Welcome to Term 3
Welcome back to Term 3! We hope everyone had a relaxing and joyful Christmas break. We’ve already had a very busy start to the term, with lots of new and exciting learning taking place here in Primary 5/4. The pupils have returned with wonderful energy and enthusiasm, and we’re looking forward to a fantastic term ahead filled with growth, discovery and fun.
Our learning so far
Literacy
Our literacy focus this term has been Poetry, where the children have explored a wide range of poems and developed their skills in studying and analysing different rhyming schemes, stanzas, rhythm and the poet’s careful choice of words. They have enjoyed discussing what poets are trying to portray and the messages within each poem. Using these newly learned skills, the children have also written their own poems, showing great creativity and confidence. Most recently, we have been exploring poems written in Scots language, linking this learning to our mini topic on ‘Scotland’, which the children have found both engaging and exciting.
Numeracy and Maths
In maths this term, Primary 5/4 have continued with multiplication and division from Term 2, as there were many important aspects to explore in depth. The children have now completed this topic and are much more confident using the standard written methods for both multiplication and division, as well as more active strategies such as grouping, arrays, repeated addition and repeated subtraction. It was valuable to give the children time to explore these different approaches and discover which methods supported their learning best. We are now about to begin our new topic ‘Money’, where we will use a range of popular websites to explore making different amounts from set goods, budgeting and profit and loss. We are really excited about this active and fun approach to learning.
Learning across the curriculum
In PE, the children’s current topic is ‘Racquets’, where they are learning skills related to badminton and tennis. They will take part in a variety of drills designed to develop control, agility, different shots and an understanding of the general rules of each sport. The children have begun with badminton and I have been very pleased with their enthusiasm and keen attitude towards learning. They are engaging well with the activities and are clearly enjoying this topic so far.
We have linked our mini topic on ‘Scotland’ with our Science learning on living things and food chains by focusing on Scottish wildlife and the food chains found within our own country. Through this learning, the children have greatly developed their digital skills by creating an infographic on PowerPoint about a Scottish animal of their choice. They have also used Scratch Junior on the iPads to complete a coding activity linked to food chains. Whilst finishing off our previous Science topic on ‘Electricity’, the children explored a programme called ‘PHET’ on the iPads, where they created their own electrical circuits. During this topic, they thoroughly enjoyed working in groups to carry out practical investigations involving circuits, making predictions, changing variables and creating hypotheses.
The children also enjoyed a taster session in Tae Kwon Do, where they were introduced to some of the basic skills and principles of the sport. During the session, they learned simple stances, blocks and kicks, as well as the importance of balance, co-ordination, self-control and respect. The children participated enthusiastically and showed great focus while trying out new movements, making it a fun and engaging experience for everyone involved.
Overall, we have had a very positive and successful start to Term 3, with the children showing great enthusiasm and commitment across all areas of learning. There are many exciting events still to come, including the Primary 4 pupils preparing for their First Holy Communion and our much-anticipated school summer show ‘Shrek’. The children have now been assigned their parts and work is already well underway as they practise their lines and learn the choreography.
