Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Maths Please continue to practise your times tables. As well as general maths questions, some of this half term’s learning will be linked to our theme, the Ancient Greeks.

The Olympics

The Greeks loved sport and the Olympic Games were the biggest sporting event in the ancient calendar. The Olympic Games began over 2,700 years ago in Olympia, in south west Greece. Every four years, around 50,000

people came from all over the Greek world to watch and take part. The ancient games were also a religious festival, held in honour of Zeus, the king of the gods.

There were no gold, silver and bronze medals. Winners were given a wreath of leaves and a hero's welcome back home. Athletes competed for the glory of their city and winners were seen as being touched by the gods. Find out more here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdHHus8IgYA and perhaps do some of your own research. You could try to answer the following questions: 1.What games were there? Where were they held? In whose honour were they held? 2. Dates and Venues - When did the Olympic games begin? How often? When? Where? How long did they last? 3. Participants - Who took part? Were there any spectators? 4. Events and timetable - What events were there? Rules. Cheats. Which events were most important for fitness for war? 5. Prizes and glory - How were events won? Which was the most important event? How did the Greeks find the best all round athletes? What were the winners’ prizes? 6. Ceremonies – What religious aspects were there in the games? Below are Olympic themed maths questions for you to enjoy.

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Spellings

This half term we will be looking at 100 commonly misspelled words. Each week there will be a selection from the list, and by the final booklet you will have all 100! The list shows the correct spelling with spelling advice and common misspellings. Your challenge is to test yourself (and your adults?); identify the ones you don’t know and learn them in the most interesting way possible! E.G. spell them out using food such as rice or lentils, paint them, use stones in the garden, make a crossword or word search, play charades… the choice is endless! Share your methods, please. Finally can you say each word in sentence?

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Literacy Reading

Daily - read at home. Try to explore a range of different authors. Our theme is ’The Greek Legacy’ – try to find Greek Myths and legends to read – they’re great fun! This week’s reading is Daedalus and Icarus

Beating his wings harder and harder, Icarus soared up into the sky and out over the Aegean Sea. It was hard to believe it but the plan had worked. For here he was now, flying alongside his father, Daedalus, as they left the island of Crete behind them and travelled on towards their freedom. Icarus glanced over at his father and grinned. "Come along, Father," he shouted over the sound of the wind rushing past them. "Smile, we’ve done it, we’ve escaped and we’re free." “When my feet are back on solid ground and that island is many, many miles behind us, then you will see me smile,” Daedalus yelled back. “Now, keep your mind on what we have to do and remember, not too high, not too close to the sun.” Daedalus thought back to the moment, a few days before, when he had thought up the plan that would help them escape - not only from the labyrinth but from the kingdom of King Minos as well. He cast his mind back even further, to the day when he realised that his own life and that of his son were in great danger. How had they come to this moment? Only a short time ago Daedalus was being hailed as the great architect, the skilled inventor, the master craftsman. His incredible inventions and constructions were known and admired throughout many lands and when he arrived in Crete, many years earlier, King Minos was happy to welcome him to his land and quickly began to make use of his talents. One of his first tasks was to construct a huge labyrinth, a vast underground maze of tunnels which twisted and turned in every possible direction, so that, on entering the labyrinth, a person would very quickly become lost and would be unable to find their way out again. This giant maze served one simple purpose. It was to contain the Minotaur, a huge beast, half man, half bull. Standing twice as high as any man, the Minotaur had horns, as long as a man’s arm, with sharp points, on which it skewered its victims. It had almost unbelievable strength and was constantly hungry – hungry for the flesh of humans. King Minos had come up with his own special way of satisfying the Minotaur’s hunger. Every year, he demanded that Athens send him a tribute of seven young men and seven young women and these would be sacrificed to satisfy the creature’s hunger. One by one they would be forced to enter the labyrinth. They would then wander, sometimes only for hours but sometimes for many days before, somewhere in the pitch black tunnels, they would encounter the Minotaur. It goes without saying that none of them was ever seen again. Well, that’s not quite true actually, as one of the young men, not only found and killed the Minotaur, but also found his way out again. This superhuman was Theseus, the son of King Aegeus of Athens. He had forced his father to agree to let him be sent as one of the seven young men, swearing that he would somehow kill the Minotaur and return home safely. As their ship docked in the harbour below the mighty palace of Knossos, and the youths were dragged from the ship, Ariadne, the daughter of King Minos, was watching. She saw Theseus and found herself falling in love with him there and then. She vowed to herself that somehow she would help him when it was his turn to enter the maze. And this was the moment when Daedalus found himself involved, in a way which he knew would not end well for him and his young son. Ariadne went to him and asked him to help her save Theseus from the jaws of the Minotaur. He gave her a great ball of flaxen thread. “Somehow you must get this thread to Theseus. Tell him to tie one end to the door of the labyrinth and hang on to the other end. He can then use it to find his way back out again. But you must be ready to flee the moment he escapes, for, when your father finds out what you have done, your life will be in great danger.” And so will mine, he thought to himself, so will mine. Their plan worked well. Theseus found the Minotaur and, after a long battle in the dark passages of the maze, he killed the beast. Using the thread, he made his way back to the door

