Drake Class Archive 2020/21
Welcome
Hello,
Welcome to Drake Class. I am Miss Keitch and I am the class teacher. Miss Wood works alongside me as our full time teaching assistant. Drake Class is made up of Year 5 pupils. I will use this page on our school website to keep you updated about our learning across the year.
I am really excited about the year ahead.
If you have any questions, please do speak to a member of staff on the gate on arrival or please email me on ng-drake@northgateprimaryschool.org.uk.
Miss Keitch
Class Information
We have some really exciting learning to look forward to across the year. Please click on the links below to find out about what we are learning during this half term.
Drake Class Curriculum Overview Summer B Click Here
Knowledge Organiser - Where does chocolate come from? Click Here
All other information about Drake Class can be found in the class newsletters below.
Drake Class Summer Newsletter Click Here
Thank you for all the parents that attended our curriculum meeting this year. If you were unable to make it, I have uploaded the PowerPoint below. If you have any questions at all, please do contact me.
Learning in Drake Class
Summer Term
Summer B - Where does chocolate come from?
Drake Class Curriculum Overview Summer B Click Here
Knowledge Organiser - Where does chocolate come from? Click Here
Carnival Day
To celebrate Carnival Day, we created Safari themed head dresses. We used watercolours to paint the head dress and some children chose traditional colours while others used more abstract colours for their animals. We wore these head dresses when learning and performing a dance to a famous song from the Lion King.
Circus Skills Workshop
We were lucky enough to have a circus come to visit us and teach us some circus skills. We had a go at juggling, plate spinning, hola hooping and even tightrope walking. We all had an amazing time in the Big Top tent and enjoyed challenging ourselves with the activities.
Composing Music
In music we have been writing our own lyrics to a radio advert about a chocolate bar. We used a range of percussion instruments to add music to our lyrics and perform them to each other. We created some fantastic songs!
Fascinating Friction
We discovered that the type of surface impacts the amount of friction that is created between the surface and the object. We tested many different surfaces both inside the classroom and outside on the playground. We found out the smoother and flatter surfaces had less friction but rougher and bumpier surfaces had more friction.
What is Water Resistance
We investigated how the shape of an object can affect the amount of water resistance that is acting on an object. We found that streamlined objects have less water resistance but objects with a larger surface area had more water resistance acting on them.
Testing Air Resistance
Using paper spinners, we worked in groups to come up with a scientific question to investigate. Some people tested the impact of the paperclips, some investigated the length of the spinner's wings and some investigated the impact of the spinner's stalk. We thought carefully about how to keep out investigations fair.
Investigating Gravity
In science, we investigated the relationship between mass and weight using scales and Newton meters. We recognised that the larger the mass, the larger the weight that is acting on the object.
Tasting Chocolate
In DT, we have been designing chocolate bars. To help us with our ideas, we tasted a range of different chocolate bars available to buy in the shops. We recorded the ingredients each one had and what we thought about the taste.
Artist Workshop
As a follow up from our beach visit, we had an artist visit our class and work with us to create some amazing bird sculptures. We used recycled materials and plastics to make the sculptures and they formed part of the artwork at the Quayside festival.
Summer A - Are humans responsible for natural disasters?
Drake Class Curriculum Overview Summer A Click Here
Knowledge Organiser - Are humans responsible for natural disasters? Click Here
Natural Disasters Board Games
To bring together all our learning about natural disasters, we designed and made board games that included lots of the facts we had discovered this term. We really enjoyed creating our games and we all worked well together in our pairs.
Wild Beach Project
Year 5 had the chance to take part in the Wild Beach Project and we all got to spend a day at Brean Beach. We completed scavenger hunts, created beach art and completed a beach clean to help remove litter from the beaches. We all had an amazing time and enjoyed spending time outdoors.
Arguments and Debates
In English, we have been learning about argument texts. To help us understand how to structure an argument, we had a class debate. Both sides of the debate did a great job of providing sensible points and offering good levels of detail. Many of us were very brave to talk in front of the class.
Pop Art
In art, we have been learning about Pop Art. We have studied artists, including Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, and used there work as inspiration for our own. We produced our own volcano themed Pop Art images. They looked fantastic!
NSPCC Number Day
As part of NSPCC Number Day, we took part in a problem solving change. We had to work together in pairs and as a class to gather the key to unlock the door. We needed to pull all our knowledge and skills together to solve a range of challenges. As a class, we were extremely successful and managed to escape.
Performing Arts Workshop
We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to take part in a performing arts workshop with a performer from the West End. We learnt a routine to 'This is Me' from The Greatest Showman. The video of our performance will be available soon.
Burning Materials
As part of our science unit, we have been learning about reversible and irreversible change. We learnt about how burning is reversible because it produces a new material such as gas and ash. We investigated this by observing a range of material being set on fire.
Spring Term
Spring B - Were the Vikings really barbaric?
Drake Class Curriculum Overview Spring A Click Here
Knowledge Organiser - Were the Vikings really barbaric? Click Here
Battle Reenactment
After we had learnt about Viking warfare, we used our Viking shields to reenact a Viking battle. We created a shield wall and worked together to march towards our opponents (the grown-ups!). We were then able to launch our 'weapons' towards them.
