This week has been an absolute blast in P6b!

In our maths, this week, we continued our work on perimeter, which also included identifying and naming advanced 2d shapes. We enjoyed using different strategies to add together the different lengths of shapes before uncovering the perimeter, finding the column addition method most appropriate to adding lengths containing decimal points. We ended the week by looking at measurement, using rulers correctly to measure straight lines and, then, to draw out shapes using a ruler before uncovering the perimeter of said shape.

In our writing we continued with our information texts on the Solar System with a big focus on handwriting skills and technique. We also looked at using commas correctly by working on our use of subordinate and embedded clauses. Many of the texts are now ready for display and will be put out imminently for all to see and marvel at.

In reading we finished our most recent class novel and elected our new class story, The Christmasaurus. We have continued our class reading of our novels by reading in class in our groups and also by sharing our thoughts on our books with an adult. We ended the week by reading a comprehension text and, then, working in groups to help answer specific questions on said text. We started by working as a whole class before working in groups and, then, independently.

We finished the week, on Friday, by reviewing why we remember people who sacrificed their lives for our country. We observed the two minutes silence and discussed the importance of war memory, so as to learn from the horrors and, indeed, the mistakes of the past.

Next week we will be continuing our work on measurement before looking again at perimeter by measuring the sides of shapes and, then, calculating the perimeter. We will, additionally, move into our next text in our writing by looking at a diary entry from the perspective of astronaut, Neil Armstrong, this will also be used to assist us with our year group assembly in December.

Remember that on Monday we are wearing odd socks in order to raise awareness of anti-bullying.

Thanks for a super week, P6b!

1, 2, 3…BLAST OFF!

Space is the theme for P6b this term and, oh my, are we entertaining the topic with gusto and enthusiasm. We’ve spent the week with a focus on enriching our understanding of planets, planetary bodies and moons. We’ve observed why smaller objects orbit larger objects and how long certain objects take to orbit other objects. We’ve focused on our own Solar System and found it interesting to note that at times the Sun is not actually the centre of our Solar System due to the large mass and gravitational pull of all the planets but, particularly, Jupiter. This also assisted us with our understanding of Pluto and why it is no longer considered a planet.

We’ve been using our new knowledge of the planets of the Solar System to help us prepare to write an information text. We began the week looking at a Solar System information text containing all of the elements one would expect to find in an information text and we will use our knowledge of the layout to help us understand how to write one effectively and independently. We have now finished our plans and will begin writing draft copies of our text next week.

With our reading, we’ve been continuing with our reading in class and in the school library. Each pupil has been given their new reading book as part of their homework for the present term. Furthermore, we are ploughing on with, and greatly enjoying, our class novel: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days.

In our maths learning we’ve been working on angles. We started the week by constructing angle makers to help us see a right angle and how it can be rotated and remain a right angle, this helped us use this knowledge to assist us with our understanding of what an acute and obtuse angle is. We then began looking at how to use a protractor, ensuring that the centrepoint is placed at the specific point where a pair of perpendicular lines intersects. Furthermore, we’ve been working on our verbal reasoning through challenge by using our mathematical vocabulary to explain how we know something, for example: how we know an angle is acute and not obtuse.

Next week we will begin to write our draft information texts on the Solar System and will be continuing to work on our understanding of angles in maths before moving on to perimeter, our next topic.

It’s been another great week of learning in P6b!

In our writing, this week, we used the teacher’s model text of a blog report on rainforest tribes to help us plan our own version on the same topic. We completed this activity in groups and finished the week by beginning to write out our reports properly using netbooks. Everyone is enjoying taking turns to use the computer and contribute to the development of their group’s blog article.

We’ve been continuing with our reading sessions as part of our literacy circles activities. In addition to this, we’ve also been completing independent reading and taking it in turns to read with adults within the classroom. In the middle of the week, we demonstrated democratic values by electing our new class novel. Winning by a wide margin, we are now reading ‘Dog Days’ part of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series.

Spelling has been an additional focus this week and we’ve been working on practicing our set sounds, as part of our homework, in school. We’ve been using our peer group to support and have had lots of fun with testing each other’s knowledge of our current week’s sound.

In our maths learning, we finished our work on decimals but are now building on this previous learning to help us with our new topic; percentages. We have been looking at converting percentages into fractions and decimals. Later in the week, we also began looking at percentages of a quantity but will continue this into next week.

I look forward to seeing many of you for parents’ evening, it will be great to share the many successes your children have made this year. In addition, please note, the harvest church service is now on Thursday, parents are very welcome to attend.

Have a lovely weekend!

It’s been a fun and interactive short week on our return to school in P6b!

This week, in our maths, we have been looking at decimals. We have used our prior knowledge of place value to help with this and have enjoyed using place value charts to help us locate, plot and identify place value digits. We have looked at values up to the thousandths. It was really interesting to note that this means something is one thousand times smaller than a one which we found out upon realising that moving up a place value means something is 10x bigger and, conversely, moving down one means something is 10x smaller.

