Bikes, Science and the New Forest
Year R
Year R children had four days of bikeability this week where the children practised their balancing skills and how to glide on their bikes like birds. Everyone learnt how to check their bikes and helmets and made sure there was no bumping into others!
Year 1
In our Science topic, Y1 learnt all about worms this week. We read the Superworm book, drew our own worms and even made our own worm houses. We learnt that the darker band around a worm is called a saddle and the end closest to the saddle is the head!
Rowan
Rowan class had their last Listen 2 Me concert of the year where they got the play the African drums to their adults. They have been practicing hard for the past term and have been learning how to create a rhythm as well as learning about the culture of those who play these instruments. The turn out of the concert was amazing so thank you to all who came. I am very proud of their performance. Rowan class truly exemplify the school's BEST values by Belonging to their class, putting on an Excellent performance, Supporting one another through the performance and after and Trusting in one another and their teachers. Well done Rowan class.
Birch
In Birch Class, we have started our new science unit on 'Light and Shadows', and have our fingers crossed that the sun makes an appearance so that we can see shadows outside! In the meantime, we have been investigating light using coloured cellophane, prisms, light reactive paper and mirrors. We have explored natural and artificial sources of light and reflectors too.
Sycamore
As the final element of our ‘Ancient Civilisations’ topic, we had to write a letter comparing the civilisations that we have been learning about (Egypt, Sumer and Indus Valley) by looking at some key aspects of what makes a civilisation. The children have also been looking at making repeating and symmetrical patterns based on Islamic Art. It also linked to our work on shape.
Aspen
Aspen class continued with their Mix Media Art unit this week and spent the afternoon using marbling ink to create unique patterns. We were very impressed with their creativity.
Year 6
Year 6 had the fantastic opportunity to go on a school trip to Cameron’s cottage in the New Forest this week. They built dens, hunted for bugs and even found a couple of leeches!!
Bringing the outdoors into our learning
Reading Festival
This week the children enjoyed a day celebrating the classic tale of Aladdin. They took part in reading and writing activities, created some beautiful botanical weaving, made amazing lanterns and even watched a magic show. Everyone enjoyed the day and it highlighted how much we value reading at Stanmore Primary School.
Outdoor learning
Children in Sycamore and R2L had fun in the woods this week making dens and clay faces for the trees - very creative.
Rowan
Rowan class have been very busy this week for their science unit, Animal survival. For their innovate challenge they had to come up with a way to improve the school environment for animals. They chose to find a way to improve it for invertebrates and decided that making a bug hotel would be good for them. So, they went and collected as many natural resources as possible from the school grounds and created their bug hotel. They are very proud of it and will be doing regular observations to see if any invertebrates will be coming to stay!
Birch
We have started our new art unit in Birch Class called 'Beautiful Botanicals'. We enjoyed botanical weaving as part of our Reading Festival activities and today, have been learning about the importance of botanical artists and comparing and contrasting their styles. The children then made detailed drawings of a selection of fruits and flowers, using the sketching, shading and texture skills previously taught. Some children used their colour mixing skills using the medium of pencils to show realistic tones and shades. Beautiful work, Birch Class!
Aspen
Children in Aspen were learning to programme using a selection condition in Scratch. They all successfully created their own quiz and extended their learning by adding a variable to keep the score.
Year 6
Yr6 are working hard to put on their Aladdin themed production and this week received some fantastic Aladdin themed costumes which they enjoyed trying on-special thanks to Integrate for supplying them. The children finished their final topic lesson this week, which culminated in a group project looking at the events that led to the end of WW2. They also looked at prejudice/discrimination in PSHE this week and how unkind words can deeply affect someone's feelings.
Our very talented children
Stanmore Dancers
Well done to our Stanmore dancers this week who picked up a second and first place in their competitions. Amazing job!
Stanmore Musicians
Beyond the Beat children took part in a fabulous showcase of all their hard work this week with a concert at Thornden school. They all did brilliantly and we were so proud of them.