Jewish Mezuzahs
In RE, we have been learning about the customs some Jewish people might follow in the home. We learnt about Mezuzahs which Jewish people have outside their fronts doors. Inside they hold a scroll with a blessing on. We made our own Mezuzahs.
World Book Day
We all enjoyed celebrating World Book Day together the week we returned to school. We had a great time dressing up and sharing our love for reading.
Creating Viking Shields
We researched and discussed the importance of a Viking shield including that they used them to protect themselves and to carry the wounded from the battlefield. We also learnt that the decoration on the shields were designed to show identity and loyalty. We used this to help us create our own.
Spring A - What lies beyond the stars?
Drake Class Curriculum Overview Spring A Click Here
Knowledge Organiser - What lies beyond the stars? Click Here
Autumn Term
Autumn 2 - Is America a world in one continent?
Drake Class Curriculum Overview Autumn B Click Here
Knowledge Organiser - Is America a world in one continent? Click Here
Carving Printing Blocks
We have designed our own printing blocks inspired by Native American patterns and now we have started to carve the pattern into a lino block. We had to practise carefully with the tools and learn to use them safely. So far, our blocks look fantastic!
Bridgwater Walk
As part of our topic work, we took a walk around Bridgwater to look for the physical and human features of Bridgwater. We recorded a lot of different landmarks including Blake Gardens, the Blake statue and the River Parrett. We will be using our fieldwork to help us compare our home town to New York City.
Tree Planting
Northgate have been donated a number of trees to help us develop our forest school area. We all had the opportunity to help plant the trees. Barry helped us and told us about the different types of tree we were planting.
Seated Volleyball
In PE, we have been developing our seated balance skills through playing seated volleyball. We have practised the skill as well as using it to play the game. We have enjoyed learning and playing this adaptation to a popular sport.
Children In Need
As part of Children in Need this year, we took part in a problem solving maths challenge. We had to work together to complete a range of maths problems that involved all the learning we have done this term. We needed good team work to succeed. We also had the chance to decorate our own gingerbread teddy to look like Pudsey Bear.
Native American Patterns
In art, we have been using Native American patterns to inspire us for the print blocks we will be making. We have been thinking about the shapes that they used and recognised how many of the patterns are symmetrical. Many also use repetition. We used the patterns to help us create designs.
Remembrance Day
To show our respect on Remembrance Day, we displayed the super Commemoration Certificates we had made on the school fence. We had lots of lovely comments from people in the community who enjoyed reading about the soldiers from Bridgwater who sadly lost their lives in the First World War.
Autumn 1 - When World War One came to Britain, what happened in Bridgwater?
Drake Class Curriculum Overview Autumn A Click Here
Knowledge Organiser - When World War One came to Britain, what happened in Bridgwater? Click Here
Creativity Week - Indian Food Tasting
We had the chance to try a range of foods inspired by Indian cuisine. While the poppadoms were a class favourite, the raita certainly wasn't! Lots of us were really brave because we tried lots of new foods that we would never have eaten before (even if some were a bit spicy).
Creativity Week - Indian Dancing
We have been learning all about Indian dance. We started by watching some Indian dancing and then followed instructions to help us create our own as a class. We learnt about different hand movements as well as how to move our feet.
Modroc Sculptures
We have been busy adding the Modroc onto our wire to finish our fantastic sculptures. Even though it was a bit messy, we did an amazing job and our finished sculptures look great. We had to use water to soak the Modroc so it would stick to the wire. We had to ensure there were no gaps or holes.
Creativity Week - Research
As part of our learning about India, we used the iPads to find out lots of information about the country. We researched the animals that live there, the types of food that is eaten there and the landmarks you would find in India. We were all amazed by the Taj Mahal and the Golden Temple. We turned the information into a leaflet.
Creativity Week - Indian Art
We used oil pastels to create Indian inspired art. We learnt about the importance of both peacocks and elephants to some Indian communities and used their patterns to create colourful images. Our finished work was absolutely amazing!
Starting our Sculptures
We have started to create our war themed sculptures by using thin wire to create the shape we designed. To begin with, we found it quite fiddly, however we persevered and we were successful in making the main shape. We used extra wire to make them thicker too.
War Memorial Visit
We have been learning all about the First World War and how it impacted Bridgwater. After the war, the King Square war memorial was built to remember the 300 men from Bridgwater that lost their life in the war. We visited to record the names of some soldiers which we will research soon.
Football
In PE this half term, we have been developing our football skills. We are learning to dribble and pass with accuracy. We have also started to think about how to get away from and beat a defender.
Drake Class are Class of the Week...Twice!
Well done to Drake Class for having the best attendance for two weeks in a row. Here are some pictures of Drake Class celebrating by playing on the Xbox. Keep up the good work!
Leadership Training
In year 5, we are responsible for being playground leaders. However, due to the current circumstances, we had to really work hard on our communication skills as we must lead while socially distancing. We really enjoyed the games we learnt and lead during our training.
Experimenting with Scratch
This half term, we will be creating our own animations to help children learn to count. We started by reminding ourselves of the software Scratch including testing a range of coding blocks. We particularly enjoyed adding new sprites and sound effects!
Learning about Life Cycles
In Science, we are learning about how plants make new plants. We learnt about the parts of a plant before we discovered the stages needed to create a new plant. We created life cycles that showed all the new knowledge we had learnt.