Spring Letter to Parents

Dear Parent/Guardian,
 
Welcome back! I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
 
We begin this term's  Mantle of the Expert inquiry by  travelling back in time to Roman Britain.
A Roman soldier, stationed on Hadrian’s Wall, sits alone in the barracks of a hill fort carefully carving a small statue of an elephant. As he carves he thinks of his home and his family, remembering his life in Rome and hoping one day to have children of his own…
 
In our drama we become a legion of Roman soldiers our client is: The Emperor of Rome and our commission is: to protect the northern border of the Roman Empire in Britain.
 

In class will find out all about the Ancient Roman Empire and its impact on Britain, focusing on these key concepts: Conflict, Conquest, Empire, Emperor, military, religion, settlement and trade.
 
Our historical research will include investigating archaeological evidence and evaluating primary and secondary source material. As part of our research we hope to visit Wroxeter a Roman archaeological site.
 
Our Literacy work will cover a range of fiction and non fiction reading and writing genres and will be inspired by the Ancient Roman myths and legend our historical and research and our class novel, “The Thieves of Ostia” from the excellent series the Roman Mysteries by Caroline Lawrence. The book is set in Ostia, a port just outside the city of Rome in AD 79.  The main character Flavia is the inquisitive daughter of a Roman ship’s captain. She and her friends become self-styled detectives solving Roman crimes.

 
SCIENCE
 
Mrs O’Grady will be teaching “Everyday Materials” in Science and there will be lots of opportunities to do some interesting science investigations. We will be looking at the properties of different materials and how these properties are used in real life.  First of all, we will look at different types of rock, before moving on to explore the three states of matter and finding out about dissolving, sieving, filtering and evaporating.  
 
ART
 
This half term we are going to be learning about mosaics.  We will begin by looking at the Roman mosaics that were found in the ruins of Pompeii.  We shall practise drawing sea creatures and then use our drawings as a basis for creating our own mosaics.   
 
HOMEWORK
 
READING JOURNALS
Reading at home and talking about your book with an adult is a part of expected weekly homework.
Your child’s reading book and reading journal should come home every evening. Children will be expected to read at least 3 times a week (preferably every day) at home. Every time a child reads they should make a note of the pages read and any comments in their record book. Children should read to an adult at home and at school at least once a week and have their journal dated and signed when this has been done.
Reading journals will be checked each week and their will be a lunch time catch up reading session on Tuesdays for children who have not managed to read at home.
 
SPELLING
Children will be given a differentiated set of spellings to learn each Monday. Spellings will be practised every day at school and should also be practised at home ready for a quiz on the following Monday.
 
MATHS
Children should practise their timetable facts using the TTRocks website at least 3 times a week. Mrs O’Grady will keep a close check on this.  There will be a lunch time catch up Times table practise session on Wednesdays for children who have not managed to get on TTRocks at home.  
 
 
HOMEWORK CLUB
There will be lunchtime homework catch up clubs on Tuesday and Wednesday for children who have not completed reading and or TT Rocks homework
 
PE
Our timetabled PE sessions will continue to be on alternate Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Please ensure that your child has a full PE kit in school (shorts, t-shirt , trainers, jogging bottoms)  every week. PE kits should be brought in on Mondays and taken home for washing on Fridays.
 
If you have any questions or concerns please let us know and we will arrange a meeting as soon as possible. We’re looking forward to fantastic term. 
 
Kind Regards
 
Mrs Chapman and Mrs O’Grady