Monday 14th May

Hello again! This week is a very busy time in school as both the Year 5 and Year 6 children sit their exams. For the Year 6 it is their S.A.T.S this week and I'm sure you will join me in wishing them well and saying good luck to them all. I'm sure they will be brilliant!

For the Year 3 and 4 children that also meaans that time of year is fast approaching and exams and tests will be starting at the end of this week. We will be doing tests during the whole of the last week too. It would be helpful if your child does not miss their tests for other appointments as it is much more comfortable and relaxed when they are with their whole year group. If a child misses a test then we have to get them to do it later.

Can we please remind you that READING with your child is essential every day. We find the children who make the most progress are those who read nearly every day at home with an adult. Please sign the diairies and let us know how you get on.

Swimming is still happening every week on Thursday. We could do with some help at both times this week as we have no parents for either times at 9.30 and 10.00. If you could help please let one of the staff know as we would hate to have to cancel a session. Thank you.

LITERACY

Please make sure you have taken the time to explore the comprehension activities from last week. In particular those on http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/engindex.html

As well as continuing to look at our understanding of what we read we will be moving on with our topic on persuasive writing - thinking about how word choice can have a direct impact on a reader's thoughts and actions. Last week we took some time on examining adverts and how memorable these can be! Listening to the children complete the different slogan's definitely showed this to great effect. Now we are moving on to look at how we might persuade another person to our own viewpoint. Be ready to get those debates going at home too. How about asking what your child thinks about their bedtime, breakfast or pocket money - can they persuade you to change it? Think about whether they can say clearly what they want and then give factual and calm reasons and examples to try to convince you!

http://www.athena.bham.org.uk/discus_1.htm - looks at the features of persuasive writing.

http://www.kidsonthenet.org.uk/dragonsville/poster.htm - design a poster!

http://www.little-g.com/shockwave/hotel.html - create your own wacky advert! Really funny questions but a great piece of strange persuasion at the end of it!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/english/activities/argument.shtml - if you didn't already look at this last week have a go at winning an argument.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/default.stm - read up on current news - what do you think of it all?

http://readwritethink.org/materials/letter_generator/ - write your own persuasive letter

http://www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk/vtc/sentence_detectives/eng/Introduction/default.htm - are you sure you know what a sentence is?

NUMERACY

Please make sure you continue using the links from previous weeks to keep your tables going - my group were surprised last week at how quickly they were forgetting the ones they'd worked so hard to remember. With tests looming why don't you review lots of topics using the Mathszone site below:

http://www.mathszone.co.uk/

You could work through each of the different sections trying out games to refresh your memory or you could pick out those topics that you don't feel so confident with such as time, money or fractions maybe.

In Miss Robinson's group we are continuing with our work on mental maths.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/wordproblems/index.html

As well as that we are completing our work on Measuring by exploring WEIGHT. Remember it can also be called MASS. Check out the links below for activities to practise with:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/digger/9_11entry/4.shtml

http://www.ictgames.com/mostlyPostie.html

http://www.ictgames.com/weight.html

Alongside that we will be developing our skills in problem solving and looking at how to read questions very carefully to find the maths in them.

Mrs Harding's Math's group this week will be carrying on with the four rules. We will also be doing missing numbers, number sequences, parts of a circle and symmetry.

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/mathsE5.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/maths/revision_bites/shapes6.shtml

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/powerpoint/cm_3dShapes.ppt

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/powerpoint/3D_Shapes.ppt

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/maths/mathsB3.htm

Mrs Harding's Math's group will not be given their usual homework for the next two weeks but will be given a revision sheet to revise from for a test and the forth coming tests. Please make sure that your child knows their tables up to and including 9 timetables. We are having a weekly tables test to assess their knowledge.

Mrs Bethell's Maths Group will also be reviewing lots of topics covered already this year. In particular reading scales, addition and fractions. The Mathszone link above would be great to help you cover many of the different topics. The links below should also be useful:

http://www.sums.co.uk/playground/n6a/playground.htm - can you order the fractions?

http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/fractions/index.html - looking at fractions of a square.

http://pbskids.org/cyberchase/games/equivalentfractions/index.html - can you match the fractions in Melvin's lab?

http://www.amblesideprimary.com/ambleweb/mentalmaths/fractotron.html - do you know whoch fractions are more, less or the same as half?

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/measures.htm#ReadingScales - how to read scales accurately.

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/maths/numberskills.html - number skills.

HISTORY

In History this week we will be learning about 'What Romans did for relaxation.' We will be centering on Roman baths and the sports they did with the charioteers and gladiators. To find out more about what they did click on:

http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/history/powerpoint/Roman_Relaxation.ppt

http://www.romanbaths.co.uk/index.cfm?UUID=FFBEB073-0A82-44FF-A1A9EB0FFB566CFE

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/gladiators_01.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/romans/leisure.shtml

http://www.brims.co.uk/romans/index.html

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

We are well on our way to making a start with the money containers/purses/wallets. We have started designing them but have decided to improve our sewing skills this week. It would be great if you could send in some cotton thread, spare piece of scrap material/old hankie, etc. so that we can make a start. In the coming weeks the children will also need to collect their individual list of things that they have identified when they did their planning.

The children will need things like:
felt material
buttons
velcro
cotton
press studs etc.

If anyone would like to come in and offer their expertise and help threading the needles please see one of the teachers. He He!

That's all for now, I think.

Take care.
Have a safe and happy week.

The Year 3 / 4 Team

xxx