YR
The children in YR went on a special musical trip to Turner Sims this week. They were able to sit among the musicians and take part in a transport inspired concert. We went on trains, hot air balloons, cars and even bicycles. Everyone had a brilliant time.
Rowan
Rowan class have been busy this week designing, creating and evaluating their bag tags! They prepared their felt, cut it into shape, chose the colour, and sewed the pieces together using a running stitch. It required a lot of persistence and resilience during the process, but they got some amazing results from it. They even added embellishments onto their tags to uplevel their designs. Well done Rowan class.
Birch
Birch Class children are loving their Tag Rugby PE unit, despite playing in the tropical temperatures on Wednesday. This week, they have been learning to throw the ball between team members from stationary and moving positions. We will be using these skills in our attack and defence play in the next lesson.
Aspen
Aspen enjoyed learning about the delicate art of quilling in Art. They learn how to roll the paper properly before placing it on the correct place on the picture. They showed great perseverance for a really fiddly task.
Oak
Oak class have been looking at the decisions world leaders made during WW11 and how these impacted their countries. They showed great understanding and were able to compare these decisions with those made in WW1.
A wide range of experiences
Disco time
Huge thanks to FOS for organising our Hawaiian Disco this week. The children had a fantastic time and they all looked amazing. Thank you to everyone who came and supported the school
Mad Science
This week the children had an assembly led by a mad scientist! She demonstrated key scientific concepts such as gravity and force. The children thoroughly enjoyed it and managed to ask and answer some excellent questions.
Maple
Maple class have been exploring plant parts and related topics this week. They have looked at different leaf shapes, built their own beanstalks and spent time in their very own garden shop. Year 1 children were scientists and investigated different trees, looking at their roots, trunk and trying to work out what tree they were from the types of leaves.
Rowan
Rowan class have done some amazing computing this week. They have become DJ's while making digital music on Chrome music lab.
Birch
We have started a new unit of writing in Birch Class, inspired b the book, 'A Roman Soldier's Handbook'. The children have been learning to skim and scan to identify key information, and use this to decide whether or not they would recommend being a member of the Roman army. We used a 'Conscience Alley' to help a potential new recruit to decide if he should join up or not. He was persuaded that it would be a good choice to join!
Aspen
Year 5 enjoyed a jobs fair in PHSE looking at a range of jobs from veterinary physiotherapist to forensic computer analyst. They learnt about the skills and qualifications needed to be employed in various jobs. Planning for the future, they thought about what they could do now to achieve their aspirations
Year 6
Year 6 have been continuing with their art project this week. They looked at still life compositions using an abstraction and distortion approach to drawing. They then used mixed media ( oil pastels, water colour and wax) to produce these outstanding pieces of art. They also received their amazing leavers hoodies.
Trips and all our other wonderful learning
Maple
As part of their DT project, Maple class have been exploring cutting, slicing, mashing and grating of different fruits and vegetables this week. They were able to talk about how the fruit changed and also the texture and appearance.
Rowan Class
Rowan had a fabulous day at Lepe beach They took part in a beach safari (finding lots of small crabs), a scavenger hunt and investigated mini beasts. Everyone had a great time and the teachers were super proud of all the children - the sun even came out for a short while.
Birch
In maths this week, children in Birch Class have been learning about different types of lines. They have used their understanding of horizontal, vertical, parallel and perpendicular lines to draw shapes on squared and isometric paper, using a ruler correctly. What super work!
Aspen
Aspen class has continued with their science investigations to find out more about the properties of different materials. This week we have been working in groups to investigate whether materials are soluble or insoluble. We also investigated the affect hot water had on the solubility of sugar which may have involved Mr Viney making himself a cup of tea!
Year 6
Year 6 have been practising distortion and abstraction techniques in art to convey feelings and mood. We think they look amazing - can you guess what the mood is?
The children have also been designing their own theme parks in maths; using budgeting skills to finance their project as well as looking at their economic forecast depending on the amount of visitors they entice in.
