Term 2 Week 1
We’re back after half term, and Stig’s adventures are continuing into Term 2!
Our class mascot has certainly been busy, with plenty of stories to share.
Before the holidays, Stig spent a lovely weekend with Isla. He joined in a game of Monopoly - and won! He also met Isla’s hamster, Bella, watched tennis and enjoyed a trip to the park. There was even time for lunch and a visit to the cinema, although Stig found the film a little frightening! Isla recorded their adventures in her lovely, neat handwriting, making her account a pleasure to read.
Next, Stig headed home with Hunter for the half-term holidays. Hunter was especially lucky to have him for a whole week, and they certainly made the most of their time together! From making a bow and arrow and building a den to cinema trips, meals out and Halloween fun, Stig had quite an adventure. Hunter worked hard to record their busy week, too, filling the pages with his lovely handwriting and photographs.
With a little help from his dad, Hunter also used AI technology to create pictures of Stig on the moon and exploring a Welsh castle. What an imaginative way to give our little adventurer a few extra travels!
Thank you to Isla, Hunter and their families for looking after Stig and helping to fill his Adventure Book with such wonderful memories. We can’t wait to see where he goes next!
Please note: photographs of the children have been hidden for safeguarding purposes.
This week in English, we began exploring our new book, The Pebble in My Pocket, written by Meredith Hooper and illustrated by Chris Coady.
This fascinating book has links to our science topic on rocks, our geography learning about landscapes and erosion, and our DT work on shelters and the natural materials used to build them.
We discovered that it is narrative non-fiction, combining factual information with storytelling to follow a pebble’s extraordinary journey across 480 million years. Beginning with molten rock from a volcano, it is shaped and moved by weather, water and ice before eventually being found by a child.
We explored the chronological timeline, looking at how events unfold in time order, and discussed the two narrative voices: the child who introduces the pebble and the third-person narrator who tells its history.
Alongside reading the story and unpicking some tricky vocabulary, we used an Aidan Chambers grid to record our likes, dislikes, puzzles and connections.
I was particularly impressed by how honestly and openly the children expressed their views, explaining what fascinated them, what puzzled them and which parts they enjoyed less.
We have plenty more to explore in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!
In DT, we have begun our shelters project by writing our design briefs, thinking about who our shelters will be for and what they need to do.
We explored key vocabulary, including ‘structure’, ‘frame’, ‘stable’ and ‘waterproof’, before investigating different shelters from around the world. The children then chose two shelters to compare, labelling their features and considering how their materials and designs help protect the people who use them.
In Maths, we have started our addition and subtraction unit.
We will begin by using concrete resources to help the children explore calculations and understand place value and exchanging. We will then build on this understanding as we move on to formal written methods for addition and subtraction, encouraging the children to explain their thinking and check their answers.
A Few Reminders
Please listen to your child read at least four times a week and sign their reading record after each session. Regular reading at home helps build fluency, understanding and confidence.
Our PE days are Tuesday (dance) and Thursday (MNR). Please ensure your child has the correct PE kit for both sessions.