Lostock Gralam C of E Primary School
Skylarks: Blog items
Skylarks Home Learning 12.01.21, by Miss Beattie
Date: 11th Jan 2021 @ 5:08pm
Tuesday 12th January
Good morning Skylarks 😊
How was your Monday? I hope you are enjoying our online lessons. I want to thank you all for working so hard and just being amazing during these tricky times. Thank you also for engaging with our class discussion, it is so lovely to have the chance to chat with you all.
Tomorrow, and every Wednesday, I will be calling your parents to see how you are getting on at home. This will give us the chance to chat through any questions or queries you might have.
Maths
Cube Numbers: For your maths lesson today, please see the PowerPoint attached. Just click on the little speaker icon on the PowerPoint page to listen. Today we will be focussing on cube numbers.
If you cannot access the PowerPoint, please view the maths lesson at the following YouTube link:
If you are watching the lesson through the YouTube link, you may need to pause the video at appropriate times to give yourself time to complete the tasks.
Times Tables
This week can you practice your x9 tables. Can you say it forwards and backwards? Can you write out the multiples of this number? Do you know the division facts? Why not use TTRS or hit the button to help you:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Writing
Poetry editing and publishing: Again, please see the PowerPoint attached. Like the maths, I have recorded the instructions so just click on the audio button to hear what to do. Today, we will be editing, publishing and performing our own poems produced in yesterday’s lesson.
If you cannot access the PowerPoint, please view the writing lesson at the following YouTube link:
If you are watching the lesson through the YouTube link, you may need to pause the video at appropriate times to give yourself time to complete the tasks.
Reading
It would also be super if you could spend 10-15 minutes each day reading your school book that you have taken home or another book you have been enjoying at home.
Remember to continue writing in your reading diary and get an adult to sign in, then we can collect our raffle tickets when we are back in school.
Why not tell me what book you are reading over on our discussion?
Spellings
Have a go at reading, saying in a sentence and spelling words with the silent T letter. You could make your own spelling doodle and add to it throughout the week. I will add a new word each day and then on Friday we can have a little quiz.
Today’s word: whistle
Previous words: listening
Story: You will find our story embedded into our Writing PowerPoint – I wonder what the midnight fox will get up to next?
PE
Keeping active is so important for our physical and mental health. Here are some great resources you can use at home to stay active:
- https://www.youtube.com/c/TheBodyCoachTV/videos
- https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga
- https://www.gonoodle.com/
- https://www.nhs.uk/10-minute-shake-up/shake-ups
Worship
Today we will take part in an Open the Book worship where we will listen to the story of ‘The Storm on the Lake’.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRd7-PaoUaI&feature=youtu.be
Have a great day Skylarks! Remember if you need any help with our work today, I will be on our class discussion throughout the school day.
Love from Miss Beattie x
Skylarks Home Learning 11.01.21, by Miss Beattie
Date: 8th Jan 2021 @ 6:22pm
Monday 11th January
Good morning Skylarks and happy Monday 😊
I hope you all had a restful weekend and are ready for another week of home learning. Remember that you can chat to me any time throughout the school day on our class discussion through School Spider.
Maths
Square Numbers: For your maths lesson today, please see the PowerPoint attached. Just click on the little speaker icon on the PowerPoint page to listen. Today we will be looking at Square numbers.
If you cannot access the PowerPoint, please view the maths lesson at the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/I5zr2wL4ZeM
If you are watching the lesson through the YouTube link, you may need to pause the video at appropriate times to give yourself time to complete the tasks.
Times Tables
This week can you practice your x9 tables. Can you say it forwards and backwards? Can you write out the multiples of this number? Do you know the division facts? Why not use TTRS or hit the button to help you:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Writing
Poetry writing: Again, please see the PowerPoint attached. Like the maths, I have recorded the instructions so just click on the audio button to hear what to do. We will be writing our own poems based on the poem ‘pleasant sounds’.
If you cannot access the PowerPoint, please view the writing lesson at the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/uOwd82O0Fhw
If you are watching the lesson through the YouTube link, you may need to pause the video at appropriate times to give yourself time to complete the tasks.
Reading
It would also be super if you could spend 10-15 minutes each day reading your school book that you have taken home or another book you have been enjoying at home.
I have attached this weeks 'First News' for you to read - why not read a few pages each day this week?
Remember to continue writing in your reading diary and get an adult to sign in, then we can collect our raffle tickets when we are back in school.
Why not tell me what book you are reading over on our discussion?
Spellings
Have a go at reading, saying in a sentence and spelling words with the silent T letter. You could make your own spelling doodle and add to it throughout the week. I will add a new word each day and then on Friday we can have a little quiz.
Today’s word: listening
Story: You will find our story embedded into our Writing PowerPoint – I wonder what the midnight fox will get up to next?
Worship
From now on we will take part in a daily worship where we will listen to bible stories, take part in guided meditation, reflect on No Outsiders stories and join together in signing hymns.
Today Mrs Powell has recorded a worship for you which you can watch here:
Here is a link to the creation story that you can watch after today’s worship to help you remember the story:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLHB_hNk42g
Have a super Monday everyone! Remember if you need any help with our work today, I will be on our class discussion throughout the school day.
Love from Miss Beattie x
Skylarks Home Learning 08.01.21, by Miss Beattie
Date: 7th Jan 2021 @ 5:15pm
Friday 8th January 2021
Happy Friday Skylarks 😊
I hope you have enjoyed your first week of home learning and have all managed to access the resources you need from the blog. If you are still having issues, please contact admin who will forward your query to me and I will do my best to help.
Maths
Prime Numbers: For your maths lesson today, please see the PowerPoint attached. Just click on the little speaker icon on the PowerPoint page to listen. Today we will be learning about prime numbers.
If you cannot access the PowerPoint, please view the maths lesson at the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/7BPkvuZp7tY
If you are watching the lesson through the YouTube link, you may need to pause the video at appropriate times to give yourself time to complete the tasks.
