Welcome to the Turquoise and Maroon Class page!

2024-25

World Book Day - w/b 10.03.25

For World Book Day, Year 5 took part in a variety of exciting activities, including making bookmarks, creating character profiles, and completing a word search on famous authors. The highlight of the day was working together to create a diorama of the deserted island from Kensuke’s Kingdom, the book they’re currently studying in English. It was a fantastic experience collaborating as a group to bring the island to life, and everyone enjoyed seeing the creative ideas each table brought to the project! It was a day filled with teamwork, imagination, and a love for reading.

Mathematics - w/b 03.03.25

In mathematics this week, we've been polishing our fraction skills! We've been focusing on how to find the whole and calculate fractions of amounts. To do this, we use the denominator to divide the amount and then multiply by the numerator. After mastering this, we challenged ourselves by learning how to do the inverse. It was tricky at first, but we persevered and got through it together!

English - w/b 24.02.25

This week, we started our new text in English, ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ by Michael Morpurgo. We had to infer what we thought the book was about by looking at the front cover. For our immersion lesson, we created our own paper boats to replicate the Peggy Sue.

Computing - w/b 10.02.25

This term in year 5, the topic was ‘A Selection in Physical Computing.’ The students explored a coding software called Crumble, learning how to create simple algorithms on their Chromebooks. They designed, built, and programmed a Crumble circuit, which they then connected to their Chromebooks to test if their algorithms worked. Though it was tricky at times, the students persevered and were successful in the end, gaining valuable hands-on experience in both coding and physical computing!

Design Technology - w/b 03.02.25

This half term, our Design Technology topic is Savoury Scones! We have been conducting surveys to gather information about people’s preference when it comes to scones. We found out what toppings people like and when people are most likely to eat scones! We then evaluated our findings to see what kind of scones we should make in the coming week!

Science - w/b 27.01.25

This term in science, we have been looking at forces. We have been investigating gravity and friction. Children in year 5 conducted an experiment measuring different objects using a Newton meter. It was such fun! We measured the force of gravity on many objects including our shoes.

Reading - w/b 20.01.25

In Year 5, students are diving into Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. They began by reading the blurb and making predictions about the story using their inference skills. Using what they’ve learned about the era in which the book was written, they also created their own interpretations of the front cover. To further explore the genre, the class visited the school library, where they searched for other books with similar themes to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, broadening their understanding of Gothic literature.

Mathematics - w/b 13.01.25

This week in year 5, we have been continuing with our work on fractions. We have been converting mixed numbers to improper fractions and adding fractions. We always have to remind ourselves that the denominators need to be the same! We have started to subtract fractions too!

English - w/b 06.01.25

This term, we are looking at the Guardian advert of the Three Little Pigs. For our immersive lesson, we made houses for the three little pigs using a range of materials. The goal was to make the houses strong enough to withstand the impact of a strong breeze. We worked collaboratively to make these houses and then tested the durability of the houses by putting them in front of a fan for ten seconds.

Christmas - w/b 16.12.24

For the lead up to Christmas, pupils in year 5 indulged in many different arts and crafts activities - we made extremely long paper chains! We had a choice of a reindeer, Santa and an elf! We also cracked some Christmas codes with mosaic and the Grinch!

Science - w/b 09.12.24

In science, we have been learning about the life cycles of living things. We have conducted research to help answer our enquiry: ‘How are the life cycles of animals similar to one another?’ We used library books and our Chromebooks to help us fulfil our research in finding the answers to our questions and then recorded our data onto tables and graphs. Based on the data that we recorded, we were able to spot patterns and make conclusions of our learning. We concluded that sea animals tend to have longer gestation periods than animals that live on land.

French - w/b 2.12.24

In our lesson this week, we revised and consolidated all our new knowledge about the Tudors in French. We created a storyboard to present to the class. We acted out as Henry VIII and his wives, in particular: facts about him and his life. We found this quite fun and challenging because we had to say everything in French!

Computing - w/b 25.11.24

During our computing lesson this week, we were learning about internet safety. We reviewed the e-safety rules that we currently have in school and decided to create our own e-safety rules, based on this. We wrote rules that we feel are essential to keeping us safe online when we are at school and when we are at home. We then had a debate over which rule should be the most important rule to us and provided reasons.

