Elms
Hello Elms Class!
Welcome back! I hope you had a lovely summer and you are now well-rested and ready for an exciting term ahead!
We are excited to be working alongside Lea and Wessington Schools and welcoming lots of new faces to our staff team. This year Mrs Hallows, Ms Valkova and Ms Leck will be working in Elms at different times throughout the week to support the children with their learning.
Our Topic for the Autumn term is 'The Stone Age'. During this topic, we will be finding out about what life was like in the Stone Age as well as looking at the changes through the Bronze Age to the Iron Age. In science we will be learning about different types of rocks and soils as well as exploring how fossils are formed.
In our literacy lessons, we will be reading different texts including ‘Stone Age Boy’ by Satoshi Kitamur, which is an engaging picture book that tells the story of a boy who falls down a hole and finds he has gone back in time by 15,000 years. Another story that we will be reading, which features a similar theme, is ‘Stig of the Dump’ by Clive King, a classic children’s story about a boy named Barney who becomes best friends with a cave-man named Stig.
Expectations
Reading
At Tansley Primary School, we expect children to read to an adult at least 4 times a week - please record when you have read with your child in their reading record; this can be any book they have read, whether it is a school reading book, one from the library or one of their own from home. Please make sure your child brings in their reading record daily.
Spellings
This year we will continue using SpellingShed to help the children learn their spellings in an exciting way. Weekly spelling tests will take place on Thursday mornings, which is when your child will also receive their new spellings. A paper copy will be stuck into the children's reading records which can be used to practice their spellings however, we ask that children play two games on Spelling Shed per week. Children have a Spelling Shed login (in the back of their reading record) where they can practice their spellings through games. A parent guide of how to log in and use Spelling Shed is available in the Autumn term tab at the bottom of the page by following the link to the homework page.
Times Tables
Children should also access both Times Table Rockstars and Numberbots for a minimum of 15 minutes each per week to practice their times tables (their login details can be found in the back of their reading records). A weekly times table check is completed in class. This will now take place on a Thursday, in which the children have 5 minutes to answer 40 questions on the times table that they have been set. Having secure times tables knowledge is key as it assists children's fluency in all areas of mathematics. By the end of Year 3 children are expected to know their 10, 2, 5, 3, 4 & 8 times tables. By the end of Year 4 children are expected to know all of their times tables to 12 and answer each question in 6 seconds or less.
Year 4 children will be sitting the Statutory Multiplication Check in the Summer term - More information to follow.
Click the link below to find out more about TTRS and how it can support your child's learning:
Homework
At Tansley we expect children to complete compulsory homework which includes:
- Reading to an adult 4 times a week (minimum).
- Practicing times tables and number bonds on TTRS and Numbots for a minimum of 15 minutes each, per week.
- Practicing weekly spellings on spelling shed (Please play at least 2 games a week).
Children are also welcome to bring in any work they have completed at home, that links to our topic learning, to share in school.
Please find all letters, homework, knowledge organisers and information you will need for this term in the Autumn tab below.
If you have any questions or concerns you can contact me at the following school email address:
SLongden@tansley.derbyshire.sch.uk
Miss Longden