Times Tables
Continue to recap your 6x tables. Can you say it forwards and backwards? Can you write out the multiples of this number? Do you know the division facts? Why not use TTRS or hit the button to help you:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Writing
Poetry – Vocabulary: Again, please see the PowerPoint attached. Like the maths, I have recorded the instructions so just click on the audio button to hear what to do. We will be focusing on vocabulary choice.
If you cannot access the PowerPoint, please view the writing lesson at the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/k55n1wLAgxE
If you are watching the lesson through the YouTube link, you may need to pause the video at appropriate times to give yourself time to complete the tasks.
Reading
It would also be super if you could spend 10-15 minutes each day reading your school book that you have taken home or another book you have been enjoying at home.
Remember to continue writing in your reading diary and get an adult to sign in, then we can collect our raffle tickets when we are back in school.
Why not tell me what book you are reading over on our discussion?
Spellings
Have a go at reading, saying in a sentence and spelling words with the suffix ‘able’. You could make your own spelling doodle and add to it throughout the week. I will add a new word each day and then on Friday we can have a little quiz.
Today’s word: breakable
Previous words: suitable, understandable
We will be having a mini quiz on these three spelling words at the end of our English lesson today.
Story: You will find our story embedded into our Writing PowerPoint – I wonder what the midnight fox will get up to next?
Have a wonderful day at home Skylarks and enjoy your break from home learning over the weekend. Remember if you need any help with our work today, I will be on our class discussion throughout the school day.
Love from Miss Beattie x
Skylarks Home Learning 07.01.21, by Miss Beattie
Date: 6th Jan 2021 @ 8:59pm
Thursday 7th January 2021
Happy Thursday Skylarks 😊
How are you all this morning? I know we had some technical issues with our home learning yesterday however hopefully all of these problems have been sorted for today and things will run smoothly.
Please remember our discussion is up and running again so if you have any questions about today’s work please come and join our chat where I can help you and answer any questions.
Maths
Factors: For your maths lesson today, please see the PowerPoint attached. Just click on the little speaker icon on the PowerPoint page to listen. Today we will be learning about factors.
If you cannot access the PowerPoint, please view the maths lesson at the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/KzMR28A8H8E
If you are watching the lesson through the YouTube link, you may need to pause the video at appropriate times to give yourself time to complete the tasks.
Times Tables
Continue to recap your 6x tables. Can you say it forwards and backwards? Can you write out the multiples of this number? Do you know the division facts? Why not use TTRS or hit the button to help you:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Writing
Poetry – Comprehension: Again, please see the PowerPoint attached. Like the maths, I have recorded the instructions so just click on the audio button to hear what to do. We will be focusing on comprehension skills today.
If you cannot access the PowerPoint, please view the writing lesson at the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/K1bBcadFX4E
If you are watching the lesson through the YouTube link, you may need to pause the video at appropriate times to give yourself time to complete the tasks.
Reading
It would also be super if you could spend 10-15 minutes each day reading your school book that you have taken home or another book you have been enjoying at home.
Remember to continue writing in your reading diary and get an adult to sign in, then we can collect our raffle tickets when we are back in school.
Why not tell me what book you are reading over on our discussion?
Spellings
Have a go at reading, saying in a sentence and spelling words with the suffix ‘able’. You could make your own spelling doodle and add to it throughout the week. I will add a new word each day and then on Friday we can have a little quiz.
Today’s word: understandable
Previous words: suitable
Story: You will find our story embedded into our Writing PowerPoint – I wonder what the midnight fox will get up to next?
Have a wonderful day at home Skylarks and remember if you need anything, I will be on our class discussion throughout the school day.
Love from Miss Beattie x
Skylarks Home Learning 06.01.21, by Miss Beattie
Date: 6th Jan 2021 @ 7:20am
Wednesday 6th January 2021
Good morning my lovely Skylarks 😊
How are you all this morning? I am feeling excited about this new home learning journey we are beginning together.
Each morning, I will write a blog explaining your tasks for that day and I will attach your maths and writing lessons to the blog in a PowerPoint. If you have any problems accessing the PowerPoints, you could try accessing them as a video on YouTube:
Maths: https://youtu.be/01MpSrBzAXA
English: https://youtu.be/weCqa_Y2PU0
Please also look at the class discussion page each day where I will be available to chat to you, help you with your home learning and provide you with feedback (remember your login details are stuck inside your reading diary).
Maths
Multiples: For your maths lesson today, please see the PowerPoint attached. Our home learning maths lessons will be guided by a recording of my voice which will explain what to do (like I do each day in class). Just click on the little speaker icon on the PowerPoint page to listen. Today we will be learning about multiples.
Times Tables
Recap your 6x tables. Can you say it forwards and backwards? Can you write out the multiples of this number? Do you know the division facts? Why not use TTRS or hit the button to help you:
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button
Writing
Poetry – Vocabulary: Again, please see the PowerPoint attached. Like the maths, I have recorded the instructions so just click on the audio button to hear what to do. We will be focusing on definitions and synonyms.
Reading
It would also be super if you could spend 10-15 minutes each day reading your school book that you have taken home or another book you have been enjoying at home.
Remember to continue writing in your reading diary and get an adult to sign in, then we can collect our raffle tickets when we are back in school.
Spellings
Have a go at reading, saying in a sentence and spelling words with the suffix ‘able’. You could make your own spelling doodle and add to it throughout the week. I will add a new word each day and then on Friday we can have a little quiz.
Today’s word: suitable
Story: You will find our story embedded into our Writing PowerPoint – I wonder what the midnight fox will get up to next?
Have a wonderful day at home Skylarks and remember if you need anything, I will be on our class discussion throughout the school day.
Love from Miss Beattie x
Skylarks W.B. 4.1.21, by Miss Beattie
Date: 17th Dec 2020 @ 4:19pm
Hi everyone and welcome back to our weekly blog 😊
I can’t quite believe the Christmas holidays have arrived!!!
Firstly, Mrs Hulse and I want to say a huge thank you for the lovely gifts and cards we received this year. We are overwhelmed by your generosity and kindness.
