Elm Class, Blog 2, Term 2 2022/2023

English

This term Elm studied figurative language in poetry, learning how to identify such devices as simile and metaphor, personification, alliteration and onomatopoeia. They also learned about the varying types of rhyme found in poetry and reflected on their effects.

The class read Flora & Ulysses by Kate DiCamillo, the story of a young girl who befriends a squirrel who has superpowers. This highly unusual book was a big hit with the class who found it entertaining but it also challenged them with high level vocabulary and some serious themes. The class analysed the characters and their relationships, developing the discipline of supporting their responses with evidence from the text.

French

Beginners Group with Joanna

The theme for this term linked to our daily workbook (Zig Zag 2) is La Maison (the house). We have studied new vocabulary linked to objects (lampe/lit/bibliothèque/armoire/bureau) that are found in the house as well as the different rooms in a house (grenier/cave/salon/salle à manger etc.). The students all individually presented a drawing of their own bedrooms and the objects/furniture they have, they all did a really good job. We also continue to work on our French verbs (this term spelling tests on les verbes en ER au présent). Throughout the term we learned songs in French for the Christmas show and the students sang them all beautifully on the 10th of December at the Théâtre de Bailly.

Intermediate Group with Christine

During this period, from November to December, the first topic we worked on was the one of the House with all his rooms and furniture. They had to be able to name and write properly the different places and all what is inside. We did a focus on the bedroom and each of the children had to make presentation of their dream bedroom including the things in it that reflect their passions (video games, poster or books about animals…). It was also an opportunity to speak about some castles in France and make them do a short presentation of one the famous monument in their own country.

We ended this period talking about buying presents through a dialogue in their book and in another dialogue in which they had to do a roleplay.

Through written and oral exercises, they had the possibility to acquired new vocabulary, learn grammar/conjugation structures or review some others.

In January, we will go on working on the topic of purchase and we will speak about food (shops, menu, receipt, healthy food…).

I wish a Merry Christmas to all the families.

Advanced Group with Marie

Pendant cette deuxième période, les élèves ont continué à approfondir les notions de français:

en grammaire: les différentes fonctions de l’adjectif qualificatif (épithète/attribut du sujet), le complément du nom, phrases simples/complexes, les différentes propositions.

en conjugaison: les temps du récit, l’imparfait, le passé simple.

en vocabulaire: étude de la notion du conte ainsi que la carte mentale du conte, vocabulaire du merveilleux et du fantastique, les différentes origines d’un mot.

en orthographe: l’infinitif et le participe passé, 2 dictées ont été effectuées.

en mémorisation: 1 poésie a été apprise et récitée.

en littérature: choix d’un livre de lecture puis rendu de la fiche en lien avec le livre, apprentissage du schéma narratif.

2 évaluations ont eu lieu durant le 2ème terme.

French IMYC with Marie

Cette période a été consacrée aux grands explorateurs ainsi qu’aux répétitions pour le spectacle de Noël.

“Douce nuit”

Spanish

This term we learnt about the human body, the family and the Christmas tradition in Spain. The family and its various members served as a basis for us to approach Christmas in Spain. We discovered and learned the VILLANCICO (Christmas song) «Campana sobre campana»* and exchanged «los regalos del amigo invisible»

Click here:

 https://www.google.com/search?q=campana+sobre+campana+youtube&rlz=1C1GCEA_enFR970FR970&oq=campana+sobre+campana&aqs=chrome.3.0i131i355i433i512j46i131i433i512j0i512l4j0i22i30l4.14879j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:e925e6b8,vid:c1QVf4ywHrY

Mathematics

Elm students investigated with the different 2D shapes and then found area and perimeter of compound shapes, including those with the circles where circumference and area had to be found.

Elm students used their previous knowledge of properties of faces, surfaces, edges and vertices of cubes, cuboids, cylinders, pyramids and cones and solved problems where they had to calculate their volume and surface area. Elm students understand how to use the formulae for calculating the volume but also know their meaning and how these formulae are formed.

See the source image
FFJM Fédération Française des Jeux Mathématiques

Elm and Cedar Mathematicians participated in the 1/4 final of the 37 th International Mathematical Games and those that will qualify to the 1/2 final will be notified by e-mail before 18th of March 2023. Well done Elm and Cedar, you did your very best to crunch those numbers and solved some tricky logical problems.

