Topic: Design and Technology
As our last half term in Year Three is underway, here is what we are learning about this half term in topic.
Design and Technology!
We will be learning about the design process to make our own Go-Kart prototypes.
So far, we have learnt what a typical design process looks like and what a design criteria is. Another piece of vocabulary we have learnt about is product.
Below are our pieces of vocabulary for this half term. See if your child can remember any of our learning so far!
The Tortoise and the Hare
Last week, the children were focusing on Aesop’s fables. We read a few of them throughout the week. The one we focused on the most was, The Tortoise and the Hare. Once the children had listened and read the story, they worked as group to sequence it using pictures and captions.
Then, the children moved on to creating their own story map. Here are a few examples of their brilliant work.
Finally, the children retold the story in their own words. Take a look at some of the amazing examples.
Living and Learning: Body Image
In our first Living and Learning session this half term, we learnt all about body image and what that means.
What is body image?
Body image describes our idea of how our body looks and how we think it is perceived by others. This can include our thoughts and feelings about our height, weight, shape, skin, colour, and our appearance and attractiveness more broadly.
We started by looking at different activities such as running, painting, swimming and playing music and decided how confident we were with each.
We then, as a class, thought of lots of ways we are different to each other.
We came up with: different heights, weights, body builds, complexions, hair colours, eye colours, preferences, likes/dislikes, abilities, interests.
We then put these into three categories:
- things we can’t change (eye colour)
- things we could change by practising (swimming, maths)
- things that will change over time (height, weight, preferences)
To conclude the session, we all anonymously wrote down one thing we thought we were good at on a slip of paper. These were then read out and if you shared that idea, then you put up your hand.
This allowed us to see that although we may look different, we all share similar strengths and weaknesses.
Here are some pictures of us sorting the ways we are different into the three categories.
Cricket opportunities
Resources for learning at home
As we start the last half term of Year 1, here are a few reminders about supporting your child’s learning.
Reading books
Reading books will continue to be changed on PE days – Tuesday and Thursday. Please add a brief comment, or simply your name and a tick, in your child’s reading record book so we know your child has read at home and is ready to have a new book. Daily reading is important to develop your child’s reading fluency so children should be changing their book at least weekly if not both Tuesday and Thursday. Thank you.
Lexia
Please continue to work on Lexia until your child has achieved their Level 5 certificate and has completed the Year 1 learning.
Phonics Play
For those children who have reached Level 5 in Lexia, Phonics Play can be accessed for practising phonics at home. The login details are username Sphere and password is Spher3.
Handwriting
We are doing lots of handwriting in class. Here’s a link to a video showing the cursive letter formation that we use in school and also our handwriting guide.
Numbots
Numbots is a maths resource, based on building addition and subtraction skills, that can be accessed by children at home using their individual logins (please email if you need these resending). We now have a weekly leader board for Numbots so keep working hard to earn those coins!
Hit the button is another maths resource we use in class especially for number bonds practice and more recently for learning doubles.
Little and often is best for these resources. If you need any login information for your child, please contact us.
Living and Learning: Body Image
This week’s Living and Learning theme surrounded body image.
First, we thought about what the term body image meant to us.
Next, we discussed school’s definition and compared the different definitions that we’d talked about.
We thought about what in our lives might be influencing us to think a certain way. This might be a pressure to look or act like others.
Something we kept returning to was the fact that you should love who you are and it doesn’t matter what height or weight you are or what colour hair or skin you’ve got. It matters what’s on the inside and respecting yourself.
Nobody on earth is youer than you! Celebrate what makes you unique.
Lastly, we discussed the power of words.
Imagine everyone carries around an imaginary bucket and it gets filled with the words people say to them.
Would you rather have your bucket filled with positivity or negativity? The former, of course!
To match our L&L statement for the week (I can pay and receive compliments in a sensible way), we filled each other’s buckets with positivity!
It was important to focus our compliments on the inside rather than outside – things people can actually change.
A busy week!
This week has been very busy and very hot.
The children have enjoyed the new playground and spending time learning outdoors.
Our theme this half term will be ‘Journeys’. We have been thinking about the types of journeys we take and how we get there. Please send photos of any journeys your children make-even if it’s just walking to school!
Literacy
We are reading the book ‘The train ride’ and writing about where we would like to go on a train.
Phonics
We are still learning to blend and segment words with 4 or more letters. The children are all attempting to write a sentence and using full stops and capital letters.
Maths
This week’s focus is doubling.
The children have learnt that double means ‘twice as many’. They have been building doubles using real objects and mathematical equipment. 
Please remember to send children with a sunhat and apply suncream as we are making the most of this sunny weather.
Keep sending those ‘wow’ moments and any questions to:
moortowneyfs@spherefederation.org
New playground and some mindfulness
Today, Year 1 were able to enjoy using our new front playground equipment.
After expelling all their energy, the class settled down to some calming mindfulness exercises. For children, mindfulness can offer relief from whatever difficulties they might be encountering in life. It also gives them the beauty of being in the present moment.
Below is a link for you to enjoy some mindfulness techniques with your child.
Mindfulness Meditation for Kids | BREATHING EXERCISE | Guided Meditation for Children – YouTube
Design & Technology: Eggy needs help!
To kick off their last ever half term (!), Y6 are beginning a design and technology journey!
We had an urgent message from someone asking for our help…
We took a look at our new vocabulary and decided how confident we felt as a class.
- red = I’ve never heard this term before and have no clue what it means!
- amber = I’ve heard of it but wouldn’t be able to fully explain.
- green = I’m super confident about this word in a DT context!
Here are the definitions! Get practising!
Finally, we explored the materials for our project which includes tools, such as a hacksaw and hand drill, and materials, such as wood and cork.
Here’s what we thought:
- “I’m excited for the making stage,” said Leo.
- “I’m excited to work in a group and cooperate with people,” Safiya-Mishal beamed.
- “I’m excited to see what other people make!” Musa said.
- “I’m excited to plan it because it’s going to be fun to draw what it will look like,” explained Alishbah.
- “I look forward to designing Eggy’s car because it’ll give me a lot of ideas and I’m creative,” said Pollyanna.
- “I’m excited to use the tools because they look so interesting. I’ve not done it before!” enthused Joude.
- “I can’t wait to test it to see if the egg will fall out or if my car will stay intact!” said Moh.
- “I’m looking forward to everything!” exclaimed Daisy.
Maths: fractions
This morning, we’ve been recapping what we know about fractions.
Ask your child about the following things:
numerator, denominator, equal parts, unit fractions, non-unit fractions