We hope you have enjoyed watching our virtual Christmas plays and carol service this year. The children had a wonderful time putting them together and I know I will certainly cherish the memories we have made this year. If you have not received the links for any of the performances, please email admin who will send it to you 😊
When we come back to school in January, we will spend some time recapping our writing book ‘Queen of the Falls’. We will then summarise the main events of the story in a timeline. This will help prepare us for our writing the following week.
In maths we will be focussing on graphs, in particular line graphs. The children will begin by interpreting line graphs, before drawing their own.
Our maths knowledge will also help us in our science lesson. We will first investigate soluble and insoluble materials, as well as how long it takes for soluble materials to dissolve fully. We will then present our results using a bar chart.
In RE, we will be finishing our topic ‘Incarnation’. We will be looking at further titles given to Jesus in scripture and will discuss what they might mean. We will then reflect back on all the titles we have explored throughout this topic and suggest why they are helpful for Christians today.
In our reading lessons, we will be exploring a new book: ‘Hansel and Gretel’ by Neil Gaiman. We will begin by evaluating the authors’ choice of language, looking specifically at figurative language and why it is used.
Homework
The children should complete pages 12 and 13 of the maths CGP book over the Christmas holidays or during the first week back in January. This homework should be returned, completed and marked, by Friday 8th January 2021.
Remember, if your child is unable to complete their homework at home, Mrs Hulse and I will ensure that supervision is provided on a Wednesday lunchtime so that they can complete it in school. During this lunchtime, any children who may be struggling on a particular question at home can also come to ask an adult for help.
Please encourage your child to read and practice their spellings/times tables over the holidays also.
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 8th January will look at words containing the suffix -able:
Understandable, breakable, suitable, enjoyable, noticeable, changeable, adorable, reliable, enviable, bearable
Please encourage your child to remove the -able suffix and focus on the root word while practising their spellings.
Have a wonderful, safe Christmas and a very happy new year!
From Miss Beattie and Mrs Hulse x
Skylarks W.B. 14.12.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 10th Dec 2020 @ 7:55am
Hello everyone 😊
I hope you are all keeping well and are looking forward to the Christmas holidays! I can’t quite believe we are looking ahead to the last week of the Autumn Term.
The children have worked exceptionally hard to put on a Christmas production for you, albeit a little different than normal. We hope it makes you smile and helps spread some Christmas cheer!
As we look ahead to the final week of the half term, we have lots of festive activities to keep us busy. Over the week, all of the children will have the opportunity to watch a virtual Christmas Panto. Each class will also have a Christmas party on Friday 18th December with party games and a Christmas movie.
In maths, we will begin to look at our next unit ‘Statistics’. We will be focussing on reading and interpreting tables.
In writing, we will be using everything we have learnt about Annie Edson Taylor to write an extract about her in the style of our shared reading book ‘Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls’.
In our topic lesson, we will be carrying out research to find out more about Northwich. We will use primary and secondary sources to find out about Northwich’s population, industry, employment opportunities and types of houses.
In our reading lessons, our focus remains on drawing inferences. We will continue to use our ‘thinking out loud’ and ‘visualising’ techniques to infer characters’ thoughts, feelings and motives. We will also continue to make comparisons within and across the texts we have read.
Homework
The children should complete pages 10 and 11 this week, to be returned by Thursday 17th December (We are asking for the children to return it a day early next week on Thursday so that we can have a festive, fun-filled day on Friday!)
Remember, if your child is unable to complete their homework at home, Mrs Hulse and I will ensure that supervision is provided on a Wednesday lunchtime so that they can complete it in school. During this lunchtime, any children who may be struggling on a particular question at home can also come to ask an adult for help.
Please encourage your child to read and practice their spellings/times tables in addition to their new maths homework.
Our spellings for the quiz on Thursday 17th December will be the next 10 statutory words from the Y5/6 list:
Available, average, awkward, bargain, bruise, category, cemetery, committee, communicate, community
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
If you have any questions of queries please do not hesitate to contact me via the school admin email address or telephone 😊
Miss Beattie
Away in a manger, by Miss Beattie
Date: 4th Dec 2020 @ 5:35pm
Hi Skylarks
Here is the link for our Away in a Manger song we are learning for the carol service. Enjoy practicing and have a lovely weekend!
https://youtu.be/azXaIey1qDQ
Miss Beattie xx
Skylarks W.B. 7.12.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 3rd Dec 2020 @ 7:51am
Hi everyone and welcome back to our weekly blog 😊
We have had another excellent week in Skylarks Class. The children have worked extremely hard to put the finishing touches on their Christmas production performance and carol service and can’t wait to share these with you virtually over the coming weeks.
Next week in our reading lessons, our focus remains on drawing inferences. We will continue to use our ‘thinking out loud’ and ‘visualising’ techniques to infer characters’ thoughts, feelings and motives. We will also continue to make comparisons within and across the texts we have read.
In maths we will continue to problem solve and reason using both formal written methods and mental methods of addition and subtraction.
In worship we will be thinking about the Christmas story and will write our own poems asking God for guidance, just like the star gave the wise men guidance.
On Wednesday 9th December the children are invited to come to school wearing a Christmas jumper or their own clothes to take part in the Rudolph Mile. School will provide antlers and a red nose for each child as they walk or run the mile. We will be collecting donations for St. Luke’s Hospice on this day 😊
Homework
As you know, the children in year 5 are now set a weekly maths homework which they should complete and mark at home before returning it to school each Friday.
Remember, if your child is unable to complete their homework at home, Mrs Hulse and I will ensure that supervision is provided on a Wednesday lunchtime so that they can complete it in school. During this lunchtime, any children who may be struggling on a particular question at home can also come to ask an adult for help.
The children should complete pages 8 and 9 this week, to be returned by 11th December.
Please encourage your child to read and practice their spellings/times tables in addition to their new maths homework.
