Author: Tucker G

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Mathematics

Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– Recognise the place value of each digit in a two-digit number (tens and ones).

– Identify and represent numbers using the number line.

– Compare and order and order numbers from 0 to 100; use <, > and = signs.

– Add and subtract numbers using concrete objects, pictorial representations, including: a two-digit number and ones, a two digit number and tens and two two-digit numbers.

– Solve simple problems in practical context involving addition and subtraction of money of the same unit, including giving change.

– Solve multiplications using materials, arrays and repeated adition.

– Identify 2-D shapes on the surface and create different representations developing psychomotor and visuospatial abilities.

In maths lesson, we can see a combination of a variety of tools and methods to provide pupils with a stimulating environment to create a well-constructed mathematical thinking. Clear examples of those tools could be whiteboards, an abacus, number blocks, Numicon shapes, etc.

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Another engaging material used during this term was the Tangram. Through it, pupils developed positive feelings about geometry, gained a stronger grasp of spatial relationship and also, developed an understanding of how geometric shapes can be decomposed.

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One of the main pillars to ensure success in learning is <<Gamification>>, which is about transforming the classroom environment and regular activities into games.

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Literacy

In Literacy we continued to build on our foundation of phonics, created our first story and traveled around the world as a sailor.

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Pupils learned poetry through the poem ‘This is Halloween’ by Tim Burton’s film The Nightmare Before Christmas. Of course, we celebrated in costume as well! Other stories we read included adventure stories about pirates, a careful read and analysis of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and the playscript of the Christmas show A Christmas Jigsaw.

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Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– read, recognise and spell various single-letter graphemes (such as ‘j’ and ‘w’) and double-letter graphemes (such as ‘ch’ and ‘ay’)

– segment words into separate sounds based on their various graphemes

– interpret and decipher exceptions to the phonic rules learned (such as ‘she’ and ‘the’)

– understand the difference between short and long vowels and pronounce them correctly

– read phonically decodable text with increasing levels of confidence and complexity

– comprehend and interpret texts read out loud

– write out and spell words based on the graphemes studied in class

– sequence the order of a text successfully

– read out dialogue and add tone to act out a role-play successfully

– memorise song lyrics and sing them out loud with good pitch successfully

Science

Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– Identify and compare the properties of certain materials.
– Investigating and sort several materials attending to different features.
– Testing the purpose of wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses.
– Knowing the properties of certain materials.
– Find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed
by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
– Understanding the use of different materials and understand/reasoning: “Why is that material useful?”

Science lessons provide them with the foundations for understanding the world through several disciplines such as biology, chemistry and physics. They are encouraged to be curious, to explore and ask questions about the world around them.

Specifically, in this term, we focused on ‘everyday materials’. Pupils have discussed and raised their own questions about everyday materials, with the aim that they become familiar with the names of these materials and their properties.

Moreover, they have explored and experimented with a wide variety of materials, to acquire meaningful knowledge. By observing, exploring, manipulating and experimenting, they linked their school knowledge with their closer environment.

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As a Forest School, one of our most important values is to promote taking care of our environment. Through activities, assemblies and eco-projects, pupils adopt a proactive attitude in order to save our planet.

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History and Geography

Pupils learned about oceans and the Vendée Globe competition in History and Geography class this term. The Vendée Globe is a non-stop sailing competition for solo sailors which takes place once every four years. Birch learned to identify the different oceans and continents, where we live, and about various obstacles in the ocean such as the doldrums, gyres and fast winds of the Southern Ocean.

Pupils had a chance to meet Louis Burton via a Zoom call at the beginning of term before Louis Burton set off.

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Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– understand the difference between an ocean and other bodies of water such as a lake or sea

– identify and locate the different continents and oceans of the world

– understand the different obstacles one can find in the ocean such as doldrums and gyres

– appreciate the dangers of our use of plastic and its negative impact on ocean habitats

– identify and observe different marine wildlife and understand how these animals interact with / compete against one another for food and living space

Art and Design

Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– To use a range of materials creatively to design and make products.

– To use drawing, painting and sculpture to develop and share their ideas, experiences
and imagination

– To develop a wide range of art and design techniques in using colour, pattern, texture,
line, shape, form and space

Art lesson provide pupils the chance to develop their knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own work of art, craft and design. By creating a creative environment and appropiate materials, pupils develop a wide range of art and design techniques using colour, patterns, texture, shape and space.

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Pour découvrir les activités en français, téléchargez le PDF ici !

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Mathematics

Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– Find 10 or 100 more or less than a given number.

– Recognise the place value of each digit in a three-digit number (hundred, tens and ones).