In our writing we finished our newspaper reports after responding to our marking, this involved lots of dictionary work to help us with our spelling. The newspaper reports have been written out good and they look absolutely fantastic! The newspaper reports contain a: newspaper name, price, date, heading, picture, caption, paragraphs, columns and a reporter.

We have also been continuing with our reading in class. The children really enjoyed having some quiet time to sit and enjoy the books we are each reading. In addition, we brought the school library to our classroom this week with the welcome addition of a few extra books from downstairs so that we can all read for pleasure. We have all been gripped by our continuing class novel, Roald Dahl’s ‘Danny, the Champion of the World’, as we near the thrilling conclusion.

Lastly, we have been continuing with our French work and have now moved into the numbers 20-50. The children are really enjoying the songs and games which we use to help make our French learning lots of fun!

Next week we will be continuing to look at decimals in maths and we will move into learning about the tribal peoples of the rainforest as part of our topic and literacy work.

Have a lovely weekend!

It’s been a week of fun and challenge in P6b for Maths Week!

We’ve been looking at fractions in our mathematics learning with a particular focus on being able to find equivalence and simplification. In addition to this, we’ve been working on finding fractions of a quantity with a numerator greater than one.

Towards the end of the week, Mark from the bank came in to help the children with an exciting money-based learning activity. The children were divided into groups of four and were tasked with preparing, planning and financing a birthday party before presenting their unique and original ideas to the rest of the class. We thoroughly enjoyed this activity and Mark was really impressed with the questions the children posed to him, demonstrating a clear interest and enjoyment in the subject at hand.

In our literacy, this week, we have been continuing our learning with the rainforest. We finished our plans for our newspapers and are now in the process of writing out drafts and/or responding to marking. The newspapers are really taking shape, looking really impressive, and we hope to be writing them out good next week.

Over the course of the week, in P6b, we have been continuing our French learning. We are continuing to look at: the days of the week, the months of the year, colours and numbers. The children are really enjoying the songs and games we have been looking at within language lessons.

Before I sign off this week’s blog, I just want to say a massive thank you to all of the parents and carers who were able to make it to our ‘Meet the Teacher’ event on Thursday evening. It was a pleasure meeting you all and hearing all of the lovely learning that your children are sharing with you at home!

Everyone in P6b has been working hard and taking pleasure from their learning; please enjoy the well deserved break during the long weekend. See you all on Wednesday 19^th!

Mr. Erskine

P6b have had a wonderful week continuing our rainforest and place value learning.

In our literacy we finished off our information texts and they look absolutely amazing! Please feel free to observe our display outside the P6 classrooms on Thursday (meet the teacher) showcasing our amazing learning!

Later in the week we began looking at a newspaper article highlighting the impending climate chaos being caused by deforestation. We are presently planning our own newspaper articles in preparation for writing one next week.

In maths we finished our work on place value and essential calculations. We looked at some challenging 2-digit by 2-digit calculations as well as beginning our next topic; fractions. The children were absolutely enthralled to see the different connections fractions can make. We were able to recognise equivalence between thirds, sixths, ninths and twelfths as well as halves, quarters, sixths, tenths and twelfths.

Throughout the week we have also had a big focus on French. This week we have been recapping some words we learnt previously: days of the week, months of the year and colours.

Last, but by no means least, a huge well done to everyone in class who put themselves forward to the elected position of Student Councillor. This caused huge, but most importantly respectful, excitement in P6b. Every child who put themselves forward prepared a speech and had to take a question from the floor. I was extremely proud of how supportive we all were to each other during what can be a nerve-wrecking experience. Nevertheless, a secret ballet followed our presentations and it gives me great pleasure to announce Ben Templeton as our Student Councillor for 2018/19. Well done!

Congratulations on another super week, P6b!

PS – Meet the teacher is on Thursday night, please come upstairs to the P6 classrooms.

P6b have been absolutely immersed in the rainforest this week!

We began by researching and investigating key facts about specific areas of the many rainforests around the world. From the monkeys on the tree tops to the tigers on the forest floor, we thoroughly investigated the forest with a fine tooth comb!

Once we investigated we were then able to begin planning to write an information text. We were careful to ensure that we considered whether our notes were thorough or concise and precise, making sure that each specific subject was headed by a punchy sub-heading whilst using a ruler to make it legible and neat.

Presently, most of us are in the process of responding to marking so as our work is presented to the best possible standard.

In maths, this week, we have been looking at the importance of place value and using this knowledge to help us with essential arithmetic operations. We have also been looking at 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication and the many strategies which can help us with this.

We were all very excited to be given our first reading books of the new academic year; these will continue to be given as part of our home learning this coming Wednesday.

As part of our home learning, the children have been tasked with exploring why they think they’d be suited to representing their class on student council. Canvassing will begin next week as will the election.

Key information:

1. Monday and Tuesday are PE days; please bring a relevant kit and shoes.
2. Home learning will be handed out on Wednesdays to be returned the following Monday

It’s been a lovely start to the year with P6b and the children are really enjoying their learning, well done on another super week!