Geography - w/b 18.11.24

This half term, during our Geography lessons, we have been learning about the lovely continent of North America! We conducted some field work where we described the weather in London and compared it to a city in North America. We had a range to choose from including: Havana and Mexico City. 

Oracy - w/b 11.11.24

Earlier this week, we delivered our MP speeches to our classmates, during which we considered voice projection as well as expression whilst also considering our audience. When planning these speeches, we carefully thought about values and ideas that would be important not just for our year group, but for the whole school!

PSHCE - w/b 04.11.24

In year 5, we started our topic, ‘Keeping me Safe’. During our first lesson, we learnt about the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching. We learnt what appropriate touching is and what to do if someone behaves in an inappropriate way.

RE Day - w/b 21.10.24

During RE day, we learned that the parable: ‘Jonah and the Whale’ appears in other religions, not just Christianity. Later in the day, we looked at the similarities and differences of how each religion recites the story. We read about Bilal and how he was oppressed and harassed because of his devotion to the new Islam, but was later rewarded by Prophet Muhammad. As a tribute to the story of Bilal, we wrote a poem about his courage and how he still inspires Muslims today. 

Metacognition Launch Day - w/b 14.10.24

During Metacognition Launch Day, we created the different lobes of the brain out of salt dough! We had to label each part with its name and function. We thought about how each part of our brain helps us in our day-to-day lives and when learning a new skill. We then had to use this new information to create a diorama!

Art - w/b 07.10.24

Our topic in art is ‘A Sense of Place!’ During our art lessons this week, we were comparing different artists' work and looking closely at the type of marks they made. We created Zentangle patterns to mimic the mark making of famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh and Cy Gavin.

Science - w/b 30.09.24

During science lessons this week, we conducted an experiment to help us learn about the process of dissolving. Dissolving is when a solid mixes with a liquid and becomes transparent. We used sugar cubes, measuring jugs, thermometers and a timer to help us record our results. Our scientific enquiry was: How quickly can sugar dissolve in different temperatures? As a conclusion, we noticed that the hotter the water, the quicker the solid dissolved.

Reading - w/b 23.09.24

This week in year 5, we have been reading about the Mayans during our guided reading sessions. We have been exploring non-fiction texts and looking at new vocabulary. Some of the new words we have come across are; ‘peninsula’, ‘plaza’ and ‘descendants’.

Mathematics - w/b 16.09.24

During our mathematics lessons this week, we have been learning how to partition a number using counters and a place value chart. In one we learned that by making the number first, we are able to clearly see the number partitioned into ones, tens, hundreds and thousands. This helped us with writing a mathematical statement as well as representing the number in a variety of ways. We also realised that the sum itself is interchangeable between columns. For example: If I know that 23,234 = 20,000 + 3,000 + 200 + 30 + 4, I also know that 23,234 = 10,000 + 13,000 + 200 + 30 + 4.  

English - w/b 09.09.24

This week during their English lessons, the pupils in year 5 focussed on poetry. They read poems from the collection, ‘The Rainmaker Danced’ by John Agard. In pairs, the pupils performed the poem, ‘On the Run From Colours’, making sure they used a wide range of different actions!

Welcome Back! - w/b 02.09.24

We have settled really smoothly into year 5, starting off with our history topic; The Ancient Romans. Today we learned that they invaded our lands 1,800 years ago. The Romans conquered and took control over many of their surrounding lands, leaving us with many inventions, such as aqueducts. As a tribute to the Romans, we made posters celebrating some of these great inventions. 

Welcome to the Turquoise and Maroon Class page!

2023-24

Visit to Greenwich - w/b 08.07.24

Year 5 had the opportunity to visit Greenwich as part of their end of year reward.  It was such an exciting trip because the children had the chance to explore the Cutty Sark Clipper along with visiting the Maritime Museum. The museum had a multiple number of rooms which were interactive. They saw exhibitions about the polar regions and northern light sightings from around the world.  After this they enjoyed observing nature within the park. Year 5 still had an amazing time despite the weather.  A well-deserved reward.

