Hello everyone!

It’s Friday! Today is the day when you can negotiate the chores you will do around the house for the next week and it’s also jokes day so here goes…

My son’s favourite joke when he was young..

Why did the banana go to the hospital?

Because it wasn’t peeling very well!

(tumblweed)

Any way, I hope your minibeast safaris have been fun and that you have enjoyed talking about the maths problems in the booklets.

Today, I’ve put a sheet together for you to help you reflect and evaluate on your week. It’s just a few questions that you could use to think back over  this week to help you celebrate and take pride in what you have done together You can see it here: weekly learning review

Next week, we can look at maps and what they tell us. If the weather is nice, we can go exploring and making our own maps. Perhaps you will create a pirate map and find buried treasure?

Keep doing your bugclub reading and the games and activities but most importantly, enjoy each others company.

Take care everyone. Stay safe and happy.

Mr F.

Hello all.

I hope you are all well and happy?

Thank you to everyone who is sending in photos of what you are doing together at home. It is great to see you smiling and having fun.

How has your Bug hunting been going? Have you found lots of minibeasts?

Yesterday, I suggested we could start recording where we find different minibeasts. Do they prefer dark places or light places? Do they live in dry places or wet places?

Today I’m going to challenge you to find specific creatures. Do you now know what sort of places to look to find them?

Where would you look to find

• woodlice
• snail
• ant
• spider
• centipede
• worm
• ladybird
• butterfly
• caterpillar
• beetle

As well as Bughunting, make sure you are doing your bug club reading!

Tomorrow, I will give you an evaluation sheet where you can capture your thoughts and feelings around your learning this week. Friday is also Jobs and Jokes day, so start thinking about some great jokes to share and what job you would like to help out with around the house next week.

Take care, stay safe and do things which make you happy!

All the best

Mr F.

Hello everyone!

It’s a gloriously sunny Wednesday, so let’s try and get outside to find those minibeasts and if you have found any wonderful words, let me know what they are, what they mean and if they are nouns, verbs, adverbs or adjectives.

Today, we can be looking for creatures in different places so we can work our what sort of habitats each creature prefers. (habitat is where living things live)

Here is a sheet that will help us work out which creature likes to live where. minibeast habitats

Go out and look in various places; dark and dry, dark and wet, light and dry and light and wet and record what minibeasts you find in each sort of habitat. Are there any patterns? Do you find the same creatures in the same sorts of habitats or do different creatures like to live in different conditions?

If you wanted to find a spider, would you look in the same sort of places and find slugs?

Reading

Make sure you are completing your bug club books so I can give you new ones. Let me know if there is anything you would like to read about and I will try and put that sort of book on your bugclub account.

Spelling and grammar

Complete the bug club activities and again, I will set you new ones.

Maths

This week’s Math’s focus is about another problem booklet that you can be talking through together. It is here. 2018 reasoning

Thew first five questions are ones you talk through together. Here is a script if you want to use it (or you could make up your own questions if you want That would be an interesting activity!)

1. What is twenty add two add two?
   Write your answer in the box.
2.  I am thinking of a number.
   It has four tens and two ones.
   Write my number in the box.
3.  Look at the circle.
   Part of the circle is shaded.
   Tick the fraction below that shows the shaded part of the circle.
   Put your tick in the box by the correct fraction.
4.  Turn the page over and look at question 4.
   There are thirteen marbles in a jar.
   The jar can hold twenty marbles.
   How many more marbles can ft in the jar?
   Write your answer in the box.
5.  Write the same number in both boxes to make the
   multiplication correct.

Have fun learning together.

Stay Safe, put on you sun hats and keep your distances.

All the best

Mr F.

All the best

Mr F.

Morning all! DISCLAIMER! Don’t worry, before we start, you don’t have to touch a minibeast at all for this week’s activities! In fact, you can do the whole week’s learning from a completely safe distance!

Monday 11/05/20

Today’s learning is all about how we can group the range of different plants and animals there are on our amazing planet. Have a look here:

http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/thezone/animals/animalid/index.htm

…and explore the questions in red to find out all about classification. Next, use the internet to find out what you can about Carl Linnaeus and present your biographical information into the booklet of lined paper (if you have any space left!) How much information can you find out about him?

Finally, I’m sure you have discovered these titles by now: kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species

What are they? What do they mean? Look at the first letter of each word and come up with a way of remembering the order they go in. Here’s mine:

King Philip Can Only Fry Green Sausages.

Enjoy it!

