Hello everyone!
Once again it has been lovely talking to you on the phone and hearing about all of the fantastic activities and fun you are having with your family. Also we have been so impressed with all your work being sent in through email! Keep it up!
Again the Year 4 team are enjoying the little sun we’ve had this week and keeping ourselves busy.
Miss Honeywell has continued to make fantastic cakes and biscuits. Though she is running low on self-rising flour so she might need to start baking some yummy biscuits!
Miss Jackson-Nash and her fiancé have signed up to ‘Step Up for Dementia’ which is a fantastic charity helping vulnerable people. The challenge is they have to walk 1,700,000 steps as quickly as they can. It’s a fantastic way to keep fit, help a fantastic charity and enjoy a nice walk as part of our daily exercise! We’ve reached 410,015 steps in three weeks during our daily exercise!
Reading comprehension
Word meaning.
Read the extract from Fantastic Beasts by J.K Rowling
First task – using a highlighter, underline any unfamiliar words ( or look out for any words that you do not know)
Think about how you can find the meaning of the word – Use these strategies –
• Read the rest of the sentence, can you use your inference skills?
• Has it got any prefixes, root words or suffixes that may help us?
• Do you know a similar word that could take its place?
• Have you looked in a dictionary?
Task 1: Using a vocabulary web, fill out the template to show you understand the meaning of the word.(Chose 2 words)
Task 2: Now you understand everything you have read in the text, have a go at answering the following comprehension questions –
1. In the first paragraph, which two words tell us that there were a lot of people outside the bank?
2. Read from ‘out of nowhere’ to the end of the paragraph. Write down the word that tells us that Jacob couldn’t miss his meeting at the bank.
3. ‘Suddenly, the hustle and bustle of a nearby crowd drew his attention towards the steep stone steps in front of the bank’.
Which two words in this sentence tell you it was busy?
4. Find and copy the word which is a synonym for ‘same’.
5. Which of the following words means peculiar?
o Wonderful
o Strange
o Long
o Boring
Writing
Your first task is to read and familiarise yourself with a traditional tale. A traditional tale (are also known as fairy tales) are stories that have been told and retold for many years. These are stories like Robin Hood, Peter Pan, Snow White etc. Once you have read the traditional tale, can you complete a Story mountain?
You will need to annotate it with a brief summary of what has happened (for example – what is the Dilemma? How have they resolved it? How has the story ended? How did the story begin? How did the author build up to the problem?)
Task 2: Write your own take on a traditional story.
For this week’s writing task we would like you to use a story mountain to plan your own traditional tale. You must include an introduction, a build up to the problem, a dilemma, a resolution and an ending.
You can be as creative as you want and come up with your own take on a traditional tale by mag-pieing ideas, or you can completely make up your own story that has similar conventions and themes that a traditional tale holds (Good vs Evil, damsel in distress, hero and villains).
Writing recipe check list:
o Completed a story mountain plan.
o Have you used a common theme and convention from a traditional tale?
o Have you made your story exciting by using dramatic language?
o Have you included the 5w’s? Who what when where why?
Challenge: Think of creative ways on presenting your story. You could make your own book, paint and draw illustrations, act it out with family members, retell using puppets.
Spellings:
This week we would like you to revise the Y3/4 spellings:
Accident, accidentally, address, accurate, apparently
Choose x3 your own spelling strategies. These strategies include graffiti wall, spelling staircase, spirals, block letters, spelling scribbles, draw the word, silly sentences, rainbow writing, mirror writing.
Please note: for those working on Y2 common exception words, we would like you to revise these words
Because, could, should, beautiful, busy, pretty
Maths: Comparing measurements –
Following on from last terms learning on multiplying and dividing, use these skills to help you convert measurements.
First maths task: Complete the bar model
Looking at this bar model, how could you divide the grams? Think about dividing by 10, 100.
Ask children what do we also know 1000g is called? 1 kilogram.
What happens if I have 1100g – how much is this?
Challenge children to count in tenths 1.1kg for example 1 tenth of a kilogram is 100g
Can you complete this table-
0.1kg = 100g = 1/10 of 1kg
0.2kg = =
0.3kg
0.4kg
0.5kg
0.6kg
0.7kg
0.8kg
0.9kg
1kg
1.1kg
Now you can convert kg into grams, fill out this bar model.
Challenge:
Topic: History/DT
The Viking Invasion!
Last term we delved deep into the settlers, raiders and invaders of Britain back in 793AD-1066AD, but also better know as the Vicious Vikings! They used their fearsome reputation and appearance to intimidate and strike terror into the hearts of their enemies (or anyone that stood in their way!). The Viking shield is a notorious piece of Viking armour, which were not only the primary weapon and defence of the Viking, but were also notable for the striking designs and emblems. Shields had a central metal ‘boss’ and were rimmed with hide or leather to stop the shield splitting.
For this week’s topic task, we would like you to design and possibly create a fierce and intimidating Viking Shield. But first, you need to research different Viking shields to see what type of designs and colours they would use.
You could make your shield simply from paper and card, or if you want to be more ambitious and treat this as a mini project, you could use paper mache or even wood (if you have help from a grown up).
Science:
As it is now officially the summer term, at school we would have started our Sound unit in science. So the year 4 team have come up with some easy and exciting experiments to help you learn all about Sound.
Can you create your own xylophone at home?
All you need is…
– 4 + glasses or jars
– water
– a pencil/stick/spoon
– food colouring (this is optional)
What you need to do:
1. Fill each glass with a different amount of water.
2. Add a drop of food colouring to each jar.
3. Using your pencil, firmly tap the side of each glass.
4. Can you use your glasses to play a tune?
Record your observations-
– Are all the sounds the same?
