Science: plants
We’ve come to the end of the first of our plants topic and all the children planted seeds from the Innocent Big Grow project to grow at home. Keep us posted on how they grow.
We’ve had some vocabulary, and their definitions, to learn for this topic so we had a matching pairs quiz to check our final understanding.
Investigative science is also part of our learning in the shared area. Here the children can observe and sort a range of seeds. How are they different? How are they the same?
Our potato plants are starting to break through the soil. We observed them carefully.
They are growing.
They are starting to sprout.
The stems are getting taller.
Some leaves are starting to grow.
They are breaking through!
Living and Learning: making a democratic decision
It was a busy last day of the spring term. As well as our heroes day, another important event happened too – the Junior Leadership Team elections. This is the new name for our school council.
A huge well done to all the nineteen candidates from Year 1 who took a safe risk and spoke confidently in front of the class to say why they would make a good junior leader. Any one of the children would have done a great job.
Once the speeches were complete, we learnt about the voting process. All the children cast their vote and posted this in our ballot box.
Our current school councillors had an important job of taking our ballot box over to Mrs Weekes for counting. They have represented the class very well over the last year.
Once the votes had been counted, we heard it was very close and it was very tense as we waited to find out.
Finally, we heard that our new JLT members were Sophie and Charlie – well done to you both. We are confident they will represent the class well.
We want all our children to use their pupil voice to make suggestions for items to be discussed at JLT meetings so they are encouraged to use our Living and Learning box to let our new junior leaders know their views and ideas!
Heroes day tomorrow and supporting your child at home
Firstly, as part of our current History topic, ‘Heroes’, Key Stage 1 are looking forward to having our ‘Not All Heroes Wear Capes’ themed day on Thursday 1 April.
Thank you to all the parents (and children) who attended our virtual parents’ evening this week. It was great to share your child’s progress and to check they have settled back into school ok.
While there is no homework or spellings during the Easter break, here are a few things that might be useful to look at with your child.
Handwriting
Here’s a link to a video showing the cursive letter formation that we use in school and also our handwriting guide.
Lexia
Please continue to work on Lexia until your child has achieved their Level 5 certificate.
Phonics Play
For those children who have reached Level 5 in Lexia, Phonics Play is an option for practising phonics at home. The login details are username Sphere and password is Spher3.
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!
Little and often is best for these resources as well as reading at home.
Not forgetting self care, here’s a bingo game that you might want to try.
It’s been lovely to have all the children back in school for the last few weeks and we wish you all a happy and healthy Easter break. Stay safe and well!
Maths: Numbers to 20
In maths, the children have been investigating numbers to twenty. By engaging in rich discussion, the class have been able to reason and explain the ideas presented. Over the last few weeks, the children have grasped new concepts well. Have a go at these activities at home.
Today, we played a place value game using a 100 square. The children took it in turns to hide two numbers. Then, their partner had to work out which numbers were missing by using mathematical language and by looking for patterns in the 100 square.
Yorkshire Dance virtual dance workshops
Yesterday, all classes took part in dance workshops, led by dance artist Ellen, as part of the Yorkshire Dance RE:FRESH dance festival.
From Reception to Year 6, all the children copied, explored and performed different dance moves in their workshops.
While we can’t have visitors in school at the moment, this was a great virtual project we could get involved with.
Here are some comments from the Year 1 children.
I loved it because of all the moves we did.
I loved it because I like all the animals.
I liked to see you smiling.
It was amazing and you were amazing, Ellen.
Living and Learning:NSPCC Speak out. Stay safe.
This half term, we were due to welcome a NSPCC representative and Buddy to school for their Speak out. Stay safe. assembly but instead we took part in the online assembly.
During the assembly, we heard about different situations where children might not feel safe.
We thought about which grown-ups would be good to talk to in school and out of school (start telling other people). Brothers, sisters and friends would also be good to talk to and to listen to how the children might be feeling but telling a grown-up would be the best thing to do to get help.
Our Living and Learning box, in the classroom, is another way the children can speak out and write down any worries.
We also heard about Childline – ask your child to show you the way to remember the number.
Finally, Buddy Zone, on the Childline website, has some games and activities for the children to do.
Maths
Not all heroes wear capes day Thursday 1 April
As part of our current History topic, ‘Heroes’, Key Stage 1 are having a ‘Not All Heroes Wear Capes’ themed day on Thursday 1 April.
Throughout this topic, we are learning about real life heroes, past and present. The topic is not about fictional superheroes. Instead, we have been exploring real heroes in everyday life (emergency service workers and influential heroes such as Sir Tom Moore, Nelson Mandela and Leonora Cohen).
As the children missed World Book Day, and the chance to dress up as their favourite book character, we thought this would be a great opportunity for children to come to school dressed up as a hero. It could even be someone that you know personally and consider a hero.
Please consider the following:
- instead of having the expense of buying anything new, have fun creating your hero outfit
- no face paint
- make sure their costume does not need support from an adult during the day eg when they go to the toilet
- look at the ideas below to support you in thinking of a hero or a costume think about heroes in our history and everyday heroes and not fictional superheroes
If you would like any more ideas, please feel free to talk to contact us.
History: Inspirational people
This term, our history topic is all about two inspiring, significant individuals. The children are learning who these people were, what they believed in and what changed because of them. Throughout the topic, the children will use words and phrases relating to time and chronology (eg old, new, past, a very long time ago, present, ancient, modern).
With each topic, we have vocabulary for the children to learn and use. Here are the words and their definitions for this history based topic. Ask your child about these words at home – can they remember what they mean?
- equality – being treated fairly and having the same chances in life
- rights – the basic things people need to live (eg food, housing) and reach their potential ( eg education, safety)
- apartheid – a system that keeps people apart, usually because of different skin colour
- racism – treating people differently because of the colour of their skin, their religious beliefs or their culture
- suffragette – a woman who campaigned for the right for women to vote
- protest – people coming together to show others that they are against an idea or an event
- impact – a strong and powerful effect on something or someone
- belief – a strongly held opinion that something is right
Throughout history, lots of people around the world have faced discrimination – where they are treated differently because of their race, skin colour, gender, age and lots of other things, too. Sadly, it still happens to this day! But there are some amazing people who have worked hard to make a change for better, and help us move towards a world where everyone is treated fairly and equally. One such person is Nelson Mandela.
The children were totally immersed in the learning and there were lots of questions about the apartheid laws. Ask your child about this.
Why were black people treated differently?
How long did Nelson Mandela go to prison for?
Suffragettes
What happens when people feel they are being unfairly treated? Leonora Cohen was a suffragette, she was actively involved in the fight for women to have the right to vote in elections. This week, we have a live Zoom call from Abbey House Museum in Leeds. The children learnt lots of interesting facts about Leonora’s life, beginning with her birth in Hunslet, Leeds.
How many times did Leonora go to prison?
Why did Leonora travel to London and how did she feel?
Ask your child about the pictures below. What can they remember?
Plants
Our new science topic this half term is…
With each topic, we have vocabulary for the children to learn and use. Here are the words and their definitions for this topic. We often make up actions to match the words to help us remember them. Ask your child about these words at home – can they remember what they mean?
Our first lesson back in school was to learn about the parts of a plant. This video helps to understand the different parts and what their jobs are.
Can your child name the parts of the plant shown below?
The class worked in groups to compose their own plant made up of all the different parts.
We’re also taking part in the Grow your own potatoes project.
The first job was to plant the potatoes.
We’ll be observing the potatoes as the plants start to grow.
Finally, if there are any budding gardeners in the class, this article gives some ideas for children to do at home.
