Last week's attendance

So, just as a gentle reminder... Our target attendance is 96% minimum as a school. Each week we look at attendance and I can announce that last week, 6SB had an attendance figure ooooooof...

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96.9%

Congratulations 6SB- we are meeting our target!

But why stop there?

From this point on, we know we can do it so let's strive for 100% every week!

The Adventures of Odysseus...

Inspired by our new text: The Adventures of Odysseus, where we have already encountered a whole new world of gods, goddesses and mythical creatures, this week we also looked at the work of illustrator, Sara Fanelli.

Eye eye!

Her individual approach: using collage to create a whole host of creatures that are truly out of this world, enabled us to take a closer look at the Cyclops- a one-eyed, fearsome creature who is a son of Poseidon.

Our artwork will serve to inspire our writing in the coming week so check back to see some of the finished articles!


In the meantime, we hope you enjoy seeing what we created!

Thanks,


6SB










Carefully selecting the details for Cyclops...



Something's different but I can't quite put my finger on it...



Out of this World- Launch Day!

Hi all,


As I'm sure you are no doubt aware, last week we held our launch day for our new topic: Out of this World!


In Key Stage 2 (KS2) we travelled around the globe, stopping off at points along the way: Iceland, Brazil, Greece and the U.S.A.


We tried our hand at all sorts- from exploring and depicting the wildlife of the Amazon rainforest, to taking inspiration from the likes of Jackson Pollock with some explosive volcano art in Iceland, dancing and cheering our way through the U.S. of A and recreating mosaic tiles of the Ancient Greek alphabet. It was non-stop but we had a blast!


Here are a few highlights from the day:

Cheering in the USA

Explosive Icelandic Pollock Art!

Going wild in Brazil!

We look forward to updating you as we continue on our journey!


Miss Barrell

Spellings WC: 26.2.18

Hi all,

Here is your spelling focus for the week: we are concentrating on a very common letter string- ough.
Please ensure you learn these spellings thoroughly as you may be tested on any 10 of them as well as an additional 2 words from the core 5/6 spelling words.

In your homework books this week, please write sentences incorporating these spelling words so you are developing your understanding of how to use them in context,
e.g. In order to make bread, we need to make the dough.

See you Monday x

SPaG homework 23.2.18

Morning all,

Here is this week's SPaG homework- I have checked and double checked following my mix up over half term where I posted the same activity mat! 🙈

There is nothing in here that we haven't covered so you should be in a perfect position to revise these elements of spelling, punctuation and grammar.

If you are unsure, please come and see me (before Wednesday when homework is due) so I can support you.

Enjoy your weekend, 

Miss Barrell x

Maths homework 23.2.18

Apologies for the delay in uploading this- internet problems! But I'm back up and running!
This week we started exploring coordinates with a game of battleships inspired by the Greek navy so for homework I want you to build on that understanding ready to progress a little further next week.

See you next week,

Miss Barrell x

The Polar Collection: Coat Project

A huge well done to 6SB and all of team 5/6- I have been so proud of the enthusiasm and hard-work that has gone in to the designing, making and showcasing your coats. Here are a few 'sneak peaks' from behind the scenes, preparing for our showcase with images of the finished products to follow soon.

It came right down to the wire on the morning of the fashion show as we secured stitches etc. but it was worth it to see such a fabulous bunch strut their stuff down the Sutton Park catwalk!

What a fantastic way to end a hugely enjoyable 'Winter Wonderland' topic. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

Miss Barrell x

Half term homework...

Hi all,

Your homework for the week consists of the following:

• Maths- You have a reasoning paper to have a go at as well as this week's completed arithmetic paper to help you focus your revision and brush up on the areas of maths where you are missing out on marks.

• SPaG- The SPaG mat (below).

• Reading challenge- Read and summarise (in no more than 50 words) ANYTHING relating to our new topic focussing on the country of Greece... These will be going in your topic books.

Enjoy the break and I'll see you all soon!

Miss Barrell x

Happy half term!

Hi all,

Happy half term! As I am sure you will agree, this week has been jam-packed, with consultation evening, frantically working to complete our coat project, a fashion show and more, there's barely been time to breathe! But- you have worked incredibly hard over the past five weeks and have earned a break.

