And hello half term! What a half term it has been. We are so glad to have welcomed you back properly after so many weeks of remote learning 🙂
This week, we have been focusing on the story of Ulf, the finger eating troll. We have been using lots of role play to help learn the story. We loved reading how the troll gets tricked by a local village girl, Gudrun. The children are now looking forward to rewriting one of the chapters of the book after half term, describing how they would out-smart Ulf.
In PE, we have been focusing on triple jumping. We started off by looking at a series of basic jumps and then used games and activities to help bring these jumps together. We then used three of these jumps to perform a triple jump. It wasn’t as easy as it looked!
In RE, we have been enjoying our new topic, Choices. We have used the learning from our Holy Communion classes to help us learn about the sacrament, reconciliation. This has linked well to our learning about the story of the Prodigal Son.
Reception children took part in a Pentecost party on Thursday. Many thanks for all the vibrant outfits. Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season. This feast, sometimes referred to as the birthday of the Church, will be celebrated this Sunday.
The children learnt that at Pentecost Christians come together to share their happiness and joy because Jesus had kept his promise and sent the Holy Spirit to be their friend. We can all share in this happiness and tell everyone.
As mentioned before, the coming of the Holy Spirit can be difficult for young children to understand. We explored such things as air, wind and fire to help explain the power of the Holy Spirit. The children made ‘tell the good news’ streamers and fiery hats.
They also decorated the classroom with red paper chains and enjoyed healthy red snack foods; strawberries, tomatoes and red peppers. We were blessed with an extremely blustery day and the children were so excited chasing bubbles in the wind calling out ‘Share the good news, the Holy Spirit is here!’
The children listened to the following scripture story Acts 2: 1-4
We sang ‘Happy Birthday to the Church’ and the following song is one of their favourites:
Below is our Pentecost prayer:
Thank you, God! For the Good News of Easter. Thank you, God! For the new life of Jesus. Thank you, God! For the Good News of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, God! For the Good News of your love.
Lastly, they have also made ‘Happy Pentecost’ cards to share with their families. Look in your child’s book bag if you haven’t already been presented with your card.
What a week it’s been Year 3! This week we planned, performed and recorded our own class assembly. We really enjoyed sharing what we had learnt recently with the rest of the school and parents/carers at home. Thank you so much for tuning in to watch our assembly this morning 🙂
We also said goodbye to Olivia, who is leaving our class to attend a school closer to her home. We made Olivia a video of well wishes to congratulate her on joining a new school. We wish Olivia the very best of luck for the future.
This Friday, we will be sharing our class assembly.
We can’t welcome you into school at this time for our assembly, but we would love you to join us online to watch our assembly via YouTube Premiere at 9:00 am on Friday, 21st May 2021.
Our assembly will be removed from YouTube shortly after the premiere.
Thank you for all the amazing Mary and Joseph outfits today. The children enjoyed immersing themselves in our RE Curriculum Day dedicated to Saint Joseph.
We began with a virtual whole school assembly where the children learned about Saint Joseph. They discovered five key facts:
Saint Joseph listened to God.
Saint Joseph looked after Jesus and Mary.
Saint Joseph trusted God.
Saint Joseph shared his faith with Jesus.
Today Saint Joseph is the patron of God’s worldwide family – the Church.
The children listened to a reading from the Gospel of Saint Matthew 1:18-25 (adapted)
Joseph loved Mary and was engaged to marry her. When Joseph found out that Mary was going to be the mother of a baby, he was not sure what to do. He wondered ‘Should I still marry her or perhaps I can quietly break off our engagement?
They also listened to the story of The Day Jesus was Lost in the Temple and how Mary and Joseph looked for him.
We composed our own prayers to St. Joseph and the children wrote a prayer asking Saint Joseph to look after their family.
You may wish to say the following prayer at home:
We learned that Saint Joseph worked hard as a carpenter and had our own woodwork hut.
To celebrate the Year of the Word of St Joseph, we dedicated a Friday to learn all about his life. We started the day with an excellent assembly by Mrs Hayes and then used meditation to think about the times when we have been kind and caring, and have listened to God just like Joseph.
We then looked at Joseph’s life in more detail, to understand why he is known for being the patron Saint of workers and families. We then ordered and drew the different events in his life using a story board.
We also created our own prayers for St Joseph, asking him to care for our families as he did for his own family, Mary and Jesus. To round off our learning of St Joseph, we created hand pint lilies. These flowers symbolise purity and that Joseph was chosen from among other men by the blossoming of his staff like a lily.
Networks of friendships and relationships enable human beings to live together. When a child’s power to reach out, trust and make friends is diminished, they may suffer the effects for a lifetime. Both children and adults have to discover their ability to reach out and repair what has been damaged. If human beings are to live together in relationships, there is always need for reconciliation.
REVEAL
Christians believe that, in Jesus Christ, the world has been reconciled to God. Through and in Christ, every human being is offered the power to reach out in forgiveness and peace, to receive and to offer reconciliation.
