Class Blog

Week 37

W/C 28th June 2021

We have had a super week of learning! I cannot believe we have just over 2 weeks left! 

In our English lessons, we have carried on reading our book, Clockwork by Philip Pullman.  The children have produced an incredible non-chronological report about Germany and Triberg.   Triberg looks like such an incredible place and did you know that it is believed that the first Cuckoo Clocks were invented. 

During our Maths lessons, we have been looking at metric units and how to convert them.  The children are now secure in being able to convert between a of metric measures and can solve a range of word problems involving measures.   

In the afternoons, we have finished our topic for the summer term, Anglo-Saxons.  The children have produced some really incredible work throughout.  Have a look at all of the learning below! 

Week 36

W/C 21st June 2021

This has been a fantastic week of learning and finished off with lighting a fire and making Anglo-Saxon art out of clay. 

In our English lessons, we have carried on reading our book, Clockwork by Philip Pullman.  the children are really getting into the story now and want to know what is going to happen next.  We have research Triberg as this links to our story! Ask your child why? We have started to draft our introduction and information about Triberg. 

During our Maths lessons, we have been looking at place value and numbers. We have started to really use a wide range of representations and taken our learning deeper to get a thorough understanding of place value ready for Year 6! 

In the afternoon, we carried on our history topic for this half term, Anglo-Saxons.  this week we have looked at who ruled the Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms and some of the laws that were in place.   On Friday we had a treat of lighting a fire outdoors like the Anglo-Saxons would as used clay to create either a bowl, coin or a piece of art - have a look at the pictures below! 

Week 35

W/C 14th June 2021

I cannot believe how quick this week has gone! IT has been truly amazing the amount of learning we complete in a week at Waterside!  

In our English lessons, we have carried on reading our new book, Clockwork by Philip Pullman.  The children have planned, drafted, edited and published their own narrative story.  These were incredible! Some of the ideas the children came up with and able to write a story to include all of the Year 5 and some of the Year 6 skills! WELL DONE! 

During our Maths lessons, we have been looking at fractions, decimals and percentages - the children demonstrated an excellent understanding and where able to use different representations to show their understanding.  It was great to see that all of the children could see the link between Fractions, Decimals and Percentages. 

In the afternoon, we carried on our history topic for this half term, Anglo-Saxons.  This  week we looked at the invasion and how the Anglo-Saxons lived and why they chose to settle where they did.  We also studied an old Anglo-Saxon map of Stoke-on-Trent and noticed some of the place names we know today on the map! 

Week 34

W/C 7th June 2021

We have had a brilliant first week back in our final term in Year 5! 

In our English lessons, we have started our new book, Clockwork by Philip Pullman.  The children have read the first section of the story and they just want to read on... a true mystery story!  We have planned and started to draft our own 'guided' mystery story. 

During our Maths lessons, we have been looking at line graphs, time and timetables! All of the children have a brilliant understanding of time and they have all moved to challenging problem solving questions. 

In the afternoon, we have started our new history topic for this half term, Anglo-Saxons.  This  week we have looked at some of the key vocabulary linked to the topic and the invasion! 

Week 33

W/C 24th May 2021

Wow, I can't believe it is the last week of this half term with only one half term left! It has been a great week as we have been looking at the art work around Andy Warhol. 

In our English lessons, we have finished the book 'The London Eye Mystery' and wow what a brilliant story! The children completed their diary entries from the viewpoint of Kat. 

During our Maths lessons, the children have been working with fractions and understanding what they look like and solving problems with different fractions.  The children have been doing really well and finished the topic of fractions. 

In the afternoon, we have had a change and looked at Andy Warhol, we have completed a fact file to fully understand his art work, completed our own examples of the famous 'Campbell Soup' drawings and worked digitally to re-create the Waterside logo and turn it into a piece of Pop Art. 

Week 31

W/C 10th May 2021

It has once again been a lovely week, with a lot of the children celebrating Eid! I hope you all had a lovely couple of days and stayed safe. 

In our English lessons, we have continued to work on our retell of Chapter 11. The children have been perfecting the skills required and over the week, drafted, edited and published a great piece of writing. 

During our Maths lessons, the children have been working with fractions and understanding what they look like and solving problems with different fractions. 

In the afternoon, we have been looking at sexual and asexual reproduction.  This has really been interesting for the children and we have had some amazing discussions inbetween our various investigations. 

Week 30

W/C 3rd May 2021

This week, all of the children have had a fantastic approach to learning and I can even see the progress they have made throughout the week! Keep it up! 

During our English lessons, we have continued our book for this half-term, 'The London Eye Mystery'.  We have read Chapters 11 and 12 and have started to plan through 'Talk for Writing' and talk partners our recount of Chapter 11. 

