Year 5 have truly immersed themselves in the wonders of the Amazon Rainforest! From towering treetops to the forest floor, they have explored the different layers of this incredible ecosystem, uncovering the secrets of its wildlife and plant life.

Inspired by The Explorer, Year 5 have stepped into the shoes of its characters, bringing their jungle adventures to life through powerful storytelling and vivid descriptions. As they journey deeper into the rainforest, their writing captures the thrill, mystery, and beauty of this extraordinary world.

To top it all off, Year 5 have been indulging their senses by tasting and smelling a variety of spices and herbs from Brazil, experiencing the rich flavours that make the Brazilian food so unique.

We can’t wait to share our adventures with you. This week, Jessica W and Laura from 5MC share what Year 5 have been up to:

Come & Learn

This week we had Come & Learn. It was maths focused and we learnt with our parents about the time. We talked about when we use maths during our daily life and how difficult time can be. We answered questions to do with bus and train timetables.

Maths

This week in maths we focused on fractions and decimals. We looked at tenths, hundredths and thousandths and how to convert fractions into decimals.

English

This week, in English, we did internal thoughts of the character, Fred. We illustrated one of the scenes where Fred, Lila, Max and Con were trying to look behind the vines when they were not supposed to and the bush pilot/the explorer spotted them. We wrote a third person narrative weaving in the the explorer’s internal thoughts and feelings when he spotted them.

 Science

In science this week, we researched the entomologist and scientific illustrator, Maria Sibylla Merian.  She spent two years in Suriname, South America and is thought to be one of the early scientists to document observations about insects. Her illustrations and observations of the life cycles of insects helped people to understand metamorphosis. She helped us to understand more about how insects transform and of their close relationship with plants. Her research is still highly regarded by scientists today, including David Attenbourgh. 

DT

In DT we explored Brazilian ingredients. We understood that spices and herbs  play a crucial role in cooking. While Brazil is not known for overly spicy dishes, Brazilian cuisine traditionally incorporates spices and herbs like cumin, coriander or cilantro, turmeric, black pepper, bay leaves, parsley, oregano and chives. We spent the lesson smelling the different ingredients, and even taste-testing them!