Notes, Changes and Updates (Homework Tasks at Bottom of Page)

Friday 12th January

Please note that for the time being spelling tests will be moved to Wednesdays. Words will still come home on Fridays. This is due to slight changes in the timetable.

Friday 1st December

The groups who wish to perform their dances (from a previous optional homework) may do so to the class on Thursday 7th December. We should be able to get access to the hall and stage by then.

Monday 20th November - no new spellings until Friday 24th November.

We will use this week to 'reset' the timings for spelling tests. Spellings will come home on Friday 24th November (these have been uploaded) for a test on Friday 1st December. There is still IXL homework for this week, which always runs Friday to Friday. 

Monday 13th November

The delayed spelling test will have taken place today. For the time being, we will stick with spellings being set on the Monday to be tested the next Monday. I will probably change this back to Friday until Friday in the near future, but always intend including a weekend to give children and families flexibility with homework. The IXL maths remains Friday to Friday as this is ongoing work.

Monday 6th November

My apologies but the spellings and homework set on Friday 3rd November were not uploaded until Monday 6th. Children were aware of the IXL and reading expectations, as these have not changed, but they will not have been able to practice spellings.

The test will therefore be moved to Monday 13th November.  Thank you.

Optional Additional Homework

Friday 12th January - Engineering

Explore how things work, how they are put together, how they provide solutions to problems. Consider large structures and objects- such as vehicles, roads, railways, bridges and buildings - or smaller objects that you might find around the home - such as toys, tools, pencils and pens and gadgets. How do they work? What do they do? How do you think they were designed, planned and made?

This can be especially interesting with things we use all the time but might not think all that much about. For example, how was the road past the school made? It wasn't always there. How are pencils actually made? 

So long as you are exploring and learning about engineering, you will be doing the optional homework. If you want to show what you have been doing, you could write and draw about it - posters can be displayed in the class. Alternatively you could take a few minutes to teach the class what you have learned. You might even make models or prototypes of objects (but don't feel you have to).

Friday 1st December - Art

Create a decoration for the classroom. If you choose to do this, it will need to be something that can be hung from a wire/string/line around the outside of the classroom or overhead. It should therefore not be too big or too heavy. 

Friday 24th November - Music

Perform a piece of music to the class. This could be on an instrument, provided you practise and prepare. If it is an instrument easily available to the school, you may use that. You may bring an instrument in if you have permission from home. You do not need to be skilled on the instrument. It doesn't matter how good or bad you feel you are at playing, so long as you have practised and prepared (and not just made it up on the spot!) 

This could also be singing. You could sing with no accompaniment or with a backing track (same rules as for the Dance regarding appropriate songs).

This can be done on your own or with others.

Monday 13th November - Dance

We have three groups, including several children, planning to do this. We will find an opportunity to use the stage to perform to the class.

I hope we have some takers for this. I have been delighted to hear three poems written and performed for the class. For this piece of optional homework, choreograph your own dance to perform. The dance should express an idea. It could represent something taking place during this season - changes in Autumn, Remembrance, Bonfire Night etc. - or it could represent a message you want to communicate to others. The dance may be to music. If so, to perform it in class, it will need to be a piece of music available on Spotify with appropriate lyrics. You can check with me what would be appropriate and it is usually possible to find instrumental versions of famous songs.

Friday 10th November - Performance Poetry

A poem for performing. This could be an existing poem that you would like to read (or memorise and recite) out loud for the class to hear. Alternatively, it could be a poem of your own. Poems are meant to be spoken out loud. If you wish to write one, you may present it on paper as well.

Friday 20th October - Seasonal Event-Related Work

A piece of work, of your choice, inspired by Hallowe'en, Samhain, All Saints Day, All Souls Day or Bonfire Night, that shows some of the history of these events. You might choose to create a piece of art, a poem, a PowerPoint presentation, a piece of writing or even some drama or some stop-motion animation if you have the facilities to do so. Creative ideas welcome.

Friday 13th October 2023 - Art

A piece of 2D artwork, suitable to display on the wall in the class, inspired by the season ('Autumn' and/or 'Harvest'). The work should be no larger than A3. Any medium may be used.