Our amazing broad curriculum.
Our amazing swimmers
Our swimmer team ‘The Stanmore Seals’ took part in a multi school swimming gala today. We were so proud of everyone who competed and also for the whole team who showed excellent team spirit throughout.
R2L
In R2L the children have been doing some amazing measuring in maths, building words with lego bricks and making some beautiful oops pictures. The children have also shown amazing perseverance by trying to complete this enormous jigsaw.
Maple
Maple Class have been familiarising themselves with their recently renovated learning environment this week. They have been enthusiastic to use the wide variety of Maths resources to support their learning both independently and through directed provision. Year R have been manipulating shapes to create buildings and have started to explore "sharing". Year 1 have been busy consolidating arrays and moving onto recognising and finding a half in shapes and objects, as well as in amounts.
Birch
To continue our learning about the Romans, Birch Class have been exploring the wonderful world of Roman Emperors. They discussed how historians decide if a person is significant or not and then ranked nine emperors in order of significance. They selected the emperor that they thought was most significant (good or bad) and created a 'Top Trump' for them. They were appalled at what some of the Roman emperors got up to!
Sycamore
This week we were making switches in science. Now we know how a simple circuit works, we had to make our own switches using our knowledge of electrical conductors and insulators in order to make a successful switch.
Aspen
In Aspen, we have started to investigate different properties of materials in our Science lessons. The children designed an experiment to test whether different materials were electrical conductors or insulators. The children then went on to explain the importance of electrical conductors and insulators in our everyday lives.
Year 6
This week, children in year 6 had a year group competition to build a prototype of their bridge, using the materials provided and following their labelled sketch drawings for inspiration.
Investigating our world through writing, art and history.
Maple
Maple class have been thinking about things that we could do as a class and at home to help look after our world. We have created posters and even created our own re-usable bags. We have also been closely observing flowers bloom and using a variety of media to capture the changes throughout the week.
Rowan
This week Rowan class have been continuing to learn about microhabitats, but specifically researching some of the invertebrates that can be found around our school. They had the opportunity to research about bees, worms, woodlice and butterflies. Once they completed their research, they then made their first double page spread, informing the reader all about their chosen invertebrate! They came out looking amazing and they all tried their BEST to achieve the best result possible.
Birch
Birch Class are enjoying their Biology focused science unit on plant nutrition and reproduction. Today, we focused on the flower, and learnt about the different parts and their function. To bring the learning alive, the children each dissected a flower and labelled the parts with the new vocabulary. They presented their work so creatively - fantastic effort!
Sycamore
Sycamore class have been sewing as part of our DT project. We needed to practise doing a running stitch in order to sew a hem. It took a lot of persistence and resilience to do it!
Aspen
In Year 5, we have taken advantage of the sunny weather by using drama to explore the thoughts, feelings and motivations of Thanatos, the king of the daemons in the story "Who Let the Gods Out". We will be writing from Thanatos' perspective as he escapes from his prison beneath Stonehenge by tricking Elliot (a mortal) and Virgo (an immortal in charge of the stationery at the Zodiac Council).
Year 6
Year 6 have been working hard being their own news reporter documenting the evacuation of children to the countryside and coast during World War 2. They have produced some lovely accounts with witness reports and hopes that the war would end soon!
To support their work in English the children also experienced some of life in WW2 through Hampshire Library’s history box. They loved trying on the old outfits and exploring all the artefects.
Year 6 have also started their topic on abstract art by taking ready drawn pictures and distorted them in imaginative ways.
Well done year 6
All your hard work!
A big well done to our year 6 children this year. They have worked incredibly hard over their time at Stanmore Primary School and they had the opportunity to show everyone how great they are by sitting their SATS this week. Their attitudes were fantastic and we were all very proud of you.
Thank you to our amazing kitchen staff, who provided year 6 with a delicious pre SATS breakfast every morning.
