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Year 6 – Amethyst and Magenta

Welcome to Year 6.

Our Teachers are Mrs Collins and Mrs Aitbenmoussa and our Teaching Assistants are Mrs Rimstad and Mrs Cheruvarthur.

  • RAF Museum

    Year 6 had a brilliant trip to the RAF Museum in North London on Wednesday.  We couldn’t think of a better way to conclude our studies of World War 2.  We spent time on a self-guided tour around the hangers, spotting and noting down all of the planes used by the allies and axis during the confrontation.  We were then lucky enough to learn about some of the heroes of the time and try on the uniforms.  Finally, we experienced what it was like for people during the Blitz and even took cover in an air raid shelter!

    Homework for the holidays – we have sent home booklets with 10 days worth of tasks (10 minutes per day).  Please encourage your children to complete them.

    Maths Booklet

    Grammar Booklet

    Reading Booklet

     

    Happy Easter!

    The Year 6 Team

  • SATs, Science and Spanish

    This week has mostly been taken up by our mock SATs practice, which the children approached in a very positive manner – we couldn’t be more proud of them.  As a reward, there will be no homework this week!

    In science, we explored types of energy, both renewable and non-renewable and the advantages and disadvantages of both.  We had some interesting discussions which may lead to some additional research.  It certainly gave us renewed appreciation for the solar panels that we have on our roof here at Alban City. 

    In Spanish, we have been learning about the different clothes that we wear and how to say the colour. For example:  Llevo unos pantalones negros y un gorro rojo.  I am wearing black trousers and a red hat. 

    Next week, we will revisit our suspense stories, which are inspired by The Boy in the Tower.  We will read more of the book and write the second parts, ending with an appropriate conclusion – we hope!

    On Wednesday, we will visit the RAF Museum and just a reminder that the children will need to bring a packed lunch. 

    Have a great weekend.

    The Year 6 Team 

  • Safety, Suspense and Circuits

    We continue to enjoy our class book – Boy in the Tower.  This week, we have started writing our own suspense stories in a similar style.  We will complete these before Easter to find resolutions to some of the terrifying threats that have been identified.  

    Over the last 2 weeks, we have been revising and learning about measurement and conversion of measure.  Volume has been the focus of lessons this week and we have learnt how to calculate it as well as solving problems and carrying out an investigation. 

    In Science, we are learning about electricity, the different types of circuits and their features as well as how to identify errors in circuits.  Next week, we will look at how electricity is made and think about and discuss ‘clean energy’. 

    On Monday afternoon, we all hopped on the coach to the fire station to take part in the Crucial Crew workshop.  There were nine different scenarios set up around a variety of hazards and risky situations that children may face, as they become more independent.  They had discussions and talked about making decisions around safety and responsibility as well as possible consequences of making the wrong decisions.

    As the children know, next week, we will be doing another set of mock SATs papers; this is just part of our preparation for the tests which are coming up in May.  

    Please check Google Classroom for the homework and in the meantime, we wish everyone a lovely weekend. 

     

    The Year 6 Team 

  • Books, Bulbs and Boy (in the Tower)

    World Book Day dominated this week.  We had a lovely day enjoying all things book related. Following a thoroughly enjoyable quiz – delivered by the one and only Mrs Bland, the children made some brilliant bookmarks, created their own book covers and read with children lower down the school. We also got to experience a workshop with SASA, where the children learnt some of the dance moves to Matilda the Musical.  

    In science, we have moved on to our electricity topic.  We looked at the differences between series and parallel circuits and then had an opportunity to make circuits using equipment which included bulbs and motors. 

    We are really enjoying our new class read, a dystopian story called Boy in the Tower.  This week, we have written newspaper articles, a formal letter and a Wikipedia entry about an invasive species of plant. 

    Have a great weekend and remember the book fair will be running from today, until Wednesday 11th March. 

    The Year 6 Team

  • Invading, Investigating and Inspiring

    It’s been a week of investigations in Year 6.  Following some revision on both multiplication and division (to 2 decimal places), children set about using their own examples to prove whether a statement was always, sometimes or never true.  

    In English, we have started our new class book, Boy in the Tower by Polly Ho-Yen  It is dystopian novel about Ade, a boy trapped in his London tower block by fast-growing, invasive plants called “Bluchers”.  We wrote a newspaper article about the events so far and we are keen to continue next week. 

    In our history lessons, we got to know Winston Churchill a bit better, considering the type of leader that he was and some of the key decisions he made during World War 2.  We heard an extract of his inspirational speech ‘We shall fight on the beaches’ and then thought about questions we might like to ask him and how he could have responded. 

    Next week, we will celebrate World Book Day on Thursday 5th March and keep an eye open for the arrival of the Book Fair.

    Homework:

    Reading x 3

    Spellings x 10 sentences and learn

    Maths – Multiplication quiz

    Have a lovely weekend,

    The Year 6 Team

  • Algebra, Arctic and Amazing Assembly

    We finished our class book, Leila and the Blue Fox this week and the children have really enjoyed writing an extended blog post based on her adventures in the Arctic and what the main character has learned.  We have started our new class book which is ‘Once’ by Morris Gleitzman and it links in nicely with our World War 2 topic. 

    Algebra – a much feared topic in maths – was on the agenda this week.  I think the children were surprised to see how quickly they grasped some of the basic concepts and by the end of the week were getting stuck in and solving some more challenging problems.  

    In topic, we continue to be impressed with the pupils’ enthusiasm when learning about World War 2.  This week, our focus was the changing role of women during this period.  Lots of brilliant discussion and hot potato topics that were sensibly spoken and written about. 