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

and to Ariadne. Making their way quickly to his ship, they set sail for Athens. Daedalus was left behind to face the consequences and it took very little time for Minos to find him. The King was angrier than anyone could remember (and this was a man who was noted for his evil temper). He blamed Daedalus for the whole thing and dragged both him and Icarus to the door of the labyrinth. “This is where you two will end your days,” he screamed. “In there, in the dark, along with the rats.” With that the guards threw them inside and swung the heavy door shut. Immediately they were plunged into total darkness. They could not see their hands in front of their faces, let alone the tunnels and passages in which they now found themselves. But all was not lost, for, of all the people who had ever entered the labyrinth, these two were the only ones who knew its secrets. They had designed it, they had taken charge of its construction and Daedalus knew the layout of the labyrinth like the back of his hand. It took them little or no time to find their way out of the labyrinth but that was only the first hurdle. They still needed to escape from Crete, if they wanted to survive for more than a few days. Daedalus knew there was no way to escape by sea, as Minos controlled all the seas around the island. So Daedalus, the great inventor, the master craftsmen, drew on all his skills and made, for each of them, a pair of huge wings. These wings were made from hundreds of feathers they collected from the birds around the island and were held together with a strong wax. “These wings will take us away from this place and to freedom,” he told his son. “However, there is one thing you must not forget. These wings are held together by wax. If it gets too hot, it will melt and the wings will fall apart. So do not fly too close to the sun. Stay low and we will be safe.” So here they were now, gliding across the brilliant blue sky, the sun shining above them and the Aegean sea glinting beautifully far below them. Daedalus glanced back nervously over his shoulder again, to see the island of Crete getting smaller and smaller as they flew away from their prison. But Icarus could not contain his excitement a moment longer. “We’re free,” he yelled to the empty sky around him. “Free and we’re flying, we’re flying with the birds.” With a whoop of excitement, he soared up and up, gliding around the sky, zooming back down towards his father and then up again, up, up, up towards the dazzling sun. “Icarus, not too high, not too close to the sun,” his father screamed in desperation. “The wax on your wings will melt. Stay close to me and stay low.” But his words fell on deaf ears. The boy continued to soar up into the bright blue sky, edging nearer and nearer to the sun and, as Daedalus flew along below him, he saw a bright white feather flutter through the sky and, looking up, watched in horror as more and more feathers detached themselves from his son’s wings. He watched in despair as his son began to lose height and his despair turned to total anguish as he heard the terrified cry from his son, as he tumbled and spun past him towards the sea below. It took only seconds, but it seemed like a lifetime, as Daedalus saw his son plummet through the sky with increasing speed to hit the waters below with a resounding splash. Daedalus flew low in the hope of seeing the boy appear on the surface of the churning waters but he knew that nobody could have survived such a fall and that all hope was lost. With a heavy heart, and almost exhausted, Daedalus regained the height he needed and, without looking back, set his course for the island of Sicily. There he hoped that he would be welcomed and be allowed to live a trouble-free life for the rest of his days. But however long he lived, he would never be able to forget the sound of his son’s final cry as he sped towards the water. It was only the briefest of sounds but he heard it clearly, even above the sound of the foaming waves and crying gulls – “Father, help me”.

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Greek Myths and Legends

Vocabulary

‘Only a short time ago Daedalus was being hailed as the great architect.’ What does this mean? Find a word that means promise. Find the word ‘plunged’. What synonyms could you find for this word? ‘He cast his mind back even further.’ What does that mean? What words and phrases show that Daedalus was desperately trying to warn Icarus of the consequences of flying too close to the sun?

Infer

Why was King Minos so angry with Daedalus? Why does Daedalus warn Icarus not to fly too close to the sun? How does he know that he son did not survive the fall? How did Daedalus feel as he continued his journey to Sicily?

Predict

What might happen to Daedalus once he arrives back in Sicily? Be creative but try to link it to what you have read in the text.

Explain

Explain why King Minos selected Daedalus to build the Labyrinth. Explain the role that Daedalus played in helping Theseus to escape. How is this story of Theseus different to the one on the previous home learning booklet? Why do you think this is? How did Daedalus and Icarus know how to get out of the labyrinth? How did they escape the island? Explain how a ‘flashback’ is used in this story.

Retrieve

Which sea were they flying over? What was Daedalus known and admired for? What was Daedalus tasked to do by King Minos? Who left the island with Theseus? What was the name of the island that they escaped from?

Summarise Summarise each character in 3 words and explain why you chose each of the words.

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Literacy Writing

This is linked to our theme: The Greek Legacy.

