Year 6 - Miss McLoughlin

Dates For Your Diary

• The children will have their leavers' photo taken on the afternoon of Monday 2nd June.
• 12 children will be visiting Lambton Estate on Tuesday 3rd June.  The children will need a packed lunch, a coat and sun cream if it is a sunny day.  The children can wear tracksuit bottoms.  Letters have been sent home about this.
• On Thursday 12th June, the Empire Dancers will be performing at the Sunderland Schools Dance Festival.  The dancers will receive a letter the first week back about the arrangements for the day.  The children who wish to go and watch the performance will need a packed lunch as we will be having our lunch in Mowbray Park before going to the theatre to watch the show.  Letters about this were sent out the Spring 2 term.
• On Thursday 19th June, it will be our annual French Day.  Letters will be sent home about this nearer the time.  
• On the evening of Monday 23rd June, there is the parent evening for the children who will be attending Southmoor in September.  Letters from Southmoor were sent home with the children before the Easter holidays.  The letters contained all the information about the evening.
• On Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th June, the children will spend two days at Southmoor for their transition visits.  The children will come into school as normal on both days and school staff will walk them to Southmoor straight after registration, but the children make their own way home at the end of the day.
• 12 children will be going on the overnight yacht trip on Thursday 26th June and Friday 27th June.  All letters regrading this visit have been sent home.
• Health Week is the WB 30th June and the KS2 Sports Day will be on the afternoon of Tuesday 1st July.  Letters will be sent home nearer the time giving details of both Health Week and Sports Day.
• There will be a Parent Workshop on Wednesday 16th July at 9.15am.  Letters will be sent home about this nearer the time.
• On the afternoon of Friday 18th July, we will hold our Summer Fayre. 
• On Monday 21st July, the children will have their special leavers' lunch and on the afternoon at 2.15pm the children will perform their special leavers' assembly.
• Term finishes at 1.00pm on Wednesday 23rd July.

summer 2

 This term the children will be reading the novel 'Darwin's Dragons' and will write a prologue to the book.  They will also be inspired by the creatures Darwin finds on his expeditions and research an animal found on the Galapagos Islands and find an explanation text about it.  In maths, the children will complete some mini projects from the White Rose Scheme and these will allow the children to use their calculation skills; knowledge of measure; knowledge of ratio and proportion; knowledge of data handling and creating graphs and temperature.  In science, the children will learn about the theory of evolution and will consider how and why living things have changed over time.  In history, the children will learn about the life and times of  local Sunderland hero Jack Crawford.  In geography, the children will learn about mountains, earthquakes and volcanoes.  

 

Make £5 Grow Project

The children worked with Virgin Money on the Make £5 Grow Project.  The children were given £5 each, which came to £150 in total for the children to spend in anyway they wanted but they had to make a profit. At the end of the project, the children had to pay Virgin Money back the £150 we borrowed and we able to keep whatever profit we made. The children worked in groups and thought of a range of ideas and then decided on the best ones.  The children decided to run a tuck shop every morning for one week selling sweets, ice pops and crisps.  They also decided to buy the resources needed to make bracelets, key chains and bookmarks. Some children also decided to run a football goal challenge on the field. The children worked very hard to get ready for the week.  The children enjoyed making the items to sell and setting up their stall and football challenge everyday.  The children made over £110 in profit and decided to spend that on having a party to celebrate the end of term.

 

 

Rugby Coaching 

The children have had 3 Friday afternoon rugby coaching sessions.  Each session began with the children playing fun games to get them warmed up. The games included 'Stick in the Mud' and 'British Bulldog'.  As well as getting the children warmed up, the children were encouraged how to play these games tactically and how to work a a team.  The children were then taught how to play a game of rugby that didn't involve tackling each other to the floor but still making contact with the other team.  The children were taught how to throw and catch the rugby ball correctly and in which directions to throw it.  They were shown how to make 'tackle triangles' as part of the game.  The children really enjoyed the sessions and enjoyed learning a new game and skills.

French Day

The children took part in our annual French Day.  The children learned all about the French speaking country of Cote d'Ivoire, which is found in West Africa.  The children watched a short film clip about a boy who lives in Cote d'Ivoire and they learned about his life there.  The children made a flag showing the countries colours of orange, white and green.  They watched a PowerPoint about the country and learned many things including about the food they eat there, famous people who live there and their religion.  The children then used their iPads to find out more facts to create a fact booklet.  They found out the national football team is nicknamed 'The Elephants' and designed a football strip for them. On the afternoon, the children had sessions to learn more about France with Madame Blackett and Natalie.

