Squirrels
Welcome to Squirrel Class 2020-2021
new class photo
Its so lovely to be back together after all the disruption of the Spring Term. The children have all settled in really well, adapted brilliantly to the new routines and are enjoying learning about tropical rainforests. Please see below for this half-term’s topic web.
Please click on the link below for this half-term’s spelling lists.
Home Learning during school closure
Summer Holiday
July 13th 2020
Derbyshire School Games – Rugby Primary
Learning from Home Ideas – 13th July – Holidays
Primary Picture News Resource England – 13th July – Holidays
Stay safe whilst playing games online
Monday 6th July
Still not sure? Hear how other parents felt about their children returning to school.
Also this government leaflet provides clear information for parents of primary and secondary school children with answers to some of the key questions around the new safety measures in place for returning to school, and which children are eligible to return.
SSP Activity Challenge 06.07.20
Derbyshire School Games – Racket Sports Primary
Monday 29th June
Worship from Mike “Rain & Shine”
SSP Activity Challenge 29 06 20
Derbyshire School Games Boccia Primary
Monday 22nd June 2020
This week we will be focusing on learning more about racism and about the Black Lives Matter protests. We will be spending quite a bit of time in school thinking about and discussing the issues of racism, inclusion, discrimination and diversity. I have put a link below to a powerpoint which will help you to understand what is meant by the term ‘racism’ – please have a look at it with a grown up and discuss any questions you have.
I would also like you to read the news article ‘Black Lives Matter’ (PDF below) and discuss it with an adult. The second PDF is some information for your grown up to help them with your questions.
UKS2 Black Lives Matter Protests Adult Guidance
UKS2 Black Lives Matter Protests Daily News Story
We will also be learning about the issues surrounding on-line live streaming and how to do it safely. This resource is designed for you to use at home. On-line Safety Live Streaming
There are some fun E-Bug games which support the work we are doing at school about micro-organisms, hygiene and how vaccinations work.
Click on this link to find the games: E-Bug Games
And lastly, keep using the Hamilton units of work for daily Maths and English activities. We are on Week 9 now.
Hamilton Learning From Home Packs
Have a good week.
Free Online Reading Books
Harper Collins are offering free online books, go to Collins Connect and click on the Teacher portal and enter:
Username: parents@harpercollins.co.uk
Password: Parents20!
and click Login to view the books
Dance Around the World
Active Derbyshire and the Derbyshire SGO Network have worked in partnership to develop a series of free dance resources that are aimed at KS1 pupils (although KS2 and foundation children may also enjoy taking part). “Dance Around the World” resources comprise of a video of approx. 10 minutes which includes a warm up, dance routine (linked to a country) and a simple worksheet to accompany each dance.
They have been designed so the routines can be undertaken while adhering to social distancing i.e. with a limited amount of space. Most of all they have been designed to get young people moving and having a bit of fun. Each week two more resources will be uploaded to the website and will be accessible on a Monday for the next 3 weeks. We really hope that you find the resources useful and the children enjoy taking part.
Derbyshire_School_Games_Sports_Day_Primary
Learning from Home Ideas – 22nd June – Zoos Primary
Picture News Resource England – 22nd June – Zoos
15th June 2020
Derbyshire School Games Gymnastics Primary
Primary Picture News Resource England – 15th June – Managing Money
Learning from Home Ideas – 15th June – Managing Money
Thinkuknow – Advice on staying safe online
8th June 2020
Derbyshire School Games – An Introduction to Cricket
Picture News
British Values – 8th June Picture News at Home – 8th June Picture News Paper – 8th June 
Picture News Resource England – 8th June
Learning from Home Ideas – 8th June
Picture News Prompt 1 – 8th June
Picture News Prompt 2 – 8th June
Celebrities leading learning through BBC bitesize! https://blog.kidadl.com/articles/bbc-bitesize-celebrity-learning-scheme
Eating Disorders & Lockdown – how to help
8th June
Hello again Squirrels,
For the next few weeks, it is likely that some of you will be in school every day, some of you in for one day or a few days each week and some of you maybe not at all. Whether you are at school, or at home, we are thinking of you and very much look forward to seeing you as soon as possible.