Science

During this term Elm students had the opportunity to learn about the the unique properties of mater and change of the state under the effect of temperature. They discussed everyday solids, liquids and gases, considering their shape and volume and tabulate their identifying properties.

Elm students could model the changes of motion and arrangement of particles during boiling, evaporation, condensation, freezing and melting.

Elm students analysed and evaluated heating or cooling curves and plot graphs, draw conclusions about the melting and boiling points of substances. 

During the PeTH virtual lab all students lerned to carry out an investigation to see how the temperature of ice changes as it is heated to its boiling point.

History

Our Elms looked at the Age of Discovery, exploring how sailors and merchants discovered new areas of the world. They looked at early modern world maps – spotting differences with the modern ones – and discovered what instruments and tools early modern merchants used to sail or to travel along the Silk Road. In the last weeks of the term, students worked in groups preparing a short presentation on a specific figure of the Age of Discovery.

Geography

This term Elm learned about rivers. Using the Thames as an example, they followed its course from source to the sea, observing how it grows from a spring seeping up from the ground into a stream to become a river deep enough for boats and barges just 40km from its source. They learned that it ends its journey in the Thames Estuary and that as a consequence it is a tidal river.

The class learned how rivers shape the land around them and looked at some of the landforms created, including v-shaped valleys, waterfalls, gorges, meanders and oxbow lakes. Rivers are a key part of the water cycle and the class studied the process as well as how rainwater reaches rivers. This led to discussion about how we make use of rivers and a look at the processes involved in obtaining our water supplies.

Design and Technology

Linked to our learning in science we created our own Christmas candles and then in ICT lessons designed different labels to

Designing and creating our Christmas costumes.

Soap Project

ART

Elm students worked on the backdrops for the Christmas show, looking at the stories to be brought on stage and using their imagination to recreate the atmosphere of each story. Students worked with stencils, collage, and paint, combining these different techniques to design colorful backdrops. 

Global Perspectives

The Elm class looked at the theme of diversity, exploring different winter traditions and celebrations from around the world. Elm students worked in small groups, researching information on five different traditions: Saint Olaf, Saint Marteen, Santa Lucia, Bonfire Day and Festa Juanina. Each small group created a poster to present the results of their research to the whole class. 

Drama Workshops

Our Elm worked steadily on two different drama techniques: freeze frames and mimes. The students used these techniques to bring on stage two stories for the school’s Christmas show: “The Night Before Christmas” and “The Fairy of Strasbourg”. Elm students worked on the representation of emotions through face expression and on the portrayal of actions through body language. They also practiced the use of voice, learning how to speak loud and clearly when on stage.

Creative Writing Workshops

Over the course of this term, the Elm class worked on fantasy stories. Students looked at mentor texts – like The Hobbit – to get inspired and gathered information about the features of fantasy stories. They created their own fantasy protagonists, drawing and highlighting their characteristics. They also worked on the design of their story’s plot, using the “story mountain” as a planning tool. Students included the opening, the build-up, the problem, the resolution, and the ending, planning their story around these sections.

Christmas Celebration

Patience, persistence and artistic flair brought us together for an amazing celebration at the Theatre de Bailly where our students and ‘Christmas stories’ shone bright on the stage.

Merry Christmas !

All the very best!

FISP Team

Elm Class Blog 5 , 2021-2022

English

This term Elm studied the Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank as part of their learning about World War II in Europe and Hitler’s relentless persecution of Jews.

Not much older than themselves, Elm observed how Anne’s life changed, from happy middle-class girl whose preoccupations were friends and boys, to the mature and reflective person who pondered the meaning of life and concluded that ‘in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.’

The class reflected upon and wrote about the resilience of human nature under the most dire and frightening circumstances, as demonstrated by the residents of the Annex. At the same time, they observed the petty arguments that broke out among the same group of people forced into such close proximity with one another with no respite, while the ‘hiders’ risked their lives each day to protect them.

Elm class learnt a poem this year called Hope is the Thing with Feathers by Emily Dickinson. It is about the driving force of hope that burns in human beings, even when life is at its bleakest:

“Hope” is the thing with feathers

That perches in the soul

And sings the tune without the words

And never stops at all,

And sweetest in the gale is heard;

The courage, resilience and hope for the future expressed by Anne Frank through her diary entries is testimony to the power of hope.