– Compare and order numbers up to 100.

– Identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representation.

– Add and subtract numbers with up to three digits, using formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction.

– Solve problems, including missing number problems, involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

– Represent and solve mathematical statements for multiplication and division.

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We were basing our lessons on a big event that is happening this year: Vendée Globe, which is a single-handed non-stop round the world yacht race.

This term, pupils focused on “Geometric shapes”, “Length” and “Multiplication”. For this reason, in a parallel way, they worked on how to solve problems, which included these contents. In practice, the teaching approach used was the ‘Singapore Method’.

Literacy

In Literacy we learned about how to write a diary entry, both from our own perspective and the perspective of another, and how to read and interpret dialogue. Keeping with the theme ‘Around the World’ we looked at the Vendée Globe, a competition which takes place once every four years and requires individual sailors to sail around the world non-stop. We focused our attention on a British sailor named Alex Thomson and wrote a diary entry from his perspective. We looked at the various challenges of being a competitive solo sailor such as the lack of sleep, random fixes to make on a boat and how to remain successful.

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We also were busy preparing for the Christmas show, learning all of the lines and reading the script both for comprehension and interpretation of the happenings within the show. Additionally, we had a focus on adverbs and conjunctions this term for grammar and practised spellings regularly.

Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– identify and implement the characteristics inherent in a diary, such as the date, first-person perspective and informal register

– use connectives and conjunctions in our writing in order to build cohesion and show a clear, chronological order

– describe an event in detail, including who, what, where, when and sometimes why or how

– identify the emotions both within us and others and successfully express that emotion with well-chosen adjectives and descriptions

– use a variety of sentence starters to create more complex sentence structures

– memorise and read out dialogue with the correct tone of voice and cadence

– memorise song lyrics and sing them with the correct pitch and rhythm

– convert narrative text into dialogue text

– comprehend, sequence and interpret texts successfully based on an age-appropriate reading level

– spell words successfully from the Lower Key Stage 2 recommended words list

– identify and use properly various adverbs and conjunctions

Science

Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

-Asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer
them.

-Gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in
answering questions.

– Recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams,
keys, bar charts, and tables

-Using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest
improvements and raise further questions

– Recognising that soils are made from rocks and organic matter; and identify different kinds of fossils.

-Knowing interesting facts about fossils: “How tracks are preserved”.

– Observing that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and measure or research the temperature at which this happens in degrees Celsius (°C).

-Solving problems about conversions of Celsius, Kelvin and Fahrenheit degrees, by using the concrete formula.

One of the principal focus of science teaching is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them.

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To achieve this goal, pupils have been observing, grouping, carrying out simple comparatives test and experiments, using sources of information. They have worked scientifically throughout guidance, examples, using scientific methods and skills liked to specific elements of the contents.

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The principal reasons for why we use this method it is because Singapore math emphasizes conceptual understanding: the “why” not just the “how”, so it allows students to build meaning to learn concepts and skills, as opposed to rote memorization of rules and formulas.

 Also, it makes learning mathematics fun and engaging, allows students to understand mathematics deeply, and helps them become proficient at solving very complex math problems.

Providing a real context for students to develop and apply their knowledge is the key to seeing the importance of mathematics in their own lives. This approach makes the learning of mathematics fun and meaningful and helps students develop positive attitudes about math.

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Also, as a result of linking subjects, they are able to see a global vision of what they are learning. A clear example could be the following activity, where it is linked Maths, Geography and Science.

From Science, we were working on temperature, so we checked the temperature of some countries and even, they made an experiment: To build their own thermometer. Experiments are a primary component of the scientific method. They promote discovery and learning, allowing them to test theories and hypotheses about how physical processes work.

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History and Geography

Pupils learned about oceans and the Vendée Globe competition in History and Geography class this term. The Vendée Globe is a non-stop sailing competition for solo sailors which takes place once every four years. Walnuts learned to identify the different oceans and continents, where we live, and about various obstacles in the ocean such as the doldrums, gyres and fast winds of the Southern Ocean.

Pupils had a chance to meet Louis Burton via a Zoom call at the beginning of term before Louis Burton set off.

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Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– understand the characteristics which separate an ocean from other bodies of water such as lakes or seas

– identify and locate the different continents and oceans of the world

– understand the different obstacles one can find in the ocean such as doldrums and gyres and how they work (high to low pressure, hot air rising, cold air sinking, Earth’s rotation, Coriolis Effect)

– see how heat allows ocean currents to rise, salt allows ocean currents to fall and how the two can interact together

– appreciate the dangers of our use of plastic and its negative impact on ocean habitats

– identify and observe different marine wildlife and understand how these animals interact with / compete against one another for food and living space

Art and design

Learning objectives achieved this term: We learned to…

– Creating sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit
ideas

– Improving their mastery of art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and
sculpture with a range of materials

Art lessons are the perfect environment to develop pupils’ techniques, their control and use of materials and creativity.