In Maths, we have gone through all the different metric measurements we use and how to convert and order them.  Some of the children found this tricky and we will be carrying on with this next week! 

During our afternoons, we have looked at our Science topic this half term, Animals including Humans.  We have been looking at what asexual reproduction is and conducted two different investigations. 

See all of the wonderful photos from this week and our celebration of NSPCC Number Day! 

Week 29

W/C 26th April 2021

The children have had a fantastic second week back - they have come back with a brilliant attitude and determination. 

During our English lessons, we have continued our book for this half-term, 'The London Eye Mystery'.  We have planned, drafted, edited and published our own newspaper report about Salim going missing - did he actually board the London Eye or not?

In Maths, we have looked in detail at decimal numbers, adding and subtracting decimal numbers with different place values and multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000. 

During our afternoons, we have looked at our Science topic this half term, Animals including Humans.  The children have been learning about what a life cycle is and how they similar and different. They have then also expressed there work in various ways using QR codes, videos, reading, diagrams and pictures. 

Week 28

W/C 19th April 2021

We have had an amazing first week back after Easter! The children have settled into their learning like they have never been away! Keep it up! 

During our English lessons, we have started our new book, 'The London Eye Mystery'.  We have read the first 3 chapters and as a class carried out lots of 'Book talk' and looked at our first genre features - newspaper.

In Maths, we have looked in detail at decimal numbers, adding and subtraction, solving problems involving measure and ordering. 

During our afternoons, we have looked at our school value 'Determination' We have looked at famous people from around the world who have shown determination, these include Steve Jobs, Emmeline Pankhurst and Vincent Van Gogh.  We have also looked at how we can show determination ourselves and what we want to achieve in the next week, month and year. 

Week 27

W/C 29th March 2021

What a brilliant last week to an amazing half term! We are all so proud of what you have achieved since returning to school on the 8th March! 

During our English lessons, we have finished our book, 'The Breadwinner'.  We have researched Malala Yousafsai have written some incredible biographies about her using a range of secondary resources. 

In Maths, we used Monday and Tuesday to revise and consolidate for the NfER testing that we took to showcase what we have learnt during Year 5. 

During our afternoons, we have carried on our topic, Frozen Kingdom (History). We have focused on 'expressing' what we have learnt over the topic and choosing a way to display all of the knowledge. 

In Science, we continued our topic ' Properties and Changes of Materials'  We looked in detail at why nails rust and created a keynote about the key vocabulary we remembered by using diagrams to help explain.

I wish all of you a lovely, restful Easter - see you all on Tuesday 20th April 

Week 26

W/C 22nd March 2021

I cannot believe that this is the last full week before the Easter holidays! It really is lovely to have all of the children in school and we are doing so well with our 100% attendance. 

During our English lessons, we have continued our book, 'The Breadwinner'.  We have research Malala Yousafsai and started to draft our biography about her.  She really was an inspiration to many young people not only from Pakistan but from around the world. 

In Maths, we have focused on using a protractor and measure angles and then using our knowledge to estimate and solve problems with angles. 

During our afternoons, we have carried on our topic, Frozen Kingdom (History). We looked at the key events and placed them onto a timeline in chronological order. 

In Science, we continued our topic ' Properties and Changes of Materials'  We looked in detail at why nails rust and created a keynote about the key vocabulary we remembered by using diagrams to help explain. 

Week 25

W/C 15th March 2021

This has been a really lovely week and the children have settled back into school like they have never been away! Keep it up children, you really do wow us everyday! 

During our English lessons, we have continued our book, 'The Breadwinner'.  We have produced some incredible writing around our book.  The children were able to re-tell Chapter 3 and even improve the chapter from the book! 

In Maths, we have revisited some of the objectives from September but now really focusing on problem solving and reasoning. We have real understood how to use a protractor and can use our knowledge of estimating angles to check our answers. 

During our afternoons, we have carried on our topic, Frozen Kingdom (History). We have explored what it would have been like being a guest on the Titanic and in the different classes. This really opened the children's eyes and they couldn't believe the difference. 

In Science, we continued our topic ' Properties and Changes of Materials'  We set up an experiment about what makes metal rust! 

Week 24

W/C 8th March 2021

What a brilliant week we have had with 100% from all pupils! Well done! It really has been lovely to see you all and share your experiences of home schooling. 

During our English lessons, we have continued our new book, 'The Breadwinner'.  This week we have read more of the book and have planned a re-tell of Chapter 3.  Everyone is completely engrossed with the text and I know this will be a truly brilliant piece of work. 

In Maths, we have revisited some of the objectives from September but now really focusing on problem solving and reasoning. We have really focused on Area and Perimeter. 

During our afternoons, we have carried on our topic, Frozen Kingdom (History). The children have shared what they have learnt at home and it is amazing that the children at home have really got to grips with our topic and have been really creative. 

