Brain Project

By V Holloway19th May 2015

Brain week has begun! In year 5 we started brain week with some visitors from the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, who gave us lots of general knowledge about the brain and how to look after it.

Each year group have a different focus for their project, year 5 are looking at endorphins and how they affect our mood and consequently our learning. We started by researching what endorphins were, as well as how and when they are released into the brain.
Year 5 have decided to hold their own investigation about endorphins. As a result of their research they found out that endorphins are released after exercising or after eating chocolate. Their research will therefore monitor their well being and learning zones while completing work after exercising, eating chocolate and without encouraging the release of endorphins. We have predicted that the release of endorphins will have a positive impact on our well being and learning zones as they are supposed to relieve stress.
They will be creating diary entries and line graphs to log their well being and learning zones.

Ship Designing

By V Holloway15th May 2015

After reading the Safety of Lives at Sea document (SOLAS) which was initiated as a result of the Titanic disaster, Year 5 have started to design their own cruise ship. We looked at modern ships to discover the possibilities of entertainment and facilities on board, including rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks and cinemas! We also investigated how modern ships abide by the SOLAS rules and regulations.

Our ship must be exciting and suitable for families, but it also must pass the SOLAS safety rules. We have had to think carefully about the capacity of our ship and ensuring we have enough lifeboats on board so that there is enough space for every passenger and crew member.

Coordinating Maths

12th May 2015V Holloway

This morning year 5 were learning about coordinates in Maths. We started with a human sized grids and practised plotting ourselves at different coordinates on the grid!

After we applied our knowledge of coordinates to play ‘Find The Titanic’ in pairs. We had to guess coordinates in order to find our partner’s Titanic, however if you hit an iceburg you lose a life!

Election at Brooklands Farm

7th May 2015V Holloway

Today year 5 experienced a General Election. The day started with using persuasive language to explain our own opinions on Education, Health and Care and Environment. We were given some different policies from 6 of the main parties (but not told whose was whose) and had to choose the ones we thought were most important to us and our community. We discussed these views and gave reasons for our opinions in pairs and trios.

After break we split into 6 groups, each group was given a different party to research. We looked at Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Green Party, UKIP and SNP. We focused on what each party had to say about Education, Health and Care and Environment. Each group then presented its research to the rest of the year group, we all listened very carefully to see which party best represented the policies we had chosen.
After lunch every child in year 5 was given a polling card which proved they were registered to vote in the Brooklands Election! We had read each party’s manifesto and were now ready to use our vote. We set up a Polling Station and put an ‘X’ on our ballot papers!
And the results were….
Mr Atkins and Miss Holloway were very proud of Year 5 for being individuals and voting independently using their own opinions and ideas! We then displayed our results in pie charts and bar graphs.
Year 5 were very engaged and curious throughout the day, asking lots of questions and realising the importance of a General Election and thinking about how it may affect them and our community.

New Titanic Blueprints

7th May 2015V Holloway

In project this week we have been drawing the Titanic on graph paper. After researching some of the flaws in the Titanic designs, we have added on some improvements to our own drawings for example having more life boats and using stronger materials for the iron rivets.  The results have been amazing- everyone achieved really high learning zones and have really grown in their design and drawing skills.

A Titanic Ignite

16th April 2015V Holloway

Year 5 ignited their Titanic project today! We were very lucky to have a visitor join us for the day. He brought in lots of artefacts from the Titanic and its sister ships as well as pictures of the Titanic. We even got the opportunity to try on lifejackets from that period! We asked lots of different, interesting questions about the Titanic so that we had lots of knowledge to continue using in our project!

We also spent some time developing our collaging skills by creating our own waves scenes using different shades of blue and white, as well as different collaging techniques.
As a year group we have worked together to collage a big picture of the Titanic! It is still a work in progress but here are some photos of what we have achieved so far:
 

Exploring Space

13th April 2015V Holloway

Today year 5 spent the day exploring our solar system. They did lots of different activities including ordering the planets, drawing chalk orbits for the earth and moon on the playground and drawing diagrams to explain how we have day and night. It was a fantastic start to the summer term. They all achieved high learning zones, had lots of questions to ask about their learning and enjoyed discussing and sharing it with others!

A Magical Afternoon at Brooklands

27th March 2015V Holloway

Yesterday afternoon saw Year 5’s Harry Potter project come to an end as they shared their learning and lessons with year 3 and 4 children. Wand skills, potions and quidditch were the three lessons being planned and taught by the year 5’s. They really enjoyed sharing their learning journey and were very responsible as they ‘taught’ the skills and knowledge they had learnt to the younger children. Harry Potter has been a fantastic project in Year 5, they have all really engaged with it and we have seen some outstanding work and amazing progress being made as a result! Well Done Year 5!

 

Year 5 Enrichment

24th March 2015V Holloway

Year 5 performed and shared their enrichment learning this afternoon, along with the rest of upper Key Stage 2. They performed a shadow puppet show and guitars (Bruno Mars Uptown Funk). They really enjoyed sharing their learning with peers and teachers. They all did a fantastic job and have clearly engaged and progressed in their enrichment learning this term. Well Done Year 5!