Home Learning Letter

Summer Term – Week 5

Dear parents/carers,

So here we are in the final week of our Maya topic! We’ve come so far and learned so much! We hope you have enjoyed the topic and found all the activities fun and interesting. Please note that there will be no learning letter next week as it is the half term holiday. This is a chance to take a break from all the school work and relax.

As last week would have been ‘SATs week’, we recognise that this is the week we should be in Scarborough celebrating all of the children’s hard work and determination! We are so sorry that we won’t be able to enjoy this tradition with the children this year. Our trip to Scarborough is something the children have been looking forward to for so long and we know that they will be bitterly disappointed to miss it.  In the spirit of having a little fun, each day this week, one of the tasks will be a silly challenge/game for the children to enjoy (see each day’s ‘Silly Section’). Please note that, given how upsetting the cancellation of our trip is for the children, we felt it would be insensitive to link activities to the beach, ice-cream, Scarborough etc. and so have stayed away from topics that would rub salt in the wound. These are not intended to be educational. They should simply provide an opportunity for the children to let their hair down as we would have done in Scarborough. We hope you find them fun.

This week our learning is focused on Mayan food. We’re going to learn all about what they liked to eat, how they farmed and even have a go at making some Mayan food! We’ll finish our topic by finding out what happened to the Maya and why their civilisation declined.

PE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK:

As mentioned in previous week, it is important to do 60 mins of physical activity each day. This can take any form you wish, but Notts School Games Organisers are now publishing weekly PE ideas which we would like all the children to have a go at. The new plan for each week will be published on our school website at this link.  Click on the most recent link (at the bottom of the list).

Please choose the ideas that are relevant to your child’s age.

SCIENCE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK:

The next section of our microorganisms website is all about viruses. If you feel that this would be upsetting for your child given the current situation, then please feel free to leave out this task.

MONDAY

Today you have a mini project to complete – to find out what the Maya ate. When you go to secondary school, you will need to find your own information rather than simply use the information you are given. So, rather than tell you to read one particular document, we’re giving you a list of possible places to look. It’s up to you how many of these sources you use, but you need to be able to confidently answer the question: What did the Maya eat?

TASK – Before you do any research, make a prediction. Given the following two facts, what do you think the Maya ate:

  1. They lived in the rainforest (think about what you learned in Year 5 about the plants and animals of the rainforest)
  2. They were hunters and gatherers. (This means they found their food in the forest rather than growing it)

TASK – To get you started, everyone must read  this document about Maya food.

TASK – Now it’s up to you to find out more. You can decide which of the following sources to watch/read. See what you can find out.

Source one   |   Source two   |   Source three   |    Source four

TASK – Having found out lots of information from these sources, create a page in your research project. You must include some writing, an image and a list of foods.

MATHS – The website we’ve been using for maths have now changed things slightly. You will still be able to watch their teaching video that explains what to do, but from now on the worksheet will be here on this page for you to download. This week, we’re completing Summer Week 4. Lesson 1 is about multiplying fractions by integers.
Click here for the video   |    Click here for Lesson 1 worksheet  |  Click here for lesson 1 answers
If you would like more maths to do, click here for an optional extension activity.

TODAY’S SILLY SECTION: Blindfold Drawing!
For this challenge, you are going to need a pencil and a piece of paper. Next, each person will wear a blindfold and then attempt to draw an object of their own choosing. This can be be played in several ways. One way to play the blindfolded drawing challenge is for everyone to decide on who has the best drawing. Another way is for the other family members to guess what has been drawn. The first person to correctly guess the picture is the winner. Watch this video to see how some other children managed to do this challenge.

If you’re really feeling brave, you could try doing some Blindfold Makeup instead (either on yourself or someone else in your family)!

TUESDAY

As the Maya grew in number, they needed more and more food. This meant that they needed to start farming rather than hunting and gathering. As we learned yesterday, this was tricky because of where they lived. Today is all about how the Maya overcame these difficulties to grow food.

TASK – We know you’ve looked at this page before, but use this page to remind yourself about Mayan farming techniques. Watch the video and then read underneath where it talks about the different types of farming.

TASK – Let’s explore each of these different farming techniques.

  1. Watch this video to find out about slash and burn.
  2. Watch this video to find out about terraced farming.
  3. Read this document about raised fields to find out how they were made and why they were so useful.

TASK – Use what you have learned to make a page in your project all about these three Mayan farming techniques. Start with an introduction about why farming was difficult for the Maya. Then use text and annotated images to explain each of the three ways they overcame these challenges.

TASK – The Maya had to survive on what they could grow/gather. For us, this is no longer an issue because food can be transported across the world. Look at the packages of fruit and vegetables in your house and see how many different countries they came from.

MATHS  –  Summer Term Week 4 Lesson 2: Multiply fractions by fractions.
Click here for the learning video   |  Click here for lesson 2 worksheet   |    Lesson 2 Answers
If you would like more maths to do, click here for an optional extension activity.

TODAY’S SILLY SECTION: Try Not To Laugh!
The Try Not To Laugh Challenge requires you to watch a funny video without laughing or grinning. In this challenge, the contestants have to look at a compilation of funny videos without laughing or grinning. The first one to break down and laugh loses the game. When you’re ready, watch this video.

WEDNESDAY

Today’s learning is all about one of the Maya’s most precious foods…..CHOCOLATE! mmmmMMMM!