In Science, we continued our topic ' Properties and Changes of Materials'  We have conducted an investigation around dissolving and separating. 

Week 23

W/C 1st March 2021

I can't believe this was the last week of 'home schooling' as we have known it for the last 8 weeks, we cannot wait to see you all back in class! 

During our English lessons, we have continued our new book, 'The Breadwinner'.   The children have produced their first published piece of writing and wow this really was incredible. It was a fantastic setting description of a bazaar. See below for some of the examples of writing. 

In Maths, we have revisited some of the objectives from September but now really focusing on problem solving and reasoning. We have focused on place value and rounding this week. Ask your child what they know about place value and different approaches to problem solving questions. 

During our afternoons, we have carried on our topic, Frozen Kingdom (History)  We have looked at the famous explorer, Robert Scott and his adventures across the poles. 

In Science, we continued our topic ' Properties and Changes of Materials'  We have conducted an investigation around dissolving and separating. 

Week 22

W/C 22nd February 2021

What a brilliant first week we have had back in school after our short half term break. 

During our English lessons, we have started our new book, 'The Breadwinner'.   WOW the children have really been gripped by this book.  It has been lovely to listen to the children's experiences of Afghanistan and leaving a war zone. It is truly remarkable to know what families have experienced in our classroom. 

In Maths, we have revisited some of the objectives from September but now really focusing on problem solving and reasoning. We have focused on place value and rounding this week. Ask your child what they know about place value and different approaches to problem solving questions. 

During our afternoons, we have started our new topic, Frozen Kingdom (History)  The children have come up with some fantastic questions on their KWL grids.  Such as.... What makes a great explorer? Why would you want to explore cold places? Do you need a special upbringing to be an explorer?

In Science, we continued our topic ' Properties and Changes of Materials'  We have conducted an investigation around dissolving and separating. 

Week 21

W/C 8th February 2021

I cannot believe we are into February, but you are all still amazing me with the amount of work you are completing at home! 

During our English lessons, we have continued to read our book, The Wizard of Oz. This week we have drafted, edited and published our piece of writing.  We are really understanding the process of our writing and seeing a real improvement from our draft, to our edit to our real showcase piece of work, publish. 

In Maths, we have looked at reading and interpreting timetables. This was a real challenge to start with as couldn't understand why some trains didn't stop at certain stations! By the end of the week we had a fantastic understanding our working our the duration, which train to catch etc. 

During our afternoons, we have continued to look at our Encompass topic (Frozen Kingdom) and Science topic (Properties and Changes of Materials)  In Encompass we have discovered what life is like as an Inuit. We found out some incredible things and couldn't quite believe that they survive! 

In Science, we conducted an investigation about thermal conductors and insulators. 

Week 20

W/C 1st February 2021

I cannot believe we are into February, but you are all still amazing me with the amount of work you are completing at home! 

During our English lessons, we have continued to read our book, The Wizard of Oz. This week we have drafted, edited and published our piece of writing.  We are really understanding the process of our writing and seeing a real improvement from our draft, to our edit to our real showcase piece of work, publish. 

In Maths, we have looked at reading and interpreting timetables. This was a real challenge to start with as couldn't understand why some trains didn't stop at certain stations! By the end of the week we had a fantastic understanding our working our the duration, which train to catch etc. 

During our afternoons, we have continued to look at our Encompass topic (Frozen Kingdom) and Science topic (Properties and Changes of Materials)  In Encompass we have discovered what life is like as an Inuit. We found out some incredible things and couldn't quite believe that they survive! 

In Science, we conducted an investigation about thermal conductors and insulators. 

Week 19

W/C 25th January 2021

What a fantastic week of learning! It has been really lovely to see you all at home and sending your work in! 

During our English lessons, we have continued to read our book, The Wizard of Oz. This week we have drafted, edited and published our piece of writing.  We are really understanding the process of our writing and seeing a real improvement from our draft, to our edit to our real showcase piece of work, publish. 

In Maths, we have looked at reading and interpreting timetables. This was a real challenge to start with as couldn't understand why some trains didn't stop at certain stations! By the end of the week we had a fantastic understanding our working our the duration, which train to catch etc. 

During our afternoons, we have continued to look at our Encompass topic (Frozen Kingdom) and Science topic (Properties and Changes of Materials)  In Encompass we have discovered what life is like as an Inuit. We found out some incredible things and couldn't quite believe that they survive! 

In Science, we conducted an investigation about thermal conductors and insulators. 

Week 18

W/C 18th January 2021

We have had another brilliant week of learning, in school and at home. The live lessons have now started and are in full flow, we a live register as a drop in session in the morning, English and Maths being taught via Teams and then an afternoon check in with interventions taking place. 

