Amazing mazes from the Year 3 scientists!
As part of our mini Topic (Forces: Magnets) Year 3 have become scientists and have been identifying magnetic and non-magnetic materials.
We have also been identifying everyday objects that have magnetic components in. We discovered some games use magnetic forces to add to the excitement of playing them.
With this in mind, we decided to make magnetic mazes. The class shared their real-life maze experiences and we came up with a criteria for a good made. This included lots of dead-ends to trick the player and a clear start and finish point.
We started by drawing on the tables!
Don’t worry though, it was only with our whiteboard pens!
Then we were restricted by a smaller square, drawn onto the table, to practise drawing a maze on a much smaller scale.
Then we drew our mazes onto our bottles. The aim of the maze was to get the paperclip out of the bottle without touching it or tipping the bottle over.
We used magnets to attract the paperclips and trace our maze routes. We knew we were successful by getting the paperclip to the finish line.
Can your child remember the word that we use to describe what happens when a magnetic object is placed near a magnet?
Amazing mazes year 3. Well done!
Living and Learning
This week in Living and Learning, the statement is: I respect my community and other communities.
Year 3 explored the meaning of community. We discovered we are part of different communities. We are also part of a shared community at Moortown Primary School. We also talked about the fact that we are able to be a part of several communities at the same time.
Aadil shared that he is also part of a community at his Islamic school.
Harman shared he is also part of a community at his football club.
We discovered that we gain different skills from different communities: swimming, languages, gymnastics, socialising with different people, dance and caring for others and the environment.
We spoke about the fact that it is nice to be a part of a community as it gives us a sense of belonging.
Living Streets update
We are pleased to work alongside the Living Streets local Moortown group to support our aim for children to make healthy, active and safe journeys to school. Here is an update from the group.
A BIG THANK YOU!
Both Living Streets UK and Living Streets Moortown would like to say a big thank you for all the noticeable improvements you have helped to bring about on journeys to and from school this year:
• Reduction in parking in Allerton Avenue (which is access only for residents) and on the double yellow or zig-zag lines adjacent to the school
• Reduction in vehicles mounting the pavement near to the school
• Reduction in vehicles parked with engines idling
• Increase in the number of families opting to Park & Stride from M&S* when driving is unavoidable
* M&S has 200 free 2-hour spaces available and the short walk to school is much safer and more enjoyable with fewer cars passing through key crossing points on the routes to school (such as Allerton Avenue and the
shopping parade entrance & exits).
This is fantastic progress and with continued support from all the families at Moortown we’ll see further improvements in air quality, safer ‘vehicle-free’ pavements and more families choosing to make and enjoy active trips to school.
OUR CURRENT PRIORITIES
While all the improvements we have seen around the school gates are encouraging, there is still a lot to be done. Cars, vans and HGVs continue to be driven up footpaths and recently there appears to be an increase in drivers passing through the main M&S lights while the green man is on so please be mindful of this when crossing.
We are already campaigning to deal with issues like these and the great response we had to our recent survey of parents and carers has helped us to submit a feedback document to the ‘Connecting Leeds’ consultation – a proposal to improve bus and other sustainable travel options in Moortown. We recently met with a representative from the project and are hopeful that some of the suggested pedestrian improvements will be incorporated into the scheme which is due to be delivered next year.
THE YEAR AHEAD…
The Moortown Living Streets Group is still in its first year, but we already have some exciting plans for 2019, including a project to monitor local air quality as well as some great ideas to get Moortown moving!
➢ Register to get involved or receive news here
➢ Access info on walking to school here
Thank you once again for you support to date – it’s making a real difference and we’re keen for that to continue throughout the year ahead.
Season’s Greetings!
From everyone at Moortown Living Streets Group
E: moortowngroup@livingstreets.org.uk T: @moortownlsg
Living and learning: New Childline website – Speak out Stay safe
Staying Safe is one of our Living and Learning related themed weeks this year, taking place in February.
As part of the NSPCC’s Speak out Stay safe programme, Childline has launched a Speak out Stay safe website aimed at children under the age of 12. This provides age appropriate content on topics including: bullying, family, friends, feelings, school, abuse and staying safe. It also includes games and therapeutic tools for young visitors to play and express how they are feeling.
School Savings Club
The next School Savings Club paying in date is 13 December 2018 at 3.15-3.45pm.
If you’re unable to attend in person, please hand in any money to be deposited to the office in a sealed envelope addressed to Mrs Tiffany.
Paying in dates fall on the penultimate Thursday of each half term.
If your child would like to open account, please ask at the office. This is a great opportunity for children to begin to manage their own money and understand the importance of saving.
New school meal menu
Our new Spring/Summer school meal menu, starting from after February half term, is now available on our Meals page.
The menu has been created in liaison with Catering Leeds to ensure it meets the School Food Standards. We have also incorporated feedback from our school cook, pupils and parents/carers.
Pupils will continue to make their daily food choices at the start of the day to ensure they receive their first choice of main meal.
When will be your next Park Run?
Thank you to Richard Spencer (parent, chair of the PTA and Park Run race director at Roundhay Park) who came to speak to the whole school this afternoon about the great, free, weekly Park Run events held locally.
We were impressed by the number of children who have already completed a Park Run event with one pupil achieving over 100 runs!
All you need to take part is to register for your personal bar code that is used at the event to record your position and time for the run. ThePark Run event is not a race. You are only trying to beat yourself by achieving a faster time each time you do it.
There is no commitment to attend every weekend: just turn up with your bar code when you can.
The course is fully marshalled and so children are able to run round with others as long as an adult accompanies them to the event.
- Junior Park Run (age 4-14 years – 2km course) 9am every Sunday
- Park Run (5km course) 9am every Saturday
- Local courses include Roundhay Park, Temple Newsam and Bodington (Brownlee Centre)
We’d love to hear your Park Run achievements – let your teacher know!
What is our new school charity?
We support our school charity for a year and it is now time to change our current school charity, Make-A-Wish.
This week, each class, discussed a range of charities, researched by the children for their homework, and voted on one charity they wanted to put forward for the school councillors to decide on.
Here were the class choices:
The final democratic decision was made by a vote by the School Council and the winning charity for 2018-2019 is WWF. We will support this charity for one year.
What is a force?
This week, Year 3 have been introduced to their new mini topic – ‘Forces.’
Did you know that without forces our world would be silent and immobile?
The lessons began with the children recognising that everything on Earth is powered by forces, pushes and pulls which act on our bodies and the things around us. Forces make things move and stop moving.
Having discussed pushing and pulling, it was time to demonstrate these forces using our bodies. Working with a partner, the children created their own push and pull forces. Some were easier than others!
Magnetism
Before some experimental learning, we discussed magnets and named different types. The children were fascinated to see what happens when a magnet gets close to a magnetic object.
A magnet can move an object without touching it.
Using iron filings, we tested different magnets to see if this was true.
Magnetism is an invisible force. A magnet attracts or repels other items. Magnets have north poles and south poles. These attract each other. But two north poles will repel each other, as will two south poles.
Iron is magnetic, so any metal with iron in it will be attracted to a magnet. Most other metals, like aluminium, copper or gold, are not magnetic.
With forces in mind, Year 3 put these into action in their Bollywood PE lesson.
by Mrs Burgess
Great Assembly
Well done to all of Year 3 for a super assembly today. The children spoke clearly and with such confidence. We all enjoyed the ‘Guess Who‘ game too!
Thank you to all who came to watch the assembly. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!