1 – Write a sequel to the story. What happens to Daedalus? How does King Minos react when he realises they’ve escaped? Is Icarus really dead? . 2 – Produce a holiday brochure for the island of Crete. 3 – Write your own adventure story involving a labyrinth. 4 – Research the history of flight and produce an information text. 5 – Using your theatre work and mask from theme, either adapt a Greek myth or write one of your own and turn it into a play script.

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Theme

Our theme is the Ancients Greeks. The main aim is to gain an understanding of the scope and range of Greek ideas, achievements and ways of life and how they are still current or

influential today (and have also been influential in past eras). Enquiry: What was the legacy of the Ancient Greeks?

Theatre In Ancient Greece, the theatre was a very important aspect of society. Crowds of 15,000 people would gather to see a play. Theatre was so important to the ancient Greeks that prisoners would be released from gaol temporarily so they could attend. Every town had at least one theatre. The ancient Greeks held drama competitions with winners for playwriting and performing. These competitions were not only held in their own towns, but also in competition with other towns. Large outdoor theatres were built on hillsides to accommodate the large number of people that attended. Theatres were built on hillsides because it allowed the audience to see what was going on in the orchestra pit - the stage area. The entire seating section was called the Theatron, which is the origin of our word theatre. Part of the reason plays were so important is that originally plays were performed to honour the God Dionysus. However, over time, many different gods got in the act especially the 12 Olympians - the major gods of ancient Greece. The Greeks were always weaving the gods into their theatre stories. Sophocles was the most famous ancient Greek playwright. He wrote 120 plays. However, there were many Greek playwrights because plays were so popular. There were three types of plays: Tragedies: The first type they invented was the tragedy. In tragedies, one or more major characters always suffered a disastrous end. Comedies: Comedies were invented next. In comedies, plays always had a happy end. The third type was the satire. Satires: Satires were plays that made fun of mortal legends and of real people. In ancient Greece, you did not poke fun at the gods - not in a play, not in real life, not ever. But you could poke fun at your leaders. And that was uniquely Greek. Satires in ancient Greece were often political in nature, and could indeed affect people's opinions about current events.

This is a

diagram of an

Ancient Greek

theatre. Why

did the ancient

Greeks build

their theatres

so large?

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Greek theatres

Greek theatres were large and semi-circular, with rows of tiered seating.

The centre was circular with an altar dedicated to Dionysus.

The stage was raised within the circle – this shape made sure all the audience could see and helped amplify the sound.

Very important visitors would sit in the front seats.

Plays

Plays were performed in Ancient Greece to honour the God Dionysus.

Dionysus was the god of theatre and wine.

The plays

Women could attend the plays, but all the actors were men (even playing the parts of women!).

Some famous playwrights include: Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides (who wrote tragedies) and Aristophanes (who wrote comedies).

The audience

The audience would throw food and a stone if they thought the acting wasn’t good enough!

The actors wore masks, bright colours for comedies and dark colours for tragedies.

You could see if someone was happy or sad by the shape of their mask.

The masks were made from fabric, stiffened with plaster.

Task Create a poster or booklet to explain how similar/ different Ancient Greek Theatre is compared to modern day theatre. You may wish to do additional research. Use the above notes to help you.

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

Greek Theatre Masks In ancient Greek drama, all the actors were men. They wore masks to indicate the character that they were playing (e.g. woman, old man) or the emotion that they were showing (e.g. anger, sadness, joy). Actors in Greek plays often played several different parts and would put on a different mask for each part that they played. The members of the chorus wore masks that were usually similar to each other, but completely different from those of the leading actors. The masks were often brightly coloured with exaggerated features e.g. large eyes, large nose and mouth. This allowed the faces to be seen by all the people in the theatre, even those sitting in the back rows. Usually the masks were made of a lightweight material:

e.g. linen, leather, cork or carved wood. To create the shape of the mask, the artist moulded the material around a marble or stone face (like papier-mâché). Human or animal hair was used for the hair. Look at the examples, think of the features, can you identify the emotion?

How to make your own Greek-style mask • Stand in front of the mirror and try to make the following expressions on your face: sad, happy, angry, scared. • Look carefully at your face and think about the shapes that your face is making, especially your eyes and mouth. • Make the expression that is best for the character that you are playing. • Draw this expression on a piece of paper, making sure that the size matches your face. (You might need someone to help you with this.) • Exaggerate your expression, so that it will be easy to work out what it is if you are looking at it from a distance. • Stick your drawing onto thick card. Remember to cut out the holes for the eyes and the mouth. (Ask someone to help you do this safely.) • Cut holes in the sides and thread elastic, string or ribbon through them, so that the mask can be tied on your head.

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

There are lots of ways to make your own mask. Use these ideas to help you – you may wish to do some more research and then have a go at planning (see next page) ad making your own.

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

My four potential Greek Theatre mask designs....

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

There are lots of ideas online, here are a few from google images

Decide on your final design, plan it on the nex page and then have a go at making it. Please take a photo and email it to school. Have fun!

Year 5 Home Learning Summer 2

My final design: