Term 3 Virtual learning update

Hi all, I am so sorry that recent developments have meant we need to move to online/virtual learning for now. I hope to see you all very soon. Hope you had a lovely Christmas and a happy new year so far.

I will be uploading daily teaching videos to the Video Resource Centre which can be found under the Children tab of the website. Click Iguana and here you will see a daily English and Maths lesson plus extras like topic. I will upload the work on ClassDojo and also on our Iguana Class page.

I will be resending the login details for Timestable Rockstar, mymaths and Reading Eggs so there will be plenty to keep children busy and up to date with their learning.

Any questions please email me on katie.johnson@barleyclose.org.uk

Mrs Johnson

 A timetable for you to work to when home learning and where to find the resources. Videos will be uploaded daily onto the Video Resource Centre area of the Barley Close website. Click on the children tab, then video resource centre then Iguana. Worksheets can be found on the Iguana and Chameleon Class pages and on the Classdojo app.

WOW Week 6

The children have had a lovely week making Christmas crafts. There are so many artistic children in Year 4! 

Within maths, the children have been revising the grid method and bus stop division. They

have also been introduced to 'remainders'. We have also worked on neat presentation.

In English this week, we wrote an explanation text on 'How a Toy Works'. The children were able to use casual conjunctions in their explanations. 

We have created an experiment in Science this week! The children have tested egg shells in different liquids to represent the affect of drinks on our teeth.

One more week to go until the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS! Keep going with your spellings!

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniels.

Wicked Week 5

This week the children had their virtual teeth workshop with Mark at the company Hands on Science. First we made teeth models using silicone moulds and plaster of Paris powder. The children were really focused on following the instructions carefully. Later that morning we looked at animal skulls and teeth to try and identify which animal the skull was from. Top tip was to look at the canine teeth first!

In English we started a new unit on explanations. We looked at causal conjunctions otherwise known as cause and effect conjunctions like so, therefore and consequently. We practiced using them in a sentence.

In Maths we looked at converting time and using timetables for buses and trains etc. The children found it difficult but practice makes perfect!

Keep using reading eggs, mymaths and times table Rockstar.

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniel

Wonderful Week 4

This week the children have been so resilient this week working through a series of tests in maths, reading and spelling, punctuation and grammar. We are very proud of the effort they have put in.

Iguana Class have been busy filming their class assembly video. It is now live under the Children tab then Video Resource Centre. Chameleon Class assembly will be next year. We will let you know the date nearer the time.

We have sent out information about a school virtual workshop about teeth. They have sent lots of exciting resources for us to use. Please send payment for this asap using the information on the text sent.

Alongside the tests we have done this week, we have also been planning and writing a character description about Johnny Trott from the Kaspar book. In Maths we revised what we remember about fractions.

Have a lovely weekend, stay safe.

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniel

Super Week 3!

The children have had a super week! We have been learning about anti-bullying week and how we can be amazing friends!

During maths, we have learnt the bus stop method. The children were very good at using language such as 'groups of'. Next term, children will be learning the bus stop method with remainders.

In English, we have been learning about fronted adverbials and expanded noun phrases. Children used fronted adverbials to describe Johnny Trott's life within the orphanage. 

Within Science, we learnt about the digestive system. We will be learning about teeth next week, ready for our interactive Teeth workshop in Week 5! During topic, we learnt about key events in Ancient Egypt!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend! Keep up your super spelling test results!

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniels.

Wonderful Week 2

We had a great week working through Joe Wicks Five to Thrive videos for Children in Need. We also watched him finish his 24hour workout on Friday morning. What an achievement!

In English this week we finished our unit on rewriting the sinking of the Titanic in Kaspar. The children worked really hard to include lots of fronted adverbial sentence openers and expanded noun phrases. Lots of exciting description!

Our focus for Maths this week was 2d and 3d shapes. It was great to see that the children remembered so much from previous years learning on the subject!

Keep working at home on Timestable Rockstar, MyMaths and Reading Eggs. It really shows in their learning at school when they practice at home.

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniel

Fantastic Firework Week! Term 2 Week 1 !

The children have had great start to Term 2! Some amazing scores with spellings this week!

During English, the children have been learning about fronted adverbials. They have been writing interesting sentences about Kasper, using commas after  fronted adverbials too.

This week in maths, the children have been revising Place Value. The children have also been introduced to negative numbers.

Our new topic in Science is 'Animals including humans.' The children worked in pairs and created food chains. Throughout this term, the children will be continuing with Ancient Egyptians. The children sketched different Ancient Egyptian Gods. We have some fantastic artists in Year 4!

Remember to email us about Parents' Evening, which will be in Week 3.

Have a lovely weekend!

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniels.

Spooky Week 8

This week we made a pumpkin Halloween display for the windows of our classrooms. We hope you liked them! We also finished painting our hearts blue for the clay heart rainbow display. A few local schools have come together to create an outdoor display of them. Later in November we will get a chance to display the hearts here.

In English we finished our unit on persuasive leaflets and put our skills into practice by writing our very own leaflets about Ancient Egypt World! The children worked really hard on these and should be very proud.

In Maths we looked at area and perimeter of different shapes. The children dusted off their measuring skills from last year and did really well. 

We wish you a fantastic half term! Stay safe.

