Author Archives: KW
Cat-rap, Grace Nicolls
This is a fun poem about cats, imagining them rapping!
Enjoy hearing the poet, Grace Nicolls, read it here.
Can you see a white cat in the dark?
We did some good investigating this week with a white teddy bear and a dark cupboard to see whether we could see him in the dark. We started off thinking we might be able to see his sparkling eyes, or his white face and paws (- most of us thought we wouldn’t see his dark jumper), but we discovered that, without a light source, we could see nothing at all!
We have discovered that the only reason eyes shine at night is that there is still some light at night that is reflecting from them. So, if it really is completely dark, just like the teddy bear, we would not be able to see a cat’s eyes.
Henry Moore
We have started finding out about Henry Moore, his sculptures and his underground war drawings.
This week we will be experimenting with wax and paint to try out his underground war drawing technique (called sgraffito). This picture of a woman in an underground station sheltering in an air-raid is one we will be looking at more.
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Build-up to WW2
We had a really good discussion finding out about the start of The Second World War this week. If you want to explore for yourself how Hitler’s Germany expanded into other countries and how war started on September 1939, this is a useful map.
Cross country success!
Well done everyone who ran this morning. You did really well. Everyone finished and two runners won certificates; this is really impressive for your first race in Year 6. Well done to you all!
Cross country club starts on Thursday after school this week.
Maths Homework for 30.9.15
This week we have been finding out about factors and multiples and then finding out more about prime numbers. We also investigated prime numbers and factors using ‘factors bugs’. You have two jobs to complete at home:
1. Using the blank 100 square you have been given, find the 25 prime numbers between 1 and 100 and shade them in neatly so that you can find them quickly. This grid will be stuck into the back of your maths book, so make it neat so that you can use it.
Remember prime numbers need to have just 2 factors (1 and itself). Think about finding multiples: e.g. the only even number which is a prime number is 2 (every other even number is a multiple of 2). Think through each times table. Which times tables will you need to check? 
2. Choose two numbers and create a mathematically accurate and clear, but artistically decorated factor bug for each number. The best ones of these will be laminated and put on display in our classroom. (Remember factor bugs with tails have a factor that needs to be squared, legs show pairs of factors, and the antennae show the factors 1 and itself: prime number factor bugs will only have antennae).
I’m really looking forward to seeing your factor bugs!
Factors and multiples game
This is another good online game that will help you to practise factors and multiples. You have a 100 square and start by choosing a number less than 50. The idea is to try to make your opponent unable to go because they can’t find a factor or a multiple. What strategies are likely to win?
You could also try to play on your own and perhaps see how long a chain of factors and multiples you could make. What would be the numbers to avoid in this game?
Times tables game from Friday
Here’s the link to the ‘Hit the Button’ times tables game we tried on Friday. You can practise individual tables or mix them all up. You can choose from two games: either finding the answer to a question, or by working back to find the question from an answer…
The Arrival
During the last two weeks we have been sharing a beautifully illustrated book of by Shaun Tan, The Arrival. The whole story builds up in a series of amazingly intricate pictures which really got us thinking. A selection of the illustrations have been turned into a ‘video soundscape’ by Frederik Vorndran (click on the book to watch on vimeo). It won’t give you the whole story, but it will give you a flavour of what we have been discussing and writing about and perhaps inspire you to read the book!
Oxford Owl online books
You can read a range of books online via the Oxford Owl link (in our Resources tab or online directly here). The books are sorted by age groups and go up to aged 9-11. There is not a huge range of books for your age group, but there may be some that you like (including some for other age groups) and they are FREE to read! All you need to do is enter a class name (username) and password. I have sent this to you all via e-mail, which you should be able to open in your We-learn accounts.
We’ll check on Monday that this makes sense to you!