Year 4/5 Kedleston Class
Summer Homework Project
A plague doctor was a special kind of doctor who worked during times when the bubonic plague was spreading through towns and villages in the 1600s. Their job was to visit sick people, record who was ill, and try to stop the disease from spreading — even though they didn’t really understand how germs worked.
The most famous thing about plague doctors was their strange outfit:
- They wore a long, dark coat and gloves to cover their skin.
- They had a wide‑brimmed hat to show they were doctors.
- They carried a stick so they didn’t have to touch patients.
- And most famously, they wore a mask with a long beak.
People at the time believed the plague was spread by “bad air,” so the beak was filled with herbs and flowers to protect the doctor from breathing it in.
Even though plague doctors tried to help, their treatments didn’t usually work — but their unusual costume has become one of the most recognisable symbols of the plague.
Your tasks:
- Draw a bag and fill it with items a plague doctor might have carried. Label each item and explain its purpose.
- Draw and colour a plague doctor mask. Your design must include:
- A long beak
- Glass eye lenses
- Herbs or flowers inside the beak (e.g., lavender, mint, rosemary)
- A label explaining why each part was important
Due Friday 12th June 2026- ready for our trip!
Summer Term Spellings
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YEAR 4 - SUMMER TERM 2 WEEK 1: Suffix 'ous' envious, furious, various, mountainous, poisonous, dangerous, courageous, spacious, famous, monstrous
WEEK 2: Prefixes undo, unfinished, unattached, unlocked, unnatural, discover, disengage, disgrace, definite, definitely
WEEK 3: Prefixes recover, redo, redirect, replay, automatic, subway, submarine, subsection, international, intermittent
WEEK 4: Suffix ly happily, prettily, sleepily, greedily, easily, clumsily, angrily, gently, simply, humbly
WEEK 5: Year 3/4 spelling list important, increase, interest, island, perhaps, popular, quarter, question, reign, remember
WEEK 6: Year 3/4 spelling list complete, consider, continue, decide, describe, different, difficult, straight, strange, promise |
YEAR 5 - SUMMER TERM 2 WEEK 1: Homophones grown, groan, father, farther, break, brake, road, rode, bridal, bridle, compliment, complement
WEEK 2: Year 5/6 spelling list muscle, necessary, neighbour, nuisance, occupy, occur, opportunity, parliament, persuade, physical, privilege, profession Challenges: entice, resonate, wilderness, charisma, melee, absorption
WEEK 3: Year 5/6 spelling list programme, pronunciation, queue, recognise, recommend, relevant, restaurant, rhyme, rhythm, sacrifice, secretary, shoulder Challenges: fractured, shroud, moronic, obsession, obstruction, indulgence
WEEK 4: Year 5/6 spelling list signature, sincere, sincerely, soldier, stomach, suggest, symbol, system, temperature, thorough, twelfth, variety Challenges: myriad, strewn, evasion, dissipate, facetious, undulate
WEEK 5: Year 3/4 spelling list extreme, famous, favourite, February, imagine, increase, important, interest, particular, peculiar, perhaps, popular Challenges: pungent, uncouth, relentless, obnoxious, perseverance, counteract
WEEK 6: Year 3/4 spelling list knowledge, natural, remember, although, occasionally, probably, thought, possession, pressure, special, especially, ordinary Challenges: enthralling, nocturnal, equinox, passionate, potent, antagonise |
Summer Term
Our Year 5 learners are diving into an exciting term of discovery and creativity. In English, we are currently reading Ice Palace by Robert Swindells, using its atmosphere and themes to inspire pupils as they craft their own narrative. We will then move on to Ocean Meets the Sky by the Fan Brothers, where its rich illustrations and gentle storytelling will guide us in creating original poetry. In Maths, pupils will deepen their understanding of negative numbers and explore volume through practical and visual learning. Our Geography work will involve using Digimap to strengthen map‑reading skills and develop confidence with digital mapping tools. In Science, we are investigating sound—how it is made, how it travels, and how we hear it—through hands‑on experiments and enquiry.
Spring 2 Homework Project
Would you like to live in a desert?
Pick a task from the list below to complete by Friday 13th March 2026.
-Make a model of one of the Natural Wonders of the Americas. This can be made using junk modelling, paper mâché etc.
-Make a poster or a brochure persuading people to visit one of the Natural Wonders of The Americas.
