Welcome to Life at KPS for Year 5

Mrs Van Rooyen and Mrs Sharma warmly welcome you to Year 5.

The aim of this page is to highlight some of the fantastic learning that has been happening in Year 5, this page will be updated monthly, with photographs and information about the learning we have completed during the month.

We hope you enjoy looking through these updates and do discuss your child’s learning with them to celebrate their success. We look forward to any suggestions you may have to make your child’s learning a pleasant experience.

October 2021

Arts

This term, our artist is Juca Máximo, a Brazilian portrait painter, who uses brave and aggressive techniques to represent the elegant and beautiful. His unique and bold approach has granted him a place as one of the top Latin-American artists. Juca Máximo began his artistic journey by illustrating for advertisements at age 16 and working as an art director since then.

After falling in love with painting at 33, Juca began to connect with a truly inspired style during his experiments; “my trait turns out to be vigorous and I use too many ink marks with impasto. Being raised by 7 women, I have a passion for drawing and painting women.”

Computing

Pupils learnt about file management and to categorise files and documents. Pupils are currently creating PowerPoint Presentations on Brazil and Christ the Redeemer, one of our 7 wonders of the world. They have been learning what makes a good poster in PPT and learnt how to use picture tools and text box tools to enhance their PPTs.

After half-term, children will continue to work on these presentations and learn how to insert audio and videos to improve their presentation.

English

In English this month we have been learning how to effectively write to persuade and entertain.  Using our topic – seven wonders of the world- with particular focus on Brazil – as a stimulus, we have looked at some travel brochure examples, studied the language and the tone of writing. We also practised some grammar writing such as: fronted adverbials, subordinate clauses, relative clauses, expanded noun phrases etc.

Geography

We have been learning about the seven continents of the world, to identify it and we also learnt about the main biomes of the world. Currently, children are learning about Brazil, the physical features and man-made features and we have been comparing Brazil to the UK to understand the similarities and differences. After half term, we will continue studying this topic and learn more about Brazil!

Maths

This month in Maths we have been looking in detail at our four operations, particularly addition and subtraction. We refamiliarised ourselves with using formal methods of addition and subtraction when exchanging. We also looked at how to use this when solving multi-step worded problems.

We have been solving practical and number problems that involve place value as well. We know how to identify the value of each digit in 5- and 6-digit numbers, according to its place in the number. We are also aware of how to identify mistakes in our calculations and how we can use the inverse as a way of checking our answers.

Music

I am pleased to say that singing has now resumed in both class music and as a whole school

So far this term, year 5 have been learning about Samba instruments and rhythms which supports their topic: Brazil. They have followed the rhythms above and understood the importance of a steady pulse beat, particularly when playing a syncopated rhythm

They have also recognised variations in pitch, dynamics, timbre, tempo and instrumentation in their playing.

Panjabi

In Year 5 children have been learning 6 sets of Panjabi letters. Children are reading and writing words using these letters. This month they have also been learning how to make simple sentences in Panjabi like kp (ieh kp hY) and some children have been using adjectives in their sentences. For speaking and listening our topic for this term is different seasons of the year. Children have been learning about self-hygiene in Panjabi so they can help Panjabi speakers in the community. This term children have been learning the story of Bandi shorr and shabads related to this day.

Physical Education

Children this term took part in a Diwali Dance workshop!  The children learnt about the story of Rama and Sita through a story book which was animated.  They then had to pick a picture out of the book and make it come to life through dance!  The children worked in groups and then came together to practice and perform a routine in front of their class mates.  Dance is an important aspect of PE as it helps children with coordination, balance and teamwork.

PSHE

In PSHE we have been focussing on friendships. We looked at the qualities that make a good friend. We looked at our interests and hobbies and how this can be a discussion for us to make new friends based on common interests. We looked our likes and dislikes and also how these can also help us to make friends by comparing and contrasting things we like and dislike. We also look at what makes a good friend and realised there might be things we need to change to be a better friend! We also write some kind notes to our friends to fill up our friendship buckets in class! We also spent some time outside on Mental Health Day. We discussed why it’s important to look after our own mental health but also to think about others, how to treat them in order to look after others and their mental health too.

Religious Education

Our RE topic this term is Hinduism. It was perfect timing as we were able to learn all about the Hindu Festival Navratri that happens near the start of October. We found out why it is celebrated and how Hindus celebrate this festival for nine consecutive days. Children looked at the story of Navratri and how it celebrates good over evil. We then went on to compare this theme with other stories and parables that we have heard of in another faiths. We have also been looking at the festival of light – Diwali!