Homework

To enhance Sycamore's learning, they will be given weekly homework. Their homework will be set every Monday and due in the following Monday, except for Spellings - these will be due on a Friday as they will be tested on a Friday. Please read the information below regarding homework:

Spellings (due Friday)

• Sycamore will be given 10-15 spellings to practise a week. 
• Each week's spellings will focus on a different phoneme (sound) e.g. "count", "loudly" and "allowed" all share the ow phoneme. The way that this sound is written is called a grapheme (e.g 'ow' and 'ou').
• Please practise spellings via Spelling Shed (and score spelling points) or by using a method that suits you (see the 35 spelling practice methods attached below for more ideas).
• Every year, pupils are expected to learn common exception words (tricky spellings that don't fit a spelling pattern). These spelling words will be covered in Sycamore's weekly homework, however, please continue to practise the 'Year 5 Common Exception Words' (CEW) at home. As well as year 5 CEW, year 3 and 4 CEW are also attached, in case your child needs to practise these too. 
• Login for Spelling Shed:
• Username: school email         Password: Sycamore

Times Tables Rock Stars 

• By the end of year 4, in line with the national Multiplications Tables Check, children are expected to be able to recall times table facts up to 12 x 12 within 6 seconds. 
• To be able to automatically recall times tables, please play TT Rockstars daily (at least 1 game). You will also score points!
• If you would prefer to practise on paper, please use the times table chart (attached below) to help you. There is also a range of times tables activities in the 'Learning Help for Home' section of Google Classroom.

General Homework (Google Classroom)

• Each week, you will receive a piece of general homework linked to the core curriculum (English, Science or Maths) or Quest (Science, Geography, History) or other subjects. 
• This can be found on Google Classroom. If you are unsure about how to use Google Classroom, please check the illustrated step-by-step instructions below. 

Reading

• Please continue to read with your child or encourage independent reading, and show this in their reading records.
• We use the programme Accelerated Reader. If your child reads a books on this scheme, completes a quiz after each book and is given the next book level by their teacher, then their vocabulary and text comprehension should increase and they will be exposed to a wider range of text genres, so should find books that they love. 
• If you have children's books at home, please check to see if they are on the Accelerated Reader book scheme, before reading them. Also to complete a quiz at home click on the link below: 

• To find your book level, please follow the instructions: Click on Link - Student (username first letter of first name, then first 4 letters of surname, password is ABC) - Accelerated Reader - Bookshelf (top right of screen) - click on their most recent book that scored 80% or higher - scroll below the photo of the book cover and look at 'Level'

• We also have a Word Millionaire's wall: once children read 100,000 words they are added to the wall, if they reach a million, they become a word millionaire! 
• In Sycamore, we have our own Bookflix challenge, where reading 10 books, gives 10 minutes of Golden time and they share their recommendations and become a 'user' on our Bookflix display!