As most of you are either in school part-time, or still at home, I have gone for a plan which I hope will make things as simple as possible. For the next few weeks, I suggest that you use the Hamilton Learning At Home resources for when you are home-schooling. These excellent resources are all free and there is a pack per week for English and Maths with activities for each day. As well as activity sheets, there are also Powerpoints, help sheets and answer sheets so I think you will find them easy to use.
Log onto https://www.hamilton-trust.org.uk/blog/learning-home-packs and select Maths or English for either Year 5 or Year 6. I suggest that you start with Week 7 and do one pack for Maths and English each week until the end of term.
Alongside this, you can continue with the other activities that I have previously suggested, such as Maddie Moate’s Science, BBC Bitesize Daily Lessons and Seesaw activities.
Also, new from Monday 8th is the CBBC Celebrity Supply Teacher lessons which will be screened live every morning at 11am and then be on iPlayer. I saw Ed Balls talking about it on The One Show and it looks like it might be fun.
The other new resource for you to use is E-Bug, where you can learn about viruses and other micro-organisms. We will be using this resource in the classroom over the next couple of weeks and you can use it at home too.
Click on this link: https://e-bug.eu/ind_home.aspx?cc=ind&ss=1&t=Welcome%20to%20e-Bug and select Primary, then KS2 Lesson pack. There are lots of interesting and useful lessons and activities to do.
I hope you are all doing ok and still smiling!
Love from Mrs Dawson
Get ready to get SILLY! It’s almost time for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge – click here to read all about it
Active Derbyshire have some great ideas to keep fit fun – Derbyshire School Games – Athletics Primary
Picture News
Picture News at Home – 1st June
Picture News Resource England – 1st June
Learning from Home Ideas – 1st June
Learning from Home Ideas – 1st June
June 1st
Hello Squirrels,
I hope you’ve all enjoyed the break and some time outside in this amazing weather. I have set you a few new Seesaw activities for this week and here are a few more suggestions for other work to do at home. I am hoping that Twinkl will continue with the free materials so that you can access those too.
- Bitesize daily lessons – try to do the maths, English and one other each day if you can
- your Maths and SPAG CGP workbooks
- work from the maths textbook that you collected from school a few weeks ago
- daily reading
- Maddie Moate’s live science at 11am every morning
- Maddie Moate’s science videos on her YouTube channel
This half term, our topic will be ‘Mountains’ and my plan is for us to begin this next week. I will let you know more about how this will work when I know which of you will be in school and who will be at home.
Remember, I am always here for you and I will be in school several days a week if you would like to pop by and say hello.
Missing you all lots,
love from Mrs Dawson
May 18th
A hello message from our Rector Mike especially for YOU! Hello from Mike
Hi Squirrels. I really hope you are all fit and well. I have devised some balloon fitness challenges for you all to do at home. Maybe you can do them with your family. I have created a YouTube channel so you can see the video (it is too big to load onto seesaw).
Click here for the Balloon Challenge video and join in the fun …..
Let me know what you think and send me some of your own fitness inventions for the next video…
Stay safe
Mrs Gaywood
Picture News
Picture_News_e-resource_18th-24th_May_–_Where_we_live
Home Activity Challenges Week 5
A wonderfully mindful art activity for the holidays! A view through a window
Paint a picture from inside your house showing the window itself and the view you can see through it. It can be whatever you can see through the window – it might be your garden, some fields, the road, or the bins in the back yard.
Remember to look carefully – look for longer than you draw or paint for, use a pencil to sketch out your painting but use it softly so there are no heavy pencil lines. Don’t worry too much if your window is a bit wonky, don’t use a ruler! Think carefully about the composition (where things are placed in the painting) so that it looks balanced, you might have something on the window sill inside but don’t make it the main focus of the painting (like the mirror in the one below which gets in the way of the view through the window!) When you are painting you can exaggerate the colours a bit if the actual colours are not very bright – you could look at the paintings of the Impressionists who were a group of artists who used colour to give a particular ‘feel’ to their paintings.
What have we been up to in school …… gardening socially distanced and baking for VE day!
