Sports Day

Tomorrow is the Primary Sports Day and an event I have been looking forward to. If you are able to come along and support the students it would be great to see you there. 

Could I remind all students that they should come to school in PE kit, with a hat, sun cream already applied (and extra if they need to reapply later in the day), a snack and a bottle of water. We will be back in time for lunch. 

Good luck to everyone!

Let's go 5L! 

Parque Biológico

Today, Form 5 had a fantastic day at Parque Biologico. It was a great experience and formed part of the transition of Form 5 into Secondary as Mr Hooley joined us for the day to provide some insightful Geography tasks. Everyone was extremely well behaved and we managed to see many different species of animals and plants.

Check out the 'Class Photographs' page for some action shots!

Congratulations!

This morning I had to pinch myself to make sure the Form 5L Checkpoint results were not a dream that I had!

I would like to congratulate every single pupil on their achievements. Some of you achieved personal goals that were set at the beginning of Form 4! (Can you remember that day waaaaaaay back in September 2013?!)

Yesterday you could not wipe the smile off my face and I would like to thank everyone for all their hard work and determination over the past two years. 

You guys deserve all the credit!

Congratulations!! 

Good Luck!

Good luck to all Form 5 students who will have some Form 6 taster lessons tomorrow. 

I hope you all enjoy the experience! 

Birthday Celebrations!

Today we celebrated Tommy's birthday in class. He brought in a fantastic cake which sums up what Form 5 has been all about this year!!! Thanks Tommy, the cake was delicious!!!! 

Form 6 Transition Day

On Wednesday 17th June, the students of Form 5 will have a transition morning in the Secondary section. 

The timetable will be very similar (though perhaps not identical) to the following:

Period 2 - Meet Mr Jones, Miss Corcoran and Miss Denisova

Period 3 - 5L Maths Lesson

Period 4 - 5L Science Lesson

Period 5 - 5L English Lesson

Period 6 - Meet Mr Jones in Teague Hall

Water

Please could I ask that all students bring a bottle of water to school each day.

Many students are asking to leave class to go and drink water which means the work they are completing is being interrupted. When the weather is hot we will have some breaks outside for the students to get some fresh air in the shade but having a bottle of water with them would help maintain levels of concentration.

Thanks!

Pirates of the Curry Bean

Thank you to all those who came along last night to support the Form 5 production of 'Pirates of the Curry Bean'.

I am sure you were thoroughly impressed with the quality of acting, singing and dancing.

If you are coming tonight then I hope you have a fantastic time.

There are some photographs from the rehearsal in the 'class photographs' page.

Tickets

There are a few tickets remaining for the performance of Pirates of the Curry Bean on Thursday and Friday evening. If you have some friends who would enjoy seeing some fantastic dance moves, great song lyrics and excellent acting, please invite them along to support the Form 5 students! 

I look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday or Friday! 

Final Touches

Today the Form 5's had the first opportunity to perform Pirates of the Curry Bean from beginning to end at the Nevogilde Theatre. Everything seems to be coming together though I would urge everyone to take a few minutes tonight and tomorrow night to think about the song lyrics and dance moves, feedback they have received about voice (volume, tone, etc) and positioning on stage so that they are confident going into the dress rehearsal on Wednesday.

Form 5 Play Week

*Reminder*

Monday, 1^st June and Tuesday 2^nd  June are very important rehearsal dates for the pupils. On both these dates we will be at the theatre for most of the day. The pupils will leave school around 9:30am in the morning with class teachers and walk to the theatre; for both days the pupils will require a packed lunch; please inform the canteen if you normally pay for school lunches by the month so this can be discounted. We will be leaving the theatre to return to school around 3pm each day. Should you need to contact your child during this period then please call 935 039281.

 

Pupils should wear their regular school uniform for both these days. We are allowing pupils to take i-pod or i-pad type devices if they wish, along with a reading book, as there may be ‘down time’ when they are waiting to rehearse their scenes. Any electronic gear brought will be the sole responsibility of the pupil to look after.

I have urged all students to bring a large bottle of water with them for these rehearsal days. With the rising temperatures and the fact that students will be rehearsing lines and singing songs inside for the majority of the day a bottle of water will be imperative. 

 

On Wednesday, 3^rd June the pupils will be performing to the Primary School at 10:30am  as a form of Dress Rehearsal. The cast will leave school soon after registration on this day therefore please try to ensure your child arrives on time. You are also very welcome to watch this rehearsal performance if you are available. We will be back to school for lunch therefore we will not require packed lunches on this day.

