Weekly update

Week beginning 8th May 2006

Hi there!
I hope you all enjoyed the sunshine!

This we we are continuing the work on Vincent Van Gogh. You may want to have a look at www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/art/artyfacts/vangogh/index.shtml where there is a selection of his painting online. It is quite a child friendly website but you will need to sit with your child to read the text. Last week, we created textured paper and mixed colours that can be foud in Van Gogh's Sunflower painting. We are to going to continue by creating our very own art work inspired by Van Gogh. Our classroom is to start the week off as an artist's studio and transform into an art gallery. We would like to invite you to 'drop in' and have a look around our classroom prior to the new intake meeting on Thursday evening. (Yes, I too can't believe it is a year since you were sat before me!) Your child will be more than happy to give you a guided tour.
I read a story to the children last week called Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt. It is a story based around Van Gogh's works of art. They loved it!

We also completed a co-operative learning activity last week. The children worked in teams of four to make a model animal using junk materials. Each child in the team had a role to play, the boss, the photographer, the goffer and the motivator. The models they created are fantastic! The photographer took photographs at different stages of the creation. The photographs have been processed and they will use them this week to sequence and write instructions linked to their model. Again, this will be a team activity.

In Mathematical Development the children are reviewing addition and counting on. They will move onto applying it to doubling numbers. I've found this amazing website but you will need ear plugs!
http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/robindoubles.html - I'll not explain it and leave it as a surprise...
A more relaxing one is:
http:/atschool.eduweb.co.uk/toftwood/bridgedoubles.html - this asks the children to double the number of boulders so that the car can cross the bridge.
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/laac/numbers/ch1.shtml - this site is worth putting on your favourites as it supports the development of the children's mental recall of number bonds for addition and subtraction.

In Knowledge and Understanding of the World, the children will complete their investigations. They will look at the effects of no water or sunlight on the seeds they grew. They will record their findings. In addition to this, they will chart the growth of their own 'Smartie' plant in thier very own zig zag book.

If the weather is as nice as it was last week, please can you remember to send your child in with a sun hat.

Thanks

Jayne Narraway x