Spring 2
Week 6
As we continue our term of 'Sending and receiving' in PE, we are practising throwing and bouncing the ball to our partner and catching. The children practise the skill, aiming into a hoop and moving around the hall to make it tricky.
In computing, the children are learning how to use the writing software on the iPads. They were able to type, change the font and insert pictures they had taken. It was strange that most of the stories they wrote had a 'grumpy' or 'stinky' teacher in it who looked just like me!
Week 5
We are currently working on how to get Mrs Mariko's Bento box up to the lighthouse without seagulls or the rain ruining her lunch. In science, our topic of 'Materials' is helping us understand what the best material will be for our lunchboxes. The children ran experiments in order to test each material.
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the wonderful mums out there who keep us all going. We hope you enjoyed your keyring. I shrank the children's pictures to fit it onto the keyring so here is the full-sized version for your enjoyment!
Day 2 and 3 was all about using our 2D shapes to make dreamcatchers. There was a lot of reflection and discussion about how to make the shapes secure enough to hang decorations on them. The children also learned about weaving and creating a grid pattern on the face of their dreamcatcher.
Week 4
Thank you for all your donations on Red Nose day. We had a busy day at forest school, dancing with Amy and we still had time for an obstacle course and designing our own red noses.
We began our 3 day Forest school visit with the Giants making shapes. Mostly 2D shapes, but some even had a go at a 3D shape. Incredibly creative thinking from these budding mathematicians! Also, it is important to point out that these photos were taken by the children as part of their computing curriculum. Each child took a photo of their partner after they both made a shape.
The Giants did a fabulous job sketching and drawing their own versions of Hokusai's wood print "The Great Wave". This is part of our "Land of the Rising Sun" topic where we will learn about the culture of Japan.
Week 3
After showing they could recognise shapes pictorially, these children were able to find real-world objects and describe their shapes.
This term we have dancing with Amy on Fridays and as our theme is all things 'Land of the Rising sun', she has been teaching Japanese fan dancing. The Japanese fan dance is a graceful and evocative form of storytelling set to music. The traditional dances date from as early as the regional cultural fusion during the Japanese Heian period, from 794 to 1192 CE. Chinese, Korean and Japanese music and artistry influenced court dances that would eventually evolve into important elements of Kabuki theater.
Week 2
Happy World Book Day everyone!
The Giants finally finished their wonderful diva lamps for Diwali. We made different patterns with our lamps (with battery powered candles!) inspired by Rangoli and thought about the millions of people who celebrate Diwali every year. Finally, we discussed about what places and celebrations make us feel like we belong.
In maths today we imagined we were chefs in different pizza restaurants. Chef Mario gave us different ingredients for different pizzas. For example a pizza paradise is 1/2 cheese (yellow), 1/4 tomato (red) and 1/4 mushroom (brown). The Giants showed excellent fraction knowledge and teamwork.
This week we are starting to learn about identifying fractions of shape. Please have a look at the Giants practically and pictorially working out a 1/2. 1/4, 3/4 and many more!
Week 1
In Design and Technology we have been sculpting diva lamps from salt dough and painting Rangoli patterns on them in order to celebrate Diwali with our friends from Tobago. In DT the children have been responding to ideas and starting point designs they have seen. Also they have been exploring ideas and collecting visual information from the internet. Once we made the salt dough they were able to explore different methods and materials as their ideas develop. During their sculpting they used a combination of shapes, either circular or oil lamp designs. In order to achieve their shapes they used techniques such as rolling, cutting, moulding and carving. Once we baked them, they needed to paint their designs. The children used a mixture of thick and thin brushes. Some mixed primary colours to make secondary. Other children added white to colours to make tints and black to colours to make tones.
This term in PE, our Monday lessons will be 'Sending and Receiving'. The children will be developing their sending and receiving skills including throwing and catching, rolling, kicking, tracking and stopping a ball. They will also use equipment to send and receive a ball. Pupils will be given opportunities to work with a range of different sized balls. They will also apply their skills individually, in pairs and in small groups and begin to organise and self-manage their own activities. They will understand the importance of abiding by rules to keep themselves and others safe.
During the Kingswood residential, Amy from Dazzle Dance studios came in to get the whole school involved in Chinese dancing to celebrate Chinese new year. These may be folk dances, or dances that were once performed as rituals or as an entertainment spectacle, and some may have been performed in the imperial court. Among the best-known of the Chinese traditional dances are the Dragon dance and Lion dance, and both dances were known in earlier dynasties in various forms.
Here are some more photos of last term's amazing residential at Kingswood outdoor adventure. Well done again to all the y2s who displayed magnificent resilience, team work and communication skills!