 

For Thursday, 4^th June and Friday, 5^th June please have your child at the Theatre for between 5:45pm and 6pm to allow for plenty time with make-up and costuming. Also, please plan to stay a little later on Friday to take part in the cast, crew and parents pizza party.

 

Thank you to those parents who have volunteered to help with make-up and costuming during the performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Please do continue to let Ms Cris Silva (cristina.silva@ibedistra.pt ) know if you wish to help out

Birthday Celebrations!

I have eventually uploaded the photographs from the birthday party that the students of 5L had for me. I would like to say a massive thank you to all students and parents for making the day so special for me. Spending it with such wonderful children was fantastic and a birthday that I will definitely remember.

Thank you to everyone for making it possible.

I am one very, VERY lucky teacher!

Mini Golf

Mini Golf will take place on the morning of Friday 8th May. 

Students will be back for lunch therefore are only required to bring a snack with them. 

Book Review Website

This week in English, 5L are working on book reviews. We are learning what we must include in a review, why they are important and how to summarise a story without giving away all the details.

We are hoping to make a review booklet to share with other form groups.

Whilst researching book reviews we found a fantastic website that allows children to write reviews for other children. We enjoyed reading what other people had to say about books we had read and we also liked reading reviews about books we had not yet read to give us an understanding as to whether or not we would enjoy the book. Here is the link  http://www.spaghettibookclub.org/ Remember you can search for a book or an author.

Mini Golf

Unfortunately, due to adverse weather conditions miniature golf had to be postponed.

Hopefully a new date will be arranged as soon as possible. 

World Book Day

Today, the Primary Section celebrated World Book Day.

5L had the opportunity to read to Prep, Form 1 and Form 2 students.

Mr Evan’s also came to our class yesterday and read extracts from two of his favourite children’s books. 

One of which was very popular and several students asked to take home to read in their personal time.

Have a look at the ‘Class Photographs’ page for 5L in action.

Exams

It is has been a very busy week in 5L with the Primary Checkpoint Examinations being the focus.

As mentioned previously, I am very proud of the way in which the students have conducted themselves, not only this week but during previous weeks of revision and learning. They have been a credit to themselves.

Congratulations Form 5! 

Cambridge Checkpoint Examinations

I would like to take the opportunity to wish all Form 5 students the best of luck for the Form 5 Exams taking place this week. 

A few reminders:

• Students should arrive in plenty of time for the start of each exam. The exam will start at the stated time on the timetables provided.
• All equipment must be in a clear pocket as pencil cases etc will not be allowed into the exam hall. 
• Each student should go to the bathroom before the exam and try to bring a bottle of water with them. 
• All work must be done in pen including drawing and must be done using a blue or black pen. 
• As soon as students enter the exam hall they must not talk and must not turn round during the exam.

Every student in 5L has continued to display a fantastic dedication to their studies and I am extremely proud that individuals have taken on board feedback and worked hard to improve various areas of their learning. 

I know that everyone will perform to the best of their ability.

Stay calm and do yourself proud!

Good luck!!

Lisbon Sports Tournament

Well done to all students who competed at the Lisbon Sports Tournament. 

It was fantastic to see such great talent on display and the students performed extremely well.

Congratulation to the Boys Division 5 Football team who finished in 6th position. 

A massive well done must go to the Girls Division 5 Basketball team who finished in 2nd place after a fiercely contested final game. I was extremely proud of everyone involved and finishing 2nd was beyond my expectations.

Well done ladies! 

Last days of revision...

Even though I am at the Lisbon Sports Tournament on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I have asked all students to ask questions on the blog or email me directly for any last minute support. I will reply to their queries as quickly as possible. 

Monday will be a full day of revision for everyone.

All students in 5L received a copy of the exam timetable for next week. I have also asked that a copy via email is sent to parents tomorrow. 

Good Luck!

Good luck to all students representing the school at the Lisbon Sports Tournament.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable time!

Summer Term!

Welcome back to all students for their final term in the Primary Section of OBS!

I hope everyone visiting the Blog had an enjoyable Easter break.

The students in Form 5 have now entered an intensive period of the academic year. Next week they will sit the Cambridge Checkpoint Examinations for English, Mathematics and Science. They have worked extremely hard up to this point and I am very proud of how they have displayed a responsible and dedicated attitude towards personal revision.

