkin will lead PE on Wednesday and we will be swimming on Thursdays.

 

Maths homework will go out on a Tuesday and is due in the following Tuesday. This will generally be focussed on our Key Instant Recall Facts (times tables, knowing fraction, decimal and percentages equivalents, multiplying and dividing by 10, 100, 1000 and converting between different measures (grams to kilograms, centimetres to metres etc.)). Concentrating on these questions and ensuring that all children have a good understanding of the methods will mean they will be better able to tackle other areas of maths. I would encourage that the children have a go at it as soon as possible and then come to see me if they have any concerns.

 

Spelling homework will be handed out every Monday and is due in the following Monday. This will focus on a spelling rule that we have been looking at in class. It will also include some 'Must learn' words taken from the Year 5/6 spelling list in the National Curriculum. Please support and encourage your child to practise these spellings throughout the week so that they are committed to their long-term memory. 

 

In school, children do Guided Reading daily, sometimes with an adult but sometimes accessing some independent learning. Ideally, children should be listened to read every day. We ask that children read at least three times a week. Please write a comment in your child's reading diary where they will earn Dojo points in class. Every time your child reads, it will go towards obtaining a reading certificate and reward.

 

I am very much looking forward to the term ahead and I would like to thank you all for your support and hard work thus far.

 

Kind regards, Mrs Cooper.