French

Mathematics

In Geometry and measures, Elm worked on identifying and constructing congruent triangles, and constructed similar shapes by enlargement, with and without coordinate grid. In Statistics , the children constructed and interpreted different tables, charts, and diagrams, including frequency tables, stem and leaf diagrams and pie charts. In Algebra,, Elms worked on solving Formulae problems and linked to our Young Entrepreneurs project, constructed and solved real life problems while calculating profit, expenses and interest rate.

Young Entrepreneurs Project – Business project

A business is more than just a product or a service. Behind every item that we buy, every service that we use, there is a story. Running a business involves many skills – creativity, leadership, team work, communication, budgeting, planning, design, customer-awareness and many more. During this unit, children learnt these vital business skills, as they embarked on their business journey. The children were encouraged to take risks, be independent and realise that the hard work that goes into planning and setting up a business pays off.

The children engaged in team activities to create their business plan, research the market, practice pricing and budgeting and design logos and slogans. Four teams created their own stylish leaflets and implement strategies to increase their profit.

We do not learn from experience … we learn from reflecting on experience. – John Dewey

Like all serious business people, Elm and Oak Young Entrepreneurs met to reflect upon the performance of their respective business projects at the Summer Fete. Their ‘project retrospectives’ were a moment to think about:

· What they had planned to do

· What actually happened

· Why it happened

· What they would do next time

· What they learnt

· How they can improve

Ginormous THANK YOU to all our customers for supporting our business venture ! We would not have been able to do it without you!

Trip to Accrocamp St.Germain en Laye

Oak and Elm visited Parc Accrocamp, a tree climbing adventure park located in the forest around Saint Germain-en-Laye.

This event took place to celebrate the achievements of our Young Entrepreneurs who, as you know, recently devised, planned, acquired bank loans for and ran businesses, the proceeds of which have covered the cost of this well-deserved class activity.

The tree climbing activities will see the children discovered a variety of courses, including rope bridges, zip lines and scramble nets, high up in the trees (safely secured in harnesses, of course).

Science

This term, Elm class learnt about cells and the reproduction. The children focused their learning at looking closely at the functions of the cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, vacuole, mitochondria and chloroplasts. They did this by learning how to observe, interpret and record cell structure using a light microscope. From this the class were asked to observe and record the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells, doing this by taking a close look at the structural adaptations of some unicellular organisms.

Once they had collected their data the Elm class were asked to present their findings to their peers. They did this by creating their own presentations as well as setting themselves their own success criteria to achieve this task.

History

This term was all about World War II and as well as learning about the war itself the focus was about how and why it happened. Our research led us back to the outcome of World War I and the Treaty of Versailles.

Elm learnt about the punishing terms of the treaty that were intended to crush Germany but in doing so sparked a nationalist backlash that unleashed Hitler. They learnt about the attitudes and goals of the main parties responsible for imposing the terms: France, the U.S. and Britain.

The class learnt about the outbreak of WW2 and the German occupation of Europe. To reverse German expansion the allies needed a presence in Europe and the beaches of Normandy were chosen as the entry point. Both Oak and Elm learnt about Operation Overlord and took a trip to Normandy to see for themselves some key sites of the D-Day landings, with a visit to Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc and the American Cemetery. The also visited the Overlord Museum dedicated to the memory of this key event in WW2 and full of fascinating military equipment and memorabilia.

Geography

This term Elm learnt about coastlines and how they are constantly changing and being worn away, principally by the power of waves.

The class learnt about what causes waves and how they shape the coast.

They learnt the geographical terms to describe the processes of coastal change: erode, transport, deposit, longshore drift.

The learnt about the landforms created by waves and how to define and recognise them: beaches, bays, headlands, caves, arches, stacks, wave-cut platforms, spits.

They also looked at some of the reasons why the coastline in the UK is eroding fast, with a particular focus on the village of Happisburgh on the east coast, where the sea is gradually taking the ground from under people’s homes. They researched the different kinds of coastal defences that are available as part of ongoing coastal management of the land-sea boundary.

ICT

This closing term, Elms used Colab or ‘Colaboratory’ from Google, it allowed students to write and execute Python. The students worked in an introductory project to learn the correct format to input string variables into Python. They came up with their own ideas for menus (starter-main-desert) and chose three options to offer each day, some of them added drinks to their menus. Here is an example of one of the student’s work:

Students learned how to use Canva (website used to create professional designs) and spent their last term days working in the Summer fête posters. Here are examples of their work:

Elms showed their ICT skills by learning how to use a new platform and finding the solutions to the everyday challenges that each lesson brought. Well done Elms!

