Welcome to New York!

Hello, my name is Miss Garbutt and I am the teacher for New York.

Over the year, we will be taking part in lots of exciting activities to enhance our learning, including our residential!

We began our year with a week of mini topic- all about New York. The children  created fantastic non-chronological reports and pop art from their learning- check out some pictures below!

During the Autumn term, we focussed on World War 2, reading and exploring the book 'The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.'

As part of our mini Topic, we have been learning all about New York: Where is is, what landmarks we may see there and the boroughs which make up new York. We designed our own pop art and even took part in a class assembly, presenting what we had learnt to our peers and parents. 

In Science, the children have learnt about electricity and light.

During their topic of electricity, the children recapped the symbols for the components and learnt how to draw an electrical circuit correctly, using the correct symbols. They were able to predict, problem solve and conclude whether a circuit would work or not. They tried lots of different components including buzzers, switches and motors. We even tested whether lemons could be used to power a circuit rather than a cell!

In their topic of light, the children have learnt that light travels in straight lines and that white light is made up of an array of colours. They understood how rainbows are formed in the sky and how our eyes see light as well as how reflection and refraction work. 

During our computing lessons, we have been looking at how a computer works using signals and packets. We tried different ways of communicating and discussed which ways were useful ways of communicating a message and which ways were not so useful. We learnt how to use Excel and created our own party plan, using Excel formulas to add/ subtract/ multiply and divide our budget. 

Over STEM week ( Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), we worked together in groups to design, build and evaluate our own bridges. We needed to carefully consider which materials we needed to use as well as how to create a structure strong enough to hold weight. Check out the bridges we created!

We began the Spring term off with our second week of Mini Topic.

We have  focussed on Christopher Columbus and his journey to America. We debated whether Christopher Columbus was a hero, villain or somewhere in between.

We also created our own Haida art and explored Native American music! 

During Spring, our topic is Crime and Punishment through the ages. 

On Monday 9th January, the children took part in WW2 day- linking with their topic of WW2 over the Autumn Term. The children dressed up in clothes which would have traditionally been worn around that time period. 

We had a very special guest who spoke to us about his role as an Air Raid Warden and what would have happened during the Air Raids. We learnt lots about evacuees and what they would need to take with them when they are evacuated to the countryside. 

We also had the opportunity to try on uniforms from Britain, Germany and France as well as look at other artefacts which would have been used during WW2.

The children had a fantastic day and were able to share lots of new things they had learnt. 

This half term in computing, we are focussing on the programme Scratch. The children have been predicting what may happen by looking at a sequence of instructions. They have been able to check whether their predictions were right and if they weren't, they could begin to explain why.

They have explored variables and have used the 'If.... then..' commands to create their own sequence of questions, answers and events. 

This half term in PE, the children have been doing Athletics. We have been practising our running, throwing, catching and jumping skills. 

The children worked really well as a team in relay races and tried to beat their own records when running a range of distances and throwing objects such as javelin, discus and shotput. 

They really showed their competitive sides!

In Science, we have been looking closely at our bodies. We have learnt how the heart pumps blood around our body and the importance of our lungs. Check out our photos of us experimenting whether height has a link with lung capacity!

We also learnt how to take our pulse and tested what happened to our pulse after we had exercised. 

We looked at the effects drugs and alcohol have on our bodies and discussed whether all drugs were bad for us. 

For World Book Day, the children were able to come dressed as  a character from a book, if they wished.

They enjoyed a range of stories, read by members of staff around the school and took part in a special World Book Day assembly.

They enjoyed time reading in the library and even got to share some stories with the nursery children! The children loved sharing their favourite stories with the class and even guessed their friend's book by using clues they were given.  

This term, the children have been preparing for their SATS. They have all worked their socks off and are looking forward to their leavers events such as the leavers performance, assembly and BBQ!