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 11th December will continue to look at words containing the -ible suffix:
invisible, edible, flexible, resistible, responsible, impossible, irreversible, convertible
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
If you have any questions of queries please do not hesitate to contact me via the school admin email address or telephone 😊
Miss Beattie
Skylarks W.B. 30.11.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 26th Nov 2020 @ 1:08pm
Hi everyone and welcome back to our weekly blog 😊
We have had another super week in Skylarks Class! The children have been busy making props and rehearsing for our Christmas Play and Carol Service and cannot wait to share these with you virtually before the Christmas holidays.
Next week in our writing lessons we will be focussing on Annie Edson Taylor’s journey down the river towards the edge of Niagara Falls. We will work collaboratively to create a story map of her journey before writing our own first person account.
In maths we will be problem solving and reasoning using our knowledge of addition, subtraction and inverse operations. The children will work together to solve word problems, carry out investigations and give reasons for their answers.
In reading our focus remains on drawing inferences. We will be using our ‘thinking out loud’ and ‘visualising’ techniques to infer characters’ thoughts, feelings and motives. We will also continue to make comparisons within and across texts.
In RE, we will be thinking more about the titles given to Jesus at Christmas time. We will be looking specifically at the title ‘Emmanuel’ and discussing what we think it means.
Assessments
Over the next few weeks in school, the children will complete NFER assessments in maths, reading, spelling and punctuation and grammar. We will be taking it at a slower pace than usual this year by spreading these out across the next 3 weeks. We will also balance these days with lovely Christmas activities to ensure the children’s wellbeing remains a priority.
Homework
In Year 5 we are going to start setting the children a small amount of maths homework to be completed each week. Homework will be set on a Friday, starting tomorrow 27th November. The children will be told which pages they need to complete and I will also include these on our blog. The children are then asked to mark their own work at home using the answers provided in the back of the book.
If your child is unable to complete their homework at home, Mrs Hulse and I will ensure that supervision is provided on a Wednesday lunchtime so that they can complete it in school. During this lunchtime, any children who may be struggling on a particular question at home can also come to ask an adult for help.
Children are expected to return their completed and marked homework to school the following Friday when it will be stamped by a teacher and new homework set.
The children should complete pages 6 and 7 this week, to be returned by 4th December.
Please encourage your child to read and practice their spellings/times tables in addition to their new maths homework.
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 4th December will look at words containing the -ible suffix:
possible, terrible, legible, horrible, sensible, reversible, credible, visible
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
If you have any questions of queries please do not hesitate to contact me via the school admin email address or telephone 😊
Miss Beattie
Skylarks W.B. 23.11.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 19th Nov 2020 @ 8:24am
Hi everyone and welcome back to our weekly blog 😊
Looking ahead to next week, we will be spending lots of time making props and rehearsing for our Christmas Play which we cannot wait to share with you virtually.
In maths we will be making connections between addition and subtraction by looking at inverse operations. We will also use our knowledge of these operations to solve tricky problems.
In our writing lessons, we will be using our plans from last week to help us write a newspaper article announcing Annie Edson Taylor’s arrival to Niagara Falls to carry out her daredevil feat. We will also continue to build on our knowledge of fronted adverbials.
In topic, we will be using our map skills to develop our locational knowledge of Northwich. We will be using OS maps and six-figure grid references to identify different features of the local area.
In our reading lessons next week, we will continue to explore our new text ‘Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls’. Our focus remains on drawing inferences based on information stated and implied, including characters’ thoughts, feelings and motives. We will also begin to make comparisons between the various inspirational woman we have read about.
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 27th November will be the first 10 spellings from the Year 5/6 statutory word list:
accommodate, accompany, according, achieve, aggressive, amateur, ancient, apparent, appreciate, attached
These spellings are a lot trickier than previous spellings as they do not follow a particular spelling rule and simply need to be learnt. Please reassure your child that these words will continue to be revised for the next 2 years in school and that they can only try their best 😊
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
If you have any questions of queries please do not hesitate to contact me via the school admin email address or telephone 😊
Miss Beattie
Skylarks W.B. 16.11.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 12th Nov 2020 @ 7:50am
Hi everyone and welcome back to our weekly blog 😊
It was wonderful to speak to so many of you yesterday during our parents evening phone calls. I would like to reiterate that if you have any further questions or queries please do not hesitate to get in contact.
Next week in our writing lessons we will be recapping our knowledge of fronted adverbials. We will begin by writing fronted adverbials to describe Annie Edson Taylor and will then use these to help us plan and write a letter in role as her friend. Our other big focus in our writing lessons is taking account of the audience and purpose for which we are writing and so we will be practicing using an informal tone when we write our letters.
In maths, we will be consolidating our understanding of column method for both addition and subtraction. We will also look carefully at mental strategies for these operations, and practice deciding which method is most appropriate for the question.
In our reading lessons next week, we will continue to explore our new text ‘Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls’. Our focus remains on drawing inferences based on information stated and implied, including characters’ thoughts, feelings and motives.
In our topic lesson next week, we will be thinking about ‘ourselves’. The children will create an autobiography which will become the starting point for our study of where we live.
In science, the children will be set a task to plan an investigation that answers the following question: Which material is the best thermal insulator to keep a lunch box cold?
Our spellings for the quiz on Friday 20th November will continue to look at words with the silent letter b:
climb, subtle, bomb, lamb, doubted, plumber, crumbling, numbing
Reminder: On Monday, we will be holding our school council election in Skylarks Class. If the children wish to be considered for school council, they should prepare a short speech to present to their classmates explaining why they want to represent our class. We will then hold a vote to elect two children😊
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
If you have any questions of queries please do not hesitate to contact me via the school admin email address or telephone 😊
Miss Beattie
Skylarks W.B. 9.11.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 5th Nov 2020 @ 8:11am
Hi everyone and welcome back to our weekly blog 😊
I hope you all had a restful half term and enjoyed spending time together at home.
The children have had a great few days back in school!
