What we are doing this week in Lilac Class for the week beginning 20.5.24

For Maths this week in Lilac Class, we are continuing our learning about calculating lengths and angles in shapes by exploring the different strategies for working out missing lengths and angles.  We will be recapping on how to find the perimeter of missing lengths.  Lilac Class will be investigating regular and irregular polygons and how they are different and this will be followed by us recognising the properties of 3-D shapes. We will be exploring such questions as:  What is the mathematical name for this 3-D shape?  How many faces/edges/vertices are there on this 3-D shape? 

In English this week in Lilac Class, we are starting to level up and develop our drafts of our newspaper article about the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.  We will be using our planning drawn from a range of information texts including actual newspaper articles written just after the Titanic sank.  We will be using the features of a newspaper report – Headline, Byline, Lead, Body, Picture and Caption and Tail.  This week we are developing our writing about our eyewitness/survivor accounts of the tragedy. 

For our Guided Reading text, Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill this week, we are reading pages 31-36. Lilac Class are exploring the impact of vocabulary and how it intensifies meaning.  For example, ‘What does roaring tell you about the blizzard?’  ‘What does perilous mean?  When might you choose this word over dangerous?’ ’Define diligent.  Why would this be a good trait for a leader to have?’  Our inference questions will be thinking about why Shackleton remained positive in front of the crew and why Shackleton needed to review his plans to evacuate. 

For RE in Lilac Class, we will be finding out in more detail what ‘Salah’ (the second Pillar of Islam) and praying five times a day means.  Initially, we will brainstorm the question ‘Why do people pray?’ exploring the meaning of prayer and considering reasons why people from all religions pray and why it is important to them.  How does prayer provide guidance for Muslims?

For Time and Place in Lilac Class, we are finding out what rivers are used for and why they are important, for example, farming, transport, energy and leisure.  We will also be finding out the causes of river pollution and the effect on the environment.  For Science in Lilac Class, we are comparing the life cycles of mammals, amphibians, reptiles and birds.  We are thinking about the similarities and differences between these different animal groups.  We will also be growing beans and part of a geranium plant (artificial reproduction) in our classroom and observing what happens over the next few weeks! 

For Design and the Arts, we are using our sketches of our school garden as a basis for painting using the techniques of the artist Annie Soudain.  In ICT, we are recognising that vector drawings consist of layers of objects.  We will be learning to change the order of the layers and layering to create an image. Lilac Class will also be practising songs for the Tunbridge Wells Singing Festival that will take place at the Assembly Halls on Monday 10^th June.  Please email lilac@st-barnabas.kent.sch.uk as soon as possible to give your consent for your child to take part and to be involved in the rehearsals.

There will be no homework set for the half-term break.  Please ensure that your child has read the e-book The Tigers Path on Purple Mash.  I have attached our Wider Curriculum Home Learning Matrix for the Summer term with optional activities.  I have also attached the lyrics for our individual item that Years 5 and 6 will be singing entitled ‘To the Sky’ by Carl Strommen.