Thursday 26 March 2009

Year 5 & 6 Easter Holiday Homework



Year 5
I know you'd all be very upset if I didn't set some holiday homework - so click here for full details on our pupil wiki. All work should be completed in your blue book.

Don't forget that you can receive extra tasks by emailing me at baldworm@baldworm.co.uk.

Year 6
Your task is simple - learn all of your lines for Romeo and Juliet.

We'll have a test on your words on the first day back.

Have a great break!

(Image by StSaling; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Wednesday 25 March 2009

Year 5 Spelling: Bonanza Test Tomorrow



Tomorrow is our 'bonanza' spelling test. Make sure you spend thirty minutes tonight revising the following spelling rules:

Using root words
Doubling consonants
'ful' words
Soft 'c'
Hard 'c'
Letter Strings
Common Homophones

Monday 23 March 2009

Year 6 Poetry: Writing Iambic Verse



In class we continued to study Shakespeare's use of the iambic pentameter



Task: Write a four line poem about school...your challenge is to write it in the iambic pentameter. Don't forget you can use a variety of poetic techniques, too, e.g. alliteration, simile, metaphor, etc.

Due: Tuesday

(Image by PGLeonanrd; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Year 5: Spelling Bonanza!



L.O. To revise key spelling rules

I am going to set a BONANZA spelling test on Thursday - that's right, a test on some of the key spellings we've had this term. Listed below are the rules you need to revise:

Using root words
Doubling consonants
'ful' words
Soft 'c'
Hard 'c'
Letter Strings
Common Homophones

Test on Thursday, word lovers! Remember, in an 11+, every word counts!

Thursday 19 March 2009

Year 6: Type Up Your 'Flat World' Story



We have been added to the 1001 Flat World tales map - visit the Flat World tales to find out more about the schools we've been linked with in our workshop (Workshop J):

Zurich International School in Switzerland

&

Roberts Elementary School in Huston, USA

Wow! We're going to get to collaborate with pupils on the other side of the world!

Homework: Please type up your story on either (A) the pupil blog or (b) on word and email it to baldworm@baldworm.co.uk. We'll 'cut and paste' it onto your page on the Flat World stories wiki next week, and begin reviewing our new friends' work in the Summer term.

Make sure you make improvements and corrections to your story as you go, paying attention to my P-Q-P comments in your book. Don't forget to visit http://www.baldworm.co.uk if you need to revise any of our key skills!



Due: Monday

Year 5 Fiction: Including Description Alongside Dialogue



Last week we wrote a story about Lord Emsworth's beloved pig...now it is the turn of his pumpkins!

Write a comic story entitled 'The Stolen Pumpkin'. Include plenty of description alongside your dialogue, thoughts and shown feelings. Write one-and-a-half sides of A4.



Feeling clever? Try to include the Vicar of Nibbleswicke, or another character who plays with words.

Due: Monday.

Year 5 Fiction: Distinctive Speech



In class we had fun with words by studying Roald Dahl's comic gem The Vicar of Nibbleswicke.

Learn more about fun with words here.

Task: Write a dialogue - half-a-page of A4 - between the Vicar of Nibbleswicke and his boss, the Bishop of Bath. The vicar can't afford to upset the Bishop...

Don't forget to set out your dialogue in different ways, and you should also include shown feelings and thoughts.

Feeling clever? Try to include some hyperbole, too!

(Image by Timbooee; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Tuesday 17 March 2009

Year 6: Romeo & Juliet 'Test' Tomorrow



We'll be using iMovie to create our Life Round Here project digital stories.

Homework: We are going to review what you've learnt tomorrow! Make sure you've memorised another chunk of your script!

Year 5 Fiction: Description of a Wodehousian Scene



In class we studied P.G. Wodehouse's use of descriptive techniques.

Task: Write a half-page description of the garden at Blanding's Castle (use your imagination to image it!), after first sketching the scene in your books.

Include all of Bald Worm's descriptive techniques.

Please annotate your 'finished' work with a gel pen or coloured pencil, showing me where you have used the different descriptive techniques.

Feeling clever? Try to include the following types of comma:
* Listing comma
* Joining comma (comma before connectives)
* Bracketing comma

Due: Thursday

Year 5: '-ssion' Spellings & Complete Comprehension



1. Please complete the 'WWII pilot' comprehension, using the P-E-E method.

Learn the -ssion spellings by taking the test and playing the games at Spelling City.

Test: Next Tuesday

(Image by KellyFrost; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Sunday 15 March 2009

Year 6 Flat World Stories & School Magazine Work - Writing a Second Draft



In class we looked at giving positive, constructive feedback using the 'elbow' and PQP methods. Using the feedback you received on your first attempt, I want you to write a second draft of your story.

Don't forget you can revise the key description and characterisation techniques that should be at the heart of any story you write at Bald Worm.

(Image by SarahLeeb; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Year 5: Comprehension - Answering the Four and Five Mark Questions



Don't forget that the key to scoring 70% percent or more is to do well on the three, four and five mark questions. Make sure you make enough points, and back up each of your points with evidence - a short quote from the text.

Please complete the 'World War Pilot' questions, using the P-E-E approach for the longer mark answers.

You can learn all about P-E-Eing and answering comprehension questions at my comprehension blog, http://bit.ly/comprehension

Due: Wednesday

P.S. Don't forget it is our spelling test tomorrow!

(Image by Prescott; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Friday 13 March 2009

More Romeo and Juliet Related Songs!

Move over Taylor Swift! Following on from the 'Love Story' video I posted last week, here are two more Romeo and Juliet related songs (Thanks to 'New Values' for the first!)



Which do you prefer?



Don't forget you need to know all your lines 'by heart' for the end of the Easter holidays, so get learning! You can listen to all the music for the play on the Falcons Girls pupil wiki.