Spanish

This last term, Elms developed their Spanish skills by learning about infinitive verbs, identifying them from a text and being able to conjugate those verbs in present tense.

They were able to find the lyrics of two popular songs in Latin America (Color Esperanza and La Copa de la Vida) by choosing from a list of words. They found the meaning of those words and were able to sing the songs out loud. They found out that some names of Sports in Spanish and English are almost the same or quite similar and reviewed the vocabulary related to these Sports plus some important information. They were able to read and answer related questions from a text. Buen trabajo Elms!

Sports Day

Enjoy your summer, ELMS!

All the very best from Mrs. Harrington, Christine, Joanna, Cecilia, Lucia, Mr.H and Mr.Kralka

Elm Class, Term 4, 2021- 2022

English

Elm read And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie and everyone had plenty to say about this dark story of crime and punishment. Ten unwitting characters are invited to Soldier Island on a variety of pretexts by an anonymous host who plans to hold them accountable for their alleged crimes. Once there they are picked off one by one in a terrifying ordeal as they all suspect each other of being the murderer. The book raises questions about the nature and importance of justice and of crimes going unpunished due to lack of evidence. Each member of the class chose a character to save from the island, based on what they knew of their crime and of how the character is presented in the story. The dodgy doctor Armstrong was a popular choice while the feckless Tony Marston and hard-hearted Emily Brent received support from pupils who did valiant work defending their not very likeable clients.

The class dressed up in character and went before a jury of their peers (Oak class), answering questions about the crimes they were accused of and of their subsequent conduct, in a bid to win sympathy and excuse their actions.

Dr. Armstrong Anthony Marston Philip Lombard General Macarthur

French

Spanish

During term 4, Elm continued to learn about cultural traditions and festivities in Spanish- speaking countries and applied their knowledge through different hands-on activities. They developed their language, learning about singular and plural nouns, that nouns in Spanish have a gender, and definite and indefinite articles.

As the school celebrated Mardi Gras, Elm class enjoyed a lesson on Carnival, in which they applied the key vocabulary in a reading and writing activity and then made a mask which they displayed proudly while eating pancakes. They explored language related to Spring, read a poem and answered some simple questions. In addition, they portrayed how they imagined a Spring scene to look, based on the poem they had read. The class also learnt about the ‘Isla de Pascua’ or Easter Island, discovering key facts such as its location, history, geography and wildlife.  Students reviewed vocabulary about Easter and painted Easter eggs on cardboard paper and decorated them with pasta. Afterwards, they wrote down the materials they used and the instructions they followed to do the activity; they then identified the verbs and the definite and indefinite articles. 

Elm class classified nouns into feminine, masculine, singular and plural and pointed out the rules on how to determine the gender of nouns and choose the definite article that corresponds. Through numerous written activities they practised how to apply the rules and developed their language by reading and classifying nouns. As in English, they discovered definite and indefinite articles and how to differentiate between them . Lastly, they played games and riddles for guessing the names of colours.

Mathematics

Linear and Quadratic equations

Linked to our “Egg project”, we created our own hypothetical and real problems based on our incubator and then constructed various graphs to represent our findings. In algebra, we closely looked into linear equations and then learnt how they could be represented geometrically. We substituted random values in these equations which subsequently helped us draw: y=x, y=x-1, y=x-2 and what they represent. We practiced calculating the gradient and substituted specific values into different equations in order to represent them geometrically.

Probability and ratio

During this unit, we discovered vocabulary related to probability and know that Impossible, Unlikely, Even Chance, Likely and Certain relate to 0, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1, respectively. We then solved probability problems where we had to find all possible outcomes and calculated the probability of the desirable outcome. We then moved onto solving problems with ratio and now know how to simplify ratios and how to use ratio to compare quantities.

