Friday 6 November 2015

Mnemonics, space domes and the first boy to fly to the moon!

What an eventful week back, although I am bereft of photos for you because I have misplaced my Class camera. As soon as we are reunited I shall of course upload! 

So to try to give you a tester of the children's learning this week without pictures:  we started the week by creating funny mnemonics to remember the order of the planets: My Vicious Elephant Mostly Jumps Silently Under Nettles was just one example. 

Next we began to learn how to use a grid to help us multiply 2 digit numbers by both 1 digit and 2 digit.  Some children have even begun to use the expanded column method to multiply.  We shall continue with multiplication next week.  

In English we are looking at Newspapers (Recount).  We have begun by learning by heart a news article, which involves George winning a competition to be the first boy to fly to the moon.   By learning the text this way it will help the children remember key words and phrases or when they write their own independent newspaper article next week.

The children all enjoyed the Space Dome.  We learnt wonderful facts about space and I am sure the children will draw on these in their work during the coming weeks.

We have also begun our unit on Creative Dance.  We are preparing a dance about a new alien coming alive on a plant - all to Holst's piece Mars from the orchestral suite "The Planets".  This also links to the children's appreciation for one of the 10 suggested classical pieces by the BBC that children should know. 

 So until I find my camera that's all folks!



Mrs S

(Don't forget all those valuable house points that your children can earn by commenting on our blog!)

11 comments:

  1. The Space Dome was a huge hit by all accounts. What a fabulous experience for all the children!! Natalie's Mum.

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    1. Yes it was - an amazing visit! Glad the children enjoyed it.

      Mrs S

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  2. From what I hear, the space dome was "one small step for class 3 and a giant leap for Fordham All Saints" (Google it)

    Of course it would have been a small step,for class three because you just seem to breeze through your days, skipping along, sucking up whatever is thrown at you. That's the spirit!

    Anyway, I think I know where your camera has gone. You see, Grace Face and I were star gazing on he IPad App (when we should have been ready I'm sure) and we saw a comet shoot past. We rushed to grab our camera and realised it just wasn't up to the job, so we rang our contact at NASA (ask Marlene, she knows everyone) and they told me that their most powerful camera was being used on a mission aboard the International Space Station, so they had instructed Marlene to "borrow" class 3 camera as they had been reliably informed that Mrs S (a secret NASA agent) takes great photos. So, class 3, what do you reckon, plausible?

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    1. We think it was absolute plausible and guess what? It has been returned, but no space pictures unfortunately. But remarkably lots of pictures of special astronauts making their very own special space helmets!


      Mrs S

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  3. Sounds like a great week. The Space Dome was definitely a success and Jude has been explaining the grid method of multiplication to us at home, so something has stuck! Jude's Mum

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    1. We love the grid method!! So glad that Jude has been teaching you!

      Mrs S

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  4. I really enjoyed the space dome from Jack H

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    1. Jack I am glad you did! It was well worth the wait wasn't it?

      Mrs S

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  5. Evie-May's Auntie Claire, Uncle Joe and Cousin Ella13 November 2015 at 20:57

    It sounds like you have had a fun week learning about the planets. When I was at school we were taught to remember the order of the planets by saying My Very Easy Method Just Speeds Up Naming Planets, but your mnemonic is much more fun. Keep up the hard work.

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    1. Yes we started with that one too. Glad to see that you are still interested in our blog - thanks for commenting. Evie-May is definately earning lots of house points!

      Mrs S

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    2. Yes we started with that one too. Glad to see that you are still interested in our blog - thanks for commenting. Evie-May is definately earning lots of house points!

      Mrs S

      Delete