Please take the time to revise so your skills don't go stale:

• You have been given your arithmetic tests from the week to go over the questions you missed out on marks for- the aim is to get full marks in this paper to take the pressure off a little when it comes to reasoning.
• Read! I will check your reading logs on the first week back and there will be credit where it's due for all those of you who maintain your reading records... It doesn't have to be your school reading book every time- what else are you interested in? Perhaps there's something you want to find out even more about following on from our Winter Wonderland topic? Or maybe you want to read around our upcoming topic 'Out of this World' centring around the country of Greece...
• If there's anything you want, I will do my best to 'top up' the blog across the week whenever possible, so let me know what you want. You can connect with me by leaving a comment on blog posts or via Class Dojo.

Aside from that though, make sure you enjoy yourselves- spend time with family and friends, stay safe and have fun!

See you when we're back,

Miss Barrell x

Safer Internet Day 2018

Hi everyone,

As I am sure you are aware by now, this week was Safer Internet Day. Children throughout the school took part in activities to discuss how the internet can be used as a place to CREATE, CONNECT and SHARE RESPECT in a positive way rather than a tool for upset.

In year 6 we created a jigsaw to share our top tips for staying safe online- it's clear that over the years these important messages have being reinforced and deeply embedded as the whole class were  able to reel off a huge number of tips.

We would love it if you could join in with this theme by connecting with us in a positive way by leaving us a message to share your thoughts about our work. Feel free to share the images (below) far and wide to spread the word and encourage respect and a positive online presence.

Don't forget to tag and use the hashtags:
#SID2018   #ItStartsWithUs

Thanks for your continued support,


Miss Barrell and 6SB

Apostrophe or catastrophe?!

We have been looking at the use (and misuse) of the mighty apostrophe this week too...

We reminded ourselves about:

• apostrophes for possession- those that show something belongs to someone/something else, e.g. Miss Barrell's class

• apostrophes for omission- those where words have been joined together and letters missed out (contractions),                                                                                                                             e.g. I didn't realise there was a difference!

We also explored times when apostrophes can confuse us:

• When we say could've it sounds like 'could of'- we then sometimes write this despite it being grammatically incorrect. Of course we know it should be 'could have'!

• Its/ It's- this one stumps a lot of us! We went over the fact that unless your it means 'it is', it should NOT contain an apostrophe.

• Plurals- they don't need apostrophes! This is the most common error made with apostrophes... 

1. The bike's in the shed --> This is correct as the apostrophe marks a contracted form (bike is).
2. The bikes are in the shed --> This is correct as there is more than one bike; we don't need apostrophes for plurals.
3. The bike's are in the shed --> This is not correct as this would mean 'The bike is are in the shed'.

Commas to avoid ambiguity...

So this week we have had fun exploring the use of commas... Sound strange? Well maybe at first, but when you take a look at some of the sentences below and how the use (or lack) of a comma can cause chaos with your sentence meanings then I think you'll see why it got us chuckling...

• We  ate  chocolate  cake  and  raspberries.
• We  ate  chocolate  cake  and  raspberries.

• She  liked  Ben  who  played  drums  better  than  Jim.
• She  liked  Ben  who  played  drums  better  than  Jim.

• The  old  lady  collected  all  sorts  of  things:  silver  paper  hats  felt     flowers  and  buttons.
• The  old  lady  collected  all  sorts  of  things:  silver  paper  hats  felt  flowers  and  buttons.
• The  old  lady  collected  all  sorts  of  things:  silver  paper  hats  felt  flowers  and  buttons.
• The  old  lady  collected  all  sorts  of  things:  silver  paper  hats  felt  flowers  and  buttons.

•  Let’s  eat  Grandpa
• Let’s  eat  Grandpa

(I wonder what punctuation you would use after each version of the sentence above...)

• Stop  clubbing  baby  seals!
• Stop  clubbing  baby  seals!

Lastly, take a look at this outrageous article... I don't know what you think of Rachel Ray but I'm not a fan after reading this?!