 

Lambton Estate Visit

Twelve of the children got the opportunity to visit the Lambton Estate near Chester-le-Street.  The visit was organised through the Tom Cowie Trust and its aim was to allow the children to see what job opportunities are available on a working estate.  The day began with the children visiting the stables where the Northumbria Police horses are kept.  A groom showed the children around and explained the jobs that the horses do when they are out on patrol.  She also explained how the horses are cared for.  The children met the estate gamekeeper and explained what his job is.  He then took the children on a walk through the woodlands and an orchard to show them the different types of trees and how they care for the trees.  The children also met his four lively working dogs.  The children visited the castle on the estate and learned about the changes that have been made to it over the years.  They also explored some of the rooms of the castle including the cellar area.  The children had a great deal and learned a lot.

summer 1

This half term the children will be continuing to prepare for their SATs and the children will sit their tests WB 12th May.  The timetable for SATs Week is below:

• Monday 12th May: English grammar, punctuation and spelling, papers 1 and 2
• Tuesday 13th May: Reading Comprehension
• Wednesday 14th May: Arithmetic (Paper 1) and Maths Reasoning (Paper 2)
• Thursday 15th May: Maths Reasoning (Paper 3)

The children in their Maths lessons will be revising concepts and calculation methods to prepare for their Maths SATs papers.  They will continue with their weekly arithmetic papers.  In English, the children will be revising grammar and punctuation needed for the SPAG paper.  

Revision Club Party 

Since January, the children have been attending a SATs Revision Club every Tuesday after school for an hour.  The children worked so hard each week that they had a party to celebrate both completing their SATs and revision club coming to an end.  The children chose a Happy Meal from McDonalds and had some time playing in the courtyard and having some relaxing time with their friends.

 

SATs Celebration

To celebrate the end of SATs, the children received their fabulous Y6 Leavers' Hoodies and they couldn't wait to wear them.  The children also had a special treat of spending the morning at Backhouse Park and having fun on the play equipment.  The children had a lovely morning having fun and enjoying a doughnut.

spring 2

The children will be continuing to prepare for the SATs, which begin on Monday 12th May.  In English, the children will be using the novel 'Where the Sky Falls' to write a series of diary entries from the viewpoint of the main character of Joseph.  Through the diary entries, the children will create tension and atmosphere.  In maths, the children will continue their weekly arithmetic papers and will learn about ratio and proportion, scale factors and drawing, co-ordinates and translating shapes on a grid.  They will also continue to practise the different methods needed to solve addition, subtraction, multiplication and division calculations for whole numbers, fractions and decimals.

Science at Southmoor

As part of our Science Week activities, the children visited Southmoor Academy for a special lesson.  The lesson began with the children thinking of all the different objects that they had used that day that use electricity to power them. The children then found out more about the different ways electricity is produced, for example nuclear power, use of fossil fuels and water.  The children then were then set the task of designing and then making a model wind turbine using a range of different materials.  The wind turbine was tested by using a hair dryer to see if the power from that could turn the blades.  The children really enjoyed the lesson and had fun making their models.

World Book Day

To celebrate World Book Day, the children designed their own t-shirt.  There were lots of great designs with the children drawing their favourite book characters, copying a book cover and even designing their own book cover for their favourite books.  The children were very proud of their designs.

 

spring 1

This half term the children will be learning about the Second World War in History.  They will learn about the outbreak of the war, The Blitz, life as an evacuee, rationing and the role of women during the war.  Linked to the history unit, the children will be researching, designing and making a model Anderson Shelter.  In science, the children will be learning about how light travels and bends.  Following on from the netball session the children had in the autumn term, they will be having a sequence of lessons from the same coach.  In RE, the children will be focusing on Hinduism and the beliefs associated with the religion. In English, the children will be reading 'When the Sky Falls' by Phil Earle as their class novel.  The book is set in WW2 and will inspire the children in their own writing, when they write a narrative with tension.  The children will also be reading 'Rose Blanche' by Roberto Innocenti and Ian McEwan.  The children will use this to write diary entries from the viewpoint of Rose.  In Maths, the children will be subtracting, multiplying and dividing with fractions.  They will also begin to find percentages of different numbers and amounts.  The children will continue with their weekly arithmetic paper and will be practising SAT questions.  

World War 2 Day

To bring to an end the history topic all about the Second World War, the children took part in a special WW2 Day.  Many of the children came to school dressed as evacuees or as soldiers.  The day began with the children making an evacuee name tag and an identity card.  They then made a model of an Anderson Shelter from a range of materials, including mini Shredded Wheat as sandbags.  The children learned more about the propaganda posters that where used during the war and designed their own versions.  The children learned about rationing and tasted some typical rationed food such as Spam sandwiches, a carrot and pickle sandwich filling and a dessert made from apple and condensed milk.  The food wasn't a hit with all of the children.  The children also learned about Morse Code and decoded messages and wrote their own messages using the code.  The children had a great day and it was a lovely way to end the topic.

 

Making a gas mask box

The children made a gas mask box ready for their special WW2 Day.  The children drew the net of the box on squared paper and then glued this onto brown paper.  They then cut this out and used glue and tape to make the net into a box.  They added string and attached a label giving instructions about how to use the mask.  The children then used the box as part of their outfits on WW2 Day.

English 

The children have been reading the story of 'Rose Blanche' in English.  The story is set in Germany during the Second World War and follows the story of Rose and what happens when she discovers Jewish children in a concentration camp.  The children enjoyed reading the story and exploring the beautiful illustrations.  They then used the story to write their own narrative with Rose as the narrator of the story.

