What we are learning this week in Lilac Class for the week beginning 3.11.25

In Maths this week in Lilac Class, we are exploring the relationship between multiplication and division and consolidating our understanding of the words ‘factor’ and ‘multiple’.  For example, 5 is a factor of 20 and 20 is a multiple of 5. Lilac Class will also be identifying prime and composite numbers, building on our knowledge of factors.  Numbers with exactly two factors are called prime numbers and numbers with more than two factors are called composite numbers.  We will be finding out that prime numbers are all odd apart from 2, as it only has two factors.  1 is a special case as it is neither prime nor composite because it has only one factor.  We will then be moving onto learning about square numbers and how they can be built using manipulatives.  Lilac Class will find out that a cube number is the result of multiplying a whole number by itself and then by itself again.  For example, 27 is a cube number because 3 X 3 X 3 =27. We are also representing cube numbers using manipulatives to complete calculations.  Lilac Class will then be moving onto multiplying whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1,000, looking carefully at a place value and Gattegno chart to support learning and find out what happens to the movement of the digits in the calculation. 

In English this week in Lilac Class we are starting to draft a non-chronological report about the different layers of a tropical rainforest using the features of report writing.  For example, using sub-headings to organise information and fronted adverbials to introduce information.  Our reports will inform the reader about how rainforests are structured and what groups of animals live in the different layers.

For our Whole Class Guided Reading of the The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis we are reading Chapter 9 this week.  We are thinking about synonyms for a variety of words in the text and the intention of the author: why do you think the author doesn’t want you to think Edmund is too bad?  We will be focusing on Edmund’s behaviour and what motivates him to do what he does, even though he is afraid.

In RE, we are exploring the qualities that a Messiah should have and what a Messiah is expected to be.  Lilac Class are design a ‘Wanted!’ poster for the Messiah. The Jewish people are waiting for the ‘anointed one’: a Saviour. What should this person be like?   

For Time and Place, we are finding out about the beliefs and religious practices of the Ancient Mayan Civilisation. We will be learning about the different gods and how they affected the lives of the Mayan people.  We will also be learning about the Mayan Creation Story.

For Science in Lilac Class we are starting our new topic entitled ‘Forces’.  We will be examining, by conducting a comparative experiment, the relationship between mass and weight as a force and learning about Sir Isaac Newton.  In ICT, we will be using a device to record video and experimenting with different camera angles. In Art, Lilac Class will be making Mayan pottery based on original Mayan artefacts.  This week we will be finishing our sketching of the shape of our pottery and what design it will be decorated with.  We will then be starting our clay modelling.