Welcome to the Discoverers class page!
In our class we are taught by Miss Curphey. We are in Year 5, which means that we are 9 turning 10 (we love to share our birthdays).
We have busy weeks in here, with English and Mathematics lessons taught daily, and some lessons that happen once a week, like computing with Mrs Gurney on a Wednesday afternoon.
Also on a Thursday, we have magical music with Ralph (our amazing music teacher). We need to remember to practice our instruments at home, and then bring them in on a Thursday morning ready for our lesson.
On a Tuesday morning, we have swimming, so need to bring our kits in for this. We usually leave our PE kits in school for the half term, and take them home just before the holidays.
We bring our books and reading records to school each day, and change them when we have finished reading them. This happens during the week when we share our books with Mrs Curphey.
Each week, homework is set up for us on Sumdog. Sumdog is a fun website, which helps us practice our maths skills through playing games. It is set up for us to complete on a Thursday. We also get spelling homework too. This happens every other Thursday, and we are tested on the spellings during the Tuesday of the second week. We practice our spellings during the week at school, too.
Below, you will find blogs that we write, to share all of the special memories we make in this class. Feel free to check them out 
A Jam-packed Week Filled with Wonderful Memories
Hello 😀
In Discoverers’ class this week, we have spent time in the forest, made our own playdough and learned all about Henry VIII and his ‘interesting’ life (he had six wives)!
In the forest, we spent time reflecting on how Christians see God as being holy and loving, and how we imagine him to be. We created artwork to represent this.
We made playdough and used this to join spaghetti together, when building structures in design and technology lessons.
We learned all about Henry VIII’s six wives, and how each of them were divorced, beheaded or died, apart from one: his last wife Catherine Parr.
In collective worship this week, we reflected on Mary’s gratitude in the bible: Luke 1, and we had some fantastic discussions around why God chose Mary to birth Jesus. This linked with our value thankfulness, and we gave thanks to God for the things that are important to us.
We hope everybody has a lovely weekend,
Discoverers
Such a Sunny Week
Hello Everybody,
This week, we have been learning about the solar system. We created mnemonics to help us remember the names and order of the planets!
We have also been learning ‘What does it mean if God is Holy and loving?’ in RE. We explored lots of new vocabulary to help us identify what makes a wonderful God. The most interesting words that we learned were ‘omnipotent’ which means all-powerful, and ‘omniscient’ which means knowing all things.
This week has also been extra special because we have been able to join together for Collective Worship with Leaders class. We have been learning about the value of thankfulness, and exploring the story of creation.
This week we are thankful for: family, friends, a beautiful week, water and pets.
We hope everybody has a fantastic week ahead, and we will speak again next week,
Discoverers
Our First Week Back
Hello Visitors,
This week is our first week back after the Summer holidays, and one of the best things about this is that we got to see all of our friends again. We have loved playing with each other at playtimes, especially now we can play with the Leaders class too.
We are enjoying being back in a routine, and learning new things. This week we have been learning how to find our way around using a compass in geography, we have started reading our new class text: The Firework-Maker’s Daughter and we have been having some simple conversations in French, describing who makes up our family.
We have just finished a session of PE, where we were learning football skills in preparation for an upcoming competition. We will keep you posted on this.
We hope that everybody has a wonderful weekend!
Speak soon,
Discoverers
Discoverers’ Home Learning – Tuesday 11th January 2021
Hi there, Discoverers 😀
I am sorry that there were problems with Tapestry yesterday. I was very proud to hear that you were working through your home learning books, and managed to complete some alternative tasks too. Well done and thank you for keeping motivated!
Today, in maths, we are continuing with division. Have a go at the questions below, remembering that if you are unable to divide the 10’s equally, you can exchange them for 1’s. Let me know if you have any questions.
If you are completing maths in your home learning, today it is page 18 for year 3 and page 16 for year 4.
