Celebrating who we are
Science - Hazel class explored how we get electricity into our homes by building circuits.
Topic - We created Benin inspired masks using recycled materials.
DT - Look at our amazing lighthouses that we have built!
Literacy - We wrote a newspaper interview to recount a person exploring light for the first time!
Art - we experimented with ways in which surface detail can be added to drawings. In sketchbook journals, we collected and recorded visual information from different sources.
Children have been studying the Kingdom of Benin this half term. Along with creating some vibrant banners, they have been learning how to play the drums.
Children had a procession and drummers for their Ekasa celebration on Wow Day. Then, based on their flags and dance, an Oba selected his Ekasa!
In maths, we have been studying Unit Fractions. The class has learned that the when the numerator is one in a fraction, it becomes a Unit Fraction!
In RE, Hazel class have made their own Rakhi bracelets! These symbolise the bond of love and protection that sisters give to their brothers throughout their lives in Hindu religion.
In computing, we have been learning about how to make collaborative content. In doing so, we created a fact file about King Eweka I of Benin!
In Art, we have been planning, designing and structuring our Benin masks inspired by Yinka Shonibare!
In Spanish ,we have been learning about the members of the family.
For one of our P4C questions, we discussed “How spending too much time alone affects your emotions”. We decided that there are both advantages and disadvantages to this.
In Science, we have been exploring how different animals eat their food using their digestive system. We then conducted an experiment to see how this process works, using orange juice, crackers and bananas!
PSHE - Online Safety: We looked at different scenarios of dangerous use of the internet and discussed our solutions.
RE - How does a Synagogue show what is important to Jews?: We designed our own Shema’s!
Maths - Addition with adjusting: We used dienes to show addition using adjusting.
Computing - Debugging: We completed a number of debugging challenges on Purple Mash!
Science/DT - Living things and their habitats: We created 3D dioramas of habitats showing how human activity is effecting the wildlife that live their.
Christmas - Decorating the classroom in time for Christmas!
Forest School - We built habitats for wildlife!
Topic - Roman Empire’s impact on Britain: We created mosaic’s inspired by Roman designs.
Spanish - We are learning the members of the family in Spanish!
Topic- Hazel class kicked off their WOW Day with a Roman feast! They even created their own Togas and vine crowns for the occasion…
Maths - Hazel class are showing how addition calculations can be represented using a number of different methods.
Spanish - we are learning Spanish phonetics!
Literacy - We explored how to make our verbs more powerful before writing our Samhain Moon poems.
Computing - We created a Roman Gladiator course and used an algorithm to avoid the bee being touched by any of them!
DT - After finishing our design briefs we have begun to make our Roman shields!
PSHE - NSPCC, Speak Our & Stay Safe. After learning about different types of abuse, we created our own eye-catching posters using key information.
Science - We are looking at how plants and animals can be classified!
Forest School - We tried balancing on slippery logs so that we wouldn’t fall into the lava!
RE - We looked at why the Qur’an is special to Muslims.
Hazel class used scrap materials to make lighthouses for our topic of ‘light’. We used the knowledge we learned in science lessons to create a circuit with a lightbulb so that our lighthouses actually lit up!
Hazel class had a visit from an artist to deliver a workshop based on the Benin bronzes as part of our learning about the Ancient Kingdom of Benin. We used recycled materials to create our own versions of the Benin bronzes.
Hazel class have been learning about different habitats and the ways that they are under threat due to human activity. We made dioramas to show three different habitats: marine, forest and polar.
Hazel class have been learning about the Roman Empire. We designed, built, tested and evaluated our own Roman shields. We included traditional Roman symbols in our designs, like lightning bolts and laurel leaves.
This term we have been finding out about rivers and making our own models. We have also been exploring exploring instruments and using what we found out to create our own instruments from recycling. We took part in the Big Draw which was great fun. Have a look at the pictures below to see what we’ve been up to!
We are very lucky in that every half term we get to go to Forest School and take part in amazing outdoor learning opportunities!
This half term we built shelters, did mud painting on trees, found minibeasts and explored our local environment.
The children always love the activities and it is wonderful to see them playing, learning and enjoying themselves.
For our topic lessons we learned about the history of the Kingdom of Benin. We learned about the Ekasa ceremony where decorative banners as made as part of the festivities which also include feasts, music and cerebrations.
As part of our Benin topic we are creating our own Ekasa banners and held our own Ekasa ceremony with drummers and a procession. Our Oba then chose his Ekasa based on their dancing and their banners. Being chosen as Ekasa is a great honour!
For the first half of spring term we have been learning all about how different animals eat food, for this we learned about different types of teeth, how to look after our teeth and the human digestive system.
We even made our own models of the human digestive system….it was lots of fun but very messy! By making these models we brought our learning to life!
For one of our pieces of writing this year we used the Pagan festival of Samhain as inspiration.
We wrote poems using similes and metaphors to describe the Samhain moon and then practised reading them using different tones, volumes and facial expressions.
Who knew we had so many amazing poets and performers!
In recorder lessons we have loved our practical lessons but also found out how to read and write music!
Throughout this term we have been learning about how plants and animals can be classified. We have learnt about the different classes of vertebrates and invertebrates, been zoologists studying animals in our school environment and even creating animal habitats and exploring the different plants during our Forest School sessions.
Our topic for Autumn 1 has been Romans and answering the question “What can we learn from different people?”.
We started the year off with our WOW day where we had a Roman feast, dressed in togas and made our own laurel wreaths and Roman coins.
Our Romans topic has also influenced our art and design and technology lessons; we created paper Roman mosaics of a legionary soldier. We also designed, tested and evaluated Roman shields that we made. As your can see we put them through rigorous testing procedures!
For this half terms topic, we have been learning all about the journey of a river. To start, we created our very own model rivers packed full of features. Can you spot them all?
Next, we got fully immersed in what if feels like to be in a river by jumping in some kayaks! Some of us got a bit more of the river that we intended…
Finally, to bring together everything we have been learning about, we created our own mini rivers during a very special full days forest school.
This half term we have been looking at everything light related. From writing a newspaper article about the inventors, Thomas Edison and Lewis Latimer to the design of our very own light houses, we have done it all!
First we experienced life without the electric light bulb and imaged a world where all we had was candle light.
We explored how we can create art and stories through the use of shadow and light.
Finally, we brought together all of our knowledge of circuits to create our very own light houses. This proved much more difficult than we imagined, but everyone showed great resilience and demonstrated good knowledge of how circuits are created.
This half term we have explored everything to do with the ancient Kingdom of Benin. Not to be confused with the country of Benin, the ancient kingdom used to exist in what is now Nigeria and has a fascinating history!
First, we had our very own Ekasa ceremony which is occurs when an Oba (king) is coronated.
We also had drumming lessons to learn more about West African rhythms.
We used drama to re-enact parts of Eweka the firsts life.
Finally, we created traditional Benin tiles which were often used as gifts for the Oba.
Over the course of our topic, we have been learning about the life of Roman legionaries and how Romans have impacted life today. As part of this topic we designed, created and evaluated Roman shields. Here are some pictures!
