Hobby Half Day
What a great way to finish a very long half term. All the children from Year 1 to Year 6 were mixed up into new groups and they went off to do one of many activities for the afternoon on Friday. There were all sorts going on: iJamming, drumming, candle making and glass painting to name just a few. As I went round, there was a great atmosphere and all the children were chatting and learning together. Thanks to Mrs Maver for organising it and thanks to all the staff who led a workshop.
Have a great half term!
Goodbye, Year 5
I was very nervous on 04 September (it seems a long time ago now) jumping from Year 1 to Year 5. I knew that the class were one of the most enthusiastic in school after teaching them four years ago but the trepidation – note the wow word, Y5 – was still setting in. At the end of the half-term, I can now say that I have enjoyed every minute of teaching this class again. The enthusiasm and fantastic learning behaviours made my decision so worthwhile and I would like to thank all of you for making my job so enjoyable and easy!!
Make sure you keep up the great start you have made for Mr Owen and I’ll be checking up on your progress after such a great start!
Enjoy your half term; you deserve a good rest. See you on Monday 05 November.
Bringing the past into the present
Our class novel “Street Child” is continuing to provide many opportunities for us to learn in different ways. A lot of the drama recently done in Y5 has looked at mood and feelings which will enable the children to include these aspects in their writing. Here is some of the drama being photographed by the children on our iPads. They then uploaded the photo into an app and annotated it with how they felt the characters felt.
Rich and Poor
What have these pieces of art got to do with “Rich and Poor?”
Freeze-framing
Our class novel is Street Child by Berlie Doherty. It’s given us great opportunities to explore narrative in many different ways. This week, we tried to show how some of the characters might be feeling when they were evicted from their home. Jim lives with his Ma and two sisters; when they can’t pay their rent they are thrown out onto the street. These photos are where we created a freeze frame showing how the family may have felt when they heard the news. The freeze frames were then given a caption to show what they were trying to portray.
Researching the old with the new
Year 5 became historians this week, researching how life was for Victorian children. The iPads should have been steaming when we had finished – we found an amazing amount of facts!
PE links with Allerton Grange
We work closely with Allerton Grange to arrange PE activities for each class.
Throughout the year, Year 1 to Year 6 will be taking part in sessions led by the Sports and Dance leaders at Allerton Grange.
The visits take place during the school day and teachers will inform their class nearer to the time.
What do you think?
Thinking was a main theme last week. Do we think about everything? Do we think the same thoughts as other people?
Our brains had a real workout in “Brain Box” week; our amazing brains never stop learning or developing. Here are some thoughts that Year Five came up with when asked “What do you think?”
Breakfast, lunch and water to fuel your brain
This week we’ve found out how a healthy, balanced diet and good hydration provides us with the energy our brain needs to function throughout the day.
Nutritionists believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but what children eat can be just as crucial. Breakfast cereals and foods rich in whole grains, fibre and protein and low in added sugar may boost attention span, concentration and memory and prevent children having a mid morning energy drop. http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/healthy_eating/breakfast.html
Fruit at playtime, provided free for Reception and Key Stage 1 and the only snack allowed at Key Stage 2 playtime, can provide an energy boost for the rest of the morning. Remember the weekly fruit tuckshop on Tuesdays is available to Key Stage 2 costing 20p per item.
A healthy, balanced lunch is also crucial to refuel the brain for the afternoon’s learning and this week children, who bring a packed lunch to school, have been given a copy of our Guide for Healthy Packed Lunches (https://www.moortown.leeds.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/packed-lunch-guidance.pdf). The guide was launched in September 2010 but may not have been seen by children new to the school or children who may have previously had school dinners.
The importance of hydration for the brain, to maximise learning, has been another focus of our Brain Box week. Children need to have a water bottle to keep in their classroom to allow regular water breaks throughout the day. This should be taken home weekly to be cleaned. Water is also provided at lunchtime for packed lunches and school dinners.
As well as regular exercise and opportunities for relaxation these factors all contribute to a healthy brain!
Better brains with more sleep
‘Your brain needs lots of sleep to repair itself and to organise and sort everything you have learnt’… One of the messages in the Good-night guide for children, published by The Sleep Council, sent home today, at the end of Brain Box week.
Research carried out by The Sleep Council revealed that lack of sleep among primary school children was having a devastating effect in schools with nine out of 10 teachers (92%) complaining that pupils were so tired they were unable to pay attention in class. More than a third (38%) said lack of sleep among youngsters is a daily problem for them.
This week, classes have been looking at The Sleep Council’s Better Brains with More Sleep initiative where children are encouraged to learn tips on getting their full sleep quota and the factors that can affect it.