Keep up the hard work everyone, only a few more days of revising left!!

Play Scripts

Some students asked me if they could take home the play script to learn their lines over the Easter break. 

There will be plenty of time after the Checkpoint Examinations for students to learn their lines in class, and at home, as this will be the primary focus of the year group. 

I would urge students to maintain concentration on their revision of English, Mathematics and Science to maximise the results they will achieve in the Checkpoint. 

Some students decided not to take their script home and therefore will receive it after Easter. 

Happy Revising!! 

Parents Evening

Thank you to all parents who attended the Parents Evening this week.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable and relaxing Easter break.

Progression Tests

I was extremely happy with the recent results achieved in the Progression Tests and would like to congratulate each student for the dedication and motivation they have shown towards their studies so far this year.

The class managed to achieve:

English - 9 Gold and 8 Silver
Mathematics - 9 Gold, 8 Silver and 1 Bronze
Science - 11 Gold and 6 Silver

Gold level means that, according to the test results, the learner is working above the expectations for the stage,

If the class achieve similar results in the Checkpoint Examinations, I would be one very, VERY, happy teacher!!

Grammar Games

Practise the parts of speech with these online grammar games:

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/grammargames/pandapopPartsofSpeech.htm

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/grammar/popup_adjectives_11.25.swf

http://www.funbrain.com/grammar/

http://www.arcademics.com/games/invasion/invasion.html

Poetry Eisteddfod

Well done to the mixed 5B and 5L group who performed ‘Dinosaur Rap’ by John Foster in the Poetry Eisteddfod. Follow the link below to watch the video.

http://youtu.be/h7lLe5ocMlk

Debate

Today, the the Form 5 students enjoyed an afternoon of debating. Last week students were given a topic and asked to research evidence which either supported an argument for or against the topic. It was a great opportunity for students to work in teams and carry out research at home in preparation. 

The topics covered were:

• Should Portugal reinstate Capital Punishment?
• Should Form 5 finish the school day at 3:30pm?
• Should Primary school students be allowed to bring mobile phones to school?

We would like to thank Miss Weston (English secondary department), Mr Evans and Mrs Robinson for offering to be on the judging panel. Mr Bridges and I also selected a student from each class to be on the panel so that they had the opportunity to offer a students perspective on the topics discussed. 

Mr Bridges and I were glad that we did not have to judge the competition as we would have found it very difficult to decide between the groups.

After the scores were counted and verified it was revealed that both classes won 3 debates each!! An excellent result for 5L and 5B and proves that everyone was able to research their topic in detail and contribute to a wonderful afternoon of debating. 

Photographs will follow on the 'class photographs' page. 

Well done to everyone for their participation!

Revision Packs

It is clear from the Progression Test results that most students are completing revision at home in preparation for the Checkpoint Examinations. 

I hope everyone is finding the Homework/Study Club on a Tuesday afternoon useful.

Each student was given a revision booklet for English, Mathematics and Science yesterday. For the next three weeks students should only complete the pages set. After that they can be completed as preparation for the Primary Checkpoint exams.

Mock Checkpoint Examinations

To prepare students as much as possible for the external Checkpoint Examinations, Form 5 will sit practice Checkpoint Examinations for English, Mathematics and Science on March 23rd, 24th and 25th. A timetable closer to the time will be given to all students but it will be similar to the Progression Tests timetable.   

If you have any questions regarding this please do not hesitate to contact me.

Progression Tests

Well done to all students who completed the Progression Tests last week.

The students have been given an examination report today that gives their marks in percentages and states if the mark qualified for a gold (G), silver (S) or bronze (B). Basically, gold means above expectations for the year group, silver means meets expectations and bronze means below expectations for the year group. The examination report also breaks each subject into strands so that learners and parents can better understand their strengths and weaknesses. The report compares the individual to an average of all Cambridge Primary pupils across the world.

The report will provide students with the opportunity to discuss with their peers, and myself, any areas they found challenging. It will also enable students to understand specific topics/concepts that they should revise before the Checkpoint Examination.

Thank you to all parents who ensured their child arrived on time for the exams.

Revision Websites

Remember to copy any useful revision websites to the Blog so that everyone can access the resource. 

Below are some good websites that I have found. 

