Ash Class Star Writer

The star writer in Ash Class this week is Isabelle Reynolds. We were writing to appeal to Sea Parks to end the plight of their captive killer whales. Isabelle worked with impressive resilience and put a great deal of effort into using her best handwriting. Even more importantly, the content of her writing was lifted by her use of powerful adjectives and persuasive openers.

"I really wanted Sea Parks to realise how badly they are treating these poor orcas!" — Isabelle 

Stone Age pots in year 3

The children of Ash, Birch and Willow class have been applying their sculpting skills today in Art by creating pots in the style of those found in the Stone Age.

After carefully planning their designs, they molded the air drying clay to the shape they wanted their pot to be.

Intense concentration was needed to ensure their pattern was exactly as they had planned.

In order to create their patterns, they investigated what people of the Stone Age might have used to create their designs. They left the classroom and went on a hunt outside for a range of organic objects to use. These included: twigs, shells and different types of rock- including slate!

Once the classes had decided on what they were going to use to etch on their pattern, they made a start.

Some children found this process rather difficult as they were putting their fine motor skills to the test. 

"I found it challenging to keep my hand still whilst etching on my pattern." Trinity, Birch class.

The finished products were pretty incredible! What do you think? 

Great work Year 3!

Grace gets resourceful in maths!

Grace in Year 3 has used one of her four learning powers in maths this week to solve some word problems on 3 digit addition.

She was incredibly resourceful using her laminated smiley face to help highlight the key information I order to solve the challenging word problems. 

By using her learning power, she managed to solve all of the problems correctly. She then managed to challenge herself further by creating her own word problem!

Great work Grace!

Persuasive Writing in Willow

Willow class have been learning all about how to write a persuasive argument this week. More specifically, they wrote a letter to 'Sea Parcs' encouraging them to stop keeping Killer Whales in captivity.

In order to form the most effective argument, they followed a Point Explain Evidence paragraph structure. That way, their argument was supported with sufficient evidence that 'Sea Parcs' could not dispute!

The children worked hard on their sentence types, creating some great 2A sentences (2 adjectives before a noun).

For example, "It is a widely known fact that Killer whales are powerful, huge creatures..." Eriya, Willow class.

They also ensured to use alternative nouns for Killer Whales throughout their writing such as 'Orcas' and 'marine mammals'.

Can you spot any of these features in their writing?

Tangram puzzles in Willow

Willow have been mastering the art of the ancient Chinese puzzle, the Tangram. The highly challenging puzzle requires children to apply their logic, thinking skills and dexterity!

Children were given 7 wooden pieces and were required to put them together to make the shape that was shown on the board. 

They needed to really concentrate to make sure they had all their pieces in exactly the right place. If they made the slightest mistake, they would not have received the points they needed to win the challenge!

I'm certain we will have some Tangram masters in Willow class very soon!

Project Superstar in Willow!

Brooke in Willow class has been working extremely hard to further her knowledge on the age of early man.

She created her own poster all about the Iron Age which included a range of historical artefacts that have been found. These artefacts can help us learn about the people of that time- great historical evidence Brooke!

I am so impressed with Brooke's continuing efforts to further her learning at home. 

Great work!

Year 3 are taken back to the age of early man!

Today year 3 were lucky enough to have a workshop all about the age of early man. They travelled back in time and experienced how it might have been all those years ago!

They learnt how they would have farmed the land.

How to catch fish with spears.

How to build heavy, stone walls.

Even how to keep their own farm animals!

After learning all about moving into the Bronze Age, the children then created their own Broadford Stone Henge! 

"I liked acting out how to build a wall in the Stone Age, it really felt like we were there!" Yazmin, Willow.

"I loved the energy of the workshop. We learnt so much whilst still having fun!" Sam, Willow.

Great job Willow, Ash and Birch class!

Birch gets persuasive!

Big Write today in Birch class has produced some great persuasive letters!  Children have written letters to Sea Park; persuading them to stop keeping killer-whales in captivity.  They have all used lots of persuasive tricks to change the owner of Sea Park's mind.

I used a 2-adjective sentence to show the reader how helpless this creatures are: 'I firmly believe that these helpless wild creatures need room to roam and explore.  Gavin

Beat the calculator!

The Willow maths class have been using their mental maths skills today to beat the calculator!

The aim of the game was to work a subtraction sum out before the calculator! They started off with a ten second head start but, with a bit of practise, were able to beat the calculator with no extra time at all!

"My brain is even faster at calculating than the calculator!" Finley Livingstone, Birch

Great work children- make sure to keep practising your mental arithmetic at home. Next time, we can play beat Miss Rooney!

Willow have been on an archeological dig!

Pupils in Willow went on an archeological dig this week!  Using brushes and detective skills, pupils slowly but surely removed piles of sand and soil to find objects of historical importance.

By the end of the lesson, 100% of pupils agreed that it is important to have more than one piece of evidence to find out about the past, otherwise it might not be accurate. 

Year 3 - Cave Art

Linked to their topic, the children have been exploring cave art and learning about how early man communicated. Last week the children looked at the materials that would have been available and were used and also the limited symbols that were shown in these paintings as there was no alphabet or modern symbols that they see now.

Each child created their own painting representing an event in their own lives. Also paper was secured to the underneath of some tables and the lights turned off so that in small groups they could add their own part to a group cave painting. They found this very exciting and Finley said "it really feels like I am in a real cave!"

The children crumpled paper to create an uneven surface and used natural colours in their individual paintings.