1. Literacy Our quest theme continues as a stimulus for features of different types of writing including narratives, recounts and persuasive letters and playscripts. By exploring narrative stories, including Stig of the dump and The twits, we will develop our writing by focusing on the use of dialogue, punctuation and description in extended pieces. Short plays will be written and explored through the use of drama activities and written work; including creating characters in more depth. We continue to focus on guided and individual reading each day; please discuss texts at home and hear your child read regularly to aid comprehension and skills, including forming opinions about texts. Maths We will focus on securing our knowledge of place value, ordering and comparing numbers, and understanding and using data. We will be adding and subtracting to 3 and 4 digits including crossing 10s and 100s and checking using inverses. We will multiply digits by 2 to 10, divide by the same, including remainders and use knowledge of multiplication to begin to understand simple ideas of ratio and proportion. Children will have regular opportunities to put their mathematical understanding into practise by solving everyday problems and solving puzzles. Please help your child learn facts for the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 times tables. Practising at home when shopping, cooking etc. really help embed understanding of numbers. Our next Olympic maths assembly is fast approaching – learn those times tables for a medal! QUEST FOCUS ‘The Earth rocks’ is designed to stimulate query and imagination whilst engaging, developing and expanding your child’s knowledge, skills and understanding of why and how different materials (including rocks and soils) are created and used. Science We will be: -describing and grouping rocks and soils on the basis of their characteristics, including appearance and texture. - Discovering about volcanoes -finding out how to separate solid particles of different sizes by sieving Art and Design We will be looking at how colour, pattern, texture and shape can be combined by: -Tie dyeing -using clay, experiment with different materials to make a ‘volcano’. -Paint with rocks from under the earth -Paint with other natural materials We will also learn about artists and designers in other cultures. PSCHE Friendship and understanding are vital to empathising with others. Making links between our own and others' attitudes and behaviour and how this affects us will be our focus. We will learn about team building and responsibiity along with the problems of bullying. We are committed to creating and fostering independent and interdependent learning and value your continuing support and assistance at home. P.E. / Games / outdoor learning We will be using the field to develop a range of sports based skills, all classes being taught for one session per week by a sports coach. Gymnastics and dance will be the focus for indoor p.e. Mulberry class will be swimming on Wednesdays. We will endeavour to learn outdoors whenever practical. Please provide p.e. kit with jogging bottoms and trainers this term. Music We love having Mrs. Lynch coming to work with us every Friday; it’s such fun singing with her! We are also learning about rhythm and beat including how it can be used to transmit messages. We will be learning about patterns within music and setting some to dance and with the play scripts we write in Literacy.

2. 1 / 2 Other information Home learning: homework will be given out on Tuesdays, to be returned the following Monday. On occasion, homework, particularly if it is research based, will be over two weeks. 4 th Nov. Inspire day with Diwali theme 5 th, 7 th, 8 th Nov Visit to Earth Science Centre 11 th Nov. visitor to school – going under the Earth - caving and art – painting with rocks collected from under the Mendip hills 11th Dec. a.m. Xmas inspire morning p.m. Olympic maths assembly Swimming - Mulberry class Thank you to all those parents who have taken children out to find out more about fossils on the beach; who have helped children with starting amazing rock collections and many other brilliant ideas. We are delighted that children are coming up with their own thoughts about what else they want to find out about our Earth: we’re planning volcanoes and finding out more about what’s under our feet – what do you want to discover?