Computing - w/b 01.07.24

In computing, we have explored a programme called Scratch.  We were able to create different animations. In addition to this, we used a range of codes in order to make our sprites (characters) move in different ways such as: moving 10 steps, speak, change colours and much more. This has been an extremely exciting programme which we have enjoyed using.

History- W/B 24.06.2024

As part of our History topic, we have been learning about World War II.  We learnt about the events that impacted many lives.  We had the chance to order events in chronological order and as a class, Year 5 discussed some of the most significant events such as, The Soviet union invading Poland.  As a class, we choose and acted out a scene.

Mathematics - w/b 17.06.24

In Mathematics, we have learnt about the various types of angles which include: a right, acute, obtuse and  a  reflex angle.  We were able to draw these angles using a protractor.  In addition to this, we have learnt about regular and irregular polygons and measured angles within these shapes. Throughout our lessons, we worked effectively with our learning partners. 

English - w/b 10.06.24

In Year 5, the children are immersed in an interesting book called ‘Goodnight Mister Tom’. This text is linked to World War II and it is about a young boy named Willie, who had to evacuate from his hometown to the countryside in order to stay safe.  An elderly man named Tom took care of him but sadly Willie found it difficult to adapt to his new surroundings. As a class, we acted in role as Willie and Tom by using freeze frames and we spoke in role as the characters. This was an excellent opportunity to develop our Oracy skills.

RE - W/B 03.06.24

As part of RE Day, Year 5 children had an opportunity to learn the teachings of different religions of how animals should be treated. We were able to put our point of views across and make comparisons of each other’s views.  In addition to this, we also discussed various quotes about animals and nature and ranked them in order of importance.

French - w/b 20.05.24

In French, the children in year 5 learnt how to pronounce the names of different musical instruments. Some of the names which we learnt were: ‘une  guitar, le saxophone’, and ‘le violon’.  We had the chance to work with our learning partners by finding the missing letters by looking at the images of the musical instruments.

Oracy - w/b 13.05.24

As part of our Oracy lesson, we had an exciting debate about whether or not animals should be kept in zoos or have freedom. Pupils in year 5 had a lot to contribute to this discussion as many of us had different views around this matter. We were able to make a point, and support it with evidence. This allowed us to strengthen our argument. 

English - w/b 06.05.24

The pupils in year 5 have been fully immersed in the text called The London Eye Mystery.  As a year group, we have read various chapters and summarised them.  In this book, we have discovered that a young boy named Salim goes missing when he boards the London Eye. As part of our learning we had a debate on whether or not Salim should have been left alone to board the London Eye. Pupils offered different viewpoints around this and used a range of talk prompts to build on each other’s ideas.

PSHE - w/b 29.04.24

In PSHE, we have learnt about the dangers of misusing alcohol and the effects it can have on different lives.  We had a class debate about whether or not 16 year olds should be allowed to consume alcohol.  Pupils in year 5 offered various responses and the class had an opportunity to be heard and to build on each other’s responses.

Earth Day - w/b 22.04.24

On the 22nd of April, we celebrated Earth day in our school.  In Year 5, we made bird feeders out of tissue rolls, honey and bird food.  The purpose of this activity was to help birds find food easily.  We also had the chance to wear floral patterns or green to celebrate this day.  We had a discussion and made posters about helping the environment.

Computing - w/b 22.04.24

This term in computing, we will be learning about ‘Quizzes’ and how to create one. Each term, before we begin our computing learning we complete an e-safety lesson. This week our lesson was about Copyright and Fair Use policies. We learned that we cannot just post things online, especially if we are using the work of others to do so such as music, other people, games etc. We also spoke about our digital footprint and how it can impact us later on in our lives, it is very important that we keep our personal information to ourselves.

English - w/b 15.04.24

In English this week, the children have been exploring the front cover of ‘The London Eye Mystery’ and making interesting predictions about what they think the text might be about. The children have been asking a range of questions about the text along with making inferences about the main character.