Fraction and Number

During this unit, Elms revised how to find percentages of amounts and fractions of numbers. The children practised finding the equivalent fractions by multiplying/dividing the numerator and denominator by the same number and then converted mixed numbers and improper fractions. The children can confidently carry out four basic operations with fractions and know how to find the LCD (Lowest Common Denominator) or when they need to simplify their fraction. We solved one-step and two-step problems involving numbers, money and measures including fractions and percentages. The children worked on choosing and using appropriate calculation strategies while solving word problems and will find these skills useful during next term’s ”Young Entrepreneurs” project. We also looked into solving and simplifying Algebraic fractions and knowing common rules for the operations with fractions evidently helped us here.

Science

This term the children have been learning about material properties. We have broken our learning down into stages; first we focused on identifying the different elements found on the periodic table. Once we had identified them, we then grouped them; this process enables the children to develop an understanding of similar characteristics found in different elements. The class went on to learn about the atomic structure of an element and how each one is different due to the number of protons and electrons found within it. As a class, we developed our enquiry skills to explore chemical reactions; the class discussed and explored what would happen when an element mixes with oxygen. The children also learnt about how to write and solve different scientific formulae. Finally, the class investigated the levels of calcium found in water. The results were very interesting! Well done for all your hard work this term!

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History

Elm’s focus this term, with the Presidential elections upon us, was on the French Republic and its evolution since the tumultuous days of the Revolution. Each member of the class took a republic and presented its key features and events to their peers, giving everyone an overview of the country’s sometimes turbulent history. The extraordinary figure of Napoleon Bonaparte loomed large in our studies, the man who rose to prominence thanks to the Revolution only to crown himself Emperor. We visited one of his homes, the Chateau de Malmaison, which he bequeathed to his first wife Josephine after he divorced her in 1809.

Visit to the Chateau de Malmaison

Geography

This term Elm learnt about the different regions of France and their division into administrative territories called departments. The country was once a jigsaw of lands, haphazardly aggregated over the centuries, with the different laws and institutions of each region often kept intact. After the Revolution the National Assembly redivided the nation’s territory into 83 departments of roughly equal size (with each capital no more than a day’s horseback ride from the furthest corners of the department). Crucially, the departments had the same systems and institutions, bringing an element of uniformity to the country’s administration while promoting decentralisation and local autonomy.

The class learnt that the regions and departments, like the French Republic itself, now in its fifth incarnation, are subject to change, with borders being redefined as populations grow and fluctuate. The regions were most recently revised in 2016 and reduced in number from 22 to 13 in a bid to reduce bureaucracy and reduce costs.

The departments today vary wildly in size and population and now number 101 (96 in mainland France and 5 overseas territories).

We discovered that the departments are named after physical geographical features (rivers, mountains or coasts) and that that they are numbered in alphabetical order. We learnt many interesting random facts including that the Var is named after the Var River that doesn’t run through the Var.

Each member of the class chose a department to research and present, giving information about climate, geography, population, distinctive features and cultural identity. We learnt about Finistère, Lozères, Vendée, the Vaucluse and Ardennes.

Name that department!

ICT

Elms had a challenging and productive term in which they applied their computing skills to a Vector drawing software called Inkscape. They developed their problem-solving and logic skills as well as communication as they gave support to their friends in difficulty. As we know, computers and especially robots don’t always work as we want them to, so pupils had to use their social and emotional skills to complete their projects.

Through a sequence of guided steps, students were acquainted with the basics of using software to draw geometrical shapes and manipulate them. These elementary shapes formed the building blocks of the more complex designs they created by the end of the unit.

By using this software they developed numerous skills, such as to be able to:

●          Draw basic shapes (rectangle, ellipse, polygon, star) with different properties (fill and stroke, shape-specific attributes)

●          Manipulate individual objects (select, move, re-size, rotate, duplicate, flip, z-order)

●          Manipulate groups of objects (select, group/ungroup, align, distribute)

By the end of the unit students were able to display their learning outcomes by creating monochrome icons. They were challenged to create some of them from scratch, starting from elementary shapes and combining them with path operations. The icons were carefully selected to range from simple ones that were straightforward to produce to more complex ones that required some creative thinking.

At this stage, students had to actively think about the process they would follow in order to produce each of the designs. They knew the ingredients they could use (the elementary shapes) and how to combine them (the operations), but they needed to work out the steps that would lead them from start to finish.

By the end of term, Elms programmed the micro:bit to use as a wearable device and to remind people to exercise regularly when the hardware detects a lack of physical activity. The last week of school before the Spring holiday, they made the code for a door alarm that worked just like a real door sensor in a home security system.