Next week in our writing lessons we will be putting ourselves into the shoes of a spectator who watched Annie Edson Taylor carry out her daredevil stunt at Niagara Falls. We will plan and write our own first-person account of that day, using photographs to help us visualise what we might see, hear and feel. We will also complete a character profile for Annie herself, drawing inferences about her thoughts, feelings and actions.
In maths, we will continue to consolidate our knowledge of column method for addition and subtraction. We will also use rounding to help us estimate and check our answers.
On Wednesday, we will be reflecting on Remembrance Day. We will gain an understanding of why it is celebrated and use this to help us write an acrostic poem. We will also visit the Cenotaph as a class to lay our Remembrance Crosses that we have made.
In our reading lessons next week, we will begin to explore our new text ‘Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls’ which we will be using for the whole of this half term. We will be focussing on drawing inferences based on information stated and implied, including characters’ thoughts, feelings and motives.
Our first spelling quiz will take place next Friday 13th November. Your child will stick their spellings into their diary tomorrow (Friday) so that they can practice them at home. The children will also practice applying this spelling rule in school during our focussed spelling lessons.
Our spellings for the quiz will look at words with the silent letter b:
thumb, numb, crumb, debt, doubt, limb, combed, tomb
Parents Evening phone calls will take place next week, Wednesday 11th November (for Skylarks Class). If you haven’t already, please log on to School Spider to book your appointment time. If you have any problems doing this, please contact the school office who will assist you.
On Monday 16th November, we will be holding our school council election in Skylarks Class. If the children wish to be considered for school council, they should prepare a short speech to present to their classmates explaining why they want to represent our class. We will then hold a vote to elect two children.
Our PE day is still on a Monday so please send your child to school in their PE kit on this day.
I look forward to speaking to you all next week during our Parents Evening phone calls 
Miss Beattie
W.B. 2.11.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 22nd Oct 2020 @ 9:20am
Hi everyone and welcome back to our weekly blog 😊
I can’t believe we are at the end of the first half term! I want to start by saying how lovely it has been to hear our school filled with laughter again over the past 8 weeks. I also want to say a big well done to all of Skylarks class who have worked incredibly hard and are ready for a relaxing half term.
As we look ahead to the first week back, we will be starting our new class text ‘Queen of the Falls’ in our writing lessons. We will begin by using picture clues to predict what the text might be about and will then explore the story page by page. We will also write our own postcards from the foot of Niagara Falls thinking about the audience and purpose for which we are writing.
In Maths we will be putting our knowledge of place value to the test by solving problems using the skills we acquired during the first half term. We will also begin to look at formal written methods for addition (column method).
In RE will begin our new topic by looking at Titles. We will first explore titles that we give each other, for example, Mum, Dad, friend and teacher. We will then use bible verses to help us learn about the different titles given to Jesus.
Our PE day will continue to be on a Monday next half term so please send your child to school in their PE kit on this day.
Spellings will be sent home with your child during week 1 and our spelling quiz will begin the week after.
When we return to school, you will receive an email asking you to book a parent-teacher phone call using School Spider. Skylarks phone calls will take place on Wednesday 11th November. Please don’t worry about booking your slot yet, you will receive more information about this when we return to school after the half term.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend and a fun-filled half term!
Miss Beattie and Mrs Hulse 😊
Skylarks W.B. 19.10.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 15th Oct 2020 @ 8:00am
Hi everyone 😊
Welcome back to our weekly blog!
Can you believe we are looking ahead to the final week of this half term? I certainly can’t! The children have made a super start in Year 5 and have made me very proud with how they have adjusted to our new routines and the work that they have produced.
Next week
Next week, we will be putting the finishing touches on our magazine articles. The children have worked extremely hard on these over the past couple of weeks and should be very proud of their work.
In maths we are coming to the end of our place value lessons, however this will of course run throughout our other maths topics this year. We will be looking specifically at patterns and sequences next week.
In our topic lessons we will be revising our Year 4 topic ‘Ancient Rome’. The children will be sharing and recording what knowledge they can remember by writing an acrostic poem.
In RE we will continue to look at various verses from ‘The Sermon on the Mount’. We will be thinking about the relevance of these teachings for Christians today.
On Friday we will have an art day where we will put our knowledge of tint, tone and shade into practice. We will be sketching and painting our own flowers inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe.
Home Reading and Times Tables
Please continue to read with your child at home, this can be a mixture of them reading aloud to you and them reading independently. Please remind your child to write in their diary and have it signed by an adult in order to earn a reading raffle ticket in school. A huge well done to the children who are earning raffle tickets on a weekly basis! 😊
PE
Just a little reminder that PE is currently on a Monday so please send your child to school in their PE kit on this day. As the weather is getting colder, please ensure that your child will be warm enough throughout the school day. Black or navy tracksuit bottoms and leggings are allowed.
Thank you so much for your continued support. If you need anything at all please do not hesitate to get in contact via the office, either by phone or email.
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
Miss Beattie
Skylarks W.B. 12.10.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 8th Oct 2020 @ 7:39am
Happy Thursday everyone 😊
Skylarks have had another fantastic week in school.
Next week
Next week in our writing lessons we will be producing our final piece of writing based on the book ‘Of Thee I Sing’. To begin, we will be using our plans that we wrote this week to draft our own magazine articles. We will then edit and publish our work using ‘Microsoft Word’. The children have been so enthusiastic throughout this unit of work and worked really hard this week during the planning stage that I already can’t wait to read their final articles!
In maths we will be continuing to focus on Place Value. We will be focussing on rounding numbers up to 1,000,000 to the nearest 10, 100, 1000 and 10,000. We will also be looking at negative numbers and counting through zero.
Our reading lessons next week will look at making predictions based on information read so far.
In our topic lessons we will be revising our Year 4 topic ‘Ancient Greece’. The children will be sharing and recording what knowledge they can remember. This helps to make our knowledge ‘sticky’ so that we don’t forget it.
On Thursday, the children in Skylarks class will have a Computing Day where they will continue to make their own presentation about ‘How Computers Impact our Lives’ using the app ‘Keynote’.