Tuesday 12/05/20

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds is an amazing organisation. They help look after the birds we have in this country and provide essential information to people who want to do the same. Have a look here:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/identify-a-bird/

It’s a bird identifier. Guess what I am suggesting you do? Yes… identify the birds in your garden. See how many birds you can find today – it may be from your bedroom window or in your garden (if you have one) or even on a walk if you go out with a parent/carer for your daily exercise. They can join in too because toucan play this game (oh dear.) Record all of the species of bird you find. Who can see the most species? Have fun…

Wednesday 13/05/20

Design your own classification key to identify different types of sweet. Choose your favourite sweets (about 10?) then start recognising the differences between them. Does each one have something unusual or special about it? That’s what you could use to help someone identify which one you are talking about. Do they fit into groups? Which groups could you put them in?Look at this key about minibeasts to give you some ideas of what it could look like:

https://www.schoolsofkingedwardvi.co.uk/ks2-science-year-4-1a-living-things-classification/

Design your classification key for your sweets then get someone at home to try it out…

Thursday 14/05/20

Yesterday you designed a classification key for your favourite sweets. Today let’s take our learning outside into your garden or local outside space with a parent. We are going to find minibeasts and classify them. Look for around ten different creatures, identify them and sketch them (or take a photo – smile please!), recording their key identifying features (number of legs, wings, appearance, habitat and so on.) Design a classification key that will help someone to identify a minibeast they were uncertain of. I hope the weather is okay for you today! From talking to others on the ‘phone over the past few weeks, most people have been having a go at the activities but not necessarily on the day they are set for – that’s perfectly fine! You could save this activity for a sunny day…

Friday 15/05/20

You met some new friends yesterday – your minibeast neighbours! What was the most unusual minibeast you found? Were you particularly fascinated by any of them? Today we are going to find out everything we can about one of the minibeasts. Remember this information? kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species. Use it as a basis to start investigating your creature. Which kingdom, phylum, class etc does it belong to? What is its binomial latin name? What is a binomial name? Find out! Sketch your creature. Label all of it’s features that make it different from its cousins. What are the features that set it apart, that make it able to be classified separately to other minibeasts? Remember our learning about each of us being unique – well your minibeast certainly is! Collect all of your information about your tiny friend in your lined booklet.

Enjoy!

Good Morning!

It is the start of another week in these unprecedented times! This week’s focus to keep your brains growing and bodies active is Glorious Gardens and Captivating Creatures!

Monday:

Today’s suggestion is to research some different minibeasts. The BBC Bitesize link below gives you some information to watch about minibeasts.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z6882hv/articles/z9fkwmn  There are two further activities if you scroll down further, a fill the gap activity and a quiz.

You could apply the learning we have been doing in class on word meanings when investigating the minibeasts in your garden/on your walk. Minibeast etymology Here is an example chart I have created, you could complete this any way you like, drawing your minibeasts or completing on a computer.

You may want to use this activity card to guide you in setting up some traps to leave out tonight (the traps won’t hurt the creatures!) Discovery card 1 – catch your own minibeast

Tuesday

Today you could have a look in your traps set yesterday and find out which creatures are living in your garden.

Have a go at researching or talking to your family about the creatures you have found and the environments they thrive in. Could you design a home for the creatures in your garden that provides them with everything they need?

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/garden-activities/build-a-bug-hotel/ The RSPB website has an excellent guide to building a bug hotel at home,

If this one is a little extreme for you and your garden, here is an alternative:

Alternatively today, you could use the RSPB website to find out which types of birds you can see from your window/garden/whilst out getting some exercise. https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/identify-a-bird/

You could create a tally chart or bar chart to record the types and frequency of birds you see.

Wednesday

Today I was thinking it could be really interesting to design your own minibeast or bird species. Based on what you have found out so far, what would a creature need to be successful in your garden/the habitat you have observed them in? e.g. Do they need to camouflage in a particular colour plant/flower? Do they need anything in particular to catch their prey?

You could also think about the role that creatures have in the environment. How could your creature help? Could it protect certain species of plants? Scare off unwanted pests? Help to provide food for other creatures? Create nutrients for the soil?

When naming your creature, think about the word etymologies you will have researched on Monday. The main features of your creature will probably appear in the name, but likely in Latin or Olde English form.

The resources you use to design your creature are entirely up to you! I know some of you are fantastic on different computer programmes, some of you are amazing artists and some will prefer to describe the creature in words rather than drawing/creating. Arthur and I will be designing some new creatures with the playdough we made together yesterday so I will upload some photos in the week if I can.

Thursday

Today’s suggestion moves on to classifying plants. This is a formal way of saying grouping plants based on something about them e.g. if they have flowers.

First, you will need to have a look for all of the different types of plants in your garden/on your walk. Then you will need to create your own way of grouping the plants. I have an example that you could use or adapt to fit with your environment: Plant classification chart

You could also use the BBC bitesize website to watch videos and complete activities based around plant classification:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zy66fg8

Once you have completed this for the plants in your environment, you could transfer the learning to a subject of your choice! e.g. Can you classify the snacks in your cupboard? Your favourite sweets?

Friday

Complete a presentation on your favourite creature/animal from the week?

Design your dream garden? Design your invented creature’s dream garden?

Consider how you could improve the environment of the creatures that are currently in your garden?

Can you link this week’s focus with any of the previous learning activities you have completed? Is your food waste bin helping any creatures? Could you invent a new device to help wildlife in your garden? Can you create a song about a minibeast?!

As always, If you have any questions or need anything else from me please don’t hesitate to contact me through the link on the website (you con’t have to upload learning!)

