Welcome to Class 5 - Foxes

We took our Maths outside, using a variety of measuring equipment to calculate the area and perimeter of a plethora of things on the playground in pairs. 

We enjoyed a wonderful trip to the theatre, where we were treated to a super performance of 'Let it Go' by the Canterbury Academy. It was a fantastic production and it was lovely to see some ex-pupils taking part too! Thank you to Mrs Budd for coming along and assisting us.

After weeks of anticipation, we chose and acted out a scene from the Titanic disaster. In groups, we chose a scene, allocated roles and rehearsed a scene or two about the historic event. Each person had a particular part to play and we discussed using our voice, using freeze frames within the scene and fully embracing the role. We then performed our scenes to the class.

T4 Music - Composing and Performing Titanic Folk Songs

This term we studied folk songs, deconstructed them into its parts and then composed our own, including writing lyrics and adding a musical accompaniment. We spent time, editing our lyrics, rehearsing our songs and then performing in font of an audience.

We have been learning about coral reefs: where they can be found; what they are made from; what lives in and around them and how they are helpful to us. We have had a go at making our own from air dry clay. We looked at the different tools and techniques to use to create lots of different types of coral - to great effect. They all look so detailed and wonderful! 

Our focus for Book Week was animal folktales. We read and shared a variety of folktales from a range of different continents and used atlases to locate the countries and continents that the stories were set in. We then planned, drafted and edited our own version of animal folktales giving reasons for why or how the animals had their particular features.

We enjoyed making bookmarks and 3D covers for our favourite books. We also took inspiration from a couple of our folktales and painted turtles using watercolours.

This term we are learning the skills and rules of lacrosse. So far we have practised the art of cradling, scooping and throwing and catching the ball in the lacrosse nets. We are looking forward to applying our understanding in game scenarios.

We used thin, flexible wire to make some turtles or fish sculptures. We found it quite challenging to mould and shape the wire how we wanted it to go but managed to combine and fix them into shapes that are recognisable!

After studying the work of Claude Monet and learning about impressionism, we had a go at producing our own watercolours of the River Thames and Westminster. We could only choose 4 colours and enjoyed exploring mixing and blending to create these striking pieces of art.

Fantastic Friday involved creating things from a small tub of modelling dough - tricky but fun! We also enjoyed playing with the speed stacks although it did turn into who could build the biggest tower! We finished the term with a Fantastic Thursday, where we all play board/card games with each other.

We learnt about the journey of a river and some of its important stages. In groups, we made models of the river system using Plasticine or Lego labelling the key features. Some of us did a detailed painted version too!

We completed our first investigation into our fingerprints. We looked at them through magnifying glasses, blew prints up using a balloon and printed them using ink pads and chalk and tape. We learnt that fingerprints are made in the womb by babies pushing their hands on the inside of the womb!! Everyone has different fingerprints even identical twins!!

As we are studying the Titanic in our English lessons, we took the ship as inspiration for our magnificent artwork. We focused on line and perspective and wanted to use our sketching pencil skills to add depth and shading.

For Art's Week, we focused on learning all about the Dutch painter Pieter de Hooch and specifically studied his painting titled 'The Courtyard of a House in Delft'. We researched all about the artist and created our own fact files about him. Using black pens, we reproduced his painting identifying key shapes and lines. We also had a go at continuing the painting ourselves and writing a mini stories using the painting as a stimulus. Furthermore, alongside the rest of the school, we made A3 sized doors and used photos of places special to us to produce drawings to go behind them.

Term 3 - D.T - Fairground Rides

This term's D.T project has involved us learning and exploring pulleys, gears and levers. We have been learning all about the history of fairgrounds and theme parks so we were challenged with making a ride from K'Nex. In groups, we tried following instructions and building a range of theme park rides with motor power. We then evaluated the the making process.

We made 'values trees' in our RE lesson which had hung on them values which we think are important to live our lives by. These values ranged from forgiveness, honesty, love to trust, friendship and positivity.

We designed our own theme park maps, thinking about the shape of it, zones, rides and other facilities. We considered the different age of the visitors to our park and designed logos for them as well.

We created some art concentrating on conveying motion. We drew fairground and theme park rides using blurring techniques, speed lines, facial expressions, hair and hands flying back all as ways to show they were moving.

DT - Flipbooks

We created flipbooks using extreme sports as a focus and tried to tell a little story showing movement through the pages.

We had a marvellous Poetry slam competition this week. The class had written their own poems either individually or in pairs, rehearsed them and then performed in front of the class in a knock out competition.  The performances were judged on the quality of the poem, rhythm, use of gestures and props and eye contact. Everybody performed brilliantly and after a close fought battle, Felix, Leo and Arlo were crowned joint winners!

