Welcome to Elm Class
Welcome to Elm Class
Dear Parents, I trust that you had a restful break and are all ready for the new term to begin. Our topic this term is World War 2, which obviously has a history focus. We will be learning about the causes and chronology of the War, the effect it had on people’s everyday lives and looking at significant figures of the period. It will also influence most other areas of the curriculum, providing the inspiration for much of our English work and featuring in most of the creative subjects. For further information, please see the attached curriculum overview. We are continuing our focus on handwriting and spelling this term, in line with new government expectations. Pen licenses are still available to earn, and will be awarded when the children show a consistently high standard of legible, joined up handwriting and neat presentation within all subject areas. Regarding spelling, we will learn a spelling rule/pattern each week with the children bringing home a list of 10 words each Monday to learn, that they will be tested on each Friday. Homework expectations remain as follows: Subject English/Topic (Alternating between comprehension and homework grid tasks) Maths 1 page of mental arithmetic a week Blog To be used to reflect on the week’s learning. Spellings A list of 10 words following a taught pattern/rule. Reading own book Guided reading Additional topic homework This will not be set on a weekly basis, but as and when it is deemed beneficial for the children’s learning.
Day Set Thursday
Day Due Tuesday
Time to spend on it 30 mins minimum
Thursday
Tuesday
30 mins
Friday
Tuesday
15 – 20 mins
Monday
Friday
5 – 10 minutes per night
Daily Friday Stated when handed out
Daily Friday Stated when handed out
10 minutes + per night Stated when handed out Stated when handed out
1
The homework grid for term two (which the children will have a copy of in their home learning journals) is as follows: Make a collage or scrapbook of Second World War images and write captions to explain what is happening in each one. Consider how the people in the photographs may be feeling.
Conduct some research to find different wartime recipes, and then choose one to make. Take photographs of the experience and write captions to go with them.
Imagine you are a soldier fighting in a war. It could be ww2, or any other conflict. Write a letter home to your family. What would you say to them?
Create your own miniature air raid shelter! Research the different types and what they looked like, and then make your own model.
Imagine that WW3 has started. When are where did it start? How and why? Who is involved? Write a fictional newspaper report to give all the facts and details. Do you know anyone who was alive during ww2? If so, interview them about their experience. What happened to them in the War? Were they evacuated? Did they have a job? Were they a soldier? You could either write down your interview (questions and answers) in your book, or record it and bring in the sound/video file.
Imagine you are being evacuated. Write a poem that outlines your feelings and thoughts. Decorate the poem with illustrations. Find out what ‘make do and mend’ was all about. Then, put this into practice by making something new out of something old. Maybe you could revamp some of your old clothes to make new ones, or maybe you could ‘upcycle’ some unwanted household items to make them useful in a whole new way. Take photographs of this and bring in the finished product, if possible.
Find out about one of the countries involved in WW2. What is it like today? Use your research to create a nonchronological report all about it. Use subheadings such as: Where is it? What is the traditional food? Which famous sights or attractions are there? Don’t forget to include some fast facts, such as currency, languages spoken, population and the capital city. Include maps and images to go with your text.
Over the term, each child will complete 3 of the above tasks. They must complete one blue, one red and one green task. It doesn’t matter which order they are completed in. Homework remains a non-negotiable, essential part of your child’s schooling, particularly at the top end of the school. If it is not completed on time, or to a good enough standard, children will be kept in at lunchtime. However, if completing homework at home is problematic for any reason, I would urge you to allow your child to attend homework club on a Thursday, which provides a quiet space after school to complete homework in. The homework grid is also available on the Elm class page of the school website, should you need to access it at any point. This term, PE lessons will be held on Mondays, but I must emphasise that this can change so I would ask that PE kits are in school all week. All the children should now have a complete new school kit, including a pair of sensible white or black trainers and a spare pair of socks. Plain black trousers may be worn in winter. Children with earrings need to cover them with tape, or take them out. If your child does not have their kit, or an incomplete one, they may miss their PE session. Regarding the rest of the school uniform, may I take the opportunity to give a couple of reminders: boys should be wearing black or grey socks, not multi-coloured or patterned ones. Girls should be wearing black tights (not red, grey or any other colour) or white socks (not black ones, or any other colour) Also, all children need to wear the school jumper, not red alternatives. As always, temporary tattoos and nail varnish are not allowed at school and children with pierced ears should only wear simple stud earrings. Also, any children with long hair should have it tied back with simple, plain black or red ties.
