Spring 2, Week 1
Reading - The Smeds and the Smoos
In reading this week, Foxes have used retrieval and inference skills to answer questions about our current class text: the Smeds and the Smoos. Using strategies to find answers, the children answered VIPERS style questions in full sentences. Also focussing on prediction skills, the children completed an extension task of drawing what they predict might happen next, annotating these with descriptive phrases and justifying their predictions using 'because'.
History - Children's lives in Victorian Britain
This week in history, Foxes have continued to learn about the Victorian period by focussing on the impact of the lives of children. The children have learnt about the jobs carried out by poor children in the Victorian era. Looking at children working in coal mines and on farms in the countryside, they explored the roles of each and the tasks they were expected to complete. The children then focussed on the working conditions of each job and how this impacted on the health and wellbeing of children.
''Children had to work for 10 hours a day in coal mines even though it was very dangerous.'' - Pavel
''On farms, children sowed seeds with their hands which made them tired.'' - Brianna
''Children needed to earn money for their poor family and they didn't have time to go to school everyday.'' - Dalton
Writing - My Name is not Refugee
In writing, Foxes have explored a mysterious backpack that they found lost on the playground. Looking inside the bag, they found a toothbrush, a teddy bear, a family photo and a book written in a different language. Discussing different question starters, the children wrote five questions to try and figure out who the backpack belongs to before writing their own predictions.
To find the owner of the mysterious backpack, the children used adjectives to write expanded noun phrases and create a poster in the hope of reuniting the owner with their belongings. Amazingly, their posters worked, and as a gift we received a book all about the owners and their journey as a refugee. Using other stories such as Paddington who also left his home country, the children discussed how the boy in the story might feel and justified their responses using conjunctions.
Geography - Nature All Around Us
This week in geography, Foxes have started to compare countries with contrasting climates and nature: Australia and the UK. To begin, the children created a front cover which will act as a title page for their brochure and be added to each week. Using pictures of items associated with Australia, the children discussed who the target audience for their brochure is and how their design could encourage people to visit the beautiful country. After completing their design, the children learnt about the northern and southern hemisphere and how this can be identified through the equator. To show their learning, the children identified Australia and the UK on a map of the World, before using directional language to describe the location of each country using the four compass points.