    Science has been the highlight of the week in Year 6. We delved further into our topic of Light and focused on the ‘spectrum of light’ where we discussed what white light is, what produces white light and the spectrum of colours that appear. When white light (light with no colour filters) is refracted using a glass prism or water, the colours bend and separate into the colours of the rainbow. Red is at the top as it bends the least and violet is at the bottom as it bends the most. We used the idea of Newton’s disc to create a spinning wheel that has the colours of the rainbow on it. When you spin it quick enough, the colours merge to a white representing white light.  Everyone LOVED it!

     

    Everyone loved the Lion Dance assembly, held on Tuesday to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

    For homework, we have suggested that the children look through their past SATs papers to revise and go over questions.  

    Homework:

    Read x 6

    TTRS x 5 mins per day (minimum of 35 minutes in total)

    Oracy – Debate with family

    Art – Collect resources

    (Details on Google Classroom)

     

    We wish everyone a restful and relaxing half term break.

    The Year 6 Team

     

  • Periscopes, Propaganda and the Passive Voice

    We finished our class book, Leila and the Blue Fox, today and thought it was right to wave her off, whilst enjoying the main character’s favourite sweet – a Werther’s Original. We have dabbled in different styles of writing this week, using descriptive techniques such as personification, similes and metaphors and everyone enjoyed writing a ‘tweet’ using the passive voice to help Leila spread the word about her mum’s unjustified detention by the Canadian authorities. 

    In topic lessons, we have been learning Propaganda and how it was used in World War 2 to spread important messages about safety, food shortages and staying positive. The children created their own versions of war propaganda, which we hope to display in the coming weeks. 

    Continuing with our topic of light, this week, the children investigated and made their own periscopes, using card and mirrors.  They then set about investigating what they could (and couldn’t) see with them.  See pictures below.

     

    Homework:

    RE – Leader (Due 11.02.26)

    Spellings x 10 sentences

    Reading x 3

    Maths – Arithmetic quiz

    Grammar quiz

     

    Have a great weekend. 

    The Year 6 Team 

  • SATs, St Paul’s Survives and Spanish

    This week, Year 6 have worked really hard and completed another set of past SATs papers.  All the children approached the tests with positivity and resilience and we couldn’t ask for more.  Back to normal next week!

    In other news, in continuation of our World War 2 studies, we learnt about the devastating events of the Blitz.  We looked at the photograph ‘St Paul’s Survives’, taken in London during the night air raid of 29–30 December 1940, the 114th night of the Blitz of World War II. It shows St Paul’s Cathedral, illuminated by fires and surrounded by the smoke of burning buildings. It was taken by photographer Herbert Mason. To recreate this iconic image, we firstly made stencils of the London skyline – with St Paul’s Cathedral being front and centre – and then used chalk around the edges. Using our fingers, we smudged the chalk to create the impression of smoke and flames and finished it off by adding damaged buildings to the foreground.

    We have been making strides through our Spanish topic over the last few weeks and lots of the children are now able to say what they study in school, at what time, whether they like it (or not!) and why.  ¡Buen trabajo!

    In RE, we used all of our research about the Dalai Lama to write an information page all about his incredible life and the type of leader that he is. 

    Homework this week is a 2 week project linking with our RE and leaders.

    Have a great weekend.

    The Year 6 Team

  • Athletics, Angles and Asking Questions…

    On Thursday, 30 children proudly represented Alban City School at the Sports Hall Games athletic competition.  They competed in a large variety of events including relay and obstacle races, speed bounce, soft javelin chest push and long jump to name a few.  They did a great job of supporting each other and cheering them along. 

    In maths this week, we have revised angles, how to use a protractor and then completed questions by working out missing angles.  This involved knowing what acute, obtuse and reflex angles are, as well as the rules for opposite angles. 

    We have had 3 Spanish sessions this week, with lots of children mastering the challenge of talking about school, when they study different subjects, asking if they like something and giving their opinions.  An example sentence is: 

    En el colegio, los lunes, estudio español a las dos. Me encanta el matemáticas pero odio la informática.

    Which translates as:

    At school on Mondays, I study Spanish at 2 o’clock.  I love maths but I hate computing. 

    Next week, we will be having another go at some past SATs papers to see how we are preparing and progressing towards the tests in May. Please remind the children that they are nothing to worry about and we just want them to try their best. 

     

    Have a great weekend.

    The Year 6 Team

     

  • Arctic, Air Raids and Area

    In English this week, we have been delving deeper into the Nordic landscape with our book Leila and the Arctic Fox.  We practised writing formally, before writing a covering letter, applying for a grant in order to launch an expedition to track the migration of Miso the fox.  Following this, we decided we needed to know more about this interesting creature. The children then worked in small groups to create Arctic fox fact pages for display.  

    In Topic this week we have continued with our unit on World War II, exploring what life was like as an evacuee. We looked at the reasons why children were evacuated, where and why they were sent to rural areas and imagined what it might have been like and what they would have taken with them. 

    Area and perimeter were the maths topics for the week.  We started out reminding ourselves of the relevant formulae for regular shapes before moving on to the area and perimeter of compound shapes.  Children carried out an investigation and worked together to solve some word problems, applying their skills to real life situations. 

    Next week,  some children will be competing in the Sports Hall games athletics competition – please check your emails for communications if your child is participating. 

    Homework:

    Reading x 3

    Google Classroom Maths – Area and Perimeter

    Spellings x 10 sentences

     

    Have a great weekend.

    The Year 6 Team