STEM week – Thursday
It’s been a busy day! We started the day by battling with our bookmarks again and attempting to have thirty which had flashing lights. We perhaps achieved half of this target but demonstrated immense patience and resilience in the process. Once again, Mrs Raseta and I were far too busy for pictures but (hopefully) we’ll have some finished products to show you tomorrow.
Following this, we had a fab visit from M&S who talked to us about the history of the company, moving on to focus on their most popular product: the Melt in the Middle Pudding. We learnt the science behind how the pudding is preserved using emulsifiers and explored the ingredients involved in this perfect pudding.
Finally, the moment we’d all be waiting for, we did a (very scientific) taste testing – all in the name of Science of course.
STEM week – Wednesday
Wednesday of STEM week has been much anticipated as it brought with it our Science carousel. We often work with different teachers during a themed week and for this one, Y6 enjoyed Science from Miss Rushbrooke, Mr Wilks and Mr Owen for the whole morning. They really enjoyed helping the person trapped in ice escape in Y2 (particularly as they were deemed old and responsible enough to work with fire) and created some complicated circuits in Y4. In Y6, we explored sinking and floating and the Science behind it.
First, we predicted and tested a number of objects to find out which would sink and float before discussing any surprises and using these to determine what made an object sink or float.
We then went on to look at the same object (an egg) behaving differently in different liquids. In water, an egg sinks but if it’s salt or sugar water, it floats. Y6 now understand that this is due to the different densities of the solutions it is floating (or sinking) in.
Our afternoon required perseverance, dedication and patience while we tackled needle and thread to create an electronic circuit using conductive thread. Some of us were successful and others need to continue the hard work tomorrow. I saw some admirable resilience throughout the afternoon (from both the children and the adults in the room) and hope to see this again when our work continues tomorrow.
STEM week – Tuesday
Today, we began by practising essential skills we’d need in order to complete our electronic bookmarks: sewing. We practised a number of stitches and, not only did we thoroughly enjoy it in a calm and relaxed environment, but the children were rather good too.
We’ve also been working on our problem solving with fractions by drawing bar models but I’ve no pictures of that as I was far too busy teaching! Ask us what bar models are and whether we can show you how they work.
STEM week – Monday
STEM week has got going from the off with projects begun and visitors galore! We started the day with an introduction to our project for the week which will see us go home with light up bookmarks! We had to create a design first and make sure our circuit would work using electronic thread.
Then, we worked with Mrs Garside to learn all about hacking on the internet and discuss what this means for how we should use it safely. We followed this learning up by creating a movie trailer giving people tips on how to stay safe on line when there are hackers about.
In the afternoon, our computing heads were on again as we had to create some complicated code which would control a robot. We worked in groups and then thought about how controlling robots fits into everyday life and a number of careers around today and many more in the future.
We can’t wait for the rest of the week now!
VE Day celebrations
We had a great time dressing up and celebrating our very own Victory in Europe day on Friday.
It was a fantastic way to end our ‘Class Novel’ topic and we all had a great time. As well as having lots of fun at our VE day party, we also reflected on all the great learning we’ve enjoyed over the last eight weeks. It was particularly useful to hear which aspects of the topic the children have enjoyed the most and why.
Ask your child what they learnt over the course of this big topic and discuss the relevance/importance of this learning.
Also, discuss their views on the class novel they read. Did they enjoy it? Why? Did they empathise with the characters? Why?
Anti-bullying tips
Thank you, Emma (Year 2) for recommending CBBC for lots of Anti-Bullying Week advice.
Spelling practice
Here’s a great example of spelling practice from last week. We’re always trying to think of fun and creative ways of practising spelling so that it doesn’t become boring.
Great homework as always
What are fractions? was our Creative homework question last week and there was a whole host of wonderful ways that it was answered. Lots I can’t show you as they were done on Scratch or as presentations but here’s a taste of what some of the children did.
As always with Creative homework, we looked at everyone’s then sat and looked at one in particular, commenting on their work and discussing what they’d done. The children said that they liked how we look at Creative homework as it was nice to hear what their friends thought of what they’d done.
In the mood
We brought our swing dance topic to an end this week with groups performing their routines to each other. Lots of the children have enjoyed this unit; some enjoyed it a lot more than they thought they would.
Not only were their dances great, but their feedback to each other was brilliant too. They could say what they liked about a routine: precision of movements, use of space, different levels. They were also able to give constructive criticism to suggest how a routine could be improved: moving at the same time as each other, clearer, bigger movements.
‘Power for good’
Next week is national Anti-Bullying Week.
The theme this year is ‘Power for Good‘ with the following key aims:
- To support children and young people to use their Power for Good – by understanding the ways in which they are powerful and encouraging individual and collective action to stop bullying and create the best world possible.
- To help parents and carers to use their Power for Good – through supporting children with issues relating to bullying and working together with schools to stop bullying.
- To encourage all teachers, school support staff and youth workers to use their Power for Good– by valuing the difference they can make in a child’s life, and taking individual and collective action to prevent bullying and create safe environments where children can thrive.
Our school definition has recently been reviewed by the School Council and remains unchanged.
‘Bullying is when you hurt someone, physically or emotionally, several times on purpose.’
We also encourage children to use their ‘Power for Good’, if they were to experience or witness bullying, by using another STOP message, start telling other people.
In class, children will discuss these aspects of bullying:
- Our definition of bullying (above)
- Types of bullying – cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion and belief, special educational need and disability
- What to do if children experience bullying. The key message is to tell someone (start telling other people)
Recently the School Council responded to this question, ‘What would you do if you were bullied‘?
- ‘Start telling other people – tell someone who I trust and who I can talk to.’
- ‘I would tell someone I trust (family member, member of staff or friend).’
- ‘If I were bullied, I’d tell my parents, a friend, a teacher and if nothing changed I would phone ChildLine (08001111).’
- ‘I’d tell a teacher, maybe a friend and put in a worry in the ‘worry box’. Also, I’d tell a parent.’
- ‘I would tell anyone I trust: my friends, my mum or dad or a member of staff. They could sort it straight away.’
- ‘I’d tell my mummy and daddy.’
All classes have access to their class SEAL box or a whole school worry box where they can tell an adult any concerns about bullying or any other issues.
For further support, bullying resources can be found at…
- http://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/resources/disablist-bullying/resources-for-parents/
- http://www.childline.org.uk/explore/bullying/pages/bullying.aspx
- http://www.bullying.co.uk/advice-for-parents/
- http://www.youngminds.org.uk/for_parents/worried_about_your_child/bullying