Art Gallery Trip
Today, we enjoyed a wonderful visit to Leeds Art Gallery. The visit links well with our Art topic this half term. All the children behaved impeccably and represented our school really well. We hope you have enjoyed talking about our trip at home.
At the gallery, we used shapes as inspiration to create our very own abstract art. Using view finders we found our favourite part and described what we could see. What shapes can you see? What does it remind you of?
We also looked at some of the wonderful pieces of art in the gallery. We used our bodies to make shapes that represent the art.
We enjoyed looking at different pieces of abstract art and discussing the colours, shapes and lines in each piece.
We also looked at some figurative art. We then drew round our bodies (in poses like those in the art) to add even more lines and shapes to our whole class abstract art piece.
Odd socks day
Next week is Anti-Bullying Week.
This year’s theme is ‘One Kind Word’ and we will be taking part in Odd Socks Day on Monday 15 November.
Odd socks day is to raise awareness of our differences, individuality and personal choice. Come to school wearing your odd socks to celebrate what makes us all unique.
This year, the Junior Leadership Team have requested a voluntary donation of £1 on the day to raise money for our school charity, Dog’s Trust.
Thank you for your support.
Bonfire safety
Today, two PCSO officers came into school. Year 2 thoroughly enjoyed listening to them both and asking lots of questions. The officers came into school to discuss the importance of staying safe this bonfire weekend. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend watching fireworks, holding sparklers and visiting bonfires but make sure you stay safe by following the advise from today.
Living and Learning: mental health
Our recent Living and Learning focus has been all about mental health. Teaching about mental health and emotional wellbeing is now statutory as part of Health Education.
In Year 2, our learning has included:
- we all have feelings
- solving friendship problems
- managing difficult emotions
Emotions are feelings. They can change all the time. We all experience a whole range of emotions, from anger to happiness to fear. We even managed to create an A-Z of emotions.
Feelings can be shown on people’s faces and bodies. For example:
• Can you show a happy face?
• What does an angry face look like?
• How do we look when we are excited?
• Can you show a happy body?
• What does an angry body look like?
• How does our body look when we are excited?
We discussed which feelings these characters might be experiencing and whether they might need help with their feelings.
Next, we thought about a story about friends using a ball of string as the friendship chain.
The friendship chain is passed between friends to show how the friendship could have started. One day, there might be an argument between the friends (the string would get tangled). The argument got worse and the friends fell out (the string was cut between the friends). The friends decided to try and make the friendship again (tie a knot in the string).
This was a very visual way of looking at friendships. The children thought about what sort of things can cause friendships to break and what can make friendships stronger.
Self care techniques can also help us to look after our own mental health.
Here’s a reminder of the wellbeing bingo we looked at in Year 1. These are all great ways to support our mental health and hopefully some of these can be ticked off during half term.
Finally, further information about mental health can be found on the Public Health England (PHE) ‘Every Mind Matters’ website providing NHS-endorsed tips and advice to help children and young people’s mental wellbeing and equip parents and carers with knowledge to support them.
Rugby roadshow
As part of our partnership with White Rose Rugby and Moortown Rugby Club, here is an invite to a free rugby event, just for our pupils, taking place after half term on Wednesday 3rd November. White Rose Rugby have been working with classes for curriculum PE and also delivering the Thursday after-school club.
We hope you can take up this opportunity for a fun evening at Moortown Rugby Club.
Library
Due to a change in the timetable, we will now visit the library on Fridays instead of Mondays.
The children will choose a book to keep for a week (or longer if they wish). 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 at Moor Allerton or Chapel Allerton?
Reading books will continue to be changed on Tuesdays and Fridays. Daily reading at home is very important to support your child’s reading fluency and understanding. Please comment in your child’s reading record book to show they have finished their book.
Mars from the planets
Music forms part of the Wednesday afternoon timetable for Year 2 and this piece of music, Mars from The Planets by Gustav Holst, is a focus for this half term.
We’ve also been listening to it in class and trying to recognise some of the instruments from the orchestra.
Have a listen at home and ask your child what they think of this piece of music?
Adel Tennis Club coaching
This half term, Year 1, 2 and 6 are developing and improving their tennis skills in sessions led by John Moore from Adel Tennis Academy.
Adel Tennis Academy are running half term tennis camps. Click here for more information.
After-school clubs return
Our autumn term after-school clubs return next week.
Here is the schedule that has recently been sent out to all children.
We invest part of our government PE and Sport Premium in subsidising these clubs and we hope to get as many children as possible active after-school.
If your child is interested in joining a club, please sign up via School Gateway or contact the school office.
More great learning at home
Every week, the children are rewarded with certificates from their Numbots and Lexia learning at home.
Well done to the following children this week.
Lexia
Hadi
Numbots
Keira and Aaron
Keep working hard at home!