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Daniel and Mrs Johnson

Week 7

During week 7 we started a new English unit on persuasive leaflets. We looked at lots of real life leaflets and spotted their features such as subheadings, persuasive language, special offers and information on directions and prices. Later in the week we studied different types of sentences: simple, compound and complex sentences. You may hear your child mention FANBOYS or I SAW A WABUB. These are acronyms of different conjunctions like because, so, but. You can google image search those terms to find out more. Below is a link explaining the types of sentences.

https://youtu.be/smgyeUomfyA

In Maths we studied time this week. We recapped from the beginning looking at o'clock, half past, quarter past and to and also time to the nearest 5mins. Please practice telling the time at home whenever you can. We also looked how units of time like how many seconds in a minute, how many weeks in a year etc.

In topic we learned about the Ancient Egyptian gods and the afterlife. Onward to week 8! Remember we finish school on Thursday as Friday in an INSET day.

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniel

Week 6 

Year 4 have had a super Week 6 at school! 

In English, the children wrote some fantastic instructions on 'How to Keep the Wolves out 

of the Walls'. The children used a range of features such as headings, sub-headings, conjunctions and imperative verbs.  We were both very impressed.

In Maths, we have been recapping the 'grid method' for multiplication. The children have been really good at using their multiplication knowledge and presenting their work carefully. Keep going with TTRS!

In Science, we have been looking at our new topic 'Rocks' and describing their properties. In Topic, we looked at Tutankhamun.

Keep going with spellings, Rockstars, Reading Eggs and MyMaths at home. You're all doing amazing!

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniels.

Week 5

I cannot believe we are over half way through the first school term! Time is flying by. This week we wrote up our observations on the cress experiment looking at how lack of sunlight affected plant growth. We made detailed observations on the appearance of the different plants and considered what we might do differently next time.

In English we started a new unit on Instructions. Our grammar focus is conjunctions. We looked at subordinate conjunctions in particular. The most common ones spell the acronym I SAW A WABUB. If Since As When Although While After Before Until Because. We wrote instructions on how to write a fairy tale.

In Maths we focused on subtraction recapping column subtraction looking at exchanging (which you may remember as borrowing). Children worked really hard using their emerald power to stay calm when things were tricky.

In computing we practiced logging on using our own usernames and passwords. We looked at Reading Eggs, TimesTable Rockstar and MyMaths.

Onto week 6! 

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Daniel and Mrs Johnson

Amazing Week 4 

This week, the children have being using their sapphire power to ignore monster distractions. They have all done really well!

In English, the children have written their own version of 'The Elephants in the Walls' using a range of adverbs and noun phrases. The children checked their worked using their own plans. Also, they used  purple polishing pens to improve their work.

During Maths this week, we have been focusing on 'addition'. The children have been using the column method and 'carrying' when needed. The children have also been answering questions with 'empty boxes'.

In Science, we have planned and started an experiment with cress, where we are testing cress in different conditions. Within Topic, we have been learning about how a pyramid is built.

Time to have a lovely weekend and see you all for Week 5!

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniels.

Week 3

The children have really settled into the new routines for handwashing and staying in our class bubbles to stay safe. We are so proud of them!

In English this week we described the character of Lucy from Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman using expanded noun phrases such as wide, chestnut brown eyes. We practiced using different sentence openers to keep our writing interesting. We also planned our own version of Wolves in the Walls but this time it will be elephants in the walls!

In Maths we compared 4 digit numbers by using the symbols greater than and less than. We also learned the words ascending (smallest to largest) and descending (largest to smallest) order. The children are practicing explaining how they know an answer using their maths vocabulary and knowledge. 

In topic we continued looking at Ancient Egypt studying the River Nile and its importance. In computing we logged into Reading Eggs and Times Table Rockstar. Your child should have logins for these at home now. Send us an email if you need the login details again.

Looking forward to week 4!

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniel 

Wonderful Week 2 !

We have had a fantastic second week!

The children have made amazing progress already with their place value in mathematics. Some children have started to reason using sentences stems such as 'I know this because'.

During English, children have written about the 'elephants' coming out of the walls (linked to our class book The Wolves in the Walls). The children included a range of adverbs and remembered most of their capital letters and full stops!

Great results with spellings this week! 

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Mrs Milbourne, Mrs Johnson and Mrs Daniels.

Welcome Iguana Class of 2020-2021!

What a strange year 2020 has been! I am so excited to get back to school and meet all of you. Hopefully you have read my letter to you sent a few months ago. I'll pop a link to it down below. 

I am Mrs Johnson (was Miss Chandler) and I am super excited to be getting back to Barley Close after having a wonderful year off looking after my little boy named Leo. You will have Mrs Daniel on Mondays and Mrs Drake or Mrs Harris on Friday afternoons. The rest of the time you will have me! Mrs Frost will be our Teaching Assistant each morning. Mrs Spindler will be working in our class every afternoon too. 

We are going to have the BEST year building on what you learned in Year 3 and exploring new topics like the Ancient Egyptians and Ancient Romans! Hopefully in spring/summer 2021 we'll be able to go on a school trip to a REAL LIFE ruin of a Roman amphitheatre and fort.

School will be a little different to normal. But we'll work on following the new rules together. Mostly it will mean lots of hand washing and playing with only the people in our class bubble. Any questions, please email me.

Look forward to getting to know you all,

Mrs Johnson 

Reminders for the week:

Monday - PE so please wear your outdoor kit to school

Thursday - PE so please wear your outdoor kit to school

Friday - Spelling test

We will be giving levelled books from the Oxford Reading Tree scheme to children to read at school. Unfortunately, due to current circumstances reading books cannot come home so please use READING EGGS to read with your child at home.