Pygmy class
2023 -2024
Term 4
Please click here for our curriculum overview for Term 4.
We have really enjoyed all of the additional reading opportunities this term. Our class reader was 'Skellig' and it has kept us gripped throughout each chapter, we were really sad when it finished. For World Book Day, we explored the book 'Malala's magic pencil' where we had some excellent discussions about equality - we also loved reading with our Billy Buddies! Our writing this term was based on a picture book called Varmints. This looks at how their natural world was destroyed. We wrote diary entries as if we were one of the Varmints and then explored our school environment to look at how we can all work together to look after it. This led us to do a litter pick in honour of Dr Jane Goodall's 90th birthday. We wrote and delivered speeches to each class to teach them about the importance of looking after our natural world. We finished the term by researching, and then writing a biography on either Sir David Attenborough or Dr Jane Goodall.
In Science this term we have been looking at light - we proved that light travels in straight lines, and created our own mirror mazes. We will carry on this topic next term.
We also enjoyed our unit of work for Design and Technology. The children had to design and make their own waistcoats - this was quite the challenge especially threading needles, but as you can see, all the children managed to create one. Some even fitted into their creations but we're not sure how mush use they will get out of them!
Term 3
Please click here for our curriculum overview for Term 3.
This term has flown by! We started the term with a workshop with Ian from KIC theatre - sadly this will be our last one. Ian took us on a journey across North America which gave us a great start for our learning in Geography. Our art work linked quite nicely with our Geography topic as we designed and made our own Totem Poles out of clay. Our writing consisted of interviewing Ms Adams about her views on travelling and school trips before trying to persuade her to let us go on a school trip to a country in North America. We're not sure if we managed to persuade her as of yet! This term we linked our art to our topic of North America, and made totem poles using clay. Can you see which animals inspired our models?
We had great fun designing a steady hand game for our buddies in Billy Class although some of us got a little frustrated. This brought our learning in Science together with developing our skills in DT.
We ended the term with a pancake race and then we all had a go to see who could toss the pancake the highest AND catch it without it falling to the floor.
Term 2
Pleaseclick here for our curriculum overview for Term 2.
At the beginning of the term, we studied Shakespeare's Macbeth. We found out all about the downfall of Macbeth, after hearing the witches' premonition. We wrote our own spells, and recorded them. We also used drama to explore the events on the story.
In History, we have been learning all about the Industrial Revolution and how this shaped the country we live in today. We were suprised to find out that many young children worked in the factories because they could fit under the machines.
In DT this term, the children had to design their own playparks. They used their knowledge of structures from previous DT topics, and had to think carefully about the layout and the equipment they wanted to include. They used a variety of techniques, including sawing and gluing to create their parks.
Of course, we ended the term with many Christmas celebrations - our lunch was delicious, our party lots of fun (especially the dressing up game) and we really enjoyed singing in the KS2 performance of 'The Magical Jigsaw.'
Term 1
Please click here for our curriculum overview for Term 1.
Lammas Bread - As part of our Harvest festival, we learned about Lammas, which is when they celebrate the harvesting of wheat in Scotland. It is a very old tradition, where people make corn dollies and decorated loaves of bread. We had a go at making our own plaited rolls - they tasted delicious!
Flood - We have been studying the book Flood this term, which tells the story, in pictures, about a family whose home is destroyed by a terrible storm. We acted out scenes from the story, which helped us to create our own written version. We published our story into a book and then read them to the children in Yr4 who are learning about coasts. Following this, we made an experiment to show the water cycle in action then we wrote a set of instructions so the children in Yr4 could follow and produce their own. Our final piece of writing for this term is an explanation about global warming and the effect it is having on the planet.
Composting - In our Geography lessons, we have been learning how to help our planet. We've discovered that one of the ways to stop food scraps going into landfills is to turn it into compost. We have found out what we can put in, which invertebrates help the process and also why compost makes healthier plants which then goes into us. Now we are collecting fruit and veg peelings from around the school which will hopefully give us some lovely compost for our plants in the spring/summer.