Class Teacher: Mr Holt
Teaching Assistant: Ms McCoskery
Welcome to Sycamore Class. This Class currently contains Year 4 and Year 5 children and is part of Upper Key Stage 2.
Please check this page regularly to see updates of what we are learning.
Daily Routine
Drop off time: 8.50am
Drop off/collection point: Gates to KS2 yard
Morning playtime: 10.45am
Lunchtime: 12.30-1.30pm
Afternoon playtime: 2.15pm
Collection time: 3.20pm
We strongly believe that all children should experience high quality books that enhance literacy skills and inspire them to read. We aim for children to develop a love of reading and this will help motivate them to write.
To help with this we are sharing a fabulous and highly recommended list of ‘100 Books to Read…’
Reading Spine takes place daily in every classroom where the children are read to. Each of the books help to develop the imagination of our children and equips them with language. We want our school to be a place where children are read to, enjoy, discuss and work with high quality books. We use the Pie Corbett Reading Spine so that children have access to high quality texts and develop a love for reading!
Autumn 1
We will be learning the skills of reading and writing. Our fiction unit will include looking at historical narrative classic, ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’. This will involve the children innovating and creating their own chapter in the book. Once completed, children will move onto create a non-fiction chronological report based upon mythical creatures. We will continue to learn the statutory spellings list for years 4 and 5 as well as using drama/role-play to support our writing.
Autumn 2
We will be learning the skills of reading and writing. Our fiction unit will include looking at historical narrative classic, ‘A Christmas Carol’. This will involve the children innovating and creating their own Christmas Carol story. As well as this, children will look at persuasive texts researching a place to visit in the British Isles. Additionally, we will study classic narrative poetry linked to Charles Causley and Timothy Winters. We will continue to learn the statutory spellings list for years 4 and 5 as well as using drama/roleplay to support our writing.
‘In the Bleak Midwinter’
This week in English we will be looking at poetry. Sycamore class will be working on producing their own similes and metaphors using ‘classic’ poems like ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ for some inspiration. Can you think of any useful similes or metaphors that Sycamore class could use?
The PE Days for Sycamore are Tuesday and Thursday. On these days, Sycamore Class pupils need to come to school in their outdoor PE kit. This includes a white top, navy tracksuit bottoms, navy jacket/waterproof coat and a pair of trainers.
Here is Sycamore class in action competing in their ‘Personal Best’ activities, linked to the fundamental skills. As well as this, Sycamore class have been participating in Dance linked to rhythm and movement.
Autumn 1
Our topic this half term will be the study of plants. We will look at the important parts of a plant, the factors needed for a plant to grow, photosynthesis as well as reproduction. We will carry out an investigation using bean seedlings to assess the best factors for plants to grow making our own conclusions and evaluations.
In Science we have been learning about plants. This week we did an experiment linked to our learning objective, ‘How is water transported into plants?’ This consisted of us using celery sticks and plastic bottles (filled with water and red dye). We put the celery sticks into the coloured water and left them over night. In the morning, we discovered that strands of the celery had turned red. We learnt that this was due to water being carried upward through the xylem by transpiration, and then passed into the leaves.
Autumn 2
Our topic this half term will be states of matter. We will look at what a solid, liquid and gas is as well as conducting a number of practical scientific investigations. Additionally, we will look at temperature linked to heating and cooling different materials, evaporation, condensation as well as the water cycle.
Solids and Liquids: Heating, melting and cooling.
In Science we have been looking at solids, liquids and gases. Here is a recent experiment that we conducted in class. We wanted to see if four solid objects that included ice-cubes, butter, chocolate and ice-cream would change their state at room temperature. Here were our findings. What do you think changed? What stayed the same?
Autumn 1
Our topic in Art will focus on drawing and painting. How can we bring our drawings to life and which famous artists lived near here? Children will focus on the different techniques needed for drawing, sketching, shading, colouring and painting as well as analysing different artist’s creations.
Autumn 2
Our topic in DT will be looking at structures, which will involve us making kites. We will look at the history of kites as well as how they have changed over time. We will look at the best structures to build, assessing prototypes that will lead us into creating and evaluating our own designs. Look out for those St James’ Lanehead kites!
Sally McKay: Drawing techniques to show movements
Here are some ‘exceptional’ outcomes of art work produced by the children from Sycamore class. We have been studying Sally McKay and the drawing techniques she uses to show movement. We most definitely have some future artists in the making!
Spring 1
Sycamore class had an afternoon at school or through remote learning at home to link our History topic in with Art. We have been studying the ‘Normans’ and had a go at doing some Norman Art. Take a look at our Norman mosaics, Norman castles and even part of our own Bayeux Tapestry.
Autumn 1
We will be looking at place value within year 4 and year 5, which will involve studying Roman Numerals up to 1000. Once completed, year 4 will study numbers up to 10,000 while year 5 will study numbers up to 1,000,000. We will then move onto addition, subtraction, multiplication and division calculations through a mastery approach. We will apply skills learnt through problem solving and reasoning. Children will continue to learn all of their times tables and improve on their rapid recall of multiplication and division facts.
Autumn 2
We will be continuing to study addition and subtraction. Once completed we will look at multiplication and division followed by length, perimeter and area. We will continue to find the best strategies and apply skills learnt through problem solving and reasoning. Children will continue to learn all of their times tables and improve on their rapid recall of multiplication and division facts.
Times Table Rockstars: Battle of the Classes!
Well, the Hawthorn and Sycamore class battle is well underway. Hawthorn have taken a very convincing lead! Can Sycamore class come back fighting and become rock legends? It is all to play for!!!
Autumn 1
We will revise our knowledge reflecting upon our school and British values. After, we will look at our new topic, ‘People of God’ and discuss the Prophet Daniel. Daniel, did he make the right choice? We will continue to study the Bible, reflecting upon those in need through prayer and our daily collective class worships.
Autumn 2
We will revise our knowledge reflecting upon our school and British values. Our new topic, ‘Christmas around the World’ will involve us looking at how Britain as well as different countries around the world celebrate Christmas. We will continue to study and celebrate collective worship within class.
We have recently just celebrated Safer Internet Day. Here is some of the wonderful work that the children produced in school and through remote learning. We looked at a Safer Internet Day book called, ‘Troll Stinks’ that provided us with a very clear message about how to use the internet responsibly, safely as well as being trustworthy.
Remembrance Day
Take a look below at our contribution to the Remembrance Day display.