They have created different pieces of art for a meaningful purpose, in this case, was Halloween or Christmas. Using various art and design techniques, including drawing, painting and sculpture with a range of materials; for example, pencil, charcoal, paint, clay.

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Pour découvrir les activités en français, téléchargez le PDF ici !

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Walnuts learned around the theme ‘All About Me,’ in which they explored what it means to be human, the world around them, and a part of something bigger than them. Through diverse activities from different subjects, pupils have done great amounts of introspection to develop a positive conception of themselves. Have a look at all they accomplished this term.

MATHEMATICS

Objectives we achieved this term:

Through multi-sensory activities and various mathematical tools, we have developed our skills in place value, addition and subtraction.

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Place value

We have learned to:

• count from 0 in multiples of 4, 8, 50 and 100; find 10 or 100 more or less than a given number.
• recognise the place value of each digit in a three-digit number (hundreds, tens, ones).
• read and write numbers up to 1000 in numerals and in words.
• solve both number problems and practical problems involving these ideas.
• count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1000.
• recognise the place value of each digit in a four-digit number (ones, tens, hundreds and thousands).

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Addition and Subtraction

We have learned to:

• add and subtract numbers mentally, including: a three-digit number and ones.
• solve problems, including missing number problems, using number facts, place values and more complex additions/subtractions.
• add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits using the formal written methods of column addition and subtraction where appropriate.
• understand the concept of negative numbers.
• understand Roman numerals.

LITERACY

We learned about ourselves and others by looking at a couple of stories to help us unlock what it means to be ‘me’ and what it means to be ‘somebody else’. Additionally, we worked with narrative structures, creating characters and describing settings. We used The Madagascar Storybook by DreamWorks to better explore settings, characters and sequencing events. As part of a larger project, Walnuts created their own version of The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson in their own words as part of their own story.

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Objectives we achieved this term:

We have learned to:

• recreate a narrative using a model text to create our own story.
• read and listen to narrative texts which discussed a wide range of topics and structures.
• discuss through book-talk what is being read for reading comprehension practice.
• practise reading comprehension from texts with questions attached.
• draw inferences such of characters’ motivations, thoughts and feelings from their actions within the story.
• describe a setting in detail with well-selected fronted adverbials.
• identify nouns, verbs and adjectives.

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Walnuts reading their version of ‘The Day You Begin’!

SCIENCE

To link with the theme ‘All About Me,’ we learned about our bodies and the world around us through nature. We focused on the plant kingdom and the human body.

Objectives we achieved this term:

The Plant Kingdom

Thanks to the natural environment of our schools, children had the perfect opportunities to gain a meaningful knowledge about the plant kingdom in a real context. Exploring trees, flowers, native plants, … of our forest, they discovered and manipulating the different parts of plants.

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We have learned to:

• identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants: roots, stem/trunk, leaves and flowers.
• explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and room to grow) and how they vary from plant to plant.
• explore the part that flowers play in the life cycle of flowering plants, including pollination, seed formation and seed dispersal.

The Human Body

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We have learned to:

• appreciate the importance of bones and the skeleton.
• identify the principal bones of the human body
• describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the digestive system, respiratory system and circulatory system in humans.
• identify the different types of teeth in humans and their simple functions.
• describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air).
• understand diseases and remedies which affect our bodies.

HISTORY

This term Walnuts learned about prehistory in order to answer the question of where humans come from. We’ve learned about the basics of evolution, the domestication of various animals such as the wolf or the wildcat, and how societies looked before the Agricultural Revolution.

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Objectives we achieved this term:

We have learned to:

• see how humans lived on a daily basis within a hunter-gatherer society.
• understand the physical evolution of humans into what we are today.
• appreciate the origins of life through a process called evolution.
• know how wolves and other animals were domesticated into dogs and various farm animals.
• see how large history is before human history.
• appreciate how nature plays a large role in humanity’s history.

SPORT – SWIMMING AND DANCING

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Walnuts swam and danced for sport this term with specialised instructors trained and experienced in those respective fields. It was both impactful and delightful, a balanced mix of learning new techniques and having some lighthearted fun in the process.

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ART / D&T

We related our art theme to what pupils were learning in history and science, namely the artwork that premodern humans would have created and artwork related to the different seasons. Additionally, we created our own class eco-bins to build conscientiousness of recycling and taking care of our environment.

