Homework

19 November 2021

Posted on Friday 19 November 2021 by Nicky Russell

Living and Learning is the focus of this week’s Talk Time.

I know how to STOP bullying.

As it’s Anti-Bullying Week, we’ve placed a strong emphasis on what bullying is and how to stop it. In fact, ‘STOP’ is an acronym that provides a clear definition of bullying:

Several Times On Purpose

An example of bullying would be someone saying on multiple occasions that you can’t join in with their game. On the other hand, getting upset/angry in the heat of the moment or accidentally bumping into someone wouldn’t be considered bullying. As part of your discussions, can your child identify examples of what bullying does and doesn’t look like?

Our school ethos statement is that our school is a happy and healthy place to learn. School will not be a happy and healthy place if we don’t know how to stop bullying.

‘STOP’ not only tells us what bullying is, but also how to make it stop:

Start Telling Other People.

Ask your child what ‘STOP’ means – encourage them to remember both: Several Times On Purpose and Start Telling Other People.

This week’s Remember 2s (R2s) are actions to take if you see, or are the victim of, an unpleasant behaviour:

  • Challenge the behaviour with that person. It may well have been accidental or something not intended to be hurtful.
  • Tell that person that you don’t like that behaviour and that you want it to stop.
  • If the behaviour occurs again, let a trusted adult know so they can explore the situation.

12 November 2021

Posted on Friday 12 November 2021 by Nicky Russell

Our Talk Time has a vocabulary focus this week.

Thinking about the new topic vocabulary, I can begin to use these words at home.

We’re all being artists this half term. Along the way, we’ll gain knowledge of famous artists and their work. We’ll also learn and develop a range of skills to improve our own art. The following list of vocabulary is being taught and applied in our art lesson at school:

Years 1 and 2 Art vocabulary:

graphite Mixed with clay, graphite forms the ‘lead’ in a pencil
HB Referring to pencils, HB stands for ‘hard black’ – a medium hard pencil
H and B H stands for ‘hard’ and B stands for ‘black. B pencils are soft.
primary colours three colours (red, yellow, blue) that can’t be made by mixing other colours, but can make other colours
secondary colours three colours (orange, green, purple) that are made when two primary colours are mixed using paint
pattern arrangements of things such as colour, shapes and lines that repeat in a logical way
texture how something feels, like smooth or rough
shape a two-dimensional area which may be created using lines or colour
tone how light or dark a colour is

Years 3 and 4 Art vocabulary:

complementary colours colours that are opposite on the colour wheel (roughly, a primary and a secondary colour can be paired up like this)
warm and cold colours Warm colours represent roughly one half of the colour wheel (like red, orange, yellow) and usually represent heat and emotions like anger and excitement. Cool colours roughly represent the other half of the colour wheel (like blue, green, purple) and usually represent cold things and emotions like calm and sadness.
form Often used to talk about sculpture or the human body, form is the physical aspects or the shape of the artwork or parts of the artwork.
space usually used to describe areas or parts of an artwork where there are large blocks of colour or ‘gaps’
medium the type of art (eg painting, sculpture, printmaking), or the materials an artwork is made from (plural: media)
collage the technique and the resulting artwork where things like pieces of paper, photographs and fabric are arranged and attached to a surface
mixed media artworks created from a combination of different media or materials
abstract art a type of modern art that is not an accurate depiction but instead use shapes, colours, forms and marks to achieve its effect
figurative art art that has strong references to the real world and in particular, the human figure

Years 5 and 6 Art vocabulary:

pastel a coloured drawing medium, usually stick-shaped, produced in soft, hard and pencil formproduced in soft, hard and pencil form
art the expression of creativity or imagination, or both
art movement a style in art followed by a group of artists, often linked to a time and place or to particular artists (sometimes called an ‘ism’)
sculpture three-dimensional art made by one of four basic processes: carving, modelling, casting, constructing
negative space the space around and between the subject
maquette a sculptor’s initial model or sketch
modern art art that is often experimental and not traditional (1900s onwards approximately)
classical art used to describe art that makes reference to ancient Greek or Roman style

Some of the words may not have been covered in class as of yet so be sure to refer to the definitions for words your child seems less confident about.