Word of God
St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians, wrote:
“But now in Christ Jesus, you that used to be so far apart from us have been brought very close, by the blood of Christ. For he is the peace between us, and has made the two into one and broken down the barrier which used to keep them apart, actually destroying in his own person the hostility caused by the rules and decrees of the Law.” Ephesians 2:14-15
Catechism of the Catholic Church
“It is called the Sacrament of Reconciliation, because it imparts to the sinner the love of God who reconciles: ‘Be reconciled to God’. He who lives by God’s merciful love is ready to respond to the Lord’s call: ‘Go; first be reconciled to your brother’…
Indeed the Sacrament of Reconciliation with God brings about a true ‘spiritual resurrection’, restoration of the dignity and blessings of the life of the children of God, of which the most precious is friendship with God.” CCC1424, 1468
Prayer and Reflection
I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees, O Lord; let me not be put to shame. I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding. Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I will observe it to the end. Give me understanding that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. Amen. (Psalm 119: 30-34)
What a busy week it has been in Year 3. We enjoyed taking part in the Nationwide Daily Mile this week. At the start of our PE lesson, we all completed eight laps of the field, which is equivalent to a mile. Here are some pictures of us in the action!
We have also enjoyed starting our new Computing unit, We are Presenters. This week, we analysed sports TV and understood what is needed to present an effective sports report. Next week, we will be using digital cameras to practice our filming skills in preparation for filming our own reports in the coming weeks.
Please remember that homework is set on Fridays and due in on the following Wednesday. We do expect to see your homework folders each week. Please also ensure that you are prepared for your lessons and have everything you need including pencils, pens and rulers.
Have a relaxing break over the Bank holiday weekend,
Over the past few weeks Reception children have been introduced to the fact that numbers are made up of other numbers. The children’s understanding has been developed through a sequence of 3 steps.
Step 1 – we began by exploring regrouping a whole into different parts and identifying what values are hidden within numbers.
Children are encouraged to use subitising (recognising a small group of numbers at a glance without counting) when looking at groups of objects. For example, in the photo below rows of 3 and 4 were identified.
Step 2 – we talked about combining parts to create a whole. This is the start of calculating – addition.
The children were encouraged to notice and find different parts that can be combined to make the same whole; concluding that there are lots of different ways to make a total. The photo below illustrates how we used a 10 egg box carton to look at multiple ways of making number 10.
Step 3 – calculating the part of a whole that is missing. This is the introduction of subtraction.
In the photo below the children played a game finding the missing number from a total amount of carrots.
In the photo below the children were given a starting amount (the part), a target to reach (the whole) and they found ‘how many more…?’ (the missing part) when building towers with Duplo.
How to can help at home
Talk about how a collection of toys can be regrouped eg. farm animals, all the animals are part of the whole farm but they could be regrouped into sheep, cows, horses, pigs and farmers (humans). Each group is part of the whole farm. Or 7 vehicles could be regrouped as 4 cars and 3 trucks.
Give your child a target number and, using dominoes, can they try to find all the dominoes that have that number of dots altogether where either side of the domino would become a part. Talk about what they notice if one side of the domino shows 0 dots.
At meal/snack time find the total two groups of items. For example, pears and bananas. Ask your child to find the total initially starting with the pears and then adding the bananas, then starting with the bananas and then adding the pears. Talk about how the order of the fruit doesn’t matter when adding.
Introduce a range of different problems that require your child to calculate a missing part.
How many more…? If we need a snack for four people and there are two bananas, how many more do we need?
How many left…? How many cakes left now that Mummy and Daddy have taken their cake?
What is the difference…? You have three sweets and Mummy has two sweets. What is the difference between the numbers of sweets you have?
Play Kim’s game. Show your child a small collection of different objects on a tray and identify the whole (the total number of items). Hide them all and remove some objects. Reveal the objects left. Can your child calculate how many have been taken – the missing part.
The vocabulary of parts and whole has been emphasised throughout our learning. The children’s understanding of equal, more and less and ‘altogether’ has also been developed to describe the whole.
Maths Challenge
Your child may wish to have a go at the following maths challenge:
Collect a small amount of items outside eg. sticks, leaves, stones (10 items to begin and extend to 20 for extra challenge)
Once there are a few items, explore how they might be grouped.
Create groups and then use subitising to say how many are in each group (if the amounts are small enough).
Talk about the parts and the whole and then count to find the total.
I would love to hear about your child’s mathematical discoveries on Tapestry. We always have fun sharing the children’s home learning in class. This also often inspires their friends to also ‘have a go’!
As part of our Relationships and Health teaching the children discovered how God created the world and why the Bible is so special.
Last week we read the story of creation and talked about how our bodies were created by God. We are all God’s children and part of his special plan.
The children learnt the following song ‘If I were a Butterfly’
You may wish to share the following class prayer at home:
Dear God, You made our amazing world and all the amazing things in it. Thank you for making me and loving me. Help us to take care of ourselves and the world. Amen.
This week the children began to understand that the Bible is special because we are all in it and part of God’s family. In the Bible we hear stories about Jesus and that still has meaning for us today.
We acted out a story from the Bible, Jesus and his disciples during the Last Supper. I washed the children’s feet to show the children how Jesus is our role model. Jesus is showing us a way of behaving, he showed love to his disciples and he wants us to show that love to others.
The children made some great suggestions about how they can show love to others “You can take turns”, “You help tidy up”, “Look after someone who is sad”. I made a suggestion that you can give someone a smile.
You may wish to share the following class prayer at home:
Dear Jesus, Thank you for being my perfect role model. Thank you for loving me. Help me to share that love with others. Amen
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend in God’s amazing world.