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Objectives we achieved this term:

• to use drawing and painting to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.
• to use recycled objects and other various materials to creatively design and make products.
• to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.

MUSIC – END OF TERM SHOW

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Pour découvrir les activités en français, téléchargez le PDF ici !

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Birches learned around the theme ‘All About Me,’ in which they explored what it means to be human, themselves, and a part of something bigger than them. Have a look at all they accomplished this term.

MATHEMATICS

We built the foundation for visualising abstract concepts often observed in mathematics through concrete manipulatives and an introduction to number sense. Have a look at some of the work we’ve done throughout the term.

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Objectives we achieved this term:

Place Value

We have learned to…

• count to and across 100, forwards.
• count, read and write numbers to 100 in numerals; count in 2s, in 5s, in 10s and in 3s.
• given a number, identify one more and one less.
• identify and represent numbers using objects and pictorial representations, including the number line, and use the language of: equal to, more than, less than, fewer, most, least.
• read and write numbers from 1 to 20 in numerals and words.
• do addition and subtraction bonds to 20.

Addition and Subtraction

We have learned to…

• read, write and interpret mathematical statements involving addition (+), subtraction (–) and equals (=) signs.
• add and subtract one-digit and two- digit numbers to 20, including zero.
• solve one-step problems that involve addition and subtraction, using concrete objects and pictorial representations, and missing number problems.

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LITERACY

In Literacy we learned about ourselves and others, focusing on what it means to be ‘me’ and what it means to be ‘somebody else’. We read books such as How to Be A Lion by Ed Vere and The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson. Additionally, we built up our phonics to be able to create all sorts of words with short vowels and regular consonants, and we will build off of that work as the year progresses.

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Objectives we achieved this term:

Phonics

We have learned to:

• Read accurately words which consist of regular consonants and short vowels.
• Blend two consonants together which make a singular sound, such as ‘drip’ or ‘lick’.
• Read basic exception words such as ‘the’, ‘as’ and ‘she’.
• Segment spoken words into phonemes.
• Interpret ‘nonsense’ words which follow phonetic rules but are not technically words in English.

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Reading and Writing

We have learned to:

• Comprehend, discuss and interpret the story which we are listening to.
• Order and sequence events as they happen in the story.
• Recreate a narrative through pictures, role play and discussion.
• Predict what might happen next.
• Clarify the meanings of words by linking new meanings to known vocabulary.

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SCIENCE

To link with the theme ‘All About Me,’ we learned about our bodies and the world around us through nature. We focused on plants, animals and healthy living.

Objectives we achieved this term:

Plants

We have learned to:

• identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees.
• identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees.

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Animals

We have learned to:

• understand principal features of living things.
• identify different types of animals.
• classify animals, depending on their nutrition and reproduction.

Healthy Life

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We have learned to:

• appreciate exercise, eating the right amount of different types of food and our basic needs.
• understand the advantages of eating healthy food and doing exercise.
• identify each season of the year, know their features and the cause for these changes.
• identify seasonal fruits and vegetables.
• prepare a recipe using the food of each season.

HISTORY / GEOGRAPHY

This term Birches learned about prehistory in order to answer the question of where humans come from. We’ve learned about the basics of evolution, the domestication of various animals such as the wolf or the wildcat, and how societies looked before the Agricultural Revolution.

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Objectives we achieved this term:

We have learned to:

• see how humans lived on a daily basis within a hunter-gatherer society.
• understand the physical evolution of humans into what we are today.
• appreciate the origins of life through a process called evolution.
• know how wolves and other animals were domesticated into dogs and various farm animals.
• see how large history is before human history.
• appreciate how nature plays a large role in humanity’s history.

SPORT – SWIMMING AND DANCE

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Birches swam and danced for sport this term with specialised instructors trained and experienced in those respective fields. It was both impactful and delightful, a balanced mix of learning new techniques and having some lighthearted fun in the process.

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ART / D&T

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We related our art theme to what pupils were learning in history and science, namely the artwork that pre-modern humans would have created and artwork related to the different seasons. Additionally, we created our own class eco-bins to build conscientiousness of recycling and taking care of our environment.

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Objectives we achieved this term:

• to use drawing and painting to develop and share their ideas, experiences and imagination.
• to use recycled objects and other various materials to creatively design and make products.
• to create sketch books to record their observations and use them to review and revisit ideas.

MUSIC – END OF TERM PERFORMANCE

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Pour découvrir les activités en français, téléchargez le PDF ici !