Maths – fun online games
We use a website called Top Marks in maths. There are lots of fun games that help children use the maths they are learning at school. In 1,2B this week we have played Place Value Basketball.
Help at home by going on Numbots for maths facts or Top Marks for other maths games.
Exploring Nursery and making friends
Yellow group are settling well into Nursery routines and have been busily exploring both independently and with their friends. You’ll see lots of engaged, happy faces in these photos!
We don’t always catch everyone on camera to share each week, but we try to post a photo of everyone over the term. Remember to check each week to see what we’ve been learning and for ways to continue this at home.
The Magic Paintbrush
The Magic Paintbrush
This week, we have focused on the story The Magic Paintbrush. We began by listening to the story for enjoyment. After becoming familiar with the story, we were then able to discuss the main events and characters.
The children then explored what they would do if they had a magic paintbrush.
Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog (it’s along the play bar) and turn off auto play – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip.
Maths
This week, we have consolidated our understanding of the composition of 5. We used the nursery rhyme 5 little speckled frogs to investigate different ways of making 5. By using part whole models and 10 frames, the children were able to represent their understanding in a range of ways.
Use the sentence 5 is made of __ and ___ to describe these images.
Phonics
This week, the children have learnt some new digraphs and trigraphs – a digraph/trigraph consists of ‘two/three letters that make one sound’. Ask your child to tell you the sounds the digraphs/trigraphs below make.
ur ow oi ear
Before reading a word we always look for any digraphs/trigraphs (two/three letters that make one sound). Then, we say the sound the digraph makes. Finally, we sound out the word and blend it together – using our phoneme (the sound a letter makes) fingers! This helps your child identify the digraphs/trigraphs (two/three letters that make one sound) before reading a word.
Find the diagraphs/trigraphs before reading these words.
hurt how coin fear
Poetry Picnic
Each week, we will be learning a new poem. We will recite this poem each day. By saying the poem out loud we can focus on the sounds and rhythm of each word or line. This week’s poem is ‘Jack and Jill’.
PE
This week, reception has continued to develop their balancing skills in a Foot Tech session and on the equipment.
Stay and Play – Funky Phonics
Thank you to all the adults that were able to join our stay and play sessions this week.
Learning in our areas
This week, we have explored Lunar New year. The children were able to compare the celebration to their own experiences.
I’ve seen fireworks before. We had them on New Years Eve.
I saw them (fireworks) on bonfire night.
I had new clothes on Christmas day.
Reminders
Swimming/Football
Spring 1 – swimming
Rainbow Class- 4 Jan, 18 Jan, 1 Feb
Sunshine Class- 11 Jan, 25 Jan, 8 Feb
When your child is not swimming, they will be taking part in Foot Tech Football sessions. Please ensure your child comes in PE kit every Wednesday, including suitable trainers.
Reading
Reading Records – return to school each Friday
Library books – return on Thursdays
Geography and reading
This week, we have been using our geography and reading skills to edit a Jamboard of our local environment- school. We have been matching photographs from our local environment with the correct captions.
Science: Out of this world!
As part of our Science topic of Space, we have been looking at the planets which make up our system and exploring the idea that the solar system is heliocentric (that the sun is at the centre of the solar system).
To help us understand this more easily we can use models to bring these concepts to life. To show the sizes of the planets in relation to one another, we have used various fruit to make a model of the solar system. In terms of the distance of each planet from the sun, we used a roll of toilet paper to measure each planet’s distance from the sun, and used differing number of pupils to show their size. Understanding the position of each planet in relation to the sun helped with our final model where we replicated each planet’s orbit speed. The key learning point from this model was that the closer the planet is to the sun, the quicker its orbit speed due to an increased gravitational pull.
Our pupils have had a lot of fun this week bringing the solar system to life in various ways!
Science: You can’t use a floppy fork!