First News is being emailed to you as usual.
May 13th
Hello Squirrels,
Here is an update with some additional activities for you to do over the next week or so. I hope you enjoyed reading the ‘Raiders’ story on Twinkl and then doing some of the activities which went with it. For next week, I suggest you log onto Twinkl and download the ‘Share a Story’ eBook Resource pack ‘Firebird’. Read the story and then there are lots of different activities for you have a go at including SPAG, comprehension , geography, science and art. This this will keep you going until June.
Please also continue with your Maths and SPAG workbooks, Maths text book, English and Maths Mastery on-line activities, BBC Bitesize daily lessons and Times Tables Rockstars.
and of course keep reading……
and keep exercising…
and having fun…
Love Mrs Dawson
May 11th
There will not be a Newsletter this week as we make plans to reopen school in line with the new announcements. There is a County Lead Strategic Group who are meeting later in the week and we’ve been requested to wait for their instructions before making any more local decisions.
Thank you for contributing to our recognition of VE Day – the union hearts look lovely fluttering in the breeze.
First News is being emailed to you as usual.
May 4th
Derbyshire County Council have updated their links for parents and suggest here a range of activities including computing, wider reading and art prompts, online puzzles, musical activities and links to the National Geographic and EYFS apps AND a 30 day lego challenge – activities for children and young people
Active Derbyshire have some Football themed challenges this week to have a go at Derbyshire School Games Football Primary
Super physics ideas to try at home….. with a fun explanation! (sent from one of the Governors!) DO try this at home!
Click here for this weeks newsletter 04.05.20
Picture News VE Day – see the poster below then they have set some challenges Picture News Special Resource – VE Day 75th Anniversary 2020
This week its a special one about Captain Tom who has just celebrated his 100th Birthday whilst raising millions for the NHS here are the links along with an opportunity to design your own newspaper report and sen d it in to Picture News Picture_News_-_Captain_Tom_Moore_Special_and_newspaper_challenge!
There are also online Assemblies each week from Picture News – we will be trying this one in School this week!
You may have heard about the Oak Academy which has just launched online learning – the invited the Archbishop of Canterbury to lead their first Assembly – he is part way through
Well that’s a lot of pictorial updates – the hyperlinks have turned into pictures like this now, I think Picture News have tried to make them easier to upload?
Seesaw continues to be popular with the children and staff – we are very impressed with your contributions.
Keep up with the Maths and Literacy on Bitesize or Mastery or the books we’ve sent home – as well as your exercise and with helping Mum and Dad at home too!
Y6 look out for a letter about your Leaver’s hoodies which we are ordering very soon…………. get thinking about your name on the front.
Picture_News_e-resource_27th_April_–_3rd_May_–_Video_games
29th April 2020
This weeks newsletter dated 27th April 2020
Active Derbyshires suggested activity for the week – School Games Golf
PE Home Activity Challenges wk3
Monday 20th – the start of Summer Term!
Hello Squirrels,
I hope you have enjoyed the Easter holiday and spent some time outside in the lovely sunshine. I am missing you all and thinking of you – school is very, very quiet!
As this strange time of home learning is set to continue for a few more weeks at least, here are some more suggestions for work that you can do at home. I recommend that you use these three websites to do some English, maths and somethingelse each day: English Mastery, Mathematics Mastery and BBC Bitesize.
I also think you would enjoy the ‘elevenses’ free daily David Walliams audio story found at https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/
English
https://www.englishmastery.org/our-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19/
Primary School Workbook Year 5 or Year 6 Week 1 to 4
Read the text on-line and then complete the related activities which include suggestions for writing, comprehension and SPAG. You won’t need to print anything out to complete the activities.
Here are this half-term’s spellings Y5&6 Summer 1 2020
Maths
https://www.mathsmastery.org/free-resources
At home materials Learner Pack Year 5 or Year 6 weeks 1-4. As with the English resources, you could complete most of the tasks without printing them out.
BBC Bitesize will have daily lessons covering maths, English and other core subjects from 9am on Monday 20th. They are new every day and are presented by some famous faces. I haven’t been able to look at them as they are not out yet but I think they will be a fantastic place to start each day.
