Recently, in Year 6, we have been focusing on our writing since returning from half-term. The first text we looked at was dialogue between two main characters called Theo and Lana. We had to be creative and use our own ideas to think of what was happening in the story as it was in French. Afterwards, we planned the story for our Independent Writing; we then got to see the story with English subtitles to see what the characters were saying. In history, we have been learning about the Mayas and what things they do for entertainment. We experienced this by sacrificing someone in the class to be a victim by buying them (with red beans). We then put blue face paint on the victim and pretended to take their organs out. This is an example of what they would do for entertainment in the Maya civilisation. Every Tuesday, we will be practising for our production, (The Wizard of Oz) by learning a dance from an outside dance coach who has choreographed some routines for us. Also, this half-term, on Wednesdays, we will be learning how to play a sport called bowls. The aim of bowls is to roll a ball very low  on the floor and trying to get your bowl closer to the jack. Finally, in Science, we have been learning about reflection and how we can use a torch to measure the angle of reflection off a mirror, how shadows can appear larger and smaller by altering the light source from an object and items that are transparent and opaque.

In year 6, we have been doing some very interesting experiments in science to do with the circulatory system. One investigation was to dissect a lamb’s heart. We used a pair of gloves and some straws to help us identify the blood vessels. We then used a scalpel to cut down the middle of the lamb’s heart to explore the inside of the left and the right atrium. It was very interesting to see what a real lamb's heart  looks like. We also made 'blood soup' using cheerios, juice, marshmallows and rice as the red and white blood cells, platelets and plasma to show what blood is made of. In literacy this half term we have been reading a book called Thornhill which was about a mysterious girl and an abandoned house. We then used this to link into our independent writing based a video called Alma. It has been a very busy half term with Mock SATs but they have helped us to feel prepared for our real tests in the summer.

In year 6, we have been doing a new unit in literacy about Mount Everest . We have been describing Mount Everest using powerful vocabulary and fascinating facts. For example, did you know that the Himalayas 30 peaks tower over 24,000 feet. In maths, we have started a new unit which is Area and Perimeter. We have been trying to find out how to find perimeters in different shapes and using a formula (L x W) to find the answer for the area . In P.E we are doing ultimate frisbee and doing matches. On Thursday afternoon, the University of Hertfordshire came to our school this week and taught us a dance and a song that we have been practicing ready for a performance on Friday 7th March. Each class in Year 3 through to Year 6 performed the dances to everyone that we had learnt. They were based on the Wonders of the world. In Year 6 we learnt a song about Christ The Redeemer.

In Geography we are learning about the UK and the English counties and where they are located using an atlas.

Last week in science, we were sorting ourselves out in groups like a game of guess who? We did this because our new unit is about Classification (which is to do with sorting animals and plants out using questions).  

In PE, we have been doing badminton (using the forehand grip, backhand grip, and thumb grip) as well as taking part in a boxing workshop where we have been doing skipping and pad work.

In literacy, we have started a new unit based on a book called Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo. The book is about an 11-year-old boy called Michael. His family are sailing around the world when they get lost in a storm. Michael and the dog (Stella) end up overboard. We are going to start our Independent Writing next week and will be continuing the story with our own ideas. Also, we began art this term and have been copying Maya drawings (Maya was before the Egyptians in history.) On Thursday 16th January, we had Barclays Bank come to us and explain about keeping safe with money, how to budget and had a tour of a mobile Barclays banking van.

For the past week in Year 6, we have been busy making our own waistcoats while designing them with pockets and buttons for extra detail. We have also been doing a new sport in PE which is archery - where we have been practising our aiming skills. In literacy, since it was Remembrance Day, we were writing a remembrance poem as we watched a video explaining how important Remembrance Day is and what the soldiers did for us. Also, in literacy, we finished our independent write for the Graveyard Book so we could perform our stories for Fright Night. Since then, we have been focusing on David Attenborough and writing a biography based on his achievements.

Since returning from PGL, we have been learning about The Graveyard book in literacy, and starting to write our first plot point. It is all about a man called Jack who is after a boy called Bod who lives in a graveyard. In our maths lessons, we have been focusing on multiplying numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit number. In our P.E. lessons this half term, we have been working on basketball but particularly matches and focusing on passes. Also, in the afternoons, in science we have been learning about evolution and Charles Darwin. In history, we are learning about WW2 and most of the lands in the UK were being bombed.

By Jennifer and Ruby