This half-term in Science, we are looking at materials in KS1. This week, we looked at some objects that could be made using different materials. We studied each object and their properties to work out which material was best for each object and why.
We tested; forks, plates and cups.
Here’s what we found out:
1A
‘The best material for a fork is metal because it is strong.’
‘The worst material for a fork is fabric because it is floppy.’
1/2B
‘The best plates are ceramic if we are at home because they are hard but plastic in school because they are safer.’
2C
‘Paper is not a sensible material for a cup because it leaks.’
‘Plastic is the best material for a cup because it is strong but will not smash if it is dropped.’
Help at home by looking at objects and what they are made of. What are the properties of the materials used?
Geography – local walk
Today, we visited 5 different places in our local area. We followed a route on a map to find local landmarks. This is because we are being geographers this half term and studying our locality. We looked for both human and physical features in our locality. We kept safe by wearing our high vis jackets, staying with our partners and listening to the adults.
Help at home by supporting your child to learn their address and postcode.
PE: moving
We were very excited this week to get the apparatus out for PE. The children set up stations in which they would have to use different moving skills. They were using balance and coordination to move safely across the apparatus and even thought of creative ways to move across the equipment. The most popular activities were the rope ladders and ropes. These both require a lot of upper body strength to get to the top. The 8 Rs for learning were definitely applied in this lesson! Some children faced their fears too – overcoming their fear of heights to tackle the activities. An important part of the lesson was also talking about how to be safe on the equipment so no-one got injured – the children knew how to safely move the equipment.
Leeds United Positive Choices Workshop
This morning, year 6 had a visit from Vicky at Leeds United. During the session we discussed a range of topics: anti social behaviour, legal ages, making positive choices, using social media safely and consequences for our actions.
Class 5/6A News
A whirlwind week in Class 5/6A has seen us travel all around the world and beyond, plan to rob a train, and get to grips with multiplication. Let’s take a closer look.
In Maths, Year 5 have begun to look at multiplying four digit numbers by a one digit number. Having a solid knowledge of times tables will be essential for our pupils to succeed with this learning. How to help: Support your child’s learning by encouraging use of Times Tables Rockstars at home on a daily basis. The Soundcheck option allows pupils to test all of their times table knowledge, or they can choose to focus on a particular number.
Our Writing focus has been on using speech to convey a character’s personality and advance the plot of a story. The pupils have been using the short silent-film ‘Ruckus’, based on two thieves looking to rob a train to steal a jewel, to come up with a script to develop their skills in advancing the plot. They then acted this out in front of the rest of the class. I was really impressed with the quality of their dialogue, mix of colloquial expressions, and variety of ways to convey feeling.
In Topic we have looked at the effects of climate change on two separate parts of the world; Greenland and the Solomon Islands. The concept of interdependence, and how events in one part of the world can affect another, was our focus, as the melting ice caps in Greenland, are contributing to the rising sea levels which puts island nations such as the Solomon Islands at risk.
During our circle time as part of Living and Learning, we have been continuing our discussions around understanding what a drug is, and providing strategies to handle peer pressure. We had a very enthusiastic and thought-provoking discussion around how young people can be influenced by many different parties when it comes to drugs, and role-played being able to make good choices around our health.
Science saw us explore the planets within our solar system, and come up with memorable mnemonics to help us remember the order. My personal favourite is My Very Elderly Mother Just Served Us Nachos (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune).
There’s just time to congratulate our certificate winners this week.
Great Learning – Gene. Consistently showing a great attitude to learning, and excellent presentation.
P.E – Esme. A real team player. Gives 100% in each task, and wowed with her basketball dribbling.
Living and Learning – Bethenny. Mature, composed and considerate, she is a valuable contributor to each of our group discussions.
Have a great weekend!
Mr. Robson
P.S below are two incredible pieces of artwork by Esme Clarke in Year 5. She has drawn some superb pictures of Wednesday and Tyler from the film “Wednesday”.
