Category: Class

As the weather improves, we are making more use of our wonderful outdoor spaces. We popped out on to the field and collected dandelions before they opened up. We used our numberframes and checked if we had more than 20 in our paper bags. They didn’t want to stop at 20!

We returned to the field to collect a bud, a leaf and a flower, looking closely to ensure we had the leaf that came from the same plant. We managed to identify the lion’s teeth shape on the leaf.

Back in the classroom, we looked closely at the seeds and noticed how they floated away in the air. We watched a timelapse video to see this process in action.

We used pastels and pencils to draw the plants we found.

Our forest is fabulous so we popped down there to look for any other seeds. Everyone had a sticky tape arm band to collect any small seeds. It was fascinating to look at what go stuck!

The summer term has started and the Pioneers are comfortable and confident. They tackled new tasks independently and the focus was fabulous. They spent time exploring repeating patterns, continuing pattern and creating their own.

We also explored solid shape and discovered the shape and number of faces. They like to know names of shapes and facts. After one conversation, following a new Numberblocks episode, the Pioneers became interested in how many numberblocks you need to make a cube.

The Pioneers opened their own museum in the classroom. 

After our visit to the National Railway Museum, the Pioneers were excited to present their own artefacts and share their knowledge with their friends. 

We read a story about a little boy who heard about an old lady who had lost her memory. He wanted to help her remember her past and he used a serious of items to take her back to her childhood. we asked families to share photographs, stories and artefacts to help us talk about the past. The Pioneers were delighted to spot similarities and differences and to notice the things that had changed and things that had stayed the same. 

We made tickets with QR codes to zap on entry and had lanyards and stickers to identify experts.

Many generations of family history were represented in our collection. The Pioneers found out about the fragility of the items they were handling, noting damaged and handling with care. 

Exciting learning and happy memories

The Pioneers have been focussing in on detail this week and looking for clues, what is the same and what is different. This has helped them to build up a timeline of the past-our past. We looked at photographs of us over the time we have spent together from our transfer days in July to now. It was fascinating to see what has stayed the same and what has changed. We then looked through our files taking particular interest in our drawings. We noticed that these were all dated and then looked at some older paintings and portraits, noting the date and how it was written. This sparked discussion about the passing of time, in months and years and we were able to place these on our timeline.

So many wonderful memories of happy learning!

The Pioneers were tasked with building a bridge that they could fit under, taking inspiration from the Troll in the story. We started in the classroom and used bricks and lego and loose parts before heading out into the sunshine to build on a big scale. With the “Plan-Do-Review” sequence in their heads they got building and there was a wonderful atmosphere on the playground.The sunshine helped!

Well done Pioneers

The Pioneers continue to be inspired by the Elves and the Shoemaker. One of our elves (Pop), has gone off on an adventure and was spotted on video at various locations in Whitby. One Pioneer suggested that we needed to design and build a trap to get Pop back. We also discussed methods of transport with “wagon”, “speedy boat” and “unicorn” being among the top choices they wrote down.

Using an array of materials, tools and locations, the Pioneers built their traps and vehicles. They used saws, hammers and screwdrivers. They discussed the properties of the materials used and why they were the right choice for the job. We built inside and outside, reviewed our plans and drew annotated diagrams. The Pioneers are now adventurous in their writing, choosing to add adjective and using the Grapheme Mat to support composition. Some wrote dominoes and even Lamborghini!.

We made ramps for the vehicles we built. We explored different surfaces on our ramps. We made a lot of mess and there is a lot of cardboard!

This week has been a fabulous mix of learning in the classroom and outdoors. We checked the weather and certainly picked the best day to enjoy the winter sunshine. 

In the classroom we have been noticing how a sentence is formed and starting to write more and more. This is so exciting to see. We have had lots more elf letters and we have found out what the elves need-food, drink, warmth, shelter and love. 

Our elves had a mug of coffee and a glass of milk and a can of pop. These all featured in our writing and our reading and maths. We explored capacity using a selection of jugs, pots and cups. Much fun was had while making comparisons and recording results.

The Pioneers began their coding journey using the BeeBots, using the features of our forest.

We managed a whole day outside using every area of our wonderful school grounds. The sun shone and we supported each other identifying and managing risks.

The Pioneers continue to explore a range of gadgets from the past. We discussed the functions of a smart phone and then looked at all the equipment needed to do this-a record player, a cassette player, a CD player and a range of cameras. The elves brought a typewriter and this was a very exciting addition to the classroom. The Pioneers were able to take the top off and look inside noticing all the levers and moving parts.

We got used to the vocabulary of “past and present” and talking about how things were the same and what has changed over time.

The Pioneers have been making maps of the village in the story of The Elves and the Shoemaker. They were introduced to maps with a grid and compass points. We walked around the classroom with a compass noting where north was. We then build all the features from the story using a selection of loose parts. The Pioneers were then very keen to add labels.
We read a number of words together-path, tree, bush, road, street, shop, flat and cabin and map. We also added a pond and a pool.The Pioneers wanted to add bridge and tunnel. They experimented with their phonics to do this.
While working, they retold the story.
This was intense, focussed and very serious. So much is now possible!