Climbing, swimging, jumpimg, balancing and much more!
Physical development is one of the seven areas of the early years foundation stage and is used to develop a child’s movement. Children do this in range of ways including spacial awareness when moving, co-ordination of small and large movements, how to effectively use tools and equipment, saying when they do or don’t need help.
This morning, Reception Class enjoyed their first PE lesson using ‘big apparatus.’ Since starting school in September, the children have developed skills in throwing, catching, balancing, movement and teamwork.
We were very impressed with all the children especially those who took a ‘safe risk‘ and attempted challenges despite not being confident.
PLEASE ENSURE YOUR CHILD HAS A PE KIT IN SCHOOL READY FOR THE LESSON ON A TUESDAY.
ALSO, EARRINGS MUST BE REMOVED FOR PE.
Conjunction Investigators
This Term, Year Three are becoming experts at using conjunctions throughout their writing. We have kicked our learning off this year by discussing what a coordinating conjunction is and why we use them. For an interactive video on conjunctions click here.
We discussed that we can use conjunctions to extend a sentence, join two clauses together to make a sentence and to fix or improve a squashed sentence.
We decided to investigate:
- How important conjunctions are – do real life writers of books use them a lot, a bit or not at all?
- Do both fiction and non-fiction writers use conjunctions?
We investigated by looking through the books sat in our book corner.
We found conjunctions are used regularly in both fiction and non-fiction. Therefore we discovered that to be a successful writer and make our writing interesting, we needed to master conjunctions. We focused on the conjunctions: and, so, but and or. Can your child remember any more conjunctions?
Gymnastics
First session each Monday, Year Three now have gymnastics.
The class are working on: balance, moving in various form and forward rolls. All of these skills improve their flexibility, coordination and fitness.
Can they be the teacher and show you these skills at home?
Great gymnastics, Year Three!
Hopes and Wishes for 2019
Yesterday afternoon, Year Three their hopes and wishes for 2018. We then discussed their hopes and wishes for 2019. The children had lots of lovely ideas.
We talked about reasonable, achievable goals for this year. We also talked about unreasonable wishes for 2019. Can your children remember what these words mean and give you an example of an unreasonable wish for for 2019? Is a wish for magical powers reasonable or unreasonable?
Your child took home their 2018 New Year resolutions. Can they reflect on them and discuss how they are going to achieve their goals for 2019?
A lovely start!
I hope everyone’s holidays were lovely.
It’s been an enjoyable, action-packed start to the Spring term today. We’re exploring poetry this week and so spent the morning reading poems, sharing our thoughts with each other and creating performances in groups and as a class.
Y6 have come back ready to learn with smiley faces and a great attitude.
Living and Learning
- Drug, alcohol and tobacco education (DATE)
- Keeping safe and managing risk
Here are the weekly Living and Learning statements, for this half term, to support this learning.
- I don’t interrupt (with my mouth or my hand).
- I can make things better.
- I know what a drug is.
- I know how to seek help.
- I make safe choices, including online.
- I can assess my own risks.
Keeping active
As part of our commitment to being a happy and healthy school, we’re always looking at ways to increase our pupils’ physical activity both in and out of school.
The government’s childhood obesity plan has set out the ambition for all children to achieve 60 minutes, or more, of physical activity every day (30 minutes in school and 30 minutes outside of school).
In response to this aim, we’ve compiled a physical activity guide suggesting out-of-school physical activities available to families in our local area.
The information on the guide is correct as of November 2018. Keep an eye out on our news and class news pages where will promote any new activities throughout the year.
We’d love to hear feedback about any activities you or your child try based on this guide.
Living and Learning: manners
We always encourage and model good manners and each half term we have a different manners focus.
As we approach Christmas, and other celebrations, this is a time for giving and receiving presents so we thought about the importance of using these manners.
We also thought about other times to use please and thank you…
- In the dinner hall
- If someone opens the door for you
- If you are given something
- At mealtime
- If someone has helped you
- If you are given a compliment
Living and Learning: Identity
Over this half term, our Living and Learning theme has been Identity.
Firstly, we considered there were lots of things the same about each other but everyone is different too.
Nobody is exactly the same, everyone is unique.
Children were invited to bring in something to share with the class that made them special. We learnt lots about each other including the different religions the children follow (or in some cases don’t follow), speaking different languages, having different interests and achievements and hearing about their family including their origins (Eleanor is half Irish).
In our following lesson, we learnt about our roles and responsibilities at home and at school (also linking back to our 8 Rs for learning) and why it is important to take responsibility (including in the community around us).
We acted out some different roles and responsibilities and considered whether they are easy or difficult, which they do well or not so well and willingly or less willingly.
Our action plan was to think about one way to take responsibility.
‘I can take responsibility by practising my reading, maths and writing at home. ‘
‘I can take responsibility by tidying my bedroom.’
‘I can take responsibility by looking after my brother.’
‘I can take responsibility by taking care of my cat.’
‘I can take responsibility by helping with the cooking at home.’
The whole point of art!
Last week, we looked at famous artists and their work. First up was Georges Seurat who is most famous for his Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.
Seurat invented a style of artwork – pointillism! This involves sometimes millions of tiny dots placed intricately in patterns to create an image.
First, we sketched some ideas. Once we’d chosen a final design, we drew out our scene.
Next came the whole point of the exercise – filling in the dots! It was quite time consuming but very strangely relaxing. We took it as an opportunity for some mindfulness and dotted away whilst listening to calming music.
The results were pretty astounding!
