Year 5
6.12.24
Year 5 have had an exciting two weeks, including our most recent trip to the Tate Modern in London. We loved the experience of seeing Surrealist art in the flesh, and actually got to see a real life Salvador Dali picture after weeks of learning about him! We spent time in the gallery sketching some of the artwork and having a go at creating some of our own artwork inspired by what we saw when we were there. A great time was had by all. We have also spent time in Geography learning about some of the climate zones and extreme weather events in North America, mainly focussing on the United States. We have produced some fantastic writing explaining what happened in events such as Hurrican Katrina, and are already excited to consolidate all this learning in our USA Enrichment day next Friday!
WB 7.10.24
In the past two weeks, our Year 5 students have been reaching for the stars—literally! Their space-themed journey began with a Solar System workshop, where they explored planets, stars, and the mysteries of our galaxy. They learned fascinating facts about each planet, how they orbit the sun, and the vastness of the universe beyond. This hands-on workshop sparked many questions and fueled their curiosity about space.
The adventure continued with an exciting trip to the Astrodome, a 360° immersive experience that brought the night sky to life. Inside the dome, students were treated to an incredible view of the constellations, learning how ancient civilizations used them for navigation. They also discovered the different phases of the moon, how eclipses occur, and even how far light travels in space. It was a captivating experience that left them wide-eyed and inspired to explore further.
To bring the learning back to the classroom in a creative and tasty way, students then had the chance to study the phases of the moon using Oreos! By twisting, scraping, and reshaping the icing, they recreated each phase—from new moon to full moon. Not only was this a fun way to reinforce their learning, but it also helped them understand how the moon changes shape as it orbits the Earth.
This has truly been an out-of-this-world fortnight, filled with hands-on learning, curiosity, and imagination. The students are buzzing with new knowledge and are eager to continue exploring the wonders of space!
WB 23.9.24
Year 5 have been WOWing us with their scientific knowledge and enthusiasm learning all about Earth and Space. We discussed some key questions, “Why is the Earth spherical?” and “What causes day and night?” and drew diagrams to help us explain the answers to these questions. It has been getting us incredibly excited for our Astrodome workshop in only 2 weeks time!
We are also over halfway in our class novel ‘There’s a Boy in the Girls Bathroom’. This week we have been noticing key differences in the two main characters- Bradley and Jeff- as the story has progressed, and reflected this in diary entries where we took on the roles of both characters. The children were fantastic at switching roles and thinking about how each of the characters would have felt and what they would have written in their diaries based upon different events in the story.
WB 13.9.24
Year 5 have had a wonderful first fortnight back at Dilkes, exploring our new topics with great enthusiasm!
In English, they showed a knack for fantasy writing with their own versions of The Tale of Three Brothers, showcasing their learning from year 4 and working hard to uplevel their vocabulary. They have dove headfirst into our new book ‘There’s a boy in the girls’ bathroom’, empathising with the main character Bradley and using this understanding to write diary entries as him.
In History, they have been learning all about Monarchs throughout the years and have stepped into character as an angry baron living under the reign of King John.
In DT, we have started developing our ideas for our very own electric greeting cards, complete with flashing lights. The children have had some impressive and innovative designs to put forward for this project. We look forward to seeing how they progress over the coming weeks and the final products they produce!