Our Study Themes
A Caring Christian Family Where We Grow Together
Let Your Light Shine ~ Matthew 5:16
What Do You Do With An Idea?
Written by Kobi Yamada
Summer 2021
What do ideas become? Big things, brave things, smart things, good things. Things like stories, artwork. Journeys, inventions, communities, products, and cures. Everything you see around you was once an idea. So what will become of your idea? Now that’s up to you! Next term our study themes all stem from the book ‘What Do You Do with an Idea?’ It is a story about one brilliant idea and the child who helps to bring it into the world. As the child's confidence grows, so does the idea itself. And then, one day, something amazing happens.
Otters (Reception Class)
This half term Otters have had a terrific time exploring and discovering everything dinosaur. They have learnt the names of some very unusual dinosaurs that even Mrs Allen had trouble pronouncing. They discovered that although the dinosaurs lived many, many years ago and that no humans have ever seen a real life one, there is a lot we do know about them. They explored what a skeleton is and what a fossil is and how the fossils are formed. They have also learnt about herbivores and carnivores and we classified some of our favourite dinosaurs. Next term we will begin our new topic ‘What Do You Do with an Idea?’ Otters will initially start with the key text ‘Not a box’ by Antoinette Portis. They will get our designing heads on as we explore what we can do with a cardboard box! Mrs Allen is looking forward to seeing everyone’s creativity flow as we transform a simple box into something wonderful.
Hedgehogs (Year 1 and 2)
Although it’s been a short one in school, Hedgehogs have really let their lights shine brightly. They have loved our topic ‘We are all superheroes’ and they have learnt about how to keep healthy. They’ve enjoyed sharing lots of superhero stories and learnt about real life superheroes such as Rosa Parks and Malala Yousafzai. Hedgehogs gave such thoughtful and compassionate responses to their stories, showing great empathy and understanding of our justice value.
Hedgehogs enjoyed using the story ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ as their English text. They loved writing colour poems and explanation texts about how rainbows and colours are made. They favourite lessons of all this term have been art where they learnt to mix and create different colours and we’ve produced so much amazing art work. Their classroom is now such a bright, colourful place to learn in. Next term their new focus texts will be ‘What Do You Do with an Idea? and ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. Their study theme will be based around designing and creating a way for Jack to safety carry his golden egg around and designing a better way to climb up to the giant’s castle. Alongside this we will be growing our own beans and other plants or vegetables. It promises to be a really exciting summer term for them.
Squirrels (Year 3 and 4)
Squirrels have loved learning about Amelia Earhart and her solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean. They looked at the countries Amelia Earhart could see on her journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Using maps, globes and digital mapping they located countries and identify their geographical features. They also looked at the similarities and differences between some of the countries and the United Kingdom.
Next term’s study theme will take Squirrels into a world of imagination where we will be exploring ways to build and design concepts using different techniques and materials. They will be using supporting texts to allow children to thrive in all areas of the curriculum and we will be making the most of the summer weather and take our learning outside to help us where we can. Mrs Craven and Miss Turrell are looking forward to seeing the children be creative, imaginative, and innovative.
Badgers (Year 5 and 6)
Badgers enjoyed learning about Rosa Park, and answering the question "When is it okay to break the rules?" They have been learning about the Victorians and Badgers have loved learning about life as a schoolchild. We have laughed at some strange Victorian customs and recipes, and our final project is a Victorian Survival Kit. Next half term, we will be looking at life changing inventions and the process of making our ideas into things that improve the world.
Spring 2021
Last term, our study theme was based around the book ‘What A Waste’. This term our study theme will stems from the book ‘Maybe, a story about the endless potential in all of us’ by Kobi Yamada. A long side this book we will using the following books to introduce the children to significant people who have made a difference to the world:
- of thee I sing – A Letter To My Daughters by Barack Obama
- Little People, Big Dream books
Otters
Last term, Otters have really enjoyed ways to look after our world. The children have particularly focused on saving our oceans and keeping them clean and safe for the animals. They followed the story of Duffy, a turtle who mistook plastic in the water for jellyfish and needed help to survive as it made her so ill. They made their own sea creatures using natural resources and looked at how to reduce plastic in our world through different recycling projects.
Mrs Allen has planned a ‘WOW’ starter for Otters this topic which is top secret at the moment. Watch this space!
Hedgehogs
Last half-term, Hedgehogs have let their light shine by showing amazing kindness and empathy when learning to care for and protect animals around the World. They have learnt about why polar bears, orangutangs, turtles and other animals need our help. Their favourite activities in school have included making art from recycled bottle tops, investigating how quickly ice can melt and writing reports about polar bears. Their reports were amazing. The hedgehogs' enthusiasm for this topic has been fantastic and Mrs Long has been thrilled by their commitment to continuing this learning at home too. Early this week we saw so many wonderful pieces of home learning. Well done Hedgehogs.
This term, Hedgehogs will be blasting off on an exciting learning adventure into outer space. They will be learning about the historical significance of Neil Armstrong and other space explorers. They will compare Neil Armstrong’s exploration to that of Christopher Columbus. Activities will include investigating different navigation techniques, studying the different materials used by Columbus and Armstrong and designing and making their own explorer’s vehicles.
Squirrels
Last term, Squirrels have been learning all about waste. They have learnt all about where are rubbish goes and how plastic can affect our oceans. As a class, they have done lots of work and activities linked to our topic theme - we have made our own landfill, understood what items we can recycle and created lots trash of art. I’m sure you have seen their amazing art work on Facebook and the school’s website.
In the second half of the term, they have travelled into the ocean and learnt about how plastic can harm sea animals. The children learnt about the lifecycle of a plastic bottle and we discussed how a plastic bottle may end up in the sea. The children created fact files about endangered sea creatures and we also designed a poster about the harmful effect of plastic pollution. The children have loved learning how they can all help to save our planet.
Badgers
Last term, Badgers have loved learning about waste, and how we can use waste products to make the world a better place. They looked at inspirational people like David Attenborough and Joseph Bazalgette, and made some small changes for our planet. After some initial reluctance, Badgers have thoroughly enjoyed getting to the bottom of what happens to our poo. We have been particularly impressed with their home learning this week.
Badgers wrote some persuasive letters to me to try and get me to buy some recycling bins so we can recycle more things in school. They tried to convince me by temping me with purple bins, and although I would love to buy some purple bins, I have persuaded them that we can just buy some stickers for the red bins we already have. I have ordered some stickers and recycling bins for the classrooms, and you may have noticed that we have moved the red bins. From January, we will be recycling all of our rubbish. Each will have some recycling monitors who will be responsible for ensuring everyone in their class recycles their rubbish. Badgers also insisted that we have a recycling bin in the office and staffroom.
This term, they will be learning about Rosa Park, and answering the question "When is it okay to break the rules?" We will also be looking at the Victorian Era and learning about inspirational people who made changes to the world.