-Make a stop-motion animation for an advert persuading people to visit one of the Natural Wonders of the Americas.
If your work has been completed digitally, please send it via the class email:
kedlestonclass@marlpool-jun.derbyshire.sch.uk
We can’t wait to see your projects,
Mrs Beeston & Miss Stockdale.
Spring Term
In English, the children have been diving into the lively and imaginative world of Oh Maya Gods. The opening chapters have already captured their enthusiasm—especially the hilarious football coach who doesn’t actually know how to play football, a character who has sparked plenty of laughter and discussion in class.
Our wider topic this term asks the big question: “How did the achievements of the Ancient Maya impact their society and beyond?” To build a strong foundation, the children have explored a timeline of key historical periods, discovering how different civilisations developed at the same time in different parts of the world. This has led to thoughtful conversations about overlapping eras, global history, and how societies influence one another across time.
In the second half of the Spring term, our English lessons will centre around the much‑loved novel Holes by Louis Sachar. This exciting text offers rich opportunities for discussion, imagination, and deeper thinking, and the children will be exploring its characters, themes, and mysteries as they read.
As part of this unit, pupils will be developing their persuasive writing skills. They will learn how to construct clear arguments, use emotive language effectively, and write with purpose and confidence. Alongside this, the children will also be working on journalistic writing. By the end of the unit, they will have planned and written their own newspaper report inspired by events in the story.
This combination of reading, analysis, and creative writing aims to strengthen their literacy skills while encouraging them to think critically and write with flair.
This half term in Geography, we will be exploring the big question: Would you like to live in a desert? Through this enquiry, the children will investigate what life is really like in some of the world’s driest environments.
They will learn about desert climates, discovering how temperature, rainfall, and landscape shape daily life. We will also look closely at the challenges faced by people who live in these regions, including access to water, extreme weather, and limited vegetation. To deepen their understanding, the children will compare these conditions with those in our own local area, identifying similarities, differences, and the reasons behind them.
This topic encourages curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation of how people adapt to the places they call home.
Autumn Term
Kedleston Class have had an incredible start to the term, full of creativity, curiosity, and a love of reading. In Book Club, we’ve already enjoyed The Great Snail Robbery by Daniel Henshaw, and we are now diving into the magical world of The Creakers by Tom Fletcher. The children are developing fantastic reading habits and sharing thoughtful ideas about the stories we explore together. In maths, the classes split so that Year 5 are taught by Mrs Beeston, while Year 4 children are taught by Miss Hewitt, ensuring that everyone is challenged and supported at the right level.
This term’s topic, What is life like in the Alps?, has sparked lots of excitement as pupils compare life in mountainous regions with our own local area. To prepare for this, the children have been asked to research a nearby place, ready for comparison work later in the term. This project encourages them to think critically about similarities and differences between environments and cultures, while building their geographical knowledge and research skills.
Our Reading Journey
As part of our English lessons, we have explored a wonderful collection of stories that inspire imagination and reflection. Our reading list includes The Undefeated, a powerful celebration of resilience and history; Farther, a touching tale of dreams and family bonds; Winter’s Child, a magical story of friendship and kindness; and the timeless classic Heidi, which captures the beauty of nature and the warmth of home. The children even created their own sequel to Winter’s Child, imaginatively titled Spring’s Daughter, showing how creativity can extend beyond the page. We are also learning lots about Heidi’s life, though we haven’t finished the story yet, and we look forward to discovering what happens next. Starting off the Spring Term, we have begun reading the book Oh Maya Gods! by Maz Evans. For the second half of the Spring term, Kedleston Class are delving into the world of Camp Green Lake. Through studying the book Holes by Louis Sachar, the children will be discussing themes such as right and wrong.
Homework
Children are asked to read at least three times a week, complete Times Tables Rock Stars (set on Friday and closing Thursday), and hand in weekly spelling tasks every Friday. In addition, each half term includes a creative project, giving pupils the chance to showcase their imagination and talents in new and exciting ways.
Staff who work in Kedleston Class
Mrs Beeston, Miss Stockdale and Miss Hill work closely with the class to guide whole-group learning, while also providing targeted support in small groups to ensure every child can thrive. Whether it’s helping to build confidence in maths, encouraging a love of reading, or nurturing creativity in topic work. If you have any questions, you can catch them in the morning or after school at Kedleston Class Door.
Mrs Beeston Miss Stockdale
Class Teacher Teaching Assistant