A brainy visitor
We had a visit from a scientist this week and learnt all about our brains. We had lots of questions and now know about the different parts of our brains, how neurons and receptors work and why we sometimes make conscious decisions and sometimes react reflexively.
First, we looked at different parts of the brain.
We even looked at real brains: a snail’s, a mouse’s and a rat’s.
Then we created a human model of how our receptors (buttons on our skins), which send messages down neurons to our brains and back.

We can see things from other people’s point of view.
This week’s Creative homework was great as usual.
I can see things from other people’s point of view.
Here are some examples of what we came up with and, as always, we enjoyed looking at each other’s and writing a comment to say what we thought about it.

Great effort, Year 6. Keep it up.
Parent topic review
At the end of our Time Travel topic, we invited parents in to see what we’d been doing in our topic lessons for the last eight weeks. I handed the job over to the children and they created iMovies which took our visiting parents on a journey through the things we’d learnt and particularly enjoyed in class.
There were some really great movies and the children explained very confidently and clearly our learning to the parents who visited.
We enjoyed watching each other’s work, too.
3 days to go
Only 3 Big Pedal days to go!
We’ve had a great participation rate across the two weeks so far. Our highest participation was 43% on Day 5 (Friday).

Here’s a peek at the prizes – who will be our winners?

Keep cycling, scooting and we’ll soon find out!
Tag rugby success
Our Year 5/6 Tag Rugby team took part in the Leeds North East tag rugby competition today and topped their group to qualify for the Leeds City Tag Rugby Finals in May.
Well done to all the children involved – a great team effort!

School Saving Club
The next School Saving Club paying in date is 23 March 2017 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 Miss Hale.
For your information the paying in dates for the rest of the year are:
18 May 2017 3.15-3.45pm
13 July 2017 3.15-3.45pm
If your child would like to open account, please ask at the office.

Tour de Yorkshire themed menu
Catering Leeds, our school meal provider, will be running a special Tour de Yorkshire themed menu on Tuesday 25 April.
Please contact the office by Thursday 30th March if your child would like a school dinner on this day.

A great start
We’ve started the Big Pedal today with an impressive 40% participation rate on Day 1. Did you cucle or scoot to school? If not, there are another nine days to go.
Here are today’s totals.

A big thank you to Dom Jacques for supporting the event and organising the bike and scooter donations. These donations have meant that even more children can take part in the event.
Also, thank you to the Year 6 helpers who are coordinating the data gathering on a daily basis.

Help others take part in the Big Pedal
Do you have any bikes or scooters that you no longer use?
If you’d like to donate them, please bring them to school any morning this week and provided they are in a working condition, we’ll offer them to people who don’t have one to use in the upcoming Big Pedal event. Please hand them to Dom Jacques who will be in the playground to take receipt.
Any that aren’t roadworthy or are unwanted will be donated to local recycling charities such as the Yorkshire Bank Bike Library. The nearest Bike Library is at Moor Allerton Library (near Sainsburys) and they offer loan bikes to families for up to 14 days for free.
Three days to go

The Big Pedal starts on Monday 20th March for two weeks and we’re looking forward to seeing as many people as possible take to two wheels for their journey (or final part of their journey) to school. There are two lots of prizes up for grabs:
Big Pedal national prizes for all participating schools
Drawn daily for schools who achieve a minimum 15% participation (roughly 31 children for Moortown Primary) each day.
Details of the national prizes on offer are shown below.
- DAY 1 – BMX World Champ Visit & Show
- DAY 2 – Bespoke Travel Map For School
- DAY 3 – Three Brand New Islabikes
- DAY 4 – Superheroes/Moves Sample Pack
- DAY 5 – Alastair Humphreys Visit + Books
- DAY 6 – Three Brand New Islabikes
- DAY 7 – £100 Sustrans Voucher
- DAY 8 – Cyclepods Cycle Storage
- DAY 9 – Three Brand New Islabikes
- DAY 10 – Extreme Mountain Bike Show Visit
Individual prizes for pupils and supporters (parents/carers) at Moortown Primary
The more days you take part, the more entry tickets you’ll have in the prize draw.
Pupil prizes include two stunt scooters, an action camera, a bike pump, a copy of ‘The Boy who Biked the World’ by Alastair Humphreys and a Gruffalo Easter egg. Supporter prizes include two £5 M&S vouchers, a ‘hot drink and cake for two’ at Filmore & Union and a Lindt chocolate bunny.
Winners will be drawn during assembly on 31 March, the final Big Pedal day and last day of term.
How to win – pupils
Please fill in the tickets on the letter sent home, cut them out and put them in your school bag. Each morning you scoot or cycle, put your ticket in THE BIG PEDAL CONTAINER in your classroom.
How to win – parents/carers/supporters
Wherever possible, please take part and join your children on their rides to school. It’s a bit of fun, helps to reduce congestion and you could even win a prize. Each day you scoot or cycle, simply pick up a ticket from the school playground, write your name on it and pop it into the Big Pedal container. The more days you join in, the more chances you have of winning a prize.
Thank you in advance for your support. Please get in touch if you have any questions. Enjoy the ride!
Share your photos or stories: moortownoffice@spherefederation.org