What we are learning this week in Lilac Class for the week beginning 19.5.25

For Maths this week in Lilac Class, we are measuring angles and drawing lines and angles accurately using a protractor. We will then be learning to draw lines and angles accurately and calculating angles around a point using our prior knowledge of the number of degrees in a whole, half, quarter and three-quarter turn. 

In English this week in Lilac Class, we are continuing with our planning of a newspaper article about the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.  We will be looking at a range of information texts including actual newspaper articles written just after the Titanic sank.  Lilac Class will also be watching some original film footage and extracts from documentaries about the tragedy.  We will be learning about the features of a newspaper report – Headline, Byline, Lead, Body, Picture and Caption and Tail. 

For our Guided Reading text, Shackleton’s Journey by William Grill this week, we are reading pages 25-30. We are focusing on inference, answering such questions as ‘Why might spring bring better fortune?’, ‘Why do you think they took lots of scientific measurements?’ and ‘Why would it be important to keep morale high amongst the crew?’ We will also be exploring whether cliffhangers are generally found in non-fiction and why. 

For RE in Lilac Class, we are learning about why Shahadah (the first Pillar of Islam) is important for Muslims.  Lilac Class will read the story of Bilal and be exploring what was important to him and why and what we would stand up for with such bravery.  For Time and Place in Lilac Class, we are investigating the features and journey of a river.  Lilac Class will be answering such questions as ‘What is a young river?’, ‘How does erosion cause meanders?’ and ‘What is a tributary?’  For Science in Lilac Class, we are investigating how a plant can be reproduced artificially and what ‘cloning’ a plant means.  As a class, we will look carefully at a geranium plant that Dr Charles has brought in from her garden.  We will decide where the best place on the plant will be to take a cutting and observe the growth of our cutting over the coming weeks. 

In ICT, Lilac Class are using the zoom tool to help add detail to Vector drawings and modifying objects to create a new image.  In Spanish this week we are continuing with our work on reading and saying the months of the year and sequencing them in simple sentences.

For Design and the Arts, we are sketching our school garden and will be using this as a basis for painting, using the techniques of the artist Annie Soudain. 

Homework has not been set for the half-term break. However, please ensure that your child has read up to Chapter 5 of ‘A Tiger’s Path’.  I have also attached our Learning Curriculum Matrix for the Summer Term.  Please remember Mr Mackinnon will put any superb pieces of work onto our class blog.