What we are learning this week in Lilac Class for the week beginning 4.11.24

In Maths this week in Lilac Class, we are exploring the relationship between multiplication and division and consolidating our understanding of the words ‘factor’ and ‘multiple’.  For example, 5 is a factor of 20 and 20 is a multiple of 5. Lilac Class will also be identifying prime and composite numbers, building on our knowledge of factors.    We will be finding out that prime numbers are all odd apart from 2, as it only has two factors.  1 is a special case as it is neither prime nor composite because it has only one factor.  We will then be moving onto learning about square numbers and how they can be built using manipulatives.  Lilac Class will find out that a cube number is the result of multiplying a whole number by itself and then by itself again.  For example, 27 is a cube number because 3 X 3 X 3 =27.  We are also representing cube numbers using manipulatives to complete calculations.  Lilac Class will then move onto multiplying whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1,000, looking carefully at a place value and Gattegno chart to support learning and find out what happens to the movement of the digits in the calculation. 

In English this week, we are writing up our diary accounts in best copy for a writing display.  Lilac Class will be focusing on setting and characterisation and writing about what their character hears, sees, smells and feels and describing their journey sailing across the Atlantic Ocean.  We will then be considering what questions are going through their mind when they find the gigantic abandoned ruins.

For our Whole Class Guided Reading of  The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis we are reading Chapter 9 this week.  We are thinking about synonyms for a variety of words in the text and the intention of the author: why do you think the author doesn’t want you to think Edmund is too bad?  We will be focusing on Edmund’s behaviour and what motivates him to do what he does, even though he is afraid.

In RE, we are starting our new unit of learning entitled ‘Incarnation’.  As part of the formative assessment, we are answering our big question ‘Was Jesus the Messiah?’ For Time and Place, we are finding out about the beliefs and religious practices of the Ancient Mayan Civilisation. We will be learning about the different gods and how they affected the lives of the Mayan people.

For Science in Lilac Class, we are starting our new topic entitled ‘Forces’.  We will be examining, by conducting a comparative experiment, the relationship between mass and weight as a force and learning about Sir Isaac Newton.  In Art, Lilac Class will be making Mayan pottery based on original Mayan artefacts.  This week we will be finishing our sketching of the shape of our pottery and what design it will be decorated with.  We will then be starting our clay modelling.