SYCAMORE CLASS Year 5 Miss Bell

Spring, Spring, Spring

Literacy

Do you like older classic poetry? Do you think it will be boring and - well - old? Then you are in for a surprise. We lost ourselves in Alfred Noyes' 'The Highwayman'. We read the poem, and with no help from anyone and through 'Talk for Writing' we were quickly able to recite many of the verses, and certainly tell you the story. Absolute superstars! After this, what could we do but freeze frame the main points and then turn the poem into a story?

Below is one example of the retelling of 'The Highwayman' by writer of the month - Gemma Martin.

The Highwayman

When the wind was a torrent of darkness; the moon a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, a highwayman came riding up to the old inn door.

He'd a French cocked hat on his head; a bunch of lace at his chin; a coat of claret velvet; breeches of brown doe skin that fitted with never a wrinkle and boots up to the thigh.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clanged in the dark inn yard. It was late at night so all was locked and barred. That did not put him off. He whistled a tune to the window and who was waiting for him there, no one but the landlord's daughter, Bess the beautiful; red lipped; black eyed daughter.

But little did they know that in the dark, gloomy, blood-curdling shadows Tim the ostler was listening. He had hair like mouldy hay; a face peaked as can be and eyes like hollows of madness. But he loved Bess.

Dumb as a dog he heard the robber say, "I'm off for a prize of yellow gold tonight. Wait for me by midnight, watch for me by moonlight." Then he rode off to the west. Tim took his chance, if he told the red coats what he heard then they could have the highwayman and he could have Bess …So he rode off frantically all the way to the local town to Red Coats' Square.

The Captain of the red coats was very pleased at the information Tim had. He paid him his money and told the team to get ready.

Meanwhile in the bushes, cleverly hidden, the highwayman was waiting, waiting, the highwayman was waiting for the coach to come. Tlot, tlot. They were coming. Tlot, tlot. Now was his chance.

"Stand and deliver, for all your life's worth." The weary travellers had no choice but to hand over their money. Before they could blink he was gone.

But his getaway wasn't as he wished …

The Red Coats swarmed the inn. They drank the ale but spoke no word to the landlord instead they grabbed Bess and took her to her bedroom. She was tied to her bed-post, a musket to her breast.

"Now keep good watch." And they kissed here. There was darkness at all the windows, death at one dark window, for she could see the rode that the highwayman would ride.

She struggled and strained, her fingers red with blood. One finger touched it, she strove no more for the rest.

On the stroke of midnight the highwayman hadn't come. Tlot, tlot. Did they hear him? Tlot, tlot. Were they death that they could not hear? Tlot, tlot. The Red Coats looked to their priming! She could see him in the moonlight on the ribbon of moonlight. Her fingers moved in the moonlight. Her musket shattered by midnight, shattered her breast in the moonlight. The sound flew through the air and echoed into the highwayman's ear. He suddenly spurred his horse and rode to another inn across the river.

Not till the dawn did he hear. His lover died in the moonlight, smothered by her own blood in the moonlight. In one quick step he took his horse from the ostler and rode towards the river, shouting his curses to the sky.

But little did he know… the Red Coats were waiting for him there.

As soon as they saw him they pulled their triggers with no hesitation. They shot him down, down like a dog on the highway.

Even to this very day, when the wind is a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees, when the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas, when the road is a ribbon of moonlight across the purple moor, a highwayman comes riding, riding, riding; a highwayman comes riding up to the old inn door.

Gemma Martin

Gemma was able to achieve such a great piece of writing because she knew the story of the poem really well, she created a story map, she boxed it up and she magpie-ed the best words and phrases.

We have moved on from 'The Highwayman' and have turned our attention to 'Myths and Legends'. We are very excited - we have learnt about 'The Asrai' (creatures that inhabit the bottom of lake in the north of the UK), and we are about to learn about 'Beowulf'. We can't wait to explore all the different retells of the story and then retell the story for ourselves. After that we are going to create our own myth or legend - so watch this space!!

Science

Science has been really exciting - Sycamore has been learning all about 'Changing States' and 'Gases'. The snow at the start of the term really helped us to get the idea of the three states of materials - all that water turning to ice. Before the end of the half term we are hoping to visit a local Secondary school for some exciting science. And - we will soon be carrying out a whole day of experiments!!

A Sizzling Summer?

After a long, cold, dark winter we can't wait for the Summer Term. Close your eyes and imagine cloudless blue skies, bees and butterflies bobbing about on warm hazy breezes, the sweet, sweet smell of freshly mown grass. Perfect!. Have we persuaded you we are in for a 'Sizzling Summer'?

In the Summer Term we will be learning all about the subtle art of persuasion. We will be looking at advertising posters, leaflets, holiday brochures and TV adverts. Once we have honed our skills we will apply them to create our own holiday brochures. But these won't be any old holiday brochures - oh no! We will be reaching for the stars, planets, universe!

Summer Science is all about the Earth in Space. We will use our considerable research skills to find out as much as we can about our solar system, then we will use our equally considerable imaginations to create the ideal planet holiday!

In the middle of all of this we will be embarking on a fury of fitness. Get fit for Summer is our motto. Healthy eating, fast and furious exercise and a well informed understanding of what is good for us.

Our summer is going to be, busy, busy, busy and fun, fun, fun!!

 

We are really excited about the year ahead.

We are going to be explorers, journeying across the Tudor world and the modern world, learning about new places and peoples. Not only that, we are going to explore the spiritual journeys of Muslims and Christians. So watch this space!!

click here for a Sycamore Summer, Summer 2009
click here for Science in Sycamore, Summer 2009
click here for The Pied Piper, Summer 2009