Home Reading and Times Tables
Please continue to read with your child at home, this can be a mixture of them reading aloud to you and them reading independently. Please remind your child to write in their diary and have it signed by an adult in order to earn a reading raffle ticket in school. A huge well done to the children who are earning raffle tickets on a weekly basis! 😊
PE
Just a little reminder that PE is currently on a Monday so please send your child to school in their PE kit on this day. This should be either plain black or plain navy shorts, leggings or tracksuit bottoms.
Thank you so much for your continued support. If you need anything at all please do not hesitate to get in contact via the office, either by phone or email.
Have a lovely weekend everyone!
Miss Beattie
Skylarks W.B. 5.10.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 1st Oct 2020 @ 8:21am
Hi everyone!
Welcome back to Skylarks weekly blog.
We have had another super, hard-working week. I’m sure you are aware that we have welcomed Teddy back into school and the children have thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him and taking on extra responsibilities to help look after him 😊
If you haven't already given your written consent for your child to interact with him, then please do so via School Gateway or email as soon as possible.
Next week
Next week in our writing lessons, we will be preparing to write our final piece from our current unit. We will begin by analysing a model text, before planning our own magazine articles.
In maths we will be developing our knowledge of place value to include numbers up to 1,000,000.
Our reading lessons next week will continue to look at drawing inferences. We will be practicing ‘thinking out loud’ and ‘visualising’ to help us answer questions quickly and efficiently.
In art, we will be exploring the terms hue, tint, tone and shade. We will experiment with these techniques using paint.
Home Reading and Spellings
Thank you again to the children who have been reading at home. We already have lots of raffles in our jar!
We have had a few questions regarding spelling tests this week. We will begin to send spelling words home to learn after October half term. Please be assured that although spellings are not being sent home, spelling lessons are happening daily in school. We are working on consolidating the Year 4 spelling rules, before moving on to the Year 5 spellings.
PE
Just a little reminder that PE is currently on a Monday so please send your child to school in their PE kit on this day. This should be either plain black or plain navy shorts, leggings or tracksuit bottoms.
Mr Ault also does an after-school club on a Monday just for Skylarks class.
As the weather is getting colder and wetter, please send your child to school with an appropriate coat. We are keen to spend as much time outdoors as possible 😊
Thank you so much for your continued support at home. If you need anything or have any queries please do not hesitate to get in contact.
Have a lovely weekend!
Miss Beattie
Skylarks W.B. 28.09.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 24th Sep 2020 @ 8:14am
Hello everyone,
It was so lovely to speak to so many parents this week during our phone calls. I'm sorry if I missed you! If you do wish to discuss anything, please do not hesitate to email or phone the school office to arrange this.
We have had another fantastic week in Skylarks Class 😊
The children have been working extremely hard and I am very proud of their positive attitudes and work ethic.
We have another busy week ahead of us…
In our Writing lessons next week, we will be focusing on editing and improving our writing. We will be using a letter that we wrote a couple of weeks ago and up-levelling it using the grammar and punctuation that we have been working hard on.
In maths we will continue our work on place value, and will look specifically at Roman Numerals.
Our Reading lessons next week will begin to focus on drawing inferences. We will be practicing ‘thinking out loud’ and ‘visualising’ to help us answer questions based on information stated and implied.
In our topic lesson, we will be looking back at our learning from previous year groups. The children will use their knowledge of chronology to place events and time periods into a timeline. In science, we will be investigating the properties of different materials. We will plan our own investigations to put these properties to the test.
Home Reading
I have been so pleasantly surprised to see just how many children in Skylarks Class LOVE to read! It has been fantastic to see that lots of children have been doing extra reading at home. Please encourage your child to read for 10 minutes each day and write in their reading diaries. In year 5, we encourage the children to write in their own diaries and simply have it signed by an adult at home!
As always, if you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact me. I am only a phone call or email away!
Miss Beattie
Skylarks W.B. 21.09.20, by Miss Beattie
Date: 17th Sep 2020 @ 8:29am
Hi everyone and welcome to Skylarks first weekly blog!
We have had a great couple of weeks settling back into school life and the children have already adjusted really well to our new routines.
In our Writing lessons we have been exploring the text ‘Of Thee I Sing’ by Barack Obama. The children have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the inspirational people written about in the book. Next week in our writing lessons we will focusing on famous baseball player Jackie Robinson. We will start by reading and retrieving information about him, before using this to write our own articles about ‘Jackie Robinson Day’.
In Maths we have been focussing a lot on our Times Tables and Place Value. We will continue with our Place Value lessons next week looking at numbers up to 100,000. We will be discussing the value of each digit, as well as placing numbers on a number line.
Next week in our reading lessons we will be focussing on retrieving and recording information. We will be using our skimming and scanning techniques to find the information quickly.
On Thursday, we will have a computing day where we will begin to look at our new topic ‘How computers impact our lives’. In RE we will be revising what we already know about the teachings of Jesus and how Christians should live their lives. We will also be practicing our sketching skills in art to draw our own Skylarks.
Home Reading/Homework
This week I have sent home your child with a reading book and their new homework diary. Over the next few weeks, we will assess the children in their reading in class but for the time being, we have given the children a banded book or free reading book based on their attainment levels from March. The children are all reading a wide range of additional books and texts in class and we are encouraging them to continue to read their own choice of books at home each day to develop their love of reading. If you can read aloud to your child too, this would be great! Please note that homework diaries will not be written in by your child’s teacher, instead they will stamp the page to acknowledge your child’s home reading.
Times tables are also up and running in Skylarks Class and you will be kept up to date with how your child is doing in their diary.
At the minute, PE is on a Monday. Please send your child to school wearing their PE kit on this day.
As always, if you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact the office who will arrange a phone call with myself.
Miss Beattie
Thursday 16th July Skylarks home learning, by Miss Thwaites
Date: 15th Jul 2020 @ 10:31am
Good morning all!