Thursday 12 March 2009

Year Six School Magazine Contribution & Flat Classroom Project: 1001 Tales



The world is getting 'flatter'. We want to share our creativity with the world - so we've joined the 1001 Flat World tales project.

Click here to visit the 1001 Tales wiki.

We'll be publishing our work on the wiki and in the School Magazine.

Task: Write the first draft of your 'London' story in the back of your Shakespeare project book. Don't forget to visit http://www.baldworm.co.uk if you need to brush up on any of your writing skills!

Due: Monday

Year 5 Comic Fiction: Writing in the Style of P.G. Wodehouse



L.O. To write a comic story using dialogue, shown feelings and contrasting thoughts

Task: Write your 'The Fattest Pig Competition' story. Include comic dialogue, shown feelings and contrasting thoughts.

Feeling clever? Set the scene like P.G. Wodehouse by describing a beautiful day, using all of Bald Worm's descriptive techniques.

Write 1 1/2 sides of A4. Don't forget to check your 'finished' work.

Due: Monday.

Year 5 Fiction: Writing in the Style of P.G. Wodehouse



"Morning, Jeeves,” I said.

“Good morning, sir,” said Jeeves.

He put the good old cup of tea softly on the table by my bed, and I took a refreshing sip. Just right, as usual…. Jeeves seems to know when I’m awake by a sort of telepathy. He always floats in with the cup exactly two minutes after I come to life. Makes a deuce of a lot of difference to a fellow’s day.


Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse (1881-1975) was a comic writer who enjoyed enormous popular success during a career of more than seventy years and continues to be widely read over 30 years after his death. Wodehouse(the name, by the way, is pronounced “Woodhouse”) wrote comic stories about upper-class society

Learn more about P.G. Wodehouse here

Task: Write a dialogue - half-a-page - between Jeeves and Bertie, where Bertie is proposing to do something ridiculous. Your challenge is to include lots of Wodehouse slang and vary your use of speech verbs

Bonus: Listen to the Jeeves and Wooster theme tune!

(Image by SarfLondonDunc; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Tuesday 10 March 2009

Preview the New Lemony Snicket!



Read an extract from the new Lemony Snicket book, The Composer is Dead, by clicking here.

(Photo by Jima; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Year 5: Romeo and Juliet Roles



Please learn your Romeo and Juliet part - and make sure you know the 'cue', too. I'll test you on them next week with relevant members of the Year Six cast.

(Image by Observe the Banana; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Year 6: Romeo & Juliet



We're about to begin our work on blocking out the play!

1. Put your script in a folder;

2. Highlight your words in one colour...

3. ...and relevant stage directions in another.

4. Work out a timetable for learning your lines - you have to be word perfect and 'off script' by the end of the Easter holidays.

P.S. Bring in your 20 'iambic pentameter' lines tomorrow. We'll be sharing your creativity with the class.

(Image by Fotorita; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Year 5: Complete Comprehension & 'cian' and 'ation' word endings



1. Learn our 'cian' and 'ation' endings here at Spelling City. Test next Tuesday!

2. Finish all of the comprehension questions from yesterday's sheet, making sure that you've made 4 points for 4 mark questions. Don't forget you can revise question types here.

(Image by Iirraae; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Saturday 7 March 2009

Have You Visited baldworm.co.uk? & Year 5 Homework




Year 5 homework:

Please complete the 'Paul and his sister journey' comprehension; please make sure that:

1. You give full sentence answers;

2. You answer all of the questions;

3. You pay attention to the number of marks on offer per question.

Need advice on different question types? Please visit http://bit.ly/comprehension, Bald Worm's comprehension blog.

Due: Wednesday

Romeo & Juliet Song



Have you heard this song? (Note: links to YouTube. Ask Mum' or Dad's permission first)

Friday 6 March 2009

Year 5 - Who Wnts 2 No?



Write a 1/2 page dialogue between Dud and another, smarter child, where Dud tries to convince the other person he is right about something that is clearly wrong.

Use lots of shown feelings and include some thoughts, too.

The real challenge with this is to focus on your punctuation of direct speech. Don't forget this comma:

"Yes, this comma here," said Bob.

Year 6: Goodbye Letters & Book Week!



What a Book Week! We had a brilliant costume competition, our Poetry competition, the Scholastics Book Fair, and - best of all - the chance to read new books!

Year 6: Please type up your 'Goodbye' letter on the pupil blog - http://bit.ly/pupilblog - making sure you include conflict.

Our Poetry Competition is in the press! Click here to learn more

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Sister School blog: Have You Visited the Pembridge French blog?



Mr Evans won't be missing out on blogging when he moves to Pembridge Hall next January, because they're blogging, too. Have you visited the brilliant Pembridge French blog - http://ecolepembridgefrench.blogspot.com/ ? It has loads of great videos and links. Why not leave a comment if you enjoy it?

Tuesday 3 March 2009

Year Six: Goodbye Anecdotes for School Magazine



Remember your first day of school? The day you won the Falcon? The first time you understand how to multiply tens and units?

Task: Finish the first full draft of your goodbye recount. Write one side of A4 (we’ll cut it down), including all of the ‘prose style’ elements, some description and dialogue

Year 5 Prose: Using Simple and Compound Sentences



L.O. To revise the definition of simple and compound sentences

We have been revising simple and compound (and, or, but) sentence structures.

Task: Write a description of a palace. Describe both the inside and the outside. Write 12 lines - your challenge is to use only simple and compound sentences. Please annotate your finished work, showing me the simple and compound sentences.

Feeling clever? Include metaphor and simile

Revise our descriptive techniques - including similes and metaphor - at Bald Worm here.

(Photo by Kivanc; used under Creative Commons agreement)

Due: Wednesday