In English, we are going to be using the story ‘What We’ll Build’ for our key theme. For the next two weeks we will be building towards writing an explanation text. Each day I will set you a task which works towards this. Yesterday, or perhaps today, you will be able to listen to Sleights’ staff read What We’ll Build (This is in a separate post by Mr Grason). After listening to the story, you may have realised that the story talks about creation, and there are illustrations related to many tools. It would be great if today you could take a look at the example texts I have uploaded and tell me what they all have in common (key features). They are all examples of explanation texts from a book called Until I Met Dudley by Rodger McGough.
Here are a few questions to help you:
Do they all have illustrations?
Do they all have a title?
Are there any similarities in the language that is used?
When you have finished writing your list of key features, watch the video below, and see if there are any features that you have missed? https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/english-ks1-ks2-how-to-write-an-explanation/zh2kjhv
Finally, your task is to create a cairn. Cairns are man-made towers of natural stones, usually built as a landmark or a memorial. All you need to do is gather a range of flat rocks and pebbles in different sizes, and then stack them in order, with the largest at the bottom and the smallest at the top.
See if you can get your cairn to balance, and count how many stones high your structure can hold.
For an extra challenge, change the foundation of your tower to a smaller stone, and see if you can rebuild it.
If you don’t have any rocks or pebbles, you could get create and use small items around the home.
I hope you all have a wonderful day,
Mrs Taylor
Thursday 16th July 2020
Happy last day, Discoverers,
We have made it to the Summer holidays, and you have worked so hard. Thank you 😀
Today, in English, you are going to continue writing your story.
Today, you will be writing the middle and the end.
Usually, in the middle of a story, there is a problem, which can be solved towards the end. What is the problem in your story?
When you have written your story, why don’t you read it to your family?
I would love to receive a video of you reading it, or a picture of your final version, so that I can read it myself ?
Today, in maths, you are continuing to learn about symmetry.
For the first question, draw the shapes in your book, and colour in the squares that are shown. Then, complete the shape by colouring in more squares, so that the shapes are symmetrical.
For the second question, reflect the shape through the line, so that it is symmetrical. To check your answers, you can cut out the shapes and fold them along the line, to see if they match up.
For the final question, the shapes need to be drawn in your maths books, and you need to imagine that the line is a mirror. Reflect the shape in the mirror so that it is drawn symmetrically on the opposite side. Remember, look closely at the shapes as both of them do not begin on the line.
Our extra activity today, is something a little different.
I would like you to complete this mindfulness meditation.
You might like to do this activity before bedtime tonight, as you may feel tired, or even fall asleep at the end of it.
Follow the words in the video, and relax ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWOHcGF1Tmc
Have a wonderful Summer, and I will see you in September,
Mrs Taylor
Wednesday 15th July 20202
Happy Wednesday, Discoverers,
Today, in English, you are going to begin to write your story.
If you aim to write the beginning today that would be great ?
Send me pictures of your writing so far, I can’t wait to read all of your unique stories!
Today in maths, I have some problems for your to solve.
For the first question, Jack thinks that if he rotates his triangle, he will be able to find more than one line of symmetry. Do you agree with him?
Looking at the second question, does a four sided shape always, sometimes or never have four lines of symmetry? Think about the quadrilaterals that you learned about last week to help you.
Yesterday, in science, you choose a nocturnal animal, and drew it.
Today, I would like you to do some research.
Try to research as much as you can about your chosen animal.
You might like to answer these questions: Where about in the world does it live? What is its habitat? What does it eat? How is it different to other animals? Are there any interesting facts that you have learned?
Have a great day everybody,
Mrs Taylor
Tuesday 14th July 2020
Hello Discoverers,
Today, in English, I would like you to create a front cover for the story you are going to write.
Use your plan, to help you design your cover.
You may decide to use the characters from your story on the front, or you may wish to leave the reader guessing, and put something which only hints towards the story’s plot.
It is always best to design your cover using pencil, which allows for changes to be made if they are needed.
Then, you might like to add colour.
Today’s maths question requires you to use your maths book or squared paper, and a colouring pencil/ pencil.
Use six squares in your book, to create shapes which are symmetrical.
If you want to check that they are symmetrical, you can cut them out and try folding them. If the sides then match, your shape has at least one symmetrical line.
