Tuesday was International Safer Internet Day. In Beech Class we pondered over questions such as ‘does anyone own the internet’ and ‘how do we know if information we find is true or made up?’ We made links with Maths and created a tally chart of activities children engage in on the internet – the top activity was gaming! We went on to discuss trust and relationships when online and drew parallels with these themes in the real world – would you talk to a stranger in real life? We concluded that just like in real life, on the internet there are both nasty and nice people using it.
On Monday, there was an uproar in Science when Beech Class got out the musical instruments to investigate volume and pitch; a triangle can make a loud, high pitched sound and a drum can make a soft, low pitched one. On Thursday, Mr Finch continued the musical theme when Beech created a sound track for a story based on ‘The Legend of Kevin’ by Sarah McIntyre and Philip Reeve.
Ben from ‘Saints’ delighted the class this week with a gymnastics lesson using the climbing frames and apparatus. Every child was fully engaged and focused on balancing, climbing, rolling and jumping (with a safe landing).
Next week we will be winding up our topics and hopefully enjoying a final week together as a Y1/2 class. The children are working hard to fill their reward jar, so let’s hope their hard work pays off.
Things you can do to help your child next week:
· Y1s – count in 2s …. Try ‘2,4,6,8…..who do we appreciate?’
· Y2s – Log on to ‘TT Rockstars’ and practise 2,3,4,5 and 10 times tables.
· Check to see if your child has changed their picture book
· Have a go at describing the pitch of everyday sounds
I look forward to seeing you all on Monday.
Audra Fitzgerald

​It seems that several members of Beech Class have decided on the career path of Palaeontologist!  At playtimes children have patiently and carefully scraped away at soil hoping to stumble upon a fossil dinosaur tooth or ammonite.  On Tuesday, the children conjured up questions they would ask Mary Anning if she were to magically appear in their classroom………
Next week our History topic will take on a practical element.  The children will be rolling up their sleeves and getting their hands dirty: all will be revealed on Monday or Tuesday!
PE has been a real balancing act this week.  Mrs Edwards from ‘Saints’ taught the class various rolls and challenged our budding gymnasts to make a sequence with a partner including 2 balances and 2 rolls.  Every sequence was different and the children learnt from their peers.  I was especially impressed by the children’s motivation and perseverance and how they supported each other in their work.
Mr Finch delivered a surprise parcel to our class on Wednesday morning: a box full of quality picture books for our reading corner.  The children immediately recognised some titles as existing favourites, and marvelled at the prospect of borrowing other titles to read at home.  Just to remind you that the Read, Write, Inc. books are books that reinforce previous learning during our RWI sessions and will only be swapped at the end of a 3 or 5 day sequence.  The picture books may be swapped at any time and are for children to read themselves or to share with an adult.
Things you can do next week to help your child:

• Y1s – compare objects using phrases such as ‘Stan has fewer dinosaurs than Betty’ or ‘Araminta has more books than Fred’
• Y2s – make a tally chart …… colour of beads in a box or car colours passing the house etc.
• Make a paper comb kazoo and feel the vibrations!
• Practise writing numbers with correct orientation and always starting from the top

Keep warm this weekend!
Audra Fitzgerald