Encourage your child to think back to their art learning so far. The following questions might prompt your child to remember even more about the vocabulary:

  • What does this word mean?
  • Can you use the word in a sentence?
  • Can you (where possible) give an example of this?
  • Have you seen a piece of art that links to that word?
  • Can you link this word to one or more of the other words?
  • Which of these words would you group together?

This half term, our oracy focus is building on the views of others and reasoning. Referring to these ‘Remember 2s’ (R2s) will help your child to speak confidently whilst also respecting the views of others.

  • Listen carefully to an opinion (have eyes on the speaker).
  • Respond by acknowledging what has been said and add further ideas of you own. Use phrases like these:
    • ‘Picking up on what’s been said, I’d add…’
    • ‘As well as that…’
    • ‘In addition to that…’
    • ‘Furthermore…’
    • ‘Moreover’
  • Challenge yourself to provide reasons for your opinions by using ‘because’.

05 November 2021

Posted on Friday 05 November 2021 by Nicky Russell

This week’s Talk Time relates to this half term’s Art topic.

I can compare and contrast two different artworks. I can give my opinions, and back them up with reasons.

In our Art lessons, we’ve discussed these pieces and used the following vocabulary (turn over for definitions):

Y1,2 Art work:

Senecio, Paul Klee https://www.paulklee.net/senecio.jsp

Mona Lisa, Leonardo Da Vinci https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20210211-the-detail-that-unlocks-the-mona-lisa

Vocabulary: shape, tone

Y3,4 Art work:

Composition IV, Wassily Kadinsky https://www.kandinskypaintings.org/composition-iv/

Warlukuritji, Martha McDonald Napaltjarri https://issuu.com/mccullochart/docs/keepers_of_place_catalogue (16/40)

Vocabulary: complementary colours, warm colours, cold colours

 Y5,6 Art Work:

Large Two Forms, Henry Moore https://catalogue.henry-moore.org/objects/19275/large-two-forms

Network, Thomas J Price http://www.thomasjprice.com/network

Vocabulary: sculpture, form, shape, scale

The key to this task is being able to explain thoughts and opinions on the art. It’s worth remembering that the opinions of one person may not match those of another and that it’s okay to disagree.

We’d like your child to speak confidently and passionately about art. Using ‘because’ will encourage your child to think carefully about their own interpretation of the art. Offering your own opinions may also help your child to consider alternative viewpoints and perspectives.

Discussions about the art could take place in a number of ways. Here are a couple of suggestions:

  • Discuss each piece separately before then looking at them side by side.
  • Have both pieces side by side from the start.

Whichever approach you opt for, referring to these questions and the vocabulary above will help to focus your discussions at home:

  • Explain what you like about each piece.
  • Explain what you dislike about each piece.
  • How are the two pieces similar?
  • How are the two pieces different?
  • Considering what is most important to you, which piece do you prefer?

15 October 2021

Posted on Friday 15 October 2021 by Nicky Russell

This week’s Talk Time has a Living and Learning focus.

I can describe and use self-care techniques.           

Everybody experiences a wide range of emotions (feelings). While many emotions are positive, some are not. There’ll be times when you feel sad, angry, anxious or low in some way.

No matter how old you are, feeling any one of these is completely normal. It’s important to know how you can manage these feelings. A strategy that works well for one person may not have a positive impact on you. That’s why this week’s Talk Time is all about finding strategies that will benefit you specifically.

When discussing self-care techniques, remember that this involves both mental and physical health. The following ideas can be used as a starting point for your conversations:

  • Where can you go to combat feeling low and who can help you (trusted adults)?
  • Think about exercises that you enjoy. This is the UK so it would be good to have indoor ideas, too.
  • What creative tasks do you have access to (writing, music, arts, crafts, cooking/baking etc)?
  • How do you relax and unwind (reading, watching a film etc).
  • Consider strategies that will help you when emotions are heightened (breathing, counting, meditating etc).

