Feliz Navidad!

What a week to finish our first term together in class 4.  Our space topic was brought to a fantastic end by the launch of the rocket taking Tim Peake to Space.  After weeks of learning about life as an astronaut, researching and watching interviews about Tim Peake's preparations for space and a video conference with the National Space Centre (with an ex Fordham School pupil which we were all very excited about!), we all sat together in the hall watching and counting down to the rocket launch on Tuesday.   This was a moment I guarantee all the children and myself will remember for a long time to come.  

There is nothing like a bit of forward planning and preparation for next year, so already the children have done some research for our next topic.  For our whole school topic on 'The Americas' Class 4 will be studying Mexico.  To start our learning, children have carried out some independent research about Christmas Traditions in Mexico which has also taught them some key facts about the country already, including their favourite fact of the week, how to say Happy Christmas in Spanish- Feliz Navidad!

So on that note, it just remains to wish you all a very happy Christmas and New Year and to leave you with some festive pictures from some of the children and staff in school today. 

  

Fractions won't beat Class 4!

Over the past couple of weeks in Class 4, we have been developing our learning about fractions, an area that many of us were finding challenging each week in Big Maths.  We began by revising what fractions are and finding equivalence between different fractions.  We all built a fraction wall to compare the sizes of different fractions.  We had to apply our measuring skills to measure each strip into equal sized pieces.  Some of use even made a 'super-size' fraction wall which is going to be displayed in our classroom to help us all. 

To help us practise, practise and practise equivalent fractions, we enjoyed an outdoor activity which helped us match pairs of equivalent fractions to crack a code.  The Green challenge was to then match the fractions to equivalent decimals which lots of us had a great go at too! 

We then moved on to developing our learning about adding and subtracting fractions.  This was a challenge but lots of games and practice has meant we are getting there.  We have been adding and subtracting fractions with the same denominator, as well as applying our knowledge of equivalent fractions to add and subtract those with different denominators. 

I am looking forward to seeing the fraction home learning projects next week, I'm sure I will be amazed once again by the unique ideas and I hope it has helped to further consolidate the understanding of fractions.  Well done Class 4, I am very proud of you all for persevering and completing brilliant maths!

 

 

Powerdown Day!

Powerdown Day in the words of Liberty, Emily and Joshua.

On Powerdown Day, all the lights in our classroom were turned off and we had candles on our tables. 

We learnt about climate change and how it is linked to saving electricity. We looked at pictures of how climate change is effecting our planet.  We had to present our information to the class.

We then designed our class Veggie Trug. We looked at different winter pansies and autumn herbs to put in our trug. Some people decided to include the school motto in their design. 

Mathematical symbols 

Our School badge

It is clear to see that a lot of important messages have been discussed and learnt today.  Hopefully children will carry this on at home, remembering to switch off lights as well as other important things to help save our planet.  Well done Class 4! 

Friendship Week

Class 4 have covered a range of different issues and participated in a range of activities throughout this week to celebrate Friendship Week. 

Firstly, thank you to all the Friendship Ambassadors who have organised such a great range of activities for the whole school to enjoy this week.  From a disco, to car racing to friendship bracelet making, it is fair to say that that there was something for everybody to enjoy at play times.  

In class, the Year 4 children enjoyed playing different games to promote the importance of friendship and the qualities and values involved.  They also enjoyed creating a jigsaw with different pictures and messages about their friends. 

Whilst this was happening, the Year 5 children were considering the values of friendship during our monthly Oaks and Acorns session.  Linked to friendship and remembrance day last week, we designed cards that would have been sent to family and friends during the war years.  We are pleased to be involved with the Project that Wendy Shepherd is organising in Fordham village for the war memorial and we hope these cards will be part of the exhibition that will run at the end of the project.      

Finally in class, we used the theme of friendship to revisit the very important theme of e-safety.  We watched the CEOP video which helped us think about who are our friends on line and how we can use the internet safely with our friends.  For further information, there are some useful resources for parents at www.thinkuknow.co.uk.  

Wishing you all a happy weekend and come prepared next week for Powerdown Week!! 

Poets and TImes Table Masters!

This week has seen Class 4 write the most amazing poetry I have ever read!  In English, we have spent the last 2 weeks reading a variety of poetry, all themed around Space.  We focused on a poem by Pie Corbett called 'Six Ways to Look at the Moon.'  We used the structure of this poem to write group poems about the other planets.  We practised and developed writing similes, metaphors and using personification to help develop imagery through our poems.  Each and every poem that was written as a 'warm task' at the end of this unit of work was exceptional, the language and imagery created was just stunning!  Here are just a few (sorry I could not share them all!) 

Jupiter by Freddie

8 Planets by Isobelle

The Sun and Moon by Liberty

Stars by Joshua P

by Henry

In maths, we have been developing our multiplication skills, both mentally and using written methods.  We have really been focusing on learning and knowing our times tables, as we have realised how useful these are for so many different areas of maths!  We have been playing different games with the multiplication square to try and help making learn our tables fun, including 3 in a row which became rather competitive in the end!  We had our first Class 4 Times Table Master for this year achieve their certificate on Friday and I can't wait for some more over the coming weeks - continued practise at home will be very helpful!!!

We are looking forward to Friendship Week, the Friendship Ambassadors have worked hard to make sure play times are going to be full of fun so we are in for a great week next week!