Numeracy: ‘The Stick Man’

We read ‘The Stick Man’ by Julia Donaldson and made Stick Men to revise positional language in Numeracy.

Retelling ‘The Gruffalo’

In Talking and Listening, we watched ‘The Gruffalo’s Child’ and then were like Mouse, using shadows to retell the narrative of its prequel.

Mini Theme: Graphic novels

In this topic, we investigated different Graphic Novels.  Then, in Shared and Independent Writing, we designed our own mini comic strips about Superhero Stickman.  This theme also helped us revise ‘Super e’ in Phonics.

Mini Theme: Picture Books

We explored ‘Picture Books’ across all the areas of Communication: in Talking and Listening, we compared and contrasted illustrations in groups; in Reading, we created a class character analysis of ‘The Third Voice’ and compiled information through online, independent research for a report about the author, Anthony Browne; and, in Writing, we wrote and illustrated our own narratives.  This also linked to Art: we spotted intertextual references – especially to Magritte – and painted our own cold/warm illustrations, incorporating Magritte’s motifs.

30 May 2016 – Bank Holiday

8 June 2016 – Primary School Trip

9 June 2016 – Sports’ Day (weather permitting)

15 June 2016 – School Picnic & Sponsored Walk at Kilbroney (weather permitting)

20 June 2016 – School Praise Service & Sketches

22-24 June 2016 – High School Trip

28 June 2016 – Deputation Meeting at Ardaragh Free Presbyterian Church

30 June 2016 – End of School Term

Guiding an expedition in Numeracy

Pupils programmed the Beebot to navigate the Arctic

Fact-finding in non-fiction texts/documentaries in Literacy

Arctic Crafts

Lollipop stick sleds

Penguin craft

Arctic-themed Masterpieces

Close-up of a Y4 pupil’s painting

Constructing Our ‘Igloo’

The first stage of our ‘igloo’

Reading in our igloo

Christmas Activities

Penguins crafted from toilet roll centres

Baking Christmas cookies

Christmas Party: Winter Wonderland tree competition

Christmas Party: Crackers!

Post Office Structured Play

Some edible penguins

Some of the staff at the Staff Dinner

Carol Service & Prize Giving

‘Glory to God in the highest. . . ‘ (Luke 2:14)

Some High School students perform an instrumental carol

KS2 play ‘Joy to the World’ on chime bars

FS & KS1 play and sing ‘God bless all the good friends here’

Some of the High School Choir singing, ‘Come down and behold the newborn King’

After the Carol Service and Prize Giving, a mini ensemble played ‘We’re Walking in the Air’ from the seasonal animation, ‘The Snowman’.

To everything there is a season. . . (Ecc.3:1)

On Tuesday 20th October, Years 1-7 travelled to Kilbroney Park for their annual Autumn Walk.  They split into three designated groups – Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf and Green Leaf.  Each group was given the challenge of jotting down sensory descriptions of their experience (KS2) and completing an Autumn Treasure Hunt (FS & KS1). Pupils enjoyed using their imaginations and actively exploring the forest – wandering from the ‘beaten path’ to traipse over the ‘troll’s bridge’, sploshing through streams and examining deserted campfires.

Afterwards, they had playtime in the park and then bought a snack to replenish their energy!

In their afternoon ‘Creative Writing’ class, KS2 were able to use their sensory notes to inspire a poem, ‘Hello, Goodbye’, contrasting the season of Autumn with Summer.

In October/November, we learnt lots about living things – farm animals, plants and minibeasts.  This linked to our study of ‘Living Things and How Living Things Survive’ in World Around Us.

Making Butter

Whisking cream to make butter

The final product!

Dramatic Play: Vets & Pet Shop

Vets

Craft: Creating Fimo Creatures

Crafting a ladybird carefully

A Class Pet!

Goldie settles into his new home

Mrs Cunningham very kindly bought us class pets – Goldie and Silver, the goldfish.  We learnt how to take care of goldfish and how to feed them.

Minibeast Pots

Putting compost into our pots

Potting our plants

Watering

All done!

This activity was linked to a Writing Assessment (for CCEA Levels 1-3): Writing Instructions – How to Pot a Plant.

Castles

In September/October, we studied the topic of ‘Castles’.  In Literacy, we read fantasy fiction and fractured fairytales.  In Numeracy, we also constructed a castle and played ‘Battlefields’ to practise our co-ordinates.  This also linked to ‘Our Queen’ topic in World Around Us.  We celebrated the Queen, who became the longest reigning monarch on 10th September 2015.

The grand finale was ‘Banquet Day’.  All the pupils dressed in Medieval Costumes, ate Medieval-style and KS1 acted out their fractured fairytale play, ‘Cinderella Bigfoot’.

We used our senses to describe a character – Zog the dragon

Building with shapes

Our Castle, with a working drawbridge and stained ‘glass’ windows

We made and used catapults to attack the castle

Taking a bow/Curtsying after our KS1 play, ‘Cinderella Bigfoot’

We used our crafted shields and crowns in role play

Outside castle play

Battlefield: Trying to stop the dragons!

Making princess bracelets

Baking Medieval gingerbread

Some pupils at their ‘Banquet’

We decorated gingerbread men and ice-cream cone castle turrets

Rev Colin Mercer (Faith FPC, South Carolina) called in for a visit and told us a little about Greenville.

Rev Angel Alvarez and Carolina (Spain) popped in to say, ‘Hello!’

Angel with his daughter, Carolina

Mr Milos Solz (Czech Republic) kindly spoke at our afternoon ‘Bible Reading’ in January.

KEY STAGE 2

Hannah the Baker; Isabel; Dylan; Matilda; Anna; and, Wally.

FOUNDATION & KEY STAGE 1

Princess Charlotte; Anna the Bride; Alexa the Fashion Fairy; Lanky Len; Ding-Dong Gorilla; Carmen Sandiego; Pipkin the Penguin; Mouse from ‘The Gruffalo’; Captain America; George the Pizza Pirate; and, Heidi.

MYSTERY IN ‘LITERACY WORLD’: Who Stole the Gingerbread from the Gingerbread House?

Foundation and Key Stage 1 pupils were asked to investigate and help clear Carmen Sandiego of the crime.  She left a ‘Top Secret Folder’ of other potential suspects.  Pupils examined evidence, displayed skills of inference and deduction, and caught the culprit!

Crime Scene with clues

Evaluating evidence

The case is solved!

We would like to thank all who supported our ‘Afternoon Tea’ Fundraiser.    We hope you enjoyed spoiling yourselves on Saturday afternoon.  An amazing £1000 was raised for school funds.

Invitation to the Coffee Morning

We would also like to express our thanks to all of the organising committee – for decorating the complex with such beautiful detail, and baking or making the special treats that filled all of the cake stands.  We know that the Lord will ‘not forget your work and labour of love’ (Hebrews 6:10).