I am feeling very emotional writing this blog this morning. This will be my final blog of the Year at Lostock. Even though this year has not planned out the way I thought when I stepped into the role of Year 5 class teacher, I will treasure the time we have spent together and I have loved spending my final year of teaching at Lostock with a talented and caring bunch of children. It has been amazing to watch you grow and develop over the months into such a considerate and mature class. You are all going to smash Year 6 and I am excited to hear about how you all settle back into the new year approaching September. Even though I am leaving, I do hope to come back to see you all in your final school production or leavers assembly. I am so proud of how well you have coped throughout this unusual situation and I have loved seeing and speaking to you all on Monday. I always know that you will progress onto fabulous things and do not let anyone ever dull the spark that you have.
Last day activities
As today is your last day in Year 5, I would like you to reflect on the year and think about all the things that you are proud of. I would like you to write at least 5 things you have enjoyed or succeeded in doing this year and either tweet them or share them on our discussion page.
Here are some other activities you may choose to do today:
- Create a Class Memory book
- Go Outside! Check out this post for learning games you can play outdoors.
- Put on a Show: This could be for parents, younger siblings, or just for your own amusement
- Have a Camping Style Read-In: Set up tents, turn off the lights, and close the blinds.
- Make a Summer Top Ten Lists: Consider Top Ten Books I Want to Read, Top Ten Things I Want to Do, and Top Ten Places I Want to Go.
- Summer Activities Brainstorm: Brainstorm as many fun summer activities as you can
Message from Mrs Powell:
It is hard to think we break up from school today. I cannot tell you enough times just how amazing you have been since we were all last together, I am so proud of how you have managed, learnt and kept smiling. All the staff can’t wait for September until we are back again but missing some very special Year 6 pupils who are going onto new adventures. When I was looking for a worship on how to end the year I found this, I hope you like it!
All of us will have preferred ways to say goodbye. However, the actual word ‘goodbye’ means, ‘God be with you.’ Christians believe that God is always with us. It is good to remember that when people leave us, they are not left on their own. Whether it is just over the holidays, or as some of you move to a new school, we all wish you the very best and, as we say goodbye, we pray that God will be with you wherever you go.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart for so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can be together all the time.”
—Winnie the Pooh
Have a wonderful summer!
Take care Skylarks. I hope you have a restful and happy Summer holiday and are excited to return as Toucan’s class in September. Good luck and goodbye from me.
Miss Thwaites and Mrs Hulse x
Wednesday 15th July Skylarks home learning, by Miss Thwaites
Date: 15th Jul 2020 @ 8:50am
A very happy Wednesday morning to you all!
Art
Today, I thought you may like a day of doing some Art work. I know how some of you love doing art and how some of you can worry too.
You can choose to do any of the following:
Follow the BBC bitesize lesson based around exciting artwork: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zmkcsk7
You could create a number of drawings following Draw with Rob- http://www.robbiddulph.com/draw-with-rob
You could learn about painting, collage and printmaking and have a go too: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbdhnrd
Or you could have a go at learning about optical illusions and using shading to show form by following this lesson: https://classroom.thenational.academy/lessons/optical-illusions-and-using-shading-to-show-form
Optical illusions are fantastic and a great way of showing how everyone sees things differently:
Here are some you can have a look at: https://www.optics4kids.org/illusions
Reading
Please click on the following link to carry on listening to some of your teachers and familiar faces reading you the story of ‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl. The Twits Part 4- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRkPER4lXh4&t=3s
Message from Mrs Powell:
Joshua 1:9
How do you feel about returning to school? Do you feel nervous, anxious, perhaps wishing you were back home where you felt safe?
In this passage, Joshua was standing at the edge of the land of Canaan, Moses had died, and God was commanding Joshua to take the Israelites forward into the promised land. It was new, they were leaving what they had known, to step into a future that God had planned.
God gave this command to Joshua in verse 9 to encourage him, to put a strong heart into him, whatever the future holds, God would be with him. I wonder how this made Joshua feel strong and courageous? As Joshua and the people of Israel recalled how God had been with them through the desert, it gave them certainty of the truth of this going forward, this is a common pattern throughout the Bible of looking back to God’s faithfulness to stand strong in going forward.
Joshua probably felt the same as we do now, as we begin again, our community, coming back together and settling down into our school – some things will feel familiar, some will feel different. Corrie ten Boom, a German Christian who survived concentration camps during the Holocaust, said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” What do you know of God? Reflect back – how has God been with you before Covid-19? How has he been with you through this? How might this make you feel strong and courageous?
Listen to the track “Good Good Father” by Chris Tomlinson. Joshua spent time talking with God – it gave him courage to go forward into something new…spend time talking to God now, recall how he has shown goodness over that past months and even years, tell him your feelings and ask him to give you courage for the future.
A prayer for courage:
Lord, I’m afraid
I don’t feel bold or courageous today
Help me to remember that bravery isn’t the absence of fear, it’s doing the right thing no matter what.
Give me a courageous heat.
I know that you will be with me, I am not alone.
You are greater than any obstacle I face.
Help me to step forward knowing that you are trustworthy
And my source of strength.
In Jesus’ name. Amen
You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.”
—Christopher Robin
Take care everyone!
Miss Thwaites and Mrs Hulse x
Tuesday 14th July Skylarks home learning, by Miss Thwaites
Date: 13th Jul 2020 @ 9:15pm
Good morning to you all!
It was lovely to see you all yesterday! You have blown me away this year with your resilience and hard-working nature. I am so grateful for all the gifts and cards you have given me and I cannot wait to open them. I have a little gift for your new classroom too which will be opened by your new class teachers on the last day before Summer. I will also be sending out a little video for you all with a little message for each of you and some photos of the year we have had together.
English
Today, you should begin to write your final letter after drafting down your ideas of what you would like to talk about in your letter and share about yourself. Remember to only share the things that you would like your current or new teacher to know about.
