Elm Summer
Final term!
As we enter our final term in Year 5, we are excited to reflect on all that we have achieved this year and begin preparing for the next important step in our learning journey. Throughout this term, we will continue to build our confidence, independence and resilience while developing the key skills needed for Year 6. Pupils will take on greater responsibilities, strengthen their learning across the curriculum and begin to familiarise themselves with the expectations of upper Key Stage 2. We look forward to making the most of every opportunity, celebrating our successes and finishing Year 5 with pride as we prepare for the challenges and achievements that lie ahead in Year 6.
- Miss Kelley
Our Learning:
Writing:
In writing, we built on our learning from Brilliant Deep: Rebuilding the World's Coral Reefs by Ken Nedimyer. We expanded our Tier 3 scientific vocabulary by exploring key terms such as ecosystems, coral polyps, biodiversity, restoration and conservation. Using this knowledge, we created an informative leaflet aimed at preserving coral reefs and raising awareness of their importance. We carefully used modal verbs to suggest actions people should, could and must take to protect these valuable habitats, while relative clauses helped us add detailed and engaging information. Of course, we also ensured that our grammar, punctuation and spelling were accurate and polished throughout, resulting in a clear and informative final piece.
Reading:
In reading, we have been using the VIPERS approach to explore Shackleton's Journey, building on our previous learning about the Terra Nova Expedition. Through our reading, we have developed our skills in vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval and summarising, while learning about the challenges, resilience and determination shown by explorers in Antarctica. We have used evidence from the text to justify our answers and deepen our understanding of this remarkable expedition.
Maths:
In Maths, we have been developing our confidence and fluency with decimals by applying all four operations—addition, subtraction, multiplication and division—to solve a range of problems. We have also been exploring angles and measurement, using our knowledge to calculate, compare and reason mathematically.
In addition, we have been becoming masters of negative numbers, learning how to order, compare and calculate with them accurately in different contexts. Throughout our learning, we have been using mathematical reasoning to explain our thinking and solve increasingly challenging problems.
As part of our statistics topic, some of the children designed their own questionnaires and visited other classes around the school to collect data. They then used their findings to create and interpret charts and graphs, developing their understanding of data handling and analysis.
PE
In PE, the children have enjoyed taking part in a range of exciting new games that focused on inclusion, participation and skill development. They embraced these activities with enthusiasm, demonstrating excellent teamwork, communication and cooperation. Throughout the unit, the children encouraged and supported one another, showing respect and resilience while developing their confidence and enjoyment of physical activity. The emphasis on working together and taking part helped create a positive and engaging learning environment for everyone. This was mirrored in a very successful and enjoyable sports day. Well done team Elm!
Eco-friendly elm
As part of our environmental learning, we enjoyed a visit to the school wildlife garden with Wildlife Friendly Otley, where we explored local habitats and spotted a variety of plants/wildlife.
We were also lucky enough to make use of our school pond for pond-dipping activities, discovering the fascinating creatures that live beneath the surface.
The children collected foliage from our green spaces to support their learning about biodiversity and the natural environment.
We even spent a day without electricity (much to poor Miss Kelley's surprise), helping us to think about our energy use and the importance of sustainability.
A huge well done to our Eco Committee, who have worked tirelessly to keep environmental issues at the forefront of our minds and encourage us all to make positive choices for our planet.
Our PE days are Monday and Thursday!