Geography - w/b 25.03.24

This term in geography, we looked at ‘Extreme Earth’ where we focused on the many different extreme weather types across the world. We began by looking at how the equator affects the climate, the further you are from the equator the colder it becomes. We also looked at how climate change has caused changes in temperature around the world over the last 50 years. In the UK we live in a Temperate Climate Zone, this means that we have cold winters and mild summers. But in 2022 we had a heatwave and the temperature was 40.3C! This was the hottest temperature recorded in the UK. We then became weather forecasters for extreme weather and looked at how weather is recorded and reported.

Mathematics - w/b 18.03.24

As part of our learning in mathematics, we have been regularly engaging with fun activities on TimesTable Rockstars and competing with each other within Years 5 and 6 so that we can improve our understanding of multiplication and division facts. This has been an exciting way to demonstrate our learning.

Computing - w/b 11.03.24

In year 5, we have been looking at flat-file databases which focus on how information or data records are stored. We used a real-life database to answer questions and to create graphs and charts to help us understand and analyse information better. We used information about the passengers on the Titanic to answer questions such as “How many people boarded first class?”.

French - w/b 04.03.24

In French, the children in year 5 have been looking at the unit Bon appetit, bonne sante (items of food). In this unit, the children have learned different items of food which we consume on a regular basis. They are able to pronounce them and write them in French.

Reading - w/b 26.02.24

In year 5, we have been reading a wide range of texts to allow us to build upon our imagination. Reading has been a fantastic tool in our learning, particularly to inspire us with narrative writing such as our version of ‘Skellig’ where we had to conjure a creature description based off of Greek mythology. We have also had the opportunity this term to use the library and access a wide range of stories and texts that we have an interest in.

RE - w/b 19.02.24

During RE day, we learnt about the importance of the Qur’an and how all Muslims value this special holy book.  As a class, we discussed some of the importance messages within this holy book. In addition to this, we explored a range of artefacts within the lesson and discussed the significance of them

PHSCE - w/b 05.02.24

This term, we have been ‘Celebrating our Differences’. We began by talking about our cultural differences, including our practices and traditions through the way we dress and what we eat. We compared our cultures with one another and it was an interesting discussion which allowed us to understand our friends better. We then discussed the different types of bullying which can stem from our differences, however we know that our duty is to be an upstander when this happens and ensure that we always tell an adult when this does occur.

Finally, this week was ‘Children’s Mental Health Week’ and we have been discussing the wonderful things that we would like our friends to know about our lives outside of school. We have been journaling our thoughts in our daily diaries.

Mathematics - w/b 29.01.24

This week in mathematics we have been working collaboratively as a group to multiply three digit numbers by two digit numbers. We have used mathematical vocabulary to explain the various steps. In addition to this, we have solved a range of word problems involving multiplication.

History - w/b 22.01.24

In year 5, during our History lessons we have been learning about Baghdad. We began our learning by looking at the earliest civilisation in Mesopotamia (this area spans over many countries today such as Iraq and Iran). We learned how the civilisation relied heavily upon the natural resources in the surrounding area such as the fertile soils and the river Euphrates and Tigris. This allowed us to enquire about how later civilizations had successfully settled and built cities in the area. We know that Baghdad was a financially successful city which focused on teaching, learning and trade.

Reading - w/b 15.02.24

In order to become fluent readers, we like to read on a regular basis and use every opportunity we can during school to embed this. Some of the reading strategies we have used include: choral reading, echo reading, whole class reading and silent reading. Reading allows us to develop our vocabulary so that we can use this within our writing. We read across all areas of the curriculum. 

English - w/b 08.01.24

Our new text in English is called ‘Skellig’. This week, we began reading the book and read the first six chapters! So far, we have learned that the main character, Michael, and his family have moved into a dilapidated house that has a large garage, almost about to cave in. Michael soon discovers that there seems to be something living in the garage. We then had a debate as to whether or not Michael’s family made the right decision in moving from their old home to this new house that is falling apart.

Christmas - w/b 11.12.23

This week, we have been writing special Christmas messages. In addition to this, we have discussed the importance of Christmas and why families come together. We also appreciate our families as well as our friends and helpful adults. 

