Living and Learning: First News – body image
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.
During our Living and Learning session this week, Year 4 discussed connections between advertising and body image.
We thought about how advertising can be creative and filled with ideas that come alive with drama, excitement and humour. However, this commercial messaging can have a negative impact on how we see ourselves.
Should we compare ourselves to what we see in advertisements?
No because we are all different.
No one looks the same.
It is important that pupils are media literate to help them to better understand advertising and its influences on sensitive subjects such as body image
Each week, the latest edition of the ‘First News’ newspaper is enjoyed by lots of classes across school. This child friendly paper is a great resource for exploring UK and international news stories.
The paper covers politics to entertainment, sports to science and everything in between. Year 4 regularly enjoy reading the latest stories. This valuable resource provides the children with an accessible way to understand the world. It enriches their wordly knowledge, encourages curiosity and builds confidence in sharing ideas and opinions.
This week , Year 4 shared an article that linked well to out Living and Learning focus: body image.
A young girl from Norfolk, featured in a stunning photo exhibition about a rare skin condition.
She said: “I know I look different to other children but my birthmark has never really bothered me, it’s just a small part of who I am.
The photo series, called, How Do You C Me Now?, promotes the message ‘love the skin you’re in’ and is a celebration of difference. The children had discussions with each other about this story. Following that, we all shared our thoughts together. 
She has a beautiful face.
It doesn’t matter what you look like. It is ‘what’s inside’ that is important.
We shouldn’t make judgements.
We then discussed possible reasons for the girl in the picture to want to take part in an exibition.
To show people that body image shouldn’t be something to be ashamed of.
She is brave and wants to celebrate differences.
Maybe she has been bullied about the way she looks.
The girl isn’t worried about how she looks. More people should be aware.
She may have to deal with negative comments from strangers or children at school.
She isn’t embarrassed about looking different. She wants to celebrate it.
Living and Learning – Body Image
This half term, Y5 have been learning about why it’s good to be us. We also learnt about body image.
We watched a shocking video which showed the extensive airbrushing models undertake and discussed why this is damaging! Ask your child to explain why.
Advertising is all around us. It’s for everybody and should be representative of everybody. We watched some clips of more empowering advertising that might make people feel better about their body image.
Well done to all!
A huge well done to all the children for their recent production ‘Fee Fi Fo Fum.’
We have had many compliments regarding the performance.
The children’s production last night was fantastic, I laughed so hard. I cannot believe how they knew all those songs by heart, just goes to show they are like sponges at that age!
This was possibly the best show I have seen at Moortown.
We loved the jokes.
All the cast looked like their were having such a great time!
Songs were fantastic.
Many thanks for helping us out with the costumes and well done to the staff for sorting all the props.
Big Pedal
Thank you to all families who have taken part in the Big Pedal this week by making an active journey to school – the weather has certainly helped.
In some pupil interviews this week, one of the unsafe places around school that was quoted by a child was, ‘outside the school gates if there are lots of cars stopping’. Travelling actively not only supports our physical and mental health but keeps cars away from outside school making our pupils and families safer on their journey to school.
It’s the final day of the Big Pedal tomorrow so let’s hope we can keep our participation rate as high. After day 3, we are 83rd out of 500 schools taking part in the small primary school category.
Living and learning: Body Image
For the last part of this half term, our living and learning lessons have been focusing on body image.
- their own identity
- what makes them unique
- looking at their appearance
- appreciating their own unique facial appearance
- recognising that differences between us are not just related to appearance
- knowing more about themselves
- accepting and valuing their own abilities
Whenever we take photos of the children for the website, as well as having parental consent (permission), we always ask for the children’s consent to do this too. To reinforce this understanding of giving consent, all the children were asked to put a tick if they gave their consent to have their photo taken with their learning or a cross if they did not. They had the right to say no. As you can see below, one child didn’t give their consent to having their photo taken this time.
How to get active locally
With the holidays coming up, here is a reminder of some local physical activities that you and your child might like to get involved with.
The comprehensive physical activity guide was produced to signpost parents and carers to help children achieve the governments recommended daily 30 minutes of physical activity outside of school.
Leeds Gymnastics Easter camps
Leeds Gymnastics, who run one of our after-school clubs, are holding gym camps during the upcoming holidays. Contact them direct to book places.
School meals – parent/carer feedback and pupil voice
The School Council have recently discussed an idea we received from a parent about our school meals. Currently, where there is a meal served with a side, such as curry and rice, the curry would be served on top of the rice. The suggestion was made to have the curry served alongside the rice giving the children the choice to mix the two parts of their main meal if they wish.
The School Council held a vote to decide this democratically. The result of the vote, nine votes to one, was to change to have the part of the meal served separately. This has been fed back to the Catering Leeds kitchen team and will start immediately.
Thank you for your comments of how we can improve or make changes to our current meals.
A great start to the Big Pedal
After day one of the Big Pedal, we are 38th out of 500 schools in the small school category – the top school in Leeds! Brilliant news. The leaderboard can be viewed via the Sustrans Big Pedal website.
Well done everyone – keep your active travel going, great for you and great for the environment.
Remember active travel counts as walking, park and stride, scooting and biking. Supporter (parents/carers, siblings and staff) travel counts too.
Let’s keep those numbers high for the rest of the week and hopefully we’ll move up the leader board and be in with the chance to win prizes.
Year 2 skipping festival
This week, Year 2 will be taking part in a skipping workshop led by Jodi from Skipping School. Following the workshop, the children will continue to learn their new skills at school before we take part in the Leeds wide skipping competition. We would love for the children to continue developing these skipping skills at home too so we will be selling skipping ropes next Thursday and Friday in class.
The ropes will be on sale at a subsided price, funded by our PE Premium, of £2 (normal price £5).
If your child is interested in buying a rope, please send the correct money, if possible, to school next Thursday.
We can’t wait to get skipping!