Our topic for this half-term is learning about local geography such as our moorlands. You could find out about the wildlife that you would find in the Peak District moorlands and design a poster or a Powerpoint.
BBC Bitesize also has information and games in the KS2 Geography section ‘The natural world’. You could learn about a couple of different themes each week: ‘Weather and climate’, ‘Biomes’, ‘Mountains’, ‘Rivers’ and ‘Natural Resources’
I am in the process of setting up a Squirrel Class page on SeeSaw which you can use to send me photos of things you have done at home and also to have a go at some the lovely mental well-being activities.
Take care – be kind to yourselves and your families and be outside as much as you can.
Love Mrs Dawson
The email from Mrs Mason has ALL the activity links to the paper 
April the 13th 2020
Here is this weeks Newsletter with live links April 13th Newsletter and also please see this useful booklet to help your childrens welfare at this difficult time Look After Your Wellbeing
Prue busy making veg boxes
Adey has made this fab video!
I loved this viking long-ship cake – a tasty end to the topic! 
Hello hope you are all getting on ok with your home learning and enjoying some reading every day, I am really missing seeing you all. I hope you are managing to get out and enjoy the lovely sunshine over the holidays. I’ll be sending out new activities for next half term. Mrs Dawson x
April 6th up date – Happy Easter! 
Newsletter parents week 3 April 6th Easter
First news this week is packed with great material – this has been emailed 
Please send us some photos of your home learning activities! 
Do you like singing Kids at home[2]
Primary Picture News Resource England – 6th April – Animals in the Wild Learning from Home Ideas – 6th April – Animals in the Wild
COVID-19 Information for Older Children and Teenagers (002) Do remember to chat with your child and listen to their questions and concerns coping_calendar
March 30th update
Picture News this week is all about staying positive – with discussion questions see website Learning from Home Ideas – Picture News Prompt 2 Picture News Prompt 1
Can you write a letter to a relative you can’t see at the moment or friends of the family to share what you are doing at home.
First News this week is a whole child friendly newspaper with activities – see website for links
FIRSTNEWS_719 Four-Stories-719 L1-Crossword-719
This book about the virus is in the form of a poem https://www.flipsnack.com/CSKidsBooks/what-s-going-on.html
A wonderful resource for ALL of you – online magazines and books with interactive quizzes and articles – many non fiction! https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html
Daily story time with David Walliams
https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/
Take a tour of a famous museum https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/museums-galleries/museums-with-virtual-tours
Join over 1 million people who are starting the day with Joe Wicks’ daily work out
We are using this at school and many children in the Peaks are using this as their daily wake up task!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz0go1pTda8
OR use go noodle.com for exercise routines – Mrs Gaywood recommends these as they really get you thinking too!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WnI4UNgSaY&app=desktop
End your afternoon with some yoga or relaxation
Smilingmind can be downloaded or played from computers or as an app – it’s a daily relaxation session https://www.cosmickids.com/category/watch/
Here are some ideas about how to keep fit – from Mrs Gaywood PE -Eyam home-activity-challenges week 2
NEW Monday 23rd March
First News have given all pupils access to the Newspaper – the same one that we get into school each week – so please read it! There are also the comprehension and some quiz activities that will be uploaded each week. First-News-718Paper Four-Stories-718 L1-Crossword-718 L2-LOOK-CLOSER-718 Mystery-News-718 News-Pics-718
We will up load this each week once we’ve received it.
To support families during school closure our teachers are planning a range of material for you to use at home.
Initially we have put together ideas that will take you to the end of the Easter break including lots of lovely Easter activities.
Twinkl LOG IN
Twinkl are offering all families free membership for 2 months so children can still have access to high-quality learning during any periods of disruption.
Setting this up is really easy to do – go to www.twinkl.co.uk/offer and enter the code UKTWINKLHELPS
Picture News is a wonderful resource with a topical photograph/picture prompt and fabulous discussion topics for the whole family!
www.picture-news.co.uk/discuss/2020-02-28/
Here are some suggestions for activities while you are at home.