If you find any articles where a comma could be put to good use or has already been used to avoid confusion then please bring them in to share! Perhaps you can think of some of your own...?!

Thanks,

Miss Barrell x

Reminder of standards..

Just a quick reminder about standards expected in homework books... 

1. Please complete all work in pencil.
2. Best handwriting.
3. For maths activities please use 1 digit per square.
4. Dates and titles should be recorded for each activity.
5. Rulers/ straight edges to be used for straight lines.
6. When work has been marked, please check back and respond to marking as necessary- make use of additional resources if you need to.
7. If you are struggling with something then please ask- this does not count as a reason not to complete tasks set.
8. Books should be handed in on a Wednesday.

Thank you for your continued support, 

Miss Barrell x

Verb forms revision

This week we have been getting stuck in to verb tenses in all their various forms...


We have explored:

• past
• present
• future

We have looked at the general spelling rules for simple regular verbs:

• looked
• looks
• will look

But we understand that some verbs are irregular so their spellings change rather than suffixes being added on when they are turned in to past tense:

• go --> went
• have --> had
• think --> thought
• throw --> threw
• is --> was

Some verbs come in continuous or progressive form- these indicate that something is still happening:

• was looking
• is laughing
• will be going

Finally we looked at perfect verb forms which are used when writing/talking about things that happened in the past.

Now we have looked back over our week of learning about verb forms and tenses, have a look at the activity below and let's see how you get on...

SPaG homework 2.2.18

Here is this week's SPaG homework.

As always, if you are unsure then you can:
a) click the links below to help you with the terminology;
b) check back to earlier blog posts with helpful content;
c) let me know and we can go over whatever necessary until you feel confident.

• Prepositions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=byszemY8Pl8 
• Fronted adverbials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiAzTmVQ5rk 
• Possessive pronouns: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euQWu0tQW14

Have a nice weekend,

Miss Barrell x

Spellings WC: 5th February 2018

Hi all,

It seems many of us found the 'i before e' rule rather tricky this week!

So, rather than ploughing on through the spellings without securing them, we are going to have a revision week next week.
Instead of learning a new set of words and exploring new patterns/ rules, you will be given a collection of words that you have not spelt correctly during spelling tests this half term. You will be tested on these words through next week from Tuesday onwards in the hope that you will be able to cross them off the list this time round.
When you get your words, please make sure you practise them- they will not learn themselves!

In the meantime, or for those of you who do not have many spellings to go over, I have chosen a selection of words from the 5/6 core list. I have selected these words as I feel they may come in useful for your work in English at the moment- re-writing 'The Ice Bear' from the perspective of either the mother bear or the raven.

Practise these words by using them in context- build them in to a sentence which you may then be able to include in your work! They won't necessarily all work in your piece but I'm sure you can include some.
If you are unsure of a word meaning, look up and record its definition from a dictionary.

For example:

Feeling mischievous, I swooped down and plucked the cub from the sanctuary of his mothers embrace.

See you Monday!

Miss Barrell x

Homework follow up... BODMAS

Hi all,

So last week's homework identified an area for development for a lot of us... BODMAS.

We covered this some weeks ago and definitely had it nailed but it seems we missed it when it was presented in a different way.

It's important you see maths as a whole topic and look for opportunities to use all the skills you have learnt, rather than seeing them in isolation. You can use fractions and decimals with BODMAS too, just as you can with addition or subtraction etc.

If you came unstuck with this, know you're not alone. But don't just ignore it... Act on it. To show you it's nothing new, have a look at the tutorial below going over BODMAS and have a go at the calculations that follow:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClYdw4d4OmA  

Maths homework 2.2.18

Hi all, 

Here is this week's maths homework.

There are a couple of tutorials linked below which you might find useful to revise if you get stuck at all and feel free to look back over the blog for any other maths topics you want/ need to revise. 

• Multiplying by 10, 100 and 1000:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1UANjRgRUU&ab_channel=safmaths

• Dividing by 10, 100 and 1000:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOczaHBpFEM&ab_channel=safmaths

Here are some resources that we have made use of during the week that might help too:

As always, if you want any help, please come to me. 

Enjoy the weekend and I'll see you Monday,

Miss Barrell x