History

The children have been learning all about the Second World War.  The unit was introduced by looking at medals that Miss McLoughlin's grandfather won when he was a member of the Durham Infantry during the war,  They have learned about the link between the First World War and the Second War.  They have learned about what the Blitz was and the impact this had on people's lives.  They have discovered the important role that women played in the war and what it was like to be an evacuee.  The children are also looking forward to their special WW2 Day, where they will taste food typical of the period and rationing.  They will also make be making an Anderson Shelter model.

autumn 2

This term the children will be learning all about the countries of Europe in their geography lessons.  They will be using the atlases to locate the countries of Europe and their capital cities.  They will be identifying their physical and human features.  In English, the children will be reading the novel Kensuke's Kingdom' by Michael Morpurgo and will be using it to inspire their own narrative which uses tension and suspense.  In maths, the children will continue to complete long division calculations and will then add and subtract using fractions.  They will also simplify fractions and order and compare fractions. In RE, the children will consider the beliefs that people have about God and learn the terms theist, agnostic and atheist.  In science, the children will learn about the circulatory system and the affects of diet and exercise on our health.  In art, the children will study the work of Koren Shadmi and Pez and will produce their own version of their work.  In computing, the children will be exploring virtual reality. 

Art

The children in their art lessons studied the work of Koren Shadmi and his painting The Silent Polluters.  They explored how the picture was produced and considered the meaning behind the painting.  The children used pencil, paint and card to produce their own versions.

 

Netball Session

The children enjoyed a PE session with a netball coach.  The session began with the children learning about what the game of netball actually is and how the playing court is marked out.  The children played some warm-up games to develop their speed and to learn how to be aware of other players.  The children learned how to move correctly when passing and catching the ball.  The children practised how to land correctly too.  The children practised making chest passes, both when moving and stationary.  The children were taught how to shoot correctly and how to use a backspin shot.  To end the session, the children played a game to see which team could get most balls into the net.  The children had a great session and learned lots of new skills and techniques. 

Computing

In Computing, the children have been learning about virtual reality and have used a website called CoSpaces to create their own virtual underwater world.  The children had to first create a background and then add objects like fish and plants to make a underwater scene.    They then made the objects move by using their coding skills.  The children enjoyed making their underwater scenes and learned a lot of new techniques.  

autumn 1

This term the children will be learning all about the Victorians in their History lessons.  They will learn about Queen Victoria, the lifestyles of people in Victorian Britain and the social changes that occurred during this time.  Our visit to Beamish will allow the children to take part in a Victorian school lesson.  Our English is linked to our History lessons.  The children will be reading a child's version of Oliver Twist and will write their own version of this story.  They will also write a newspaper article about Oliver Twist.  In Science, the children will be creating electrical circuits and using the correct symbols to draw them.  In DT, they will use their electricity knowledge to create a buzzer toy game.  In RE, the children will consider the Story of Creation In Christianity and consider where it fits with scientific explanations of creation. In Computing, the children will consider technology in the past, the present and the future.  

Visit to Beamish Museum 

The children visited Beamish Museum to learn more about the Victorians.  The children took part in a special Victorian lesson in the school.  The lesson was taken by Mr Hall, the headmaster of the school, and the children learned about what school was life in Victorian times.  The children had to refer to the teacher as 'Sir' every time they spoke to him and they were not allowed to slouch at their desks or have their elbows on the desks.  The children had to use a fountain pen and ink, which did prove a little bit tricky and messy.  They learned about pounds, shillings and pence and solved calculations using them.  They also practised using cursive handwriting.  As well as the lesson, the children explored the miners' cottages and went on an old-fashioned bus.  They visited the shops like the Co-Op and the grocers.  The children also visited the farm and Pockley Manor.  The children enjoyed their visit and it was a great way to bring the Victorians to life. 

Art/DT Workshop

The children visited Seventeen Nineteen at the Holy Trinity Church to take part in an art/DT workshop.  The theme of the workshop was 'Sunderland and the Sea'.  The session began with the children thinking about what boats and sailing vessels we might find on the river and at sea.  The children considered why boats and ships were the ship they were.  The children then designed a boat or sailing vessel of their own and it could be based around a theme of their choice.  After that, the children used a wide range of craft and art materials to make their model.  The children were very creative and enjoyed the session.

Swimming at Southmoor

TheGchildren's first outing as Year 6 was to go to Southmoor for their swimming lessons.  The children were all excited and enjoyed being back in the pool.  The lessons allow the children who are already confident swimmers to develop their skills.  For the children who are less confident in the water, the lessons allow them to become happier in the water and with the aim to swim the width of the poo
Gardening

The children enjoyed working on our raised bed in the courtyard.  Some of the children volunteered to help plant winter pansies and daffodil and tulip bulbs ready for the Spring.  The children helped to clear any weeds and we arranged the plants and bulbs carefully.  The children are going to water the plants regularly and keep our plot weed free.  We are looking forward to seeing the sheets of our bulbs appearing in the Spring.