Houghton Primary School

Home Learning

Home Learning updated 30.03.2020

We learnt about climate and biomes this term at school if you're feeling a little inspired by my Jurassic biome (see our main class page) why don't you choose a favourite biome of your own and have a go at recreating it. You can of course choose the polar or tundra biome which we focused on in class or choose from tropical jungle, desert, ocean, temperate forest (our biome) or freshwater. Think about the climate, plants and animals that you would find living there. We used a large plastic tray or you could use any kind of box to hold your biome. There are lots of inspiring ideas online,I've included a couple of my favourite below:

Whilst you are at home I have suggested some activities below to help keep your reading, spelling and number skills fresh and ready for when we return to school. Also some a few other activities which might help keep boredom at bay.

To help unleash your inner-artist or just for a laugh you could take a look at this site:

 http://www.robbiddulph.com/draw-with-rob

Freya and I made it into a "draw off" we both followed the instructions but without looking at each others pictures - until the very end. Your drawing could make the inspirtation for a scharcter in a story or you colud start your own Art gallery and add a different character everyday! 

Reading

I recommend that you spend at least 30 minutes reading, everyday. I know a lot of you were very keen to use the audio CDs we’ve been listening to in the classroom. There are a lot of audio books which can be easily downloaded at home. And don’t forget any kind of reading counts including; comics, annuals and magazines (like the Horrible Histories or Wildlife Trust magazines we have in the classroom.) These can also be full of puzzles, quizzes and fun ideas to keep you busy! Listening to and sharing a story is a lovely way to spend the 30 minutes.

For those of you who are members of the public library I have copied the link below from Mrs Smith's page; you can downlaod free copies of books and audio books to read at home.

• There are lots of books which you can download for free if you are a member of Cambridgeshire libraries. Ask an adult to have a look for you using the link below:
• https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/libraries-leisure-culture/libraries/library-online/ebooks
• You can also borrow audio books using the following link:
• https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/libraries-leisure-culture/libraries/library-online/eaudio-books

Spelling

I have included below the statutory spelling list for years 3 and 4. These are the words that most children in year 4 should know by the end of the year. I would choose 5 a week you’re not sure of and practise for 10 minutes, everyday. You can use the different methods you’ve learnt with Mrs Read e.g. write the tricky bits in a different colour, pyramid writing etc. whichever method works for you. There are also spelling activities for words with specific spelling patterns e.g. tion endings, on purple mash.You could also play little games like hangman, word searches or this one sounds fun:

Spelling Battleship

In traditional Battleship, you sink your opponent’s boats. In this spelling version, you sink their spelling words. Each person needs two 10 by 10 grids. Have students start by labelling the rows letters A-J and the columns 1-10. Then each person writes the same set of 5-7 spelling words on one grid, in random order and location, either vertical or horizontal. On the other grid, he tracks his opponent’s words. Players take turns calling out a coordinate, for example D-5. His opponent checks his grid and announces whether D-5 was a hit or miss. The first player should mark that square on his blank grid – red for a hit and blue or black for a miss. Play continues until one person finds every letter of all the words on his opponent’s grid. 

Maths:

Although the year 4 multiplication check has been cancelled you’ve all worked so hard to learn your tables facts that it would be a real shame to let them slip. Therefore, I advise you to keep practising daily using either purple mash multiplication monster (what level can you get yours to?) or Hit the button

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

Keep a record of your scores and see if you can improve your personal best or challenge a member of your family to beat your top score!

Keep going for a 1000 Mathletics points each week. I won’t be setting any specific tasks but you can choose which games and extra tasks you would like to complete. I suggest you choose a mixture of topics you feel really confident with and those that you find more challenging. You can print your own certificates off at home or we will print silver and gold certificates when we get back to school.

Purple Mash:

There are a lot of cross curricular activities and games you can explore on purple mash. A useful and fun skill, if you have a keyboard, is touch typing; again 10 minutes daily practise is the best way to learn this skill.

Other:

The government has recommended we all get outside for a bit of daily exercise (whilst social distancing,) however when it’s wet and cold outside this can be tricky. To burn off some energy whilst stuck inside try the “go noodle” site, we have used this several times in class the children particularly like the “Bananas, Bananas, meatball.”

https://www.gonoodle.com/for-families/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ9q4U2P3ig

Joe Wicks 5 minute classroom workouts may also be useful.

Art competition

Year 3 and 4 Statutory spelling list

accident(ally)

actual(ly)

address

answer

appear

arrive

believe

bicycle

breath

breathe

build

busy/business calendar

caught

centre

century

certain

circle

complete

consider

continue

decide

describe

different

difficult

disappear

early

earth

eight/eighth

enough

exercise

experience

experiment

extreme

famous

favourite

February

forward(s)

fruit

grammar

group

guard

guide

heard

heart

height

history

imagine

increase

important

interest

island

knowledge

learn

length

library

material

medicine

mention

minute

natural

naughty

notice

occasion(ally)

often

opposite

ordinary

particular

peculiar

perhaps

popular

position

possess(ion)

possible

potatoes

pressure

probably

promise

purpose

quarter

question

recent

regular

reign

remember

sentence

separate

special

straight

strange

strength

suppose

surprise

therefore

though/although thought

through

various

weight woman/women

 

 

 

 

 

Mathletics: Log on to www.mathletics.co.uk to find your personalised homework

Maths -  Times Tables will be given out on Fridays and tested on the following Friday.

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	Mild	Medium	Spicy
x  This term we are focusing on confidently knowing our facts, working on instant recall.	.

Key Stage 2 Home Learning

In Key Stage 2 we will be setting home learning tasks each week in reading, spelling and maths. Home learning tasks will be set on Fridays, posted on our class webpage.

Reading: Every day

Spelling: practised as frequently as required

Times Tables: practised as frequently as required

Mathletics: 3 activities a week

I will talk to the children about their ‘home learning’ each week so that they know what they are doing. Some time the activities will be revising a concept, sometimes the activities will be practising something we are currently learning, sometimes the activities will be extending their learning.

Reading: At least 20 minutes a day. We will be regularly talking to your child about their reading and monitoring our AR system to ensure that children are reading regularly at home as well as at school.

 In addition to the books on the AR system your child may read as many books as they wish- the more the better! If your child reads a book from home and would like to do a quiz on it, please send the book into school and we will be very pleased for them to take a quiz. They may also quiz on books that you have read together or books that you have read to them, perhaps for a bedtime story.

Please help your child by encouraging them to read quality books that they enjoy fiction and non-fiction. Also, by making time to discuss the book and any unfamiliar words they come across with you. 

Mathletics: Please login to the system at www.mathletics.co.uk, to access the tasks set for your child. Your child’s personal username and password are stuck into the front of their reading diaries.

Studies have proved that children who engage regularly with Mathletics do significantly better in their assessments so please take advantage of this wonderful tool. If you encourage your child to complete more tasks and they gain a certificate these will be awarded in our Key Stage Assembly on Thursdays.

Your child will be set 3 activities every Friday to be completed by the following Friday