Try to do some reading and maths every day. There are lots of lovely activities on the Twinkl Home Learning Site – have a look and choose a couple to do each day along with some times table practice on either TT Rockstars or mathsframe.
Twinkl School Closure Home Learning
Select the Home Learning site UKS2 – there are alot of activities here you will never run out! mental wellbeing activities can be shared with your family – keep everyone calm Squirrels!
Share a Story: Raiders Peril Resource Pack . Read the story and then choose some of the activities to do.
Year 5 or Year 6 Resource Pack
Year 5 or Year 6 Interactive Learning Links
Additional Maths
CGP Maths workbook (Homework book)
10 minute tests / workout book
X-Tables Rockstars and X-Tables games on Mathsframe website
BBC Bitesize KS2 Maths – https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z826n39
Learn & Revise – Primary – Key Stage 2 Fractions and percentages sections, Ratio section (Y6 only)
Play game: Guardians Defenders of Mathematica https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zd2f7nb/articles/zn2y7nb
Additional English
Daily reading
CGP SPAG books (Homework book)
10 minute tests / workout books
BBC Bitesize KS2 grammar and punctuation activities https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zv48q6f
Go to Punctuation section and complete activities about: How to use semi-colons How to use commas in sentences How to use possessive apostrophes How to use hyphens and dashes
Topic
Make a powerpoint about the Vikings or about something you are interested in.
Research information and then create pages about Viking clothes, food, children, weapons, beliefs, gods, Useful websites: BBC Bitesize, Twinkl, BBC.co.uk/history/ancient/Vikings, Primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/Vikings, nationalgeographic/kids
Keep fit and healthy
Do some healthy cooking and share recipes on line with friends
Keep fit with your own daily work out and mini challenges
Work hard and then relax – its a new experience for everyone! Good luck Squirrels
Spring Term 2
This half term,we will be finding out about the Vikings and investigating questions such as: Who were the Vikings and how did they invade Britain? and What was the impact of the viking invasions on Britain? We will also be reading Viking sagas, writing our own versions and considering why these stories were so important to the Viking people.
Click on the link below to see this half-term’s topic web
We battled the hail and freezing temperatures at the cluster Hi-Fives competition at Hope Valley College. Our determination and resilience came through and our Lions team came first!
Spring Term 2020
This half term we are learning about about the Polar Regions. We had an exciting start to our topic when the polar explorer Helen Turton came to school and shared her amazing photos and stories about her expeditions to the North and South Poles. We will be finding out about the effect of climate change on the polar ice-caps and how the lives of polar animals are being affected. We will also be considering how animals and plants are adapted to surviving the freezing temperatures.
Our very own Polar Explorer!
Click on the links below for this half term’s topic web and spelling list
Polar Regions Topic Web Y5&6 Spring 1 2020
We had a fantastic time at Young Voices in Sheffield singing with 5351 other children!
Autumn Term 2019
This half term we will be finding out about the plague in Eyam in 1665. We will be visiting the church and the local museum, walking to local sites such as the Riley Graves, the boundary stone and Mompesson’s Well, and learning from plague experts who are coming to school to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with us.
Click on the links below for this half term’s topic web and spelling list
Here are a couple of photos of us playing games to exercise our brains and develop our HOT skills (Higher Order Thinking).
Summer Term 2 2019 The Legend of King Arthur
This half term we are really looking forward to learning all about the legend of King Arthur. Our work will culminate in a class production of the play ‘Arthur’s Knights and the Dragon’ on Thursday 11th July.
We will also be developing our writing skills by creating tension and suspense in descriptive writing based on our class novel ‘Arthur High King of Britain’ by Michael Morpurgo.
We will be very busy this half-term, not only with reharsals, but with a host of curriculum enrichment activities including: Bikeability, Cyclocross, Technology day at Hope Valley College, the STEM Rolls Royce design challenge, Quad Kids sports event at Lady Manners School, Ocean Day (7th June) and sports day.
Phew!
Click on the link below to see our Topic Web for this half-term.
Click here for this half-term’s spellings.
