Hello Year 6 

We are thinking of you all and hope that you are all well. We also hope that you are getting used to this new type of learning. How are you finding it? Which challenges have you attempted so far? 

Last week our theme linked to evacuation, we hope you enjoyed the learning and the activities. Have you managed to watch any of The Spywatch series on youtube? We can't wait to see and hear about the work you are completing.

This week our theme is:

Communication and secret messaging

This theme links with a variety of different topics and we hope you enjoy learning about it. 

Some activities you could try this week: 

•  Research about the importance of secret messaging during the war.

During the war secret messaging was huge, the army had to communicate in secret codes; this was because we didn't want our plans being heard by any German spies! Germany's armed forces believed their Enigma-encrypted communications were impenetrable to the Allies. But thousands of codebreakers - based in wooden huts at Britain's Bletchley Park - had other ideas. Check this link for further research in how the enigma code helped Britain win the war! http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/enigma_01.shtml 

The Liverpool War Museum are completing online lessons linked to different aspects of WW2 each week. This week, on Wednesday at 1pm, their lesson is based on coding and Morse code. Have a nosey at their lesson after it's launched https://liverpoolwarmuseum.co.uk/visiting/isolation-lessons/ 

• Create your own secret coding system.          

This can be using numbers, letters, emojis or your own images! Create the coding system and then write some messages for someone to decipher. You could even bring them into school and challenge Miss Garner or Miss Buxton to crack your code! There are some examples and code breaking challenges at the bottom of this page for you to try.

• Write a story that includes a secret message or a different form of communication.

Think imaginatively - What will your communication be: sign language, signals, lip reading, writing messages, a secret code, telepathy (mind reading). 

•  Learn some basic sign language.

Sign language is a vital form of communication for people who are deaf or have hearing difficulties. Can you learn how to say hello, thank you and spell your name? Use these videos to help you.

Greetings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyicdRl3ULg   Alphabet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clPTV1wq8Jw 

• Communicate with someone you haven't in a while

We are all going through very difficult times during isolation, some of us will find it harder than others. Why don't you reach out to someone you haven't communicated with in a while? it could be a friend, a family member, a neighbour. You could ring them, video call them, write them a letter, draw the, a picture. Your communication could make someone's day - think about the random acts of kindness we looked at in September. 

We hope you enjoy some of these challenges and we look forward to seeing some of your work. Remember the other ideas for home learning. This week we will begin communicating on Seesaw, you could even show us some of your work on there! 

Remember to keep smiling and take one day at a time.

Miss Garner and Miss Buxton