Squirrel Class have made a fantastic start to 2024! This term we have started our topic of ‘Bright Lights Big City’ and in geography we have been looking at what makes a city and how it is different from a town and a village. We have looked at maps, identifying human and physical features, and used positional and directional language. We have applied our knowledge of positional direction to programming the Beebots in ICT, working with a partner to give them instructions and making them travel from different starting positions.
In English we have enjoyed reading Meerkat Mail by Emily Gravett. In this book, Sunny the Meerkat goes on his travels, sending a postcard home from each place he visits. We wrote back to Sunny, telling him about life at Teynham Primary School! We also thought about how Sunny felt at different points during his travels, and sequenced the main events before and rewriting the story ourselves.
Each day during morning work we start with some ‘Funky Fingers’ activities. We use tweezers to move buttons and pom poms, build models out of Lego, create designs on peg boards and thread beads to make repeating patterns, as well as many other activities. All of these help develop fine-motor skills and hand-eye coordination, which in turn helps with writing.
In Art we have made our own prints using Collagraphy. Collagraphy is a method of printing. To make a collagraph, materials are stuck onto a block to make a collage or picture. The collagraph block is coated with a layer of ink. Paper is pressed onto the inked surface and then peeled off to reveal the print. We used a range of materials with different textures to make the block, and our works of art are on display outside the classroom.
In RE we have been learning about the Gospel, and how this means ‘good news’. We have been thinking about good news that Jesus gives Christians and wondering whether any of this teaching is useful for people that don’t believe in Jesus too. We have particularly focussed on the story of Matthew the tax collector, and how Jesus wanted to be friends with him, even when others didn’t, and the bible telling Christians to ‘forgive and be forgiven’.
In PSHE we have been thinking about setting goals. We have been talking about goals that we would like to achieve and how we can reach these even if there are obstacles in our way.
In PE we have been looking at circuit training. We started by learning a range of skills across the weeks such as jumping, hopping, shuttle runs, balancing, leaping, and ball skills. We then brought that altogether this week as we moved around the hall taking part in a range of different activities in a circuit.