During our English lessons, we have continued to read our book, The Wizard of Oz. This week we have started to plan and draft our 3rd person narrative, where we are leaving the house and continuing the journey along the yellow brick road. 

In Maths, we have looked at our shapes and understanding the nets of 3D shapes and the 2D representations. 

During our afternoons, we have looked at our new topics; Frozen Kingdom and Properties and Changes of Materials. 

Week 17

W/C 11th January 2021

Wow, what an incredible second week into the spring term it has been! We still have a small number of children in school, but my goodness, the children t home are completing all of the work to such a high standard! Mr Grocott and I are very proud of you all! You've shown you can do it now, keep it up!!

During our English lessons, we have continued to read our book, The Wizard of Oz. We are finding the old style of writing a bit different to what we would usually write, but intrigued to what will happen next.  Our next piece of writing will be introducing a charactwr to the storyline in Chapter 4. 

In Maths, we have finished our topic on decimals, percentages and fractions - every child did incredible in there end of unit assessment! Well done!

During our afternoons, we have looked at our new topics; Frozen Kingdom and Properties and Changes of Materials. 

Week 16

W/C 4th January 2021

Wishing you all a very happy new year and what a very strange start to it! We had a full day in school Monday and then we were sent into Lockdown again! We have a small number of children in school completing the work, but you at home are doing a brilliant job of completing your work to a really high standard.  Well done! 

During our English lessons, we have started to read our new book, The Wizard of Oz.  The children are really enjoying this, and have started to plan there first person narrative from the first chapter. 

In Maths, we have started to look at decimals and solved problems with comparing and ordering. 

During our afternoons, we have started to look at our new topics; Frozen Kingdom and Properties and Changes of Materials. 

Week 15

W/C 14th December 2020

What a brilliant week we've had! It has been lovely to see everyone again after our two weeks isolation. 

During out English lessons, we have focused on our creative writing and applying our Year 5 skills to every piece of writing. 

In Maths, we have looked at fraction.  We have looked at adding, subtracting and equivalent fractions.  Using various models including bar models to help our understanding.

In the afternoons, we looked at the different theories of the solar system - Dojo to who can remember what they are called! We have also been looking at the Mayan writing and their alphabet.

Please look out of Twitter throughout the week for updates - @watersideStoke

Week 14

W/C 7th December 2020

I just want to say a massive thank you to ALL of you for your support with the home learning this week!

During out English lessons, we have looked at a persuasive argument about whether 'Should machines be allowed in the home?'

In Maths, we have looked at fraction.  We have looked at adding, subtracting and equivalent fractions.  Using various models including bar models to help our understanding.

In the afternoons, we looked at the different theories of the solar system - Dojo to who can remember what they are called! We have also ben looking at the Mayan writing and their alphabet.

Please look out of Twitter throughout the week for updates - @watersideStoke

Week 13

W.C. 30th November 2020

In Maths this week we have been looking at fractions and how they can be converted between mixed fractions and improper fractions. We also had a look at equivalent fractions and how we change our denominators and numerators to calculate these.

In English we have carried on with our book 'Cogheart' and we have now begun to prepare a persuasive arguement based around the subject of "Should mechanicals be used in the home?", the children can up with some great discussion points and I can't wait to see the final work which will be produced next week.

In Science we have investigated how night and day are made, using resources around the room the children were able to create a narrated model of how this all works.

Finally, in Art we managed to complete our Solar System pieces by adding our planets to our galaxy background. Once we are back in class I will be able to upload these images and I'm sure the children can't wait for you to see them. 

Week 11

W/C 16th November 2020

WOW what a fantastic week of learning we have had in the Dolphins class! I have been so impressed!

During out English lessons, we have looked at our book ‘Cogheart’. This has really gripped the children and the children are writing a narrative story after reading the first chapter.

In Maths, we have looked at multiples, prime numbers and factors. The children have mastered the skill and have been able to also apply there knowledge to Reasoning and Problem Solving.

In the afternoons, we have had a week of creating scrapbooks about Remembrance. The Children have been really respectful and now have a great understanding of remembrance and World Wars.  

Please look out of Twitter throughout the week for updates - @watersideStoke

Week 9

W/C 2^nd  November 2020

The children in the Dolphin’s class have settled back into school brilliantly. They all have a fantastic attitude towards learning and are already making progress this half term!

During out English lessons, we have looked at our new book ‘Cogheart’. This has already gripped the children and they just want to keep on reading! For our first piece of published write, we are going to be writing a narrative retell of the first chapter but changing the warning events and resolution.

In Maths, we have started to look at angles in more detail. We started the week by estimating and getting to know the different types of angles, can you child name all four of them? We then used a protractor to measure and draw angles.