We investigated the force of air resistance by completing an experiment in groups to see if the surface area of the given paper affected the speed by which it fell. We discovered that the paper with the larger surface area fell slowest as it had more air resistance acting on it.

In gymnastics, we have explored symmetrical and asymmetrical balances in pairs. We created sequences with these balances and thought of ways to transition between them. Next, we looked at counter balance and counter tension moves and with a partner created similar moves on equipment.

We are learning how to play handball this term, we have looked at the different types of passing, accurate shooting and attacking tactics. The children have enjoyed playing some mini-games to put these skills into practise. We have now focused on defensive strategies and general game tactics and enjoyed playing round robin games to implement them.

During our Fantastic Friday sessions this term, we have enjoyed building things from Lego with our friends; making positive affirmation chatterboxes; cutting out and constructing tangrams; mindfulness colouring and turning scribbles into pictures.

In Computing, we are designing our own theme parks and this week we had a go at using the iPads to create a logo for them. We are using an Excel spreadsheet to make a map of our theme park before using it to calculate visitor spending, running costs and profits. Some of us even managed to change the rules and apply a formula to colour code the cells. We used the data to also make pie charts and bar charts to visually represent our theme park's running costs, visitor spending and profit.

Computing - PowerPoint Interactive Stories

This term we have been learning about hyperlinks and using them to navigate between the pages in a PowerPoint presentation. This has allowed us to turn the Choose Your Own Adventure stories that we wrote at the end of Year 4 into interactive digital games. The children had to think carefully and logically to ensure the stories flowed correctly and that all the buttons linked to the correct pages. There are some screenshots from the stories below and, below those, you can download and play a selection of the children's games yourself. Beware though, some of them are quite scary! 

Using our understanding of light and materials (opaque, translucent and transparent), we designed and made Stain Glass Windows.

R.E. day

We thoroughly enjoyed the R.E. Day, focusing on how people from religious and non-religious communities celebrate Christmas. As well as producing artwork inspired by the carol, ‘Angels from the Realms of Glory’ (which will be displayed in St James’ Church), making edible Christmas wreaths and finishing our Christmas Tree Decoration, we also wrote to another school in Germany. We wrote telling them all about how we individually celebrate here in Kent, and we are eagerly awaiting their responses.

STEM Week

Gosh what an amazing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) week we have had!

This week in Class 5 we been inspired by the movie WALL-E; he is our new member of our class J

We have researched engineers and looked at the female scientist Ada Lovelace; she helped create the first computer programme.

As well as designing our own lasers, spaceships and robots, we had fun building our own solar powered robot just like Wall-E.

As part of PSHE (collaborative working), we used our engineering skills to build the strongest, tallest tower out of 6 sheets of newspaper.

A big 'Thank you' to HSBC (Luke and Lucy), who helped us understand Household budgets in their Maths workshop and Education Group who enabled us to extend our learning of Oceans (part of our Term 2 Topic) through V.R. (Virtual Reality) headsets.

Fantastic Friday

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Every Friday during registration, we can sit where we like and undertake an activity to support our well-being. This week we had a challenge:

'What can you make from just one pipe cleaner?'

Such fun was had by all.

What a fun day we had on Tuesday 31st October 

The PTA arranged for us to dress up and take part in a Fun Run, raising money for their Forest School Project.

We have written and performed our own radio plays inspired by the Greek Myth 'Theseus and the Minotaur'. Some super sound effects were produced!

We have been having great fun learning musical notation; reading music notes to play Kum By Yah and writing our own rhythms.

Gosh, what truly amazing homework you all created - we are absolutely blown away by all the effort and time you have put in to it! Each Pandora's box was so unique and so well thought out with wonderful descriptions to match. We are so proud of you and the rest of the school have been thrilled to see your creations displayed in the Junior corridor.

Well done Foxes.

After learning about the ancient Greek alphabet in our Topic lessons, wrote our own names in Greek.

We have began immersing ourselves in the world of Ancient Greeks and thoroughly enjoyed drama based on the story of Pandora's Box.

Thank you Class 5 and parents for your kind and thoughtful gift.

It was my very great pleasure to teach you for Terms 5 and 6. Enjoy the holidays!!

Term 6 Curriculum Overview

Sports Week 3rd July 2023

Movie Trailers

At long last! The trailers are finished and uploaded.  The  choice of genre, storyline, acting, directing and editing is all the students' own work. Please enjoy!!

Term 5 Curriculum Overview

Kent Test presentation by Mrs Garrett to Class 5 Parents 

This term's Music topic saw us listen to some examples of folk music and appraise them. We identified the structure of the songs and then focused on writing some lyrics for a folk song about the Titanic. In small groups after writing the lyrics, we composed some music and rehearsed and performed our songs.