Science - w/b 04.12.23

This term in Year 5, we have been learning about the different types of forces and their effect on us and the things around us. We began our learning by looking at Sir Isaac Newton as he discovered gravity. He is famously known for having an apple fall down onto his head when he was sitting under an apple tree. This sparked his curiosity and led him to continue working on the theory of gravity. We enjoyed conducting experiments which focused on how the mass of an object affects its weight. 

Computing - w/b 27.11.23

This term we have been learning about how to use the internet safely and the importance of using various websites. We have also learnt how to refine our search so that we can look for specific information. During our lessons, we have had an opportunity to research information about our Geography topic and make cross-curricular links. 

Geography - w/b 20.11.23

This term we have been learning about North America and the countries within it. We know that North America is a large area which is a part of the Northern Hemisphere, just like our country! However, there are very few similarities between England and countries such as Mexico or even Guatemala. We have been particularly focused on different cities within the various countries in North America.

Oracy - w/b 13.11.23

As part of our Oracy Curriculum, we were able to provide our viewpoint about various topics e.g. ‘Manchester United is the best team in the world’. We were able to explain that this is an opinion; it is an individual's thought. As a class, we discussed different facts and opinions and articulated ourselves in full sentences. We listened attentively to our learning partners.

PHSCE - w/b 06.11.23

This term in PHSCE, our topic is ‘Keeping me safe’. We have been sharing our opinions about what safety means and how we can determine who our trusted adults are. We have also been discussing how our opinions are our own and we should not be influenced by others.

RE - w/b 30.10.23

In Year 5, we celebrated RE day by learning about different stories from two religions, Christianity and Islam. We learned about ‘The story of temptations’ in which Jesus’s faith was tested through trials such as breaking his fast by eating, bowing down to someone other than God and also testing God’s love for him by jumping from a tall cliff. We learned that Jesus remained steadfast in his faith and it taught us to be patient and understand that we should not be influenced so quickly by others. We also learned about the story of Bilal. Did you know that he was the first Muslim man to say the Adhan (the call to prayer)?

PHSCE - w/b 16.10.23

In PSHCE, we have been learning about an inspirational figure called Martin Luther King.  We discussed how he played a role in the lives of individuals by standing up what he believed was right.  In addition to this, we read parts of his speech and discussed the main messages from there.   

Art - w/b 09.10.23

In Art, we have had the opportunity to compare the work of three different artists with the names of Cy Gavin, Vincent Van Gogh and Francis Bacon.  We discussed the different techniques they have used within their art work.  In addition to this, we have created a one perspective picture in the style of Vincent Van Gogh.  

Science - w/b 02.10.23

In Science, we have been exploring space and the planets that create our solar system. We learned which planets there are in space and their order from the Sun - we use the acronym ‘My Very Enormous Monkey Just Stole Uncooked Nuggets’ to help us remember. Do you know the order using this acronym? We then looked at the theories that have developed over time as technology has advanced. We looked at the Geocentric and Heliocentric theories which focus on whether the Earth or the Sun is in the centre of the universe.

Reading - w/b 25.09.23

In Year 5, we have been reading a range of texts as part of our curriculum, so that we can become fluent readers.  Over the week, we have practised various reading strategies which include: choral reading, echo reading, reading with pace and taking account of punctuation.  In addition to this, we have identified the meaning of unknown vocabulary by reading around the sentences. 

Mathematics - w/b 18.09.23

In Year 5, we have been learning about numbers to 1,000,000! We have been particularly learning how to partition large numbers into smaller values and how to manipulate numbers to create different variations in the parts that we can create. In this lesson, we used manipulatives to create numbers and then we used them as a visual guide to help us break down numbers.

English - w/b 11.09.23

This week we have had the opportunity to explore various poems and identify some of the features which include: personification, similes and metaphors.  In particular, we focused on the poem called On the run from colours by John Agard.  We explored his theme and wrote our own example.  

Welcome Back! w/b 04.09.23

This week we have enjoyed getting to know the exciting things that our friends did over the summer holidays! We discussed our goals and dreams for Year 5 and we collaborated together to artistically recreate our school motto “Together we learn, Together we achieve”. We also enjoyed using our new reading corner and exploring who our focus authors are for the year!