Capoeira

“mens sana in corpore sano” – “a healthy mind in a healthy body”

Elms enjoyed their weekly Capoeira sessions with Valdir. Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music.

Music with Kareen

”Food revolution” – Project

The main purpose of this « FOOD REVOLUTION » (We can cook our own lunch for the whole week) was to practise team building skills, plan and prepare a healthy meal and most importantly gain or practise basic culinary skills. During this project, the children also worked on demonstrating and improving their table manners. It was pleasing to observe the young chefs, waiters and guests participating and communicating extremely well with each other. Master chefs stayed determined while preparing their three-course meals even though it was tough to accomplish the challenge in a short period of time.   We learnt that it was important to stay focused and organised  until the last moment and realised that a last push could make the difference for the team. Thank you and well done to all Oak and Elm class students for their dedication, determination and hard work during our «Food revolution» project.

FOOD REVOLUTION

We’ve peeled some veg,

Then cooked our lunch.

Then baked a cake,

What a charming bunch.

We’ve tried something new,

And it was quite delicious.

It was all organic,

So don’t be suspicious.

We’ve learnt a new skill,

And now can cook for our parents.

We will do it with love,

No need to buy presents.

Not scared of broccoli, onions

Or carrots,

Will eat them with pleasure,

And not for the merits.

Did stuff some tomatoes,

And made panna cotta.

Now feeling quite strong,

And can sit in Capoeira roda.

We’ve made a delicious Thai Curry,

And spicy fajitas.

I am ready to run,

Where are my Adidas?

Broccoli linguine

and revisited American cheesecake,

I am so full,

But I have learnt how to bake.

Was happy to give up my break,

And tidy the kitchen.

It is good to eat healthy,

And what’s your position?

Design and Technology – FISP Book Swap Project

Fantastic Collaborative Work by Birch, Walnuts, Oaks and Elms

This term we continued working on our collaborative creation, the “FISP Book Swap Box”. Students had the opportunity to extend their understanding of a variety of different carpentry techniques. It is pleasing to see that Birch, Walnut, Oak and Elm students now demonstrate precise actions while using a drill, hammer and a saw. FISP students should be congratulated on their efforts and eagerness to get on with the project right away from the beginning of each session. Fantastic work young designers and carpenters! You should be proud of your achievements.

Orienteering project

Elm Class designed their own treasure map and taught their younger friends how to turn clockwise and anti-clockwise, use a compass and follow directions. They tried their best to adapt their speech and gave clear clues, hints and instructions while guiding their younger explorers on their orienteering quest.

Egg-citing Egg Presentation

Linked to our Egg Project, Elm students prepared and presented their findings about different kinds of eggs, egg science experiments and Faberge egg creations to their younger peers.

Easter Egg Hunt

World Book Day– Book Workshop with Anjali Morard

On the last day of term Oak and Elm were lucky to have a visit from children’s author Anjali Morard, who began by reading out loud her charming story about Fortnum the crocodile, which began life as a bedtime story for her young son. The class heard about the author’s writing process and her collaboration with the illustrator of the book, and then embarked on a writing workshop, writing their own stories based around a random selection of features covering setting, time and character. At the end of the session, several pupils read out their fun and imaginative stories

Enjoy your holiday!

Best wishes,

Mrs. Harrington, Christine, Joanna, Cecilia, Kareen, Mr. H , Valdir, Cyril and Mr. Kralka

Elm Class, Term 3, 2021-2022

English

This term we have been reading Wonder by R. J. Palacio, the story of a boy with a facial deformity starting at high school. The book raises many themes, particularly society’s treatment of those who are different, and led to us questioning our own reactions, conscious and sub-conscious, to physical disability and other forms of ‘difference’. The boy in the book has a rare genetic condition known as Treacher Collins Syndrome and the class learned about the causes and symptoms and read an interview with Jono Lancaster, a young man who lives with the condition.  Taking note of some of the scenarios he has faced and of the responses of people to him that he wishes he could change, the class wrote open letters from the point of view of someone with a physical disability, reflecting on how important it is to look beyond appearances.