2
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is anything at all you would like to talk about. I am always available at the end of the day once the children have been dismissed, and can be given messages via the Office in the mornings. I look forward to working with you and your children, through the term and year ahead. Kind Regards,
Colette Taylor-Hicks Elm Class teacher
3
Dear Parents, I trust that you had a restful break and are all ready for the new term to begin. Our topic this term is World War 2, which obviously has a history focus. We will be learning about the causes and chronology of the War, the effect it had on people’s everyday lives and looking at significant figures of the period. It will also influence most other areas of the curriculum, providing the inspiration for much of our English work and featuring in most of the creative subjects. For further information, please see the attached curriculum overview. We are continuing our focus on handwriting and spelling this term, in line with new government expectations. Pen licenses are still available to earn, and will be awarded when the children show a consistently high standard of legible, joined up handwriting and neat presentation within all subject areas. Regarding spelling, we will learn a spelling rule/pattern each week with the children bringing home a list of 10 words each Monday to learn, that they will be tested on each Friday. Homework expectations remain as follows: Subject English/Topic (Alternating between comprehension and homework grid tasks) Maths 1 page of mental arithmetic a week Blog To be used to reflect on the week’s learning. Spellings A list of 10 words following a taught pattern/rule. Reading own book Guided reading Additional topic homework This will not be set on a weekly basis, but as and when it is deemed beneficial for the children’s learning.
Day Set Thursday
Day Due Tuesday
Time to spend on it 30 mins minimum
Thursday
Tuesday
30 mins
Friday
Tuesday
15 – 20 mins
Monday
Friday
5 – 10 minutes per night
Daily Friday Stated when handed out
Daily Friday Stated when handed out
10 minutes + per night Stated when handed out Stated when handed out
1
The homework grid for term two (which the children will have a copy of in their home learning journals) is as follows: Make a collage or scrapbook of Second World War images and write captions to explain what is happening in each one. Consider how the people in the photographs may be feeling.
Conduct some research to find different wartime recipes, and then choose one to make. Take photographs of the experience and write captions to go with them.
Imagine you are a soldier fighting in a war. It could be ww2, or any other conflict. Write a letter home to your family. What would you say to them?
Create your own miniature air raid shelter! Research the different types and what they looked like, and then make your own model.
Imagine that WW3 has started. When are where did it start? How and why? Who is involved? Write a fictional newspaper report to give all the facts and details. Do you know anyone who was alive during ww2? If so, interview them about their experience. What happened to them in the War? Were they evacuated? Did they have a job? Were they a soldier? You could either write down your interview (questions and answers) in your book, or record it and bring in the sound/video file.
Imagine you are being evacuated. Write a poem that outlines your feelings and thoughts. Decorate the poem with illustrations. Find out what ‘make do and mend’ was all about. Then, put this into practice by making something new out of something old. Maybe you could revamp some of your old clothes to make new ones, or maybe you could ‘upcycle’ some unwanted household items to make them useful in a whole new way. Take photographs of this and bring in the finished product, if possible.
Find out about one of the countries involved in WW2. What is it like today? Use your research to create a nonchronological report all about it. Use subheadings such as: Where is it? What is the traditional food? Which famous sights or attractions are there? Don’t forget to include some fast facts, such as currency, languages spoken, population and the capital city. Include maps and images to go with your text.
Over the term, each child will complete 3 of the above tasks. They must complete one blue, one red and one green task. It doesn’t matter which order they are completed in. Homework remains a non-negotiable, essential part of your child’s schooling, particularly at the top end of the school. If it is not completed on time, or to a good enough standard, children will be kept in at lunchtime. However, if completing homework at home is problematic for any reason, I would urge you to allow your child to attend homework club on a Thursday, which provides a quiet space after school to complete homework in. The homework grid is also available on the Elm class page of the school website, should you need to access it at any point. This term, PE lessons will be held on Mondays, but I must emphasise that this can change so I would ask that PE kits are in school all week. All the children should now have a complete new school kit, including a pair of sensible white or black trainers and a spare pair of socks. Plain black trousers may be worn in winter. Children with earrings need to cover them with tape, or take them out. If your child does not have their kit, or an incomplete one, they may miss their PE session. Regarding the rest of the school uniform, may I take the opportunity to give a couple of reminders: boys should be wearing black or grey socks, not multi-coloured or patterned ones. Girls should be wearing black tights (not red, grey or any other colour) or white socks (not black ones, or any other colour) Also, all children need to wear the school jumper, not red alternatives. As always, temporary tattoos and nail varnish are not allowed at school and children with pierced ears should only wear simple stud earrings. Also, any children with long hair should have it tied back with simple, plain black or red ties.
2
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if there is anything at all you would like to talk about. I am always available at the end of the day once the children have been dismissed, and can be given messages via the Office in the mornings. I look forward to working with you and your children, through the term and year ahead. Kind Regards,
Colette Taylor-Hicks Elm Class teacher
3
