Experimenting with different media – art
On Monday, we had the chance to experiment with using watercolour paint and watercolour pencils (Learning: To be able to use different media). We had a go with each and decided which one we’ll use to add detail to our illustrations – some people decided they’d use both! Our illustrations will be of ourselves but in the style of Oliver Jeffers, the author and illustrator of ‘The Incredible Book Eating Boy’.
Here’s a few images of us showing off our best concentration faces:
And, a few good examples from our sketch books:
Computing – with no computers?
We started a computing project this week – without computers! Y6 reminded me what an algorithm was and discussed what made successful and unsuccessful algorithms.
We practised trying to give oral algorithms by drawing a simple picture and then instructing a friend to draw the same (without seeing it first).
Here were some that actually ended up being very similar and we decided it was because the picture was simple in the first place; the instructions given were step by step; and the instructions included descriptions of where to draw things and how big to draw things.
In pairs, we then created some written instructions to try and get me (Miss Rushbrooke) from the front of the classroom to outside the fire door. I walked into walls, banged by shins, ended up in the cupboard, but – after refining their algorithms as a result of other people’s mistakes – a couple of groups managed to get me outside.
Key Stage 2 tuck shop
Our fruit tuck shop returns next Tuesday, 19 September. The tuck shop is available for Years 3 – 6 at playtime every Tuesday and we regularly sell over 100 portions of fruit every week.
The cost per portion of 20p remains the same this year and children can either pay weekly by bringing money on the day or take advantage of our pre-payment offer of one free week per term.
Please return the prepayment reply slip by the end of the week if you would like your child to have that option.
Here are some quotes about our tuck shop from the recent pupil health questionnaires.
- ‘It is excellent as you get a range of different fruits.’
- ‘I think tuck shop has yummy fruits.’
- ‘You are selling healthy stuff which is good for us.’
- ‘You don’t feel hungry during lesson time.’
- ‘I really like it as it is a nice healthy snack.’
- ‘It’s very good and keeps our school healthy.’
- ‘You get to have fruit at a low price and it helps you to have one of your 5 a day.’
Library
Year 2 will be visiting the school library on Mondays. This will be part of our reading sessions and half the class will spend the session in the library relaxing and reading. The other half of the class will visit the library the following Monday.
The children will choose a book (to bring home) and will keep the book for two weeks. Children should take responsibility to return their library book to school after this time to be ready to choose a new book.
Have you visited local libraries nearby, too? As well as borrowing books from Moor Allerton or Chapel Allerton libraries, have a look at the different events that take place there.
Flexible bodies
In our Friday PE this half term, we will concentrate on balance, shape and teamwork. This will build up to dance related sessions with the children performing a short sequence of movements by the end. Children will plan, perform and repeat short sequences that include changes of speed and level, with clear shapes and quality of movement.
In most of these lessons, the children will work in bare feet. However, if your child has any problems with that, such as verrucas or blisters, then they can leave their footwear on.
For our first lesson, we focused on shape and balance. Children were asked to create shapes using their bodies only. Following that, we looked at which part of our bodies we could balance safely on.
There were some superb balances taking place. In a small group, the children then had to incorporate an object into their balance and hold it for three seconds. This was tricky but I was impressed by the determination shown to be able to achieve this.
Take a look at some photos of our work below.
Lots and lots of art
We’re reading a book called The Incredible Book Eating Boy at the moment and, during our topic lessons, we’re trying to create our own piece of art in the style of Oliver Jeffers.
We’ve had a look at his art and compared it something that has similarities and differences.
Then, we practised drawing in the style of Oliver Jeffers which we notice included rather large heads and very thin arms and legs.
We also noticed that it looked like he used watercolour to create light and shadow in his illustrations so we practised that, too, ready for creating a final piece of art next week.
Marvellous Maths
Year 6 have had some great Maths lessons this week, recapping some previous learning while honing our explanation and justification skills.
We’ve been reading, writing, comparing and ordering numbers up to 10,000,000 and managed to achieve some fantastic learning while playing some really fun games.
See whether your child can explain what we were doing here and teach you the game, too.
Welcome back to Y3!
What a fantastic first week of this Autumn term! I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to your children recount their summer adventures and getting to know them a little better.
This week, in Maths, we’ve been working on counting and place value using hundreds, tens and ones. I have been so impressed with the children’s ability to explain their reasoning, which is very tricky!
Our class novel for the first two weeks is Orion and the Dark, a book about a boy who explores his greatest fear on an adventure. We were inspired to write our own descriptions of monsters:
We have also been designing our own real life monsters using our descriptive plans…
… and our sketch books!
We’ll make our monsters out of clay next week, so watch this space!
This week’s Living and Learning theme has been “I greet someone politely”. We discussed what this means and the different ways you can achieve this in our first circle time:
A highlight of ours this week has got to be this humongous courgette brought in for show and tell. The children (and I!) had lots of questions!
Thank you to all the children for working extremely hard to make our first week so amazing. I am very excited for the journey ahead.
Welcome to Reception!
We’ve been busy preparing the classroom this week and thinking about all the exciting activities planned for the coming year.
Please bring your child on the day and time you have been given.
Looking forward to seeing you all next week!
Hot and cold countries
We’ve been using atlases in a geography lesson to locate hot and cold countries. Children have learnt that countries close to the poles are cold but that countries closer to the equator are hotter. 
