All posts by Miss Sherlow

Novel Natters with Nana and Papa

Last week Primary 4 and 5 started George’s Marvellous Medicine, their new IDL context for learning. As this will have reading as a key curricular focus, and the story follows the characters of George and his Grandma, we would like to invite our Grandmas, Grandpas and other relatives of the older generations to join us in a ‘Novel Natters’ session on Monday 21st November at 2pm. This will be a lovely opportunity for the children to read pieces of their own work to their Grandparents…we just hope that you are all a lot nicer and friendlier than George’s Grandma!

We look forward to nattering to you then.

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Read All About It!

Learning Intention: We are learning to skim and scan for information.

P5B have been using the First News newspaper to develop our reading skills this week. We learned about the skills of skimming for gist and scanning for specific information, then applied these skills when taking part in a news quiz. We were read a set of questions related to articles in this week’s First News edition and had to skim and scan to locate the answer as quickly as possible. We have also been learning how to ask and answer a range of questions about a text through our new IDL context, George’s Marvellous Medicine.

 

Celebration Assembly- Term 1

On Friday, we had our first Celebration Assembly of this session. Each class teacher nominated two people in their class to receive a Remarkable Reader award and a STEM Superstar award and their parents were invited along to the assembly.

We presented top scorer awards and celebrated the fact that Linhouse were our winning house last term.  Some of our pupils have also achieved their bronze and silver awards for their iAchieve level which tracks achievement inside and outside of school.

Well done to everyone who received an award!

 

Tabletastic in P5B

We are learning to recall our times tables quickly and accurately. 

  • I can recite and recall the multiples and table facts of all tables
  • I can use a range of strategies to help me work out a fact if I cannot instantly remember it

This term, Primary 5B have been recapping our times tables facts. We have explored a variety of key vocabulary linked to multiplication including groups of, lots of, times and multiplied by. We have used our bodies to create human arrays and groups to represent a range of multiplication facts.

We also create arrays using materials we found outside, as well as using chalk to create different pictorial and numerical representations of our table facts. We have been practicing our times tables through our Maths Facts of the Day.

Stations:

Teaching station- We have been learning about the links between different tables e.g. the 4 times table is just double the 2 times table, and that 6 x 4 is the same as 4 x 6. We have also been exploring the link between multiplication and division.

ICT station- Sumdog Multiplication Challenge

Game group- playing Multiplication Bingo and a variety of games to develop our quick recall.

Supporting at home:

Security in the recall of multiplication and division facts is vital for future learning in maths. Here are a few ways you can support your child’s recall of the table facts at home:

Tables puzzle– Ask your child to write out one of the times-tables in order, without the answers, and then cut out each question to create a puzzle. On the back of each question, e.g. 4 × 8, they write the answer, e.g. 32. You can then use the puzzle cards to test their knowledge of the answers to table facts or of the question that produces a particular answer.

Quick Fire Questions- At any spare moment throughout the day, ask your child a mixture of times tables questions with a focus on the times tables that they do not feel confident with.

Sumdog– an additional challenge named ‘TIMES TABLES CHALLENGE’ has been added that specifically focuses on table facts. 15 minutes on Sumdog every day would be an excellent and fun way to learn times tables.

Group 5: Fun at Dalguise

Group 5 had a fantastic time at Dalguise this week. Throughout all of the activities that we took part in, every member of the group showed a ‘have a go’ attitude and dared to try things that they’d never tried before. Everyone demonstrated our school values throughout the trip, particularly being enthusiastic, successful and inclusive by cheering each other on, being supportive when people were feeling a little unsure and by having lots of fun and smiling.

 

 

Money Week in Primary 5

Learning intention:
We are learning how to solve money problems
We are learning how to record our working accurately

To mark West Lothian’s money week, P5A and P5B took part in a bug related money challenge. We had to help Bluey the Bug to find his way through a money maze so that he got the highest amount of money possible.

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We were given a few hints and tips along the way, and had to record our route and the money Bluey had gained/lost accurately as we progressed through the maze. We had fun exploring the maze, and were challenged when having to calculate the different amounts and add or subtract this from our total.


Across the two classes, the highest amount we managed to get Bluey was £680. Can you find a way help him to get a higher amount?

Buddying up for Purple Mash

As P1-P7 have access to Purple Mash to support their learning, P5B buddied up with P2/1 today to show them how to use this fantastic resource. The Primary 5s showed their buddy how to login, how to play some of the games, how to access the different tools and how to watch videos linked to the games they were playing.

Purple Mash will be used to support learning in school, but can also be accessed at home where the children can complete activities set by their class teacher or just explore the games and tools themselves. They can access this account at home by using the log in provided in their homework diary/book.

To access Purple Mash, go to:
https://www.purplemash.com/sch/midcalder-EH53