This is not an exhaustive list. The link below has lots of great ideas that you may also wish to use.

https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/self-care/

The oracy focus for this half term is voice projection, fluency and pace. As we’re nearing the end of this half term, this week’s Remember 2s are an opportunity for your child to showcase what they’ve been working on at school:

  • Think about what you are going to say before you speak.
  • Talk in a clear, loud voice without shouting.
  • Sit or stand with good posture (eg not slouching).
  • Face the person, or people, that you are speaking to.

08 October 2021

Posted on Friday 08 October 2021 by Nicky Russell

This week’s Talk Time relates to a moral issue and also links with our current Geography learning.

Is it okay to build new houses on green space (fields and parks in towns and cities)?

 Your child may already have some views on this. However, this statement is all about taking different viewpoints into account.

This week’s ‘Remember 2s’ (R2s) will support your child as they reflect on the pros and cons of building new houses on our green spaces:

  • What are the reasons for (the pros) building new houses there?
  • What are the reasons against (the cons) building new houses there?
  • Reach a conclusion – Do you take one particular side or is there a compromise that could satisfy everyone?

 There’s a range of ways to approach this moral question. We suggest exploring the 5Ws and H (who, what, where, when, why, how).

Check out the examples below to help get discussions flowing:

  • Who needs new housing (young people, families, elderly etc)? Who would build the new houses?
  • What would new housing look like? What will be the impact on the environment with fewer trees and plants?
  • Where would the animals from the fields/parks go? Where else could people go for walks/exercise?
  • When would things be able to run normally (traffic, pathways etc)? When would people want more houses?
  • Why don’t people move into houses that are already built? Why do we need more housing?
  • How long would it to take to build the houses? How much would the new housing cost? How many people could live in the new housing?

Fancy an extra challenge? Your child might like to plan the new housing or design the type of housing that should go on some green space.

01 October 2021

Posted on Friday 01 October 2021 by Nicky Russell

This week’s Talk Time relates to the knowledge we’ve gained about British geography this half term.

I can show off my knowledge of British geography.

Years 1 and 2:

I know the four countries and capital cities of the UK, and the seas which surround the UK.

Years 3 and 4 (as above plus):

I know some of the counties in the UK, and some of the main rivers and mountains in the UK.

Years 5 and 6 (as above plus):

I know some of the main rivers, mountains and regions (eg the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District, the Highlands of Scotland).

With each geography topic that we teach, children are often building on the knowledge and skills gained in the previous years. We therefore recommend you start discussions around the Year 1 and 2 knowledge, before discussing the knowledge for your child’s current year group.

Check out this song about the countries and capital cities of the UK. We’re sure your child will have heard this before and know it almost word for word. If they don’t yet, they will soon!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDIZoQLgIE

At school, we refer to 8Rs to promote good learning behavior. You can read about them by following the link. See how many your child knows.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BJvRtT_rKqxoFvLCdpdcyoQ4OrbmKrON/view?usp=sharing

This week’s ‘Remember 2s’ (R2s) directly link to three of the 8Rs:

  • Remember – Think back to geography lessons, learning, tasks, games etc.
  • Reflect – Which facts are you most confident with? Which ones do you need to work on?
  • Resourceful – For facts you’re unsure of, how can you improve your understanding? Who could you ask at home or at school? What resources could help you? (eg map, atlas, online tools such as Google Maps and Google Earth)

24 September 2021

Posted on Friday 24 September 2021 by Nicky Russell

Vocabulary is the focus of this week’s Talk Time.

Thinking about the new topic vocabulary, I can begin to use these words at home.