Miss Shopland

Additional Resources: 

Literacy:

Environment literacy based activities.  Plant vocabulary       Year-5-6-Spelling-list      Minibeasts Wordsearch

Maths:

Times Tables charts    Prodigy Maths – I have been setting some specific questions to focus on certain areas of maths.

Are you confident in telling the time? In digital and Analogue? In 12hr and 24hr?

Tally charts and bar charts of the creatures you see this week are an amazing use of maths skills!

Glorious Gardens and Captivating Creatures!

Wow! What a weekend of celebration. On Friday, we marked Victory in Europe Day – VE Day. I hope you had the opportunity to celebrate with your family.

For this week’s suggested activities we want you to go to get out into your gardens or outside spaces only if you can. If you can’t, don’t worry, there will be plenty that you can do online or at your kitchen table.

Glorious Gardens and Captivating Creatures!

Monday:

Minibeasts Research

Have a look at the video on minibeasts to learn more about them. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z6882hv/articles/z9fkwmn

There are two further activities if you scroll down further, a fill the gap activity and a quiz.

Tuesday:

Designing a Bug Hotel

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/garden-activities/build-a-bug-hotel/

Little hiding places can be hard for wildlife to find in some gardens, and what better use for all your garden or household waste and odds and ends? Build your bug hotel (also known as a wildlife hotel) and it could shelter anything from hedgehogs to toads, solitary bees to bumblebees, and ladybirds to woodlice.

With wildlife spaces in decline, this is an excellent way to provide life’s little beasts with a safe and comfy shelter.

Wednesday:

Design your own minibeast.

 How might they help the environment?

What might it look like?

Has it any unique features or characteristics?

Can you draw it and label it?

Thursday:

Today we would like you to learn a little bit more about plants. I know you did a little bit about plants earlier this year. Maybe you could use the resources from today to refresh your knowledge. Bethany and I have been doing a little over the weekend. We had so much fun! We planted a strawberry plant, a tomato plant, some spinach and a plant called livingstone. The plants were donated to us by our neighbour who did not need them anymore.

Livingstone:

There are a number of videos about plants for you to watch and activities to do.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zy66fg8

Research three plants or trees of your choice.

Some ways you might like to present this might include: PowerPoint; poster, booklet, bookmark; photo diary; drawings or diagrams.

https://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/plants.html

https://central.espresso.co.uk/espresso/modules/s2_plant_life/index.html?source=subject-Science-KS2-Science-Resource%20types

Friday:

Today, we would like you to become a spy for the day. You are on a mission to investigate how many different types of bird come into your outside space. For this activity you don’t need to be able to go outside, you just need to be eagle-eyed. Birds don’t hang around so maybe you could use a phone or tablet to take a photo of it so you can refer to it later.

On the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) website, there is a bird identifier tool which is really handy and easy to use. See link below. How many different types of birds enter your garden space?

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/identify-a-bird/

Bonus Challenge

If you are feeling up for it, have a go at designing your own garden or keeping a garden diary.

Please remember to have fun and to take care.

I look forward to hear from you soon.

Mr Whitty

Hello everyone!

It’s another Monday. I hope you had an enjoyable weekend?  If any of you have any ‘My News’ writing you want me to see, feel free to send me a photo. An example of how you can write a one which has all the writing skills expected for year 2 is here. My news example

Make sure, whatever you do, you keep reading. Bug Club is all updated for reading, spelling and grammar, please complete the activities fully so I can see when you need the next one.

This week’s Math’s focus is about another problem booklet that you can be talking through together. It is here. 2018 reasoning

Thew first five questions are ones you talk through togther. Here is a script if you want to use it (or you could make up your own questions if you want That would be an interesting activity!)

1. What is twenty add two add two?
   Write your answer in the box.
2.  I am thinking of a number.
   It has four tens and two ones.
   Write my number in the box.
3.  Look at the circle.
   Part of the circle is shaded.
   Tick the fraction below that shows the shaded part of the circle.
   Put your tick in the box by the correct fraction.
4.  Turn the page over and look at question 4.
   There are thirteen marbles in a jar.
   The jar can hold twenty marbles.
   How many more marbles can ft in the jar?
   Write your answer in the box.
5.  Write the same number in both boxes to make the
   multiplication correct.

This week, it might be good to look at computers, as we are using them so much. So, what is a computer?

This bitesize page might help.     https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zymykqt/articles/zc4x6sg

Have a look around your house and see just how many computers we use everyday.

• Make a list of the computers you find.
• What do we use them for?
• How do we give them instructions? – This is INPUT.
• How do the computers show us what they are doing? This is OUTPUT.

Computers use ALGORITHMS to tell them what to do. This page explains what an algorithm is.   https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/z3tbwmn/articles/z3whpv4

Tomorrow, you could start learning how to create algorithms tell computers what to do, rather than them telling you!

By the end of the week, you should be able to fix mistakes in computer instructions to make computers work properly.

Have fun learning together.

Stay Safe

All the best

Mr F.

All the best

Mr F.