Geography
We would have spent time learning about America in our topic work. Therefore, I thought this would be a nice and interesting lesson for you to complete. It is based on the state of Florida and allows you to learn and discover information about this place. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zyqm8hv
Reading
Please click on the following link to carry on listening to some of your teachers and familiar faces reading you the story of ‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl. The Twits Part 3- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLDe3vLAD80&t=13s
Message from Mrs Powell:
How do we know we are loved?
Penguins are loyal to their partners. Love is loyal. God is loyal and is committed to us. In Hebres 13.5 God says, “never will I leave you, never will I forsake you.” This is a way of understanding that we are loved by Him.
Has someone ever said you are “One in a Million? Out of all the 7.3 billion people in the world, there is only one of us. God has made us unique. We are important. We are special, we are loved. Letting other people’s love in our hearts makes our hearts stronger. If we want to live well and if we want to love others it starts with loving ourselves and letting love in.
Take care everyone and stay safe!
Miss Thwaites and Mrs Hulse x
Monday 13th July Skylarks home learning, by Miss Thwaites
Date: 12th Jul 2020 @ 6:09pm
Good morning everyone!
I hope you all had a fantastic weekend and I cannot wait to see you all this morning for our transition day. You will spend the day with myself and Mrs Whittingham playing a range of fun outdoor (socially distanced) games. This will help Mrs Whittingham get to know you before September and will give me a chance to say goodbye to you all before I move to my new school in September.
As there are only 4 days left until our Summer holidays (I can’t believe I am writing this). I thought that this week it would be nice to give you a range of one off lessons and more creative and fun things to do to wind down.
English
As you are all such brilliant writers, it would be lovely for you to write a letter during today and tomorrow. I would like you to spend today (as I know you will be in school) writing down ideas. I would like you to write a letter to either your new class teacher or your current one, telling them about yourself, what you have enjoyed doing since not being in school, a new skill you may have learnt and something that you still want to improve and get better at.
To help you to do this, you can follow this lesson… https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z2gq4xs
Science
Last week, you may have chosen to make a moving space toy or just design one. To delve deeper into your learning of space, it would be nice for you to have a go at the following lesson: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zmw3hcw
Reading
Please click on the following link to carry on listening to some of your teachers and familiar faces reading you the story of ‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl. The Twits Part 2- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRnox40nSLo&t=18s
Message from Mrs Powell:
Sometimes people make us sad. When it comes to being hurt, the bravest, happiest, strongest thing we can do is to forgive. Forgiving is not to hold onto the hurt and to let it go. Jesus said to forgive not 7 times but 77 times. What can we do today to love someone else more?
Jesus instructs us to forgive others over and over again just like he does for us. He clearly teaches his disciples in this story that they are to forgive “seventy seven times” or over and over again
Just like his forgiveness doesn’t run out, neither should our own. Use this story to share with your child that we should forgive others just as he forgives us. Jesus provided the way and the model for humility and forgiveness. His example is one we can follow daily because parents, siblings, teachers, friends and loved ones will make mistakes that affect us.
“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32
Take care everyone!
Miss Thwaites and Mrs Hulse x
Friday 10th July Skylarks home learning, by Miss Thwaites
Date: 9th Jul 2020 @ 10:22am
Happy Friday Skylarks class and what a great Friday it is going to be!
I would love to see all of your smiley faces back in school today and for you to see your friends and classmates too. If you are able to come today at 12:30-1:30pm, I also know Mr Ault is looking forward to seeing you all too. This will be a great chance for you to enjoy a fun, outdoors PE lesson, as well as to socialise (in a safe way) with each other.
Maths
To consolidate your learning about angles this week, here is the link for you to complete the challenges that incorporate what you have learnt this week: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zknp7yc
English
I thought it would be lovely to write a set of instructions today using imperative verbs, if you would like to have a go at the following lesson then please click on the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zbxgn9q
We all have a lovely treat for you today and continuing into the new and final week of our term. The teachers wanted to read you a story that was a bit longer. We decided we would like to read you ‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl. This is an iconic story and I certainly find it very funny. To listen to the first part of the story with some familiar faces click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ne7IT8w_9M&t=42s
Take care everyone, have a lovely and safe weekend!
Miss Thwaites and Mrs Hulse x
Thursday 9th July Skylarks home learning, by Miss Thwaites
Date: 9th Jul 2020 @ 10:20am
A Happy Thursday morning to Skylarks class,
Just a quick reminder that tomorrow (Friday 10th July), you will have the opportunity to meet with myself and your new class teachers by having an outdoor PE lesson with Mr Ault. Our timeslot for this is 12:30-1:30pm. Please where appropriate footwear, your own clothes and bring a water bottle. I hope to see as many of you as possible there.
Maths
In today’s lesson, you will learn how to identify and measure different angles. Please concentrate on how this needs to be accurate and lined up correctly. Please click on the following link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zdp8bqt
English
It would be great if you could have a go at this lesson that allows you to learn how to analyse and perform scripts. If you are interested in drama, then this shows a direct link between these aspects of the curriculum. Please click the following link to have a go: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/z7thjsg
Today, Mrs Southern would like to read a story to you all called ‘A Duck So Small’. If you would like to listen to this story then please click on the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6n9-ufbARY
Message from Mrs Powell:
Never judge anyone by the way they look.
Once upon a time, in a desert far away, there was a rose who was so proud of her beautiful looks. Her only complaint was growing next to an ugly cactus.
Every day, the beautiful rose would insult and mock the cactus on his looks, all while the cactus remained quiet. All the other plants nearby tried to make the rose see sense, but she was too swayed by her own looks.
One scorching summer, the desert became dry, and there was no water left for the plants. The rose quickly began to wilt. Her beautiful petals dried up, losing their lush colour.
Looking to the cactus, she saw a sparrow dip his beak into the cactus to drink some water. Though ashamed, the rose asked the cactus if she could have some water. The kind cactus readily agreed, helping them both through the tough summer, as friends.
What have you done for a friend? The cactus and the rose look very different but we are all unique and have special gifts.
The things that make me different are the things that make me, me.”
—Piglet
Take care everyone!
Miss Thwaites and Mrs Hulse x