After last years success in seeing many children vastly improve their fine motor skills, I am very excited to share that Mrs Bunce’ High 5 Team is up and running for 2020! In High 5, we explore fine motor control and social skills over the course of a six week programme. High Five is aimed at children exhibiting challenge with fine motor skills eg: handwriting skills, lack of hand strength, difficulties with manual dexterity, struggling to coordinate cutlery and difficulty dressing. The ethos of the programme is to encourage positivity and a ‘can do’ attitude. The children are able to participate in a range of activities with a focus on cutting, drawing, tearing, colouring and manipulating materials with their hands to gain confidence in these skills in a fun way

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Already, after week 1, many of the children in the group are showing improved cutting and colouring skills. I cannot wait to see the progress they will make!

Maths

In maths this week we have been learning about factors and multiples – remember to keep practising your Times Tables!

Factors 2 Factors 3

Literacy

In literacy this week we have been looking at writing skills for spooky stories.

Literacy descriptive writing

Spelling

Spellings 16.1.20 ible able

WB: 06/01/20

Words of the Week.

Please practice reading the words and adding sound buttons. Then have a go at writing the words.

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Please practice your number bonds 0-5.

1 + 0 =            2 + 1 =

1 + 1 =             0 + 3 =

2 + 0 =            3 + 1 =

0 + 1 =             1 + 3 =

0 + 2 =            2 + 2 =

4 + 0 =            0 + 5 =

0 + 4 =            4 + 1 =

1 + 2 =             3 + 2 =

3 + 0 =             1 + 4 =

2 + 3 =             5 + 0 =

Which ones are easy? Which ones are more challenging? Why?

On Thursday last, Year 3 and 4 Base 1 were taken into orbit in the ‘space dome’. Children arrived excited, unsure of what far away and distant land they might see. We were taken on an adventure like no other! We were on board a space ship, sitting in the cockpit ready for blast off.

The children had the chance to view what our planet Earth would look like from outer space. The class ,moved from the sunny side to the night time side in matter of seconds. You could see great cities of the world as they were lit up by distant lights and the regions of tropical rain forest which were coloured bright green along with the dusty yellow hue of the Sahara desert.

Children were amazed by the star patterns in the sky and by the planets Venus, Jupiter and Neptune. We learned about the journey brave astronauts made to the moon on the Apollo 11 space mission way back in 1969! All in all it was an amazing experience one that we are not going to forget for a while.

Some of the things the children said about their experiences include.

“I never knew that people went to the moon, that’s so cool!”

“When you are in a space rocket, it really is bumpy ride.”

“There are patterns in the sky. I never knew there was one that looked like a lion and it’s called Leo.”

“A woman has almost spent one whole year in space, She must miss home.”

“I want to do it again soon. It was great.”

One parent said that their child came home ‘buzzing’ after the experience and would not stop talking about it.

Today, Base 1 had a blast in every sense of the word.

This afternoon, Year 5 (along with Mr Worth and Mrs Hodgson) were lucky enough to visit space in the brand new school space rocket Space Odyssey Dome. The children got to see the wonders of our solar system, including each of the eight planets, the Sun, the Moon and the asteroid belt. We even got to venture deep into the centre of our galaxy, the Milky Way, where we encountered…

A GIGANTIC BLACK HOLE!

Fortunately, we learned that it is so far away that we don’t need to worry about it.

Everybody in Year 5 was over the moon to be inside the space dome and they all have so much to say about it, so watch this space… Get it?

The black hole at the centre of the Milky Way

The Saturn V rocket, ready to launch

Year 5 children were blown away by the size of our sun.

Please find below this week’s home learning. It is due in on Monday 13 th January 2020. Reading and contact books are due in every day.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to come and see me.

Jack Whitty

Maths Home Learning Revisiting Previous Learning

Spelling (HFW)

Spelling g sound spelt gue

Understanding Vocabulary Rainforest Rough Guide wc7.01.20

I’ve just walked through the hub and could not help be impressed by the way the Year 3/4 base 2 class and Year 1 class were working together on their reading.

The older children were doing an amazing job of hearing the younger children read and then asking them questions about their texts. It was a really purposeful yet energised atmosphere and I’m glad I got to experience it.

Iain Franklin

KS 1 Phase Leader

Home Learning for the Holidays.

Please practice reading the words and adding sound buttons then have a go at writing them down.

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Use the words to create your own Christmas story.

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Today we had a special visitor from the Newton Abbot Museum who came in to share with KS1 information about the new developments to the museum and run an art project. Year 1 were taken through a 3D tour of the architects’ plans for the museum before being introduced to our afternoon mission; to create a banner to attract people to the museum. The children used what they had learnt about the museum, what things you might see inside, special features, information about the history of Newton Abbot, as well as their knowledge about what makes a great banner, to design and create their own banner idea. The children’s designs will go to the museum where Kate and the team will look at the banners from our school, and banners from other schools, that will inspire the final two banners that will be placed outside of the new museum.