Y5 Spellings Summer Term Y6 Spellings Summer Term
Traditional Tales Topic Web
Spring Term 2019
This half term our focus is traditional tales. We will be reading lots of fairy tales and traditional stories from other countries, and then writing our own contemporary versions.
Click here for this half-term’s spellings. Y5&6 Spring 1 2019
Cities Topic Web Y5&6 Autumn 2 2018
Welcome to Squirrel Class
Squirrel Class School Council representatives
We have our very own parents guide to encouraging motivated and independent readers – Reading Booklet 2017
Suggested reading books for Year 5
Suggested reading books for Year 6
‘Creativity makes life more fun, more interesting and more full of achievement’ (Edward de Bono).
We are using ‘How to Have Creative Ideas’ by Edward de Bono to help us to develop our minds and to practise thinking creatively.
Welcome to the new school year!
AUTUMN TERM 2018
Have a look at our topic web to see what we will be learning about this half term.
Click on the link below to see a list of our weekly spelling lists.This half term we will be developing our geographical skills and using maps and Google Earth to find out about the capital cities of some of the world’s countries.
Our class novel for this half term is ‘Sky Hawk’ by Gill Lewis which is a wonderful story about the incredible migratory journey undertaken by birds such as ospreys. We will be exploring the themes of friendship and the connections between people in different countries.
Click on the links for our Topic Plan and spellings lists for this half term.
Cities Topic Web Y5&6 Autumn 2 2018
We have been developing our creative thinking abilities by playing some brain games.We have used Edward de Bono’s book ‘How to Have Creative Ideas’ to help us.
We had a fantastic day at Quarry Bank Mill where we learned lots about Victorian cotton mills and life as a child apprentice.
SUMMER TERM 2018
This term our main focus will be our class production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream which we will be performing in July. We also have a huge range of other exciting activities to look forward to.
Have a look at our topic plan below to see what we are going to be getting up to.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream Topic Web
SPRING TERM 2018
This snowy Spring we are busy finding out about how people lived in the Stone Age.
High Fives Competition
Last week Squirrel Class competed in the High Fives cluster competition at Hope Valley College. Everyone played brilliantly and our Blue Team came first! We will be sending a team forward to the next round at Lady Manners next week.
Stone Age Food
As part of our Stone Age topic, we had an exciting afternoon learning about food that would have been eaten by Stone Age people. We tasted berries and nuts and made delicious soup. Quite a few of us were surprised at how much we liked it!
Illustrator Visit
We came back from our half term holiday to a real treat – a visit from the illustrator Martin Olsson! We really enjoyed learning how to draw characters to illustrate our writing.
Fair Trade
We have been thinking about ‘justice’ this term, and in particular, the effect of the Fair Trade Premium on people’s lives in Pakistan. We have written letters asking local football coaches and secondary schools to consider buying Fairtrade footballs. Here are a couple of them…
This January we will be starting our exciting new Space topic. We will be learning about the International Space Station and what it is like to be an astronaut in space.
Why don’t you have a look at the International Space Station live feed for a different view of Earth? www.isstracker.com
Here is our topic plan for this half-term.
Topic Plan ‘Space’ Spring Term 1 2018
Click on the link below for Year 5 and 6 spelling lists for Spring Term.
Year 5 and 6 Spellings Spring Term
We have been learning about Day and Night. We used ‘Stop Motion’ to make our own animations to show how the Earth moves around the Sun.
Click on the icon below to see some of our animations.
IMG_0321 IMG_0506 IMG_0505 IMG_0323 IMG_0452
We have been composing our own Space poems. We had to include alliteration, similies, metaphors and personification.
Here is Polly’s fantastic poem!
Seven Ways to Look at the Sizzling Sun by Polly
Christmas Fun!
We had a great time making games to play at the Christmas Fare and everyone enjoyed playing them too!
We made delicious leek and potato soup which we served to local residents at our Soup and a Chat lunch. Everyone had a wonderful time chatting and being entertained by the fantastic handbell group.
Our trip to the Veoila Recycling Centre
We enjoyed finding out about how our waste is sorted so that it can be recycled.
Squirrel Class Topic Plan Autumn Term 1 2017 Feeling Fabulous