Spring Newsletter 2022
Welcome to our class Newsletter! We have been working incredibly hard recently and can't wait to return to school for our last term of Primary 5!
Literacy
In Literacy, we have been exploring fact and opinion and how to identify each type in different texts and scenarios. We have been able to use our knowledge of fact and opinion within our writing, where we have been learning to write persuasively. We have been using different features to help persuade our readers, such as alliteration, fact, opinion, rhetorical questions, statistics and rule of three. To help us remember all these techniques, we refer to them as AFOREST. As part of our engineering project, we have been able to use our persuasive writing skills to try and convince engineers that our designs are the best and should be built; fingers crossed, we have managed to persuade them!
Numeracy
Our maths groups have been working hard on various topics.
Recently some of our pupils have been exploring the rules for the order of operation in numerical calculations. Having applied DMAS (divide, multiplication, addition and subtraction), they have been able to apply them correctly when solving simple problems.
One of our groups have successfully solved algebra problems where an unknown value is represented by a symbol or letter. They have been able to apply their knowledge to solve increasingly complex problems. They have also been exploring coordinates and can describe, plot and record the location of a point on a grid using coordinate notation.
Another group has been engaging with volume and measuring. They have been working on measuring volume accurately and converting between ml and l. By solving word problems, they have become more confident when finding the total volume.
Finally some pupils have been carrying out investigations and surveys, using various methods to gather the information. From this, they have been able to work with others to organise and display the results appropriately. They have also been working on identifying misleading data.
Some pupils used the time matching cards to create their own clock.
Our maths challenge has been helping the pupils to work on their problem solving skills while also allowing them to use various strategies to solve it.
Pupils have been able to practice plotting and recording their own coordinate points using the loose parts and our tuff trays.
Along with working on volume word problems, pupils have had the chance to practice their measuring skills while responding to problem-solving questions.
Other areas of learning
This term we explored the Victorian era and were able to learn about the differences and similarities to our lives. We were also able to develop our drama skills through using the Victorians as inspiration, understanding how we would act and respond to different experiences if we had lived through that period. We have also been working hard to develop our computing science skills by working on design challenges through the Scratch programme. This term, we have been fortunate to have another teacher join us in class to teach us some Mandarin; the pupils have enjoyed this in class, and it has provided a chance for pupils to learn more about China and share their prior knowledge. Finally, we have been learning about engineering, focussing on how designs and products are created. We have been able to design our very own products that we think could make our lives better.
Through our integrated day, we have continued to have the chance to use and explore different resources set up around the room. This term, our shop has been a big hit! We have been working on weighing and measuring along with developing our confidence when using money by counting change.
Pupils have been using the tower blocks to build different structures, which has been helping to develop our fine motor skills.
Using the magnets, pupils were exploring what surfaces were magnetic.
We have been reading Harry Potter in class, and some of the pupils used the magnets to build their version of Hogwarts.
With the new loose parts, pupils could build and create different structures.