French

Notions abordées  

 Fonctions de communication : Poser des questions et savoir répondre à des questions concernant le calendrier (date, saison, météo…) –Présenter des activités quotidiennes – Demander l’heure –  Savoir dire l’heure

Grammaire et conjugaison : Consolidation des notions abordées à la période précédente :  la conjugaison de certains verbes : être, avoir et verbe du premier groupe au présent (suite) –La forme négative (simple) de la phrase – Des pronoms interrogatifs (suite)- Les verbes pronominaux

Vocabulaire : Des verbes d’actions quotidiennes– L’heure – L’hiver

Chansons-Poésies-Théâtre

Poésie :Chanson pour les enfants l’hiver                    Chanson : C’est l’hiver

Activités et Objectifs

Déroulement de la troisième période selon deux axes principaux :

  • Consolidation des notions étudiés durant la période précédente au niveau de la grammaire et de la conjugaison et des échanges oraux autour du calendrier.
  • Découverte de nouvelles fonctions de communication comme celle pour exprimer l’heure, les activités quotidiennes à travers différents supports.
  • Acquérir une base de vocabulaire sur le thème de l’hiver

Objectifs :

  • Développer l’expression orale dans des situations concrètes de la vie quotidienne
  • Sensibiliser les élèves à la lecture / écritures des sons complexes, à la grammaire et à la conjugaison française.

Prochaine période

En mars 2022, nous aborderons deux nouveaux thèmes : le sport et la fête. Avec le sport nous verrons notamment les différents sports, comment formuler différentes questions et expressions. Le thème de la fête nous permettra d’exprimer des goûts, des souhaits, de pratiquer des formules de politesse, de demander des prix…., et de parler de la fête célébrée en avril : Pâques.

Mathematics

2D & 3D Shapes and their properties

Introduction to the Pythagoras’ Theorem. The children investigated with different triangles and understand the relationship between the three sides of the right angled triangle and know how to find the unknown side when two sides are provided.

Enthusiastic Elms constructed triangles using SSS(side, side, side), SAS(side, angle, side) and ASA(angle, side, angle) and can confidently use their protractor and compass while constructing a perpendicular to and from a point.
Elms used their previous knowledge of properties of faces, surfaces, edges and vertices of cubes, cuboids, prisms, cylinders, pyramids and cones and solved problems where they had to calculate their volume and surface area.

Ratio and Proportion

During this unit, Elms also investigated and solved various problems with ratio, direct and inverse proportion.

History

The theme this term was ‘They Made a Difference’ and Elm learned about the life of Nelson Mandela and his journey from activist to prisoner to Nobel Prize Laureate to President of South Africa.

In order to understand the background to his life, the class learnt about the arrival of Europeans in South Africa, the Dutch in the mid-1600s, followed by the British in the early 19th century, and the subsequent Boer Wars between the two colonial powers. They learned how Apartheid was incorporated into law by the Nationalist Government in 1948 and of the terrible injustices suffered by the black population.

Geography

This term Elm looked at population and the reasons for its rapid growth from the 1700s, linked to breakthroughs in science and technology, better farming techniques and agricultural machinery, and the Industrial Revolution. They looked at the consequences of population growth and the social an environmental issues that arise.

During the ski trip to the Alps, an instructor gave the class a presentation on how to read mountain maps and signage as well as on the importance of being properly equipped when skiing, particularly when skiing off-piste and what to do if caught in an avalanche.

The instructor gave them a practical task when he hid a backpack in the snow containing an avalanche transceiver (emergency locator beacon) and they set off to find it using the techniques and strategies they had been taught earlier – moving in a zig zag formation until they hear a signal and using the collapsible ski probe poles to locate the item before uncovering it with a lightweight plastic shovel.

Back in the classroom Elm learned about the different causes of avalanches and about one avalanche in Italy in 2015 that destroyed a hotel and killed many of its guests. They learned about the rescue and the remote location that made the rescue challenging for the emergency services.

Science

Earth and Beyond!

This term, Elm class have been learning about the solar system that we live in. We have been looking closely at different aspects of space. For example, as class we explored the effects the Moon has on planet Earth, the life and death of stars as well as deep space to name a few.

The class developed their knowledge and understanding of space and the solar system through conducting their own research. They chose an area of study to investigate further. The information to complete the project is based on reading that they had done in class as well as at home.

Once the class had conducted their research they were given time to construct presentation that would clearly demonstrate what they had learnt over this term. They were challenged to think up of different ways to present their findings in a new and exciting ways.

As a result, the class have been able to support development of others understanding of this subject as well as developing their own presentational skills.

DT

They made a difference