– What do you notice happens to the water when the noise is made? Why might this be?
– Which glass produces the highest or lowest pitch? Why might this be?
– How could you alter the glasses to make an even higher or lower pitch?
History VE Day Home Learning – Friday 1st May 2020
KS2
Friday 8th May is VE day celebrations so please take part in this home learning to engage with what the soldiers may have felt at this time.
Activity 1
Watch this video to learn about what VE day celebration means:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/history-ks2-ve-day/z7xtmfr
Read the extracts VE DAY and Belsen, VE Day in Germany and VE Day, As Seen from a Field near Venice.
Then-
• Highlight in red the words and phrases that indicate happiness.
• Highlight in blue the words and phrases that indicate relief.
• Highlight in green the words and phrases that indicate sadness.
Activity 2
After reading the extracts and doing any other research using online resources about VE day, imagine you are soldiers being interviewed by the BBC news correspondent on VE Day. You need to portray how the soldiers felt about the end of the war and what they felt their role was in order to help prepare for peace. You will need to be reminded that they will need to consider the impact that fighting during the war would have had on these men.
If possible, record yourself speaking about your recount and email Mrs Conlon the video link to put it onto the school curriculum blog via her class email address:
starfishclass@stpeterswaterlooville.hants.sch.uk
If you would like to write a newspaper article instead of an interview then please do so and email me a photo of your work to add to the blog.
Have lots of fun learning all about this special celebration.
I am looking forward to seeing your great history learning.
Best regards
Mrs Conlon
(History lead teacher
Extracts
VE DAY and Belsen
On the night that most of the German Army capitulated we were playing in a theatre at Emsdetten. During the show some one came in at the back of the theatre and called out, ‘The War is over!’ With one accord, the whole audience rose to its feet and cheered madly, it was wonderful. I don’t know how we finished the show, we felt almost choked with emotion. I shall never forget hearing during the interval hundreds of happy voices singing,’Take me back to dear old Blighty’, it meant so much. Afterwards of course we heard that the war was not completely over, but I know that the whole company will always look on that day as being our Victory Day.
VE Day in Germany
It was the evening of the 8th May 1945. The cessation of hostilities was due to come into force at 00.01 hours the following day (in effect from midnight that very night). All the airmen, who were off duty, assembled outside the Hitler Youth hostel. Here we built a huge bonfire and we sat around drinking beer. The on-duty wireless operator sat just outside the W/T truck in an armchair, which had been ‘organized’ from the Gasthaus. With a Sten gun at his side he was doubling up as a picket as well as maintaining a radio watch. A few minutes before the very moment of the cease-fire, the festive atmosphere was shattered by a burst of gunfire. What appeared to be a hostile attack caused us to scatter and dash for cover in the hostel. Airmen appeared at the doors and windows armed with their personal weapons at the ready.
VE Day, As Seen from a Field near Venice
There we were, in this field in the middle of nowhere, when someone on another tank called out ‘They’re going mad back home, get the BBC on your set or you’ll miss all the fun.’ I tuned in my 19 set to the Home Forces station and for the benefit of those outside the tank, hung all the earphones over the side of the hull. The crackle of the headphones soon drew a small crowd around the tank and we all listened in amazement to an unknown announcer describing the scene in Trafalgar Square. I remember quite clearly that my emotions at the time were mixed. On the one hand it was good to feel that perhaps some of my loved ones back home were taking part in the scenes that were now taking place, on the other hand I, and in hindsight, I’m sure most of my comrades, felt somehow cheated that we, who had ‘risked life and limb’ and had been away from home for so many years, were not there in England to share in the triumph.
Art Challenge Celebrations for VE Day
Portsmouth Naval Base is looking to mark the occasion of VE day and need YOUR HELP! They have asked for you to draw pictures on the subject
of WW2 & VE DAY and as an extra challenge try to incorporate a rainbow somewhere in the picture (even in the corner). The pictures will be
displayed within the Naval Base and once the day is over they hope to make contact with local nursing homes to distribute the pictures to help
cheer our elderly community. If you would like your work sent to the Naval base you will have to email it to me by Monday evening. However, all
work sent to me, even after Monday, will still be displayed, as usual, on the Art Blog.
In addition to the drawings for the Naval Base, I would appreciated any art and craft linked to this important historic occasion , such as
bunting, chalk drawings, figures of soldiers, planes or medals. I know, as always, you will blow me away with your imaginative ideas and creativity.
Music:
Florence B. Price
Go to the website below and watch Naomi Wilkinson’s video
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/ten-pieces/classical-music-florence-price-symphony-no1/z48rscw
 |
www.bbc.co.uk
Florence Price’s mother was a music teacher and encouraged young Florence to learn the piano. After attending the New England Conservatory of Music, one of the few institutions at the time to …
|
|
Why is Florence B Price considered to be a musical trailblazer?
Watch the video again and practise the Hand Bone Dance with one, then 2 hands.
Now watch the 2nd video. Can you perform the Hand Bone Dance in time to the music?
Stem
Other things to try – gently lay plain white paper on the surface and make a print of your colour swirls.
Other things to try – the shaving foam and sprinkles experiment. Squirt shaving foam onto a tray. Add coloured sprinkles over the top and watch how the colours mix as the sprinkles dissolve into the foam.
Further science experiments found at www.sciencemuseum.org.uk
Have fun!!