5/6JD Class News

Mathematics 

Over the past two weeks,the students in 5/6JD have been exploring the Mathematics strand Shape with a particular focus on location and the transformation, rotation, reflection and tessellation of shapes. The students constructed grid coordinate systems and used coordinates and directional language to describe position and movement, applying these skills in fun activities such as Battleships, where they practised locating and targeting opponents' ships. Students also learned how to read and plot coordinates on the Cartesian plane and describe and perform translations, reflections, and rotations of shapes. They explored what changes and what remains the same during transformations and identified lines of symmetry. In addition, students investigated tessellations through the work of Dutch artist M.C. Escher, discovering which shapes tessellate perfectly and creating their own tessellation artwork.

English

In English, the students have been continuing to build their spelling and word knowledge through a weekly focus on various spelling and phonics rules. They have been using their phonological, morphological, and vocabulary knowledge to spell words that share common letter patterns and to understand how words are constructed. As word detectives, students have been exploring the reasons behind differences in spelling for words that contain the same sounds, encouraging them to think critically about language. Each week, they test themselves on their whiteboards, allowing them to track their progress and consolidate their learning as they develop greater confidence and accuracy in spelling. They are very proud of themselves as they continue to improve each week. 

Science 

This term in Science, Year 5 and 6 students have been investigating the lives and work of famous scientists who have made significant contributions to our understanding of the natural world. After exploring the different fields of science, students selected a scientist of personal interest and conducted in-depth research into their experiments, discoveries, and the impact of their work on society. A key focus has been recognising how these individuals demonstrated critical and creative thinking in their scientific processes. Over the next few weeks, students will bring their learning to life by creating hand puppets of their chosen scientists and they are all really looking forward to it. 

Camp preparations

This week, all year 5 and 6 students are buzzing with excitement as they get ready to head off on camp! With only two sleeps to go, students are hopefully in the final stages of packing their bags and getting prepared for a few fun-filled days away with their friends. There are a wide range of exciting activities planned, and although this will be the first camp experience for our Year 5 students, we are confident that, despite a few nerves, they will embrace the opportunity, rise to the challenge, and create lasting memories. We are looking forward to sharing all the highlights and experiences with you upon our return.