Mathematics 

Various topics in Mathematics
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/ks2numeracy.html

3D Shape
http://www.starrmatica.com/standalone/starrMatica3DEarthExploration.swf

Symmetry
http://www.innovationslearning.co.uk/subjects/maths/activities/year3/symmetry/shape_game.asp

Rounding
http://www.snappymaths.com/counting/rounding/interactive/round3dto100attack.htm

Remember to use 'Math Antics' on YouTube if you are unsure of any topic(s)



English

Definitely use the website at the right hand side of this page titled 'Literacy Revision'

Various topics in English
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/7-11-years/spelling-and-grammar

http://www.educationquizzes.com/ks2/english




Science

Various topics in Science
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/science/

http://www.topmarks.co.uk/Interactive.aspx?cat=68

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/science/

Progression Tests Timetable

I hope all parents received the email informing them of the days and times of the Progression Tests. 

Each child also received a hard copy along with their workbooks for English, Mathematics and Science.

I hope you all have a great half term 

Reminder

The Parents Information Evening for Form 5 will be at 5pm on Tuesday, 10^th February.

This will be an opportunity for parents to gain further information regarding progress the class is making, challenges they may have and any special events the teacher would like you to be aware of. The Form 5 teachers will also outline revision expectations prior to the Cambridge Checkpoint.

The class presentation will be followed by a Checkpoint presentation from Mrs Costello, who will explain important information for the upcoming Checkpoint examinations; this should be no more than 20 minutes.

Individual Parent meetings will still be on 25^th and 26^th of March.

Girls Basketball Team

Congratulations to the Division 5 Basketball team who competed at the Benjamins Sports Festival.

Well done girls!

There was drama in 5L today...

Today, as part of our learning about Romeo and Juliet, the class was split into two groups and asked to remember a quote from the play. I think the class did fantastic, some students may even have a career in acting ahead of them! Check out the page titled 'English' for the videos...

Shakespeare

This week the class have been focusing on Romeo and Juliet. Have a look at the class photograph page for some photographs of the class in action!

Get Creative!

There will be a creative writing competition open to all pupils in Form 3-5 this half term. You can enter any creative response (narrative, play script, poem etc.).

The theme is winter.

The criteria is originality, creativity, choice of language and having the theme ‘winter’ embedded in your text.

• All entries should be handwritten.
• Entries should be written independently and in your own time.
• There will be a book prize for each year group.
• Entries should be handed to Mr Bridges by the 11th February.

Perhaps this Haiku will inspire you.

First Winter Rain by Matsuo Basho

First winter rain –

even the monkey

seems to want a raincoat.

Homework Club

I hope all parents received the email regarding the Homework Club. The first email sent was incorrect as the club will take place on a Tuesday not a Thursday.

To make sure everyone is prepared for the exams I have suggested students revise in study groups. Individual study time is crucial however having a partner to discuss ideas and practice questions with will provide students with the opportunity to support each other in the run up to the exams.

Progression Tests

The Form 5 Progression Tests for English, Maths and Science will take place the week beginning February 23rd.

Welcome to 2015

I hope all students, parents and visitors to the site had an enjoyable and relaxing Christmas. I wish a Happy New Year to everyone and hope 2015 brings you health and happiness.

The Form 5 students have now entered a very intensive learning and revising period of the academic year. With the Checkpoint Examinations only weeks away the focus will be on preparing the students to perform to the best of their ability and providing them with the confidence required to achieve their potential.

I would suggest that if students have not started revising at home that they begin now. Many of the students have purchased the Cambridge Checkpoint Guide for students. I would strongly recommend using this resource as a revision aid as it is specific to the Cambridge Curriculum and will provide students with key information and practice questions.

As a side note, prior to the Checkpoint Exams, the students will sit the Form 5 Progression Test. This will allow the students, and I, to understand the progression they have made this year and provide valuable information about areas of English, Maths and Science that they may need to revise more closely. I will confirm by the end of the week the date of the Progression Test.

I would like to highlight that some of the Science topics covered in Form 4 may come up in the Checkpoint Exam. It is therefore imperative that students revise these topics at home using the Cambridge Student Book, their class workbook from last year and any other resources that they find useful. We will not have time to cover each part of the Science curriculum from last year in class as we still have Science units to cover from the Form 5 curriculum.

If you have any questions or queries regarding the examinations please do not hesitate to contact me at sarah.lee@obs.edu.pt

Many thanks.