Year 5 Update Wk 18
Friday 4th February- Chinese New Year Evening for parents
Please ensure that children are wearing the correct gym kit on their PE days- this includes white trainers only.
Welcome back Year 5 and a very Happy New Year to you all! We have started the term in a busy fashion by getting stuck into our Water Unit. Year 5 went on a fabulous trip to Crossroads to learn all about how the organisation brings together those in need and those who can help. They experienced what it is like for many people around the world who do not have easy access to clean water and what they do everyday in order to wash, clean, cook, eat and drink. The visit tied in brilliantly with our central idea and the children gained a wealth of knowledge, shared their insights in reflection and voiced how their thinking had changed. 
Central Idea: Water is essential to life and a limited resource for many people.
Lines of Inquiry:
How water changes
Responsibilities regarding water
Distribution, availability of and access to usable water
Our Key Concepts are:
CHANGE – We will understand that water is part of a continuous cycle and can be influenced by humans.
RESPONSIBILITY – We will understand that humans have a responsibility towards the use and conservation of water.
Next week we will continue to carry out investigations linked to the water cycle with Ms. Jeves as well as conduct quizzes for one another. Year 5 will also start to look at their responsibilities with water, share questions they have and explore ways to support and help our world.
In strand maths the children will continue to investigate capacity and volume through estimation, decimal fractions and conversion.
In English we will use our prior knowledge of reference and non- fiction books and apply this in our learning.
We will continue to develop our note taking skills and identify preferred note taking methods to help us gather important information and key vocabulary.
5A: Ju Young Park- for always having a polite and positive attitude towards others
5P: Kalman Yang- for his fantastic attitude and effort in all school life. A true “Beacon Hiller”.
5Y: Massimo Di Giulio- for always being a polite member of the class and looking out for others before himself.
Learning Centre: Michelle Lee
As you will have seen in the school newsletter it is now possible for parents, younger children and other family members to borrow from our library. By registering for a family borrowing card you can borrow two books from any section of the library, including the new Parent Collection which contains books about healthy living, behaviour management, fun art activities and days out for children in Hong Kong. The library is open for family borrowing at these times…
| Before school | After school |
| Monday | 2.45-3.30pm |
| Tuesday | 8.15- 9.00am |
| Wednesday | 2.45-3.30pm |
| Friday | 8.30-9.15am |
To register for a family borrowing card please complete the form found on the school website’s communications page. For any questions please contact Emily Jeves jevese2@beaconhill.edu.hk
Your Maths Questions Answered!
Year 5 Parents, we had some terrific questions asked following our Maths Workshops which took place in November. The Maths team and other staff have provided some answers for you to read. Please be reminded that the powerpoint of the workshop can be found on the BHS Home Page within communication/presentations.
- Where can we find more of these interesting Maths Problems?
There are many problems on the NRICH site as well as other online sources.
2. Why is strand Maths called strand?
This is simply the terminology that we use for the following areas of Maths: Measurement of Shape and Space, Measurement of Time, Angles, 2D and 3D Shape, Transformation and Symmetry, Data Handling, Probability.
3.Are the ‘timestables’ taught?
We believe it is very important for children to memorise their times tables at least up to 10 x 10. This includes division facts as well as multiplication facts. If they are very well known then this enables children to be able to apply them to solving much richer problems. Often the best way for children to learn times tables is to learn them by rote. Some children like listening to cd’s with the facts on- some benefit from visual aids. Competition can be fun and repetition is absolutely necessary.
4.How is ‘time’ taught?
There is a time scope and sequence that we follow in school that involves reading a 24 hour clock, interpreting timetables, solving problems linked to time as well as reinforcing the basic skills of telling the time and converting between time zones and from analogue to digital.
5. How can my child calculate faster?
Good mental maths skills are essential in helping children to speed up calculations. they need solid number bonds, doubles, halves as well as times tables facts. The more time spent on these the quicker children are able to apply them and to use known facts to solves more difficult calculations.
