We've had another wonderful day with Mr Adby from Partake History - this time enriching our knowledge of the Ancient Egyptians. 

We began our day recapping some of the facts and information that we have learnt over the course of our topic, with Mr Adby adding more detail. After that we looked at some replica artefacts including statuettes, miniature canopic jars and amulets.

After break, we explored some of the spices used by the Ancient Egyptians. These included spices that we recognise today such as coriander seeds, cinnamon and cumin seeds and also older spices - frankincense and myrrh. 

Then Mr Adby used Sophia as a model to demonstrate what the Egyptians used for make-up. We found out something new: the make-up wasn't used for appearance but to protect their faces from the sun!

Welcome back to the final term of the academic year.

This half term our topic is Awful Egyptians. As part of this topic, we will be looking at the following questions:

• Who were the Ancient Egyptians and when did they live?
• What discovery did Howard Carter make and how did that teach us about the Ancient Egyptians?
• How did different groups contribute to the achievements of Ancient Egyptian society?
• Who were some of the most famous pharaohs in Ancient Egypt? What did we learn from them?
• How did the Ancient Egyptians prepare bodies for the afterlife?
• What did the Ancient Egyptians believe about life after death?
• How did the Ancient Egyptians contribute to our lives today?

As part of this, I have booked Partake History to do an Egyptian Day for us. They will be visiting us on Tuesday 9th July.  During this day the children will:

• Re-create the scents and aromas of Ancient Egypt
• Investigate and handle artefacts used in mummification
• Discover the clothing and makeup of an Egyptian princess
• Create a cartouche
• Dress up and take part in a stunning and atmospheric ‘burial ceremony’ where the story unfolds through the use of costume, narration, mime, music, dance and drama

In order to contribute towards the cost of the visit, the cost to you will be £12. Please pay the £12 on Eduspot (link below) by Wednesday 3rd July.

https://login.eduspot.co.uk/public/portal/parent/?app=schoolmoney&source=website&version=20190314

If your child would like to come to school dressed as an Ancient Egyptian they are more than welcome to but there is no pressure.

Dear parent/carer,

This school year we have been using ‘Jigsaw’, the PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) Programme across school, which follows a mindful approach to PSHE.

These lessons have built children’s emotional literacy, self-esteem, and knowledge of who they are and how they relate to each other and the world in a positive and healthy way. We are sure you will have heard about the Jigsaw Friends and Calm Me time.

The Summer Term Puzzles (units) are about Relationships (unit 1) and Changing Me (unit 2).  Next half-term after the holidays, we will be focussing on the Changing Me Puzzle which includes, in every year group, 2 or 3 lessons to help children understand the changes puberty brings and how human reproduction happens. There is a very serious safeguarding aspect to this work and obviously the younger year groups are not looking at these issues directly and explicitly, but rather learning correct terminology for body parts and covering the foundation work for later year groups. The Year 5 and 6 lessons look more fully at puberty and human reproduction.

Welcome back to a brand-new term! 

I hope you are all feeling refreshed after the Easter holidays!

We will be learning lots of exciting things this half term focusing on Farming in the UK and around the world in Geography; and Living Things and their Habitats in Science.   In Maths we are starting with Perimeter and Area and for English our fiction model text is called "Red". The curriculum information and the knowledge organisers for both Geography and Science can be found as an attachment at the bottom of the blog.

What is our class text for this half-term?

Last half-term we focused on the book ‘Boy in the Tower’ by Polly Ho Yen This term we will be sharing the children's classic 'The Hobbit' by JRR Tolkein. Feel free to purchase a copy if you would like your child to follow along in class.

Today, Obama Class have had their Tudor enrichment day with Mr Adby from Partake History.

The day started with the children becoming archaeologists and examining a range of replica Tudor artefacts. They spent a lot of time talking about what the artefacts were used for and who would have used them. They also used their sketching skills to draw the artefacts.

After break, we went into the hall and Mr Adby taught us how to dance the farandole.

Next, he taught us how ladies curtseyed and gentlemen bowed.

Then he taught us the galliard (the favourite dance of both Henry VIII and Elizabeth I).

Today, we had the heats for our marble runs as part of the SciTech competition and it was very close! Lucas and Joshua's marble went the furthest, Laurels's was a close second. The school final will be this Friday, at the end of science week.