Happy New Year! It was great to see everyone back in school, raring to go. We’ve dived straight into the next Maths unit, continuing with multiplication and division. There is still a big emphasis on learning ALL times-tables facts instantly. There will be a statutory, straightforward online times tables assessment in May, call the Multiplication Tables Check (MTC). I will send home the government’s information about it. By using TTRS, the children will be well prepared for it and when they do it, it will hold no surprises in terms of content or format. Over the next week or so we will do a practice MTC on TTRS and I will let you know how the children get on.
In Maths the children are learning how to manipulate times-tables facts. The calculations don’t involve large numbers, but the children need to apply number sense and fluency in knowing TT facts to understand it properly. Here they are using counters to prove how to use factor pairs in two-digit numbers.
We have kicked off several new topics. Here are the children enjoying getting to grips with data-loggers.
We started our new book in English – “Escape From Pompeii” -which links with our History topic of the Romans perfectly. The children role-played and then “freeze-framed” the initial scene in the book to understand daily live in Pompeii.
The children were excellent Archaeologists when they were given (clean, modern replicas!) of Roman artefacts and made very sensible suggestions about what they were. “I saw there are Roman numerals so I think this is from the Roman times.” was one comment. Someone else recognised the clay lamp being similar to the artefacts we saw in the Fitzwilliam Musuem so concluded these were also Greek. Other children saw the word “Caesar” on an item so decided it was Roman. Another idea was the jewellery, some of which looked like a torque and others were decorated with snakes, were Celtic.
Spelling of the year 3/4 statutory spellings is improving. I have sent home copies of the check of all of them which we did just before the holidays. The number of correct words has increased, as has the presentation of the words which is also very good to see.
We’re all looking forward to the trip to Verulamium Museum next Wednesday, where we will see real Roman artefacts. Unfortunately, the weather forecast just now is not great, but as long as everyone wears warm, waterproof coats and clothes (tights, trousers, etc) and sensible shoes we should be fine. Nearer the time, if it looks like it will be very wet then the office will send a message asking for children to wear wellies and bring their shoes to get changed into.
I hope you all have a lovely first weekend back. It’s always tiring coming back after Christmas but the good news is that it will start getting lighter, bit by bit, in the mornings and evenings which makes things a bit cheeries.