Sycamore Newsletter Term 2 – ‘The Victorians’

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Dear Parents,

I hope you have had a lovely half-term break! This term, our topic is The Victorians and we will be using ‘The Street Child’ by Berlie Doherty to help us learn more about how the Victorians lived and the history of Barnardo’s charity. We will also be studying what our local area was like during the Victorian times and writing imaginative biographies about people who lived in those times.

unidentified boys'school Date: circa 1905 Source: postcard
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On Thursday 10th November, we will be having a Victorian day in school when the children should come to school in Victorian costumes and will experience what school would have been like in Victorian times. A letter with more information about this day is attached to this newsletter, including how to easily create a child’s costume at home.

Reading Please read with your child regularly, even if it is just one page.  Their books and book bags will need to be in everyday for 1:1 reading.  You may like to add a positive or helpful comment in their homework diary, but please acknowledge the fact that the book has been read by signing and dating in the comments space. A member of staff will be checking homework diaries on a Friday and children are expected to have read at least 3 times a week with an adult.
Spellings Spelling tests are every Thursday and your child will be tested on the ten spellings they selected in the previous week (from either the Year 3&4 or 5&6 curriculum spelling lists). There are a range of activities in their spelling folders to give them ideas on how to learn these. Their spelling tests results will be recorded in the back of their spelling books for them to share with you.
Maths Maths homework will be sent home on a Friday and completed for the following Friday. The homework set will either be based on their learning in class or mental maths questions.
Grammar Grammar homework will be sent home on a Friday and your child will have 2 weeks to complete this. The homework will be based on the grammar they will be learning within their literacy lessons.

Helping to enrich our topics

It is always great to have items or visitors that support our topic, so if anyone has any experience or items that may help us with any of the work above that we could hear about or borrow, we would love to see and hear about them.

Reminders

Please can you make sure your child brings in a water bottle each day with fresh water; ensure all jumpers are labelled and bring a coat for the wet weather.

Home learning – The Great Victorian Bake-off

Have a go at some Victorian baking! Below is a link to a website with ideas of different cakes or breads the Victorians used to enjoy. Bake these at home and write the recipe out to share with your friends, then bring these in to share with your friends (and teachers…)!

Useful Websites

Questions you could ask your child about their learning this term

  • What were the differences between school life then and now?
  • Who was the Queen during this period?
  • What was our local area like during this time?
  • What was invented during Victorian times?
  • Who was Charles Dickens and what is he famous for?

Many thanks for your continued support,

Miss Hare

Reading at School and at Home

Victorians Learning Map

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