Today in science, we are continuing to learn about nocturnal animals.
Visit yesterday’s website, and scroll down to the section which is titled: Night Creatures.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reference/nocturnal-animals-explained/
Scroll through the selection of twenty two nocturnal animals, and choose one which you will research throughout this week.
Today, using the image on this website, and any other images you find through research, draw your chosen animal and learn its features.
Have a great Tuesday all,
Mrs Taylor
Monday 13th July 2020
Happy last week, Discoverers,
I thought it would be nice to do something different in our final week.
In English, I would like you to use your imagination, and work on writing a narrative.
We have been learning lots about animals during our home-learning , particularly bees and fish most recently, so I thought it would be nice to round off this time by writing a story about an animal of your choice.
You can use your imagination, and write about any animal you wish, and your story can be about anything.
Today, I would like you to plan your story.
You will need to think about which characters will be in it, as well as where the story will be set, and finally, the actual plot.
Try to make notes about what will happen during the beginning, middle and end. This will help when you come to write your story.
In maths this week, we are also moving on, and will be learning about symmetry.
Today, I have a set of questions for you which all relate to symmetry.
First, you can watch this video to help you understand what symmetry is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFzktJNmnPU
For the first question, draw the shapes on a piece of paper, or print the question out and cut the shapes, so that you can fold their lines of symmetry.
For the second question, draw the table in your maths book, and draw the shapes in the correct sections.
For the final question, you will need to print it out, or redraw the shapes so that you can cut them out and fold the lines of symmetry.
We are going to be learning about nocturnal animals in our final week.
I have a brilliant website for you to look at, where you can learn so much about these amazing animals: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reference/nocturnal-animals-explained/
Today, read through the information on this website, and write a list of all the things that are different about nocturnal animals.
Have a great Monday,
Mrs Taylor
Thursday 9th July 2020
Good morning, Discoverers,
How are you feeling after your PE session yesterday? Are you aching?
Hopefully you are feeling ready to practise more PE today ?
In English, you are going to finish writing your information paragraphs, which you started yesterday.
Summarise the paragraphs into your own words, and capture the main points.
Then, draw and colour some relevant pictures, in the spaces you drew on Monday.
As tomorrow will be sports day, there won’t be an English task put on here for you.
Feel free to send me your finished reports. I’m excited to see what you have created 😀
In maths today, you are continuing to learn about four-sided shapes: quadrilaterals.
I would like you to complete the table, drawing or writing the name of the quadrilateral which fits into each box.
You only need to draw one shape in each section, and try not to be tricked, there may be one box in which no quadrilateral can fit.
Good luck ?
In PE today, I would like you to prepare a practise sports day for you and your family.
This will get you warmed up, ready for the virtual sports day which the year six children have prepared for you tomorrow.
Use any activities you like, you may invent some new ones of your own, and most importantly, have fun!
Remember, year 6’s will put on their sports day post for tomorrow,
I hope you have so much fun! Send me lots of pictures if you can 😀
Mrs Taylor
Wednesday 8th July 2020
Good morning, Discoverers,
How are you all this morning?
In English today, you will begin to fill in the information on your report layout, which you created yesterday.
I have uploaded many sections of information, which you studied last week. These can be summarised into your own words, and written underneath the subheadings that you created yesterday.
You will continue to fill in the information boxes tomorrow, so take your time with them.
In maths today, you are going to move on to looking at four sided shapes, named quadrilaterals.
Here is a video to introduce you to the names of the different four-sided shapes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiREqzDsMP8
Then, try to answer today’s questions.
For our additional subject, we have been looking at art.
However, for the rest of the week, we are going to begin to practise for our sports day which is fast approaching.
An observation will be added to Tapestry and on our school website, on Friday. This will contain instructions and videos of the activities, which you can take part in at home.
We will be taking part in the same activities at school 😀
Can you think of the activities which usually happen on sports day?
Today, we will increase our fitness levels in preparation.
I would like you to complete a Joe Wicks PE session.
Watch the video, and follow along: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHGi-_4jAIk
Have a great day everybody,
Mrs Taylor