Year 2 and Year 5 had their first ‘Buddy Reading’ session this week. The Year 5 children listened to the Year 2 children read their books and then made comments in their reading records. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children to share their enthusiasm and thoughts on their reading books.

Year 5 have started a brand new unit of English work. Over the next two weeks, we will be creating a speech which we hope will persuade the Anglo-Saxons to join King Alfred the Great in wonderful Wessex. We started the unit by improving some boring sentences by including alliterative adjectives, a rhetorical question, emotive language, the rule of three and statistics. After much discussion, ‘Eat these doughnuts’ became …’Are you feeling hungry? Will you ever forgive yourself if you miss the opportunity to taste these delicious doughnuts, these super sweet treats, these sugary rings of joy? 99% of customers would recommend today.’ We then tried to write sentences independently. Have we used strong language? Have we persuaded you to do or believe in something?

Taking on the role of scientists, Year 5 investigated the effects of water resistance. Using three playdough shapes – a cube, a sphere and a cone, we first predicted which would fall the fastest and the slowest to the bottom of a measuring cylinder filled with 500ml of water. We discussed and shared our ideas, predicting that the cone would fall the fastest as it was the most streamlined shape and had a pointed end to cut through the water. After our investigation, we found out that the cone actually fell the slowest! We believed though that this was because the cone flipped and fell to the bottom of the cylinder sideways, creating more resistance. If we could have made the cone fall with the point, pointing to the bottom of the cylinder at all times, we think we may have had different results!

Year 5 were fantastic ambassadors for Queen Emma when visiting West Stow Country Park near Bury St Edmunds. Taking on the role of historians for the day, we looked, listened and asked questions to find out more about life in Anglo-Saxon times. During the morning, Year 5 visited the reconstructed Anglo-Saxon village, taking in the sights of the great hall, the farmers house, the weaving house and workshop. In the afternoon, we headed to the museum to find out fascinating facts. We dressed as Anglo-Saxons and saw items such as bone antler combs, keys, beads, jewellery and knives – they all told us so much about everyday life in an Anglo-Saxon village.  

As part of our learning about forces, Year 5 investigated air resistance by making and testing parachutes. Working in pairs, we made three parachutes, changing one variable each time. We could change the size or shape of the parachute, the height of the drop or the object attached to the parachute. We then predicted which parachute would create the most air resistance and which would fall the slowest. Come and ask us if our predictions were correct!

Year 5 are loving their French lessons this term. We have learnt how to say the names of 8 pet animals and know how to say ‘I have a cat’ or ‘I have a dog’ etc in French. Miss Stubbs is very proud to say, ‘J’ai un chien,’ whilst Mrs Holman is super proud to say, ‘J’ai un chat.’ ‘As-tu un animal?’ ask Year 5.

Giraffe Class enjoyed their very first visit from ‘Ozzy’ our school mentor dog this week. We made sure our classroom was Ozzy ready and remembered to follow our Ozzy rules. Ozzy was very well behaved and felt so comfortable that he joined in our lesson and lay down on the floor!

 

Year 5 continued their work as ‘Island Invaders’ by taking on the role of the Anglo-Saxons arriving in Britain. Where would they settle? What would their new villages and homes need? Thinking carefully about how they would survive against starvation, thirst and the threat of attack, Year 5 designed their own Anglo-Saxon settlements. Remembering that there was no access to the internet for supermarket shopping in Anglo-Saxon times, Year 5 had to remember that the settlement had to produce everything that they would need to thrive and survive!

Year 5 are very proud of their recent art work. After studying their facial features in a mirror, they sketched and coloured half of their face. They then filled the other half of their face with pictures of objects, images and logos that represented them. Pictures of pets, hobbies, talents and skills, favourite food and bands, holiday locations and animals were all incorporated into their work. The amazing finished creations are now on display in the corridor outside the Year 5 classrooms. We are very proud of our work and hope you enjoy them as much as us!

Year 5 have become ‘Island Invaders!’ Delving into the time of the Anglo-Saxons, Year 5 have already investigated when and where the Anglo-Saxons came from and discovered the push and pull factors that supported their move across the North Sea to England. Next, we will be finding out about Anglo-Saxon settlements and designing our own Anglo-Saxon village.