Class 2 have all set a perfect example of how to behave in school and have been using their manners at every opportunity. In class they have enjoyed lots of practical learning experiences and have really enjoyed each other’s company as usual.
In Read Write Inc the children have been reading both fiction and non-fiction in their groups. They have enjoyed sharing their own knowledge and experiences of the wider world into their discussions too related to the texts they have read.
In Maths the children were introduced to further work on length and height through a new picture and information book, ‘Actual Size’ by Steve Jenkins. Here they continued using non-standard methods for measurement at the start of the week by measuring pictures within the book which were life size animal parts which they all found very engaging and very real. Firstly they began to estimate and measure the animal body parts with objects, and then slowly progressed into to using standard cm’s using rulers by the end of the week. We have also worked on creating our class Ostrich for a class height chart. After the children chose the Ostrich as their favourite, we read about the big bird’s height in the book and then measured and drew it for us to compare our own heights and sizes to it on our wall. This is work in progress and should be ready next week.
In History the children have been learning about famous Victorian inventions and inventors as an extension to their wonderful homework projects. Their main learning focus was on the key inventor Alexander Graham Bell who invented the first ever telephone. The children then had a go at making one of their own to try out too with their partners which was amusing to watch when it was time to test them out. Our Victorian tiles are near completion too and wouldn’t look out of place around any Victorian fireplace.
In Science the children have kick started their new topic of Everyday Materials by doing a practical investigation involving sorting materials into different categories as a group and have learned new vocabulary in order to better describe their properties.
The new spelling lists have gone out in books as usual to be done next Friday by the children. It has been so lovely to see the enthusiasm of the children concerning both spellings and their home reading materials. We are so grateful to you all for nurturing their joy for learning in the home too.
I hope that you have a lovely weekend together and I look forward to seeing you on Monday.

Mr Mavin

Class 2 have done English work this week based on the interests they have brought into the classroom. It has synced brilliantly with our Science topic of Animals and Humans; literacy based work on SHARKS! They have experienced visual literacy from media and simple text sources in the first instance. Then they were reading and retrieving, recording ideas for labelling and describing sharks along with facts about them. In addition to this they have been demonstrating excellent reading and sentence building skills in their RWI groups.
In Maths we have been learning about length and height in our measurement unit. We started off making comparisons and describing lengths and heights using new mathematical language. After sorting ourselves into height order we described and compared three objects at a time using words including longer, longest, shorter and shortest. Towards the end of the week we applied our learning to a maths investigation using non-standard units of measurement. We used metre sticks and toilet paper. Their investigation was to see if we could roughly measure and compare the lengths of four of the world’s best known sharks. We compared their lengths and found out how many of the children one above the other made up the lengths of each of them. By the looks on the children’s faces this was mind blowing and they got the gist of how enormous these creatures are in comparison to them.
In history topic work Class 2 have learned about the awful jobs which children were subjected to during the Victorian era. They focused on chimney sweeps and what the child needed to do and why there was a need for such a role. The children then moved onto their own piece of artwork on a chimney sweep after completing an extended piece of writing about this renowned Victorian job. We finished the week making a start on our Victorian clay tiles using various taught techniques. They have started to look fab before they are painted.
The children did wonderfully well on their weekly spellings again this week. A new list has gone in their books. A big congratulations to Cerys too for getting Star of the Week Trophy for some tenacious work done in her Maths and English lessons and for showing good listening skills in class.
I hope you have a lovely weekend together and I will look forward to seeing you on Monday.
Mr Mavin