This half term, we’re all being geographers, learning specifically about British geography. Here’s a list of key words that are being learnt and applied as part of our learning:

Years 1 and 2 Geography vocabulary:

atlas a collection of maps, usually in a book
city a large town
compass a tool for finding direction
locality an area or neighbourhood
landmark an object or feature of a locality that has importance and can be used to help find your way.
physical geography Physical geography looks at the natural things in our environment.
human geography Human geography looks at changes in the environment by humans.
to survey to find the opinions of a group of people by asking them questions
issue an important topic or problem that needs discussion

Years 3 and 4 Geography vocabulary:

grid reference a location on a map which is found using numbered lines
Ordnance Survey (OS) Britain’s mapping agency
scale the relationship between distance on a map and the matching distance on the ground
county a region within a country
settlement type places where people live and work
land-use the specific purpose that an area of land is used for
compass points the marks on a compass that show direction

Years 5 and 6 Geography vocabulary:

national park an area set aside by the government for the preservation of the natural environment
six figure grid reference contains six numbers which give a precise location on a map
city expansion Also called urban sprawl, this is the increase in built up area of a city.
urban green space any vegetated land or water within an urban area
carbon stores places where carbon is stored in the environment
quantitative data data which can be written in numbers
qualitative data data that can be written in words, not numbers
soundscape a qualitative record of the sounds in any environment
sampling a way of collecting fieldwork data without measuring everything

Some of these words have already been discussed in lessons but there may be others that are going to be covered in the coming weeks.

Encourage your child to think back to their geography learning so far. The following questions might prompt your child to remember even more about the vocabulary:

  • What does this word mean?
  • Can you use the word in a sentence?
  • Can you (where possible) give an example of this?
  • Have you seen a picture or clip that links to that word?
  • Can you link this word to one or more of the other words?

17 September 2021

Posted on Friday 17 September 2021 by Nicky Russell

This week’s Talk Time homework links to our current Geography topic, ‘Where in the world am I?’.

 I can talk about my local area.

We encourage you and your child to go out and explore as part of this task. Be sure to find safe spaces to pause and reflect on the surrounding area.

Refer to these ‘Remember 2s’ (R2s) when discussions are taking place:

  • physical features (natural things that would be around without people)
  • human features (things that have been built by people)
  • respect people whose views are different

You might wish to use these ideas as a starting point for your discussions:

  • what facilities there are
  • what I like
  • what I don’t like
  • how the area might be improved
  • what I can do to help improve the area

This Talk Time is all about critical thinking. Your child might find it quite easy to talk positively about their local area. They may find it trickier to talk about aspects of the local area that they don’t like. Remind your child that it is okay to say that there are things they don’t like so long as they remain respectful and polite.

Skills developed in this Talk Time can help your child with other areas of learning, too. As part of your child’s daily reading, you could prompt your child to talk critically about a character or a part of the book that could be improved.

10 September 2021

Posted on Thursday 09 September 2021 by Nicky Russell

Our first Talk Time homework of the year is related to Living and Learning:

 I can greet someone politely.

We greet people every day. Our greetings have the power to really improve other people’s moods. Here’s an example of a friendly greeting that we encourage children to use…

‘Morning!’

‘Hi. How’re you?’

‘I’m fine, thanks. What about you?’

‘I’m ok, thanks.’

Encourage your child to greet people out of school in a similar way! Our ‘Remember 2s’ (R2s) for this are:

  • greeting
  • ask how someone is / answer and ask back
  • thank them for asking

Talk about different ways to greet people in a polite and friendly way.

Talk about why greeting people politely helps. To help with your discussions, you might consider these questions at home…

  • When and where might you greet someone? (During school time, before school, after school, at weekends…)
  • How will you greet someone? (Facial expressions, body language, tone of voice…)
  • What questions might you ask when greeting someone?
  • Why is it important to ask questions? (What does it show? How will the other person feel?)

16 July 2021

Posted on Friday 16 July 2021 by Nicky Russell

This week, I know how to make healthy choices is the Talk Time homework.

As a continuation of our physical health and mental wellbeing learning in Living and Learning, and having reflected on our own health, we now want to explore healthy choices we can make.

At home, you could talk about the healthy choices you could make for:

  • your mind
  • your heart
  • your muscles
  • your digestive system
  • your family

Next week, each class will share what choices we can make, reflecting on whether they want to adopt any of the choices shared by their classmates to improved their own health.