Letter for Primary 4O

Hi Primary 4O

School is not open as normal again this week, so I hope you are all still looking after yourselves and keeping safe.
Carry on being helpful for your family and looking after yourselves. Keep following all the rules regarding hand washing, social distancing, exercise and shopping routines. It is important that we keep doing them every day.
I am still okay and keeping well.
It was lovely to hear from Reece, Peter & Annie and Logan at his very own tea party!! It looked yummy.
Remember, if you need any help with anything, please send me an email and I will try to help as best I can. I would love seeing all the great work you are doing or what you have been up to. Send me any photographs and videos of you to share on our school website. My school email address is tosullivan900@c2kni.net.
I've uploaded notes and worksheets to help you this week. I hope you find them useful and not too difficult. Remember, only do what you can and try your best!
Keep working on your learning packs if you haven’t completed them. A little every day goes a long way!

The World Around Us
• Hopefully by now you have finished your Mammals project, but if you haven’t keep working on it. Let me know what you researched. Did you find out any unusual facts about animals and our world? Have a look at two articles on BBC NI news, one about orcas (Killer Whales) in Strangford Lough, and the other about Red Squirrels in Silent Valley. Both very interesting.
• I also hope our topic for this term on Plants, Flowers and Trees is still going well. How well are your plants growing? Have any of them begun to flower or blossom? Have any developed buds and shoots? My blackcurrant bush’s berries are green so they should start to ripen soon and turn into blackcurrants which I will make into jam! But I have, to watch the birds don’t get there first! The weather has been dry so don’t forget to water your plants, though as I look out it is raining. How are you getting along with your plant research? Keep recording what you have been doing in your planting/ growing diary. Don’t forget to add illustrations to show what you did or has happened. Keep helping your family with the gardening tasks. Send me some photographs.
• If you don’t have a garden, what have you noticed or seen change around you when you are out on your walk. Remember to record these changes and draw pictures or take photographs to show these changes.
• Don’t forget there are loads of Internet sites on which you will find out lots of interesting information about our wonderful plant world. Have a look at some of the gardening sites such as http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/ which has plenty of information and some home projects you might like to try.
• I have attached some power point information and a worksheet on the life cycle of a plant, for this week for you to try. If you don’t have a home printer you could copy out the sheet filling in the answers.
Don’t forget to have a look at any relevant sites put onto our school’s website.

Literacy
• This week I would like you to look at synonyms. Synonyms are words that have a similar meaning. For example, instead of using the word big, you could use large, huge or gigantic instead. I have attached power point presentations to help you find out what synonyms are. When you are reading a story make a list of any synonyms which the author could have used instead. Try writing a simple story and then re-write it using different synonyms. I have attached some tasks on synonyms for you to try.
• Continue practicing your spellings. Keep testing yourself and see how you get on.
• Keep on with your reading. Have a go at doing a book review on a book you have read recently. It might be a book I’ve not read before and it might be a good one to recommend to other members of the class. I have attached a book review template for you to use.
• How is your diary or scrapbook getting along? Remember to date of each entry. Remember things like the weather, what you did (exercise) and even what you ate! Add things that have been happening in the world or locally, for example the orcas in Strangford Lough. This will be an historical document of your world at this time. Don’t forget to illustrate it or add newspaper cuttings or photographs.
• Remember you can use interactive websites as fun learning resources such as, wwwprimaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk. Don’t forget there are also online books which can be downloaded or listened to. Keep an eye on our school website for different sites and activities. Keep practicing your handwriting.

Numeracy
• Continue to practice your counting and multiplication tables. Play number or counting games such as Snakes & Ladders. There are also online games you can play.
• This week we are going to continue looking at fractions. Remember, a fraction represents part of a whole. When something is broken up or divided into, parts, the fraction shows how many of those parts you have. Each of the parts must be equal. I have attached some tasks to help you along. Remember however many parts or groups something is divided into each part must be equal (half- 2 equal parts 1/2, quarters – 4 equal parts 1/4, thirds – 3 equal parts 1/3 and so on). Use the fraction grid to help you. Good luck with the tasks.
• Why not try counting as you exercise. For example, count through your tables as you do star jumps or skips. Get an adult to test you as you are out walking. Don’t forget to time yourself or see how long it takes you to do something. Set yourself or your friends timed challenges.
• Don’t forget there are interactive websites which are a good fun learning resource for this (e.g. wwwprimaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk, BBC Bitesize).

Don’t forget to keep clapping on Thursdays for our wonderful NHS staff, care workers and all those frontline workers doing so much to help us and keep us safe.
Until next time, boys and girls remember to take care of yourselves and your families, follow all the rules, be good and stay safe. Miss you all and hoping to see you all soon. Don’t Worry Be Happy!!
      Primary 4O remember ‘We always try our best’ Best wishes from Mr O’Sullivan.