In our penalutimate week, we are being to round off and reflecting on our learning for this shorter half term.

In English, we having completed the planning of narrative writing inspired by the the short film, ‘Ruin’, reading to write next week.

Maths saw the children continuing to refresh, repeat and apply their calculation and problem solving strategies in addition and subtraction before they move onto problem solving investigations next week.

In Science, we having been looking at substances and whether they form a reversible or irreversible state.

RE saw us round off our Lent unit before Holy Week next week. The children reflected on and illustrated their own path of repentance so that they may live a fufilling life. Also, as part of Diversity Week, we looked at Sikhism through Sikh stories and compared how the values of a different faith reflect in our own Christian faith.

On Tuesday in collective worship we honoured the National Day of Reflection in our classes where the children wrote prayers for the families that have been affected by loss during the last year. We hope as a nation and a community that we can begin to heal from this period of uncertainty and loss and move forward into a sunnier and more hopeful time ahead.

### Reminders for next week

PE day is on Monday 29th March. Please remember the children need to wear the correct PE kit.

Homework has been set online on Sumdog and wocabulary and spelling homework in the red homework book. Please return the red book by Thursday 1st April.

The final day of the Spring Term for the children in school will be on Thursday 1st April next week.

We hope you all have a lovely weekend and hope we can all enjoy some spring sunshine.

The Year 5 Team

 We looked at Waterlooville and Chihuahua in atlases and drew them out, noting any predominant features.

Using Google maps, we also wrote the similarities and differences between our contrasting localities.

Finally, after completing research, we produced class non-chronological reports about different geographical aspects of Waterlooville and Chihuahua.

This week we’ve been around the world, debated important issues, had a taster of Victorian punishments and been scientists in the making.

During our R.E. session we had a class debate based on the question: ‘Should everyone be forgiven?’ There were some very mature debating skills used, with children listening carefully to points made and the reasoning behind them. In some cases, people even changed their minds based on the arguments put forth.

On Wednesday afternoon we became scientists, investigating how materials change state and whether the changes were reversible or irreversible.

Thursday saw the last of our Crime and Punishment lessons, where we learnt about the punishments Victorians used in prisons. We tried our hand at ‘picking oakum’, walking on ‘the treadwheel’ and completing the ‘shot drill’.

Today we’ve had our Geography Deep Learning Day – we have been comparing and contrasting our home town of Waterlooville with the Chihuahuan Desert in Mexico. We have worked in teams to produce a report focusing on climate, human and physical geography, wildlife and topography. Photos of our work will follow.

**Reminders:

• P.E. will be on Wednesday (24th March) next week – please read the letter about P.E. kit that has been sent from the office.

• Homework has been sent out. Both the red homework book and the yellow book review need to be handed in by Thursday 25th March.

• Next week is the last week of completing the Lenten tickets. Remember to bring them in to school, if you haven’t already.

Enjoy your weekend,

The Year 5 Team

It was lovely to see the return of nearly all the children on Monday morning – so many of them have got noticeably taller and most had longer hair than before they left! It’s been a full week of learning – we’re recapping formal methods for solving addition and subtraction calculations in Maths; we’ve re-started our English unit based on the Ruin short animation film and they are studying the Boy in the Tower by Polly Ho-Yen for Guided Reading.

We’ve had a circle time for PSHE followed by a game that involved the whole of Year 5, to re-settle the children on Monday. There’s been awe and wonder at Skittles losing their food colouring (rainbows galore) in Science along with a discussion about the solubility of other materials in water; PE; a start to learning Spanish and, in RE,  ordering some of the qualities in St Paul’s letters based on their opinion.

All in all, a busy week. I think there will be some very tired children this evening!

**Reminders:

The children will need to wear their P.E. kits on Monday 15th March as we will be Week 2.

Homework books have been sent home, with tasks glued in. There is vocabulary work to research, spellings to practise and Sumdog activities to complete. This is due in on Thursday 18th March.

A book review was also set for homework but this is due by Thursday 25th March.

Hoping the rain holds off and that you all have a relaxing weekend,

The Year 5 Team

So we come to the end of our lockdown learning and would like to say a huge thank you to the children who have engaged and focused so well on maintaining a learning routine at home and for parents/carers who have supported this extended time of remote learning. Your commitment will ensure that the transition back to classroom learning next week will be easier for the children.

We have been so impressed by the quality of work that has been submitted as well as the creativity, resilience and independence of the children. We hope that this will be the final lockdown for schools.

This week saw us celebrating World Book Day from home. Miss Stapley could not resist dressing up for her video calls and was joined on Teams by Cian dressed as a viking warrior and Emelia who was inspired by our Macbeth English unit to dress as one of the witches.

Please see below a selection of fantastic work that we have received this week – Lent reflections in RE, looking at the water cycle in PDL and considering how to save water, creating sundials in science to tell the time and raining city landscapes in art as well as continuing to complete creating topic projects for Space :

Other reminders:

Bedtime stories are still being uploaded daily to the School blog for the children to view each night. Go and check them out!

Return to school notices:

• School drop off remains the same from Monday 8th March to the North playground for KS2 (8.30-8.50am).
• Please pack water bottles for the children’s return and warm clothes as we will continue to ventilate the classrooms.
• All work books/folders that the children have been working in at home will need to come into school the first week back.
• If your child has a copy of ‘The Boy in the Tower’ at home, this will need to be returned on Monday for our guided reading sessions.
• Any outstanding library books should be returned for Y5 library sessions on Thursdays.
• PE next week is Wednesday 10th March so the children can come to school in their PE kit.

Many thanks again for your continuing support through these different times and we look forward to seeing the children on Monday morning.

Have a great weekend.

Year 5 Team.