One of the things we found out yesterday was that the Maya loved chocolate and so we’re going to spend today thinking about this delicious substance!

TASK – Start by watching this video.

TASK – Let’s find out how chocolate is made. Read this text and answer the questions.

TASK  – What’s your favourite chocolate bar? If you could have any ingredients in a bar of chocolate what would you include. This task is to design your own chocolate bar. Think about what its made from and the wrapper it comes in. Design a poster advertising it, telling people why it is so amazing.

TASK – It has been a while since we practiced any Spanish – Today’s lesson is all about how you say your birthday. Click here for the lesson. 

MATHS -Summer Term Week 4 Lesson 3 Divide fractions by integers.
Click here for learning video  |  Click here for lesson 3 worksheet    |    Lesson 3 Answers 
If you would like more maths to do, click here for an optional extension activity.

TODAY’S SILLY SECTION: No Thumbs!
In this challenge, you have to tape your thumbs down in a way so that you can’t use them, no matter how much you try. Then, you have to complete a simple task. Go for something funny like trying to eat cereal or putting on clothes. Then watch as this easy activity becomes a lot more challenging and hilarious.

The first child to complete their task is the winner of the challenge! This brother and sister duo certainly have a time of it with this game!

THURSDAY

We have spent weeks learning about what impressive people the Maya were, but are they still there today? What happened to them?  Let’s find out.

TASK – Watch this video to find out what happened to the Maya.

TASK – Read Where Did Everybody Go?’ to learn more about the theories that try to explain the Maya decline.

As the Maya declined, Spanish settlers came in a took over many of their cities, even building churches on top of their temples. The Spanish were clearly stronger than the weakened Maya.

TASK – There is a famous quote that says, “history is written by the victors”. This is a saying that means that if you win the battle, then you get to write the history books and make yourself look great.  Have a look at the painting of the Spanish conquering the Maya below. What clues are there in the image that it has been painted by someone Spanish rather than by the Maya? What four words could be used to describe how the Spanish look in the painting? (They’re the ones in the armour). What four words could be used to describe the Maya in the painting? How does this painting link to the saying, ‘history is written by the victors’?

TASK – Imagine you are a Mayan artist drawing a picture of this same battle scene. How might your artwork make the Maya look mighty and the Spanish look small and inferior. Have a go a producing that artwork!

TASK – It will round off our research project to have a page about the decline of the Maya. Use what you have learned today to explain the different theories about what happened.

TASK – Tomorrow we plan to do some cooking. As you prepare, have one final look at the recipe you have chosen and make sure that you have everything you need. Here are the recipes again, in case you need them:

Guacamole RecipeHot Chocolate Recipe  |  Tortilla Recipe

MATHS -Summer Term Week 4 – Lesson 4 – Fractions of amounts.
Click here for he learning video    |  Click here for lesson 4 worksheet     |    Lesson 4 Answers 
If you would like more maths to do, click here for an optional extension activity.

TODAY’S SILLY SECTION: Character Challenge!
To play the character challenge, you have to decide on a famous film/TV character for your opponent to impersonate. Alternatively, you could pretend to be the character and have your opponent guess who it is!

FRIDAY

TASK – It’s time to do some cooking! Follow the recipe that you have selected to make some Mayan food. Let your family taste it and see what they think (their review might help you with the next task). Please send us a pic of you with your finished product and we’ll put it on the website!

TASK – Write a review of what you made. What did you like? What did you not like? If you made it again, what would you change? Would you add in any ingredients or take any out? If you want, you could film your review instead of writing it, like you’re a judge on Masterchef.

TASK – Now that we have finished learning about the Maya, try this quiz to see if you can remember what you have learned.

TASK – Editing and finalising your project. Look back through each section and see if you are happy with it. What sections need to be tweaked or finished off?

TASK – Send us your project. Even though we won’t be able to give everyone feedback, we would really love to see what you’ve been able to make. If you made a paper copy instead of a PowerPoint, then send us a picture of you holding your project.

MATHS – Use the websites below or alternatively you can complete the questions on the Quick Fire Friday 5 worksheet.

Times Tables Rockstars: https://play.ttrockstars.com/

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

Daily 10: https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/year-6/

Children should use the top left drop down menus to select Level 6 and the relevant areas of maths they want to practice. They can then select their own time intervals. Answers will appear at the end.

Quickulations: https://www.transum.org/Software/SW/Quickulations/

TODAY’S SILLY SECTION: The 7 Second Challenge!
For the 7-second challenge, each participant will have seven seconds to complete a task. You can select any task you want, but it has to be a task that can be done in seven seconds. Here are some fun ideas to get you started:

  1. Bite your tongue and recite the alphabet
  2. Dance like a ballerina in a ballet show
  3. Eat half a slice of bread and swallow completely
  4. Hop to the door and back while pulling your two ears
  5. Lick the tip of your elbow
  6. Mention 5 objects you can find in the kitchen
  7. Name 5 countries in the EU
  8. Pull off your sweater and turn it inside out and put in on again
  9. Recite the 5 times table backward starting at 10
  10. Spell your name using body gestures

AND FINALLY…

We want to say a big thank you and a big well done! You have worked hard over the past five weeks and we hope you have produced work that you are proud of. It has been so strange not being at school but we hope you have been able to find a balance, working hard, chilling out and having fun.

Miss Wroe and Mr Good