R2L
This week in R2L we have been working on saying good things about ourselves. We recognised that sometimes, it can be easier to say negative things about ourselves than positive things. We learnt that by celebrating each one of our unique skills and talents that not only did it make us feel happier and more confident, but our happy mood made other people feel positive too!
Maple
We have continued exploring our local environment, creating messy maps of our route to school, as well as building places we may see along our route. Maple class have also enjoyed identifying the varied wildlife within our school grounds and utilising it to make journey sticks and to support our writing.
Rowan
This week Rowan class have begun to use Oxford Reading Buddy, a brilliant way of getting more reading opportunities in our week. They have been learning alongside it the key skills of logging in, typing and persistence when technology goes wrong! Importantly, they can access this at home and continue to read their books at home and take the quizzes. This is a great way to engage your children in reading using technology.
Birch
Children in Birch Class are enjoying their athletics unit, especially when the weather is dry! This week, they have been learning to run at different speeds, accelerate and decelerate when indicated, and to be able to change direction when running at speed. Look out for them on Sports Day!
The children have been exploring how Rome was ruled. They explored the idea of Kingdoms, Republics and Empires and used this knowledge to sort statements about the benefits and challenges of each one.
Sycamore
In our PE lesson this week, we played football. First learning and practising skills like how to trap the ball and pass with some accuracy and then we enjoyed our first football match on the field in the sunshine! Let’s hope it continues.
Aspen
The children in Aspen class have been researching and presenting the risk, effects and legislation around legal and illegal drugs. They thought carefully of the role medication has in our lives, as well the importance of staying safe.
Year 6
After a busy week of SATS where the children worked incredibly hard, Year 6 used their afternoons to investigate how to build strong bridges in DT using a range of materials and triangles. They then tested their bridges to see how many marbles it would hold -one team even managed 50! The children also investigated how birds used their beaks to pick up food in Science, comparing thin, pointed beaks (tweezers) and larger rounded beaks (tongs)!
Outdoor learning and Lighthouses.
Our Lighthouse
Last week, we waved goodbye to our 'Little Lights' lighthouse. We will next see it somewhere in Southampton on the 'Light the South' trail! Congratulations to the children whose amazing sea birds were featured at the top of the lighthouse, and huge thanks to Mrs Pain for her incredible work in bringing all of your artwork together.
Be sure to follow the trail and see all the children’s hard work on display. Also keep a look out for some fun fundraising activities coming up soon.
R2L
In R2L the children learn about resilience by building Lego creations using only one colour! Not an easy task.
Maple
It has been a beautiful week of sunshine so we have taken full advantage of the outdoors to support us in our learning. We have explored the school grounds and worked as a team to create messy maps of our environment. Maple Class have also explored capacity through water play and have used the language of taller/shorter/longer than when comparing objects found in nature. We have continued to plant flowers to decorate our developing outdoor space, as well as examining plants closely when creating impressive observational drawings and leaf rubbings.
Rowan
Mysterious Microhabitats
This week in science the children have been learning about invertebrates and the microhabitats that they live in. They explored the school and discovered several microhabitats including under rocks, logs and pots and even in the cracks in tree trunks. They even tallied all the invertebrates they found. We found woodlice, worms, spiders, ants and even centipedes!
Birch
Birch Class have started a new unit of work in English, based on the book, 'Botanicum'. Today, they have been learning to use dictionaries to find the definitions of specific topic words that they will be able to use in their writing. Children in Birch Class are also delighted to have finished constructing their greenhouses as part of their DT project. They are proud to announce that they are being used and are currently housing an array of seeds including sunflowers and cucumbers.
Aspen
In Aspen we have been exploring the use of tempo in music and looking at how to create sounds in different ways. We have also been continuing our French lessons and explaining where we live.
Year 6
In PSHE the children have been exploring friendships in preparation for secondary school - well done Sam, Molly and Victoriia. Year 6 have also been working incredibly hard in their Maths and they have been using different partners to encourage the use of mathematical language.
A farewell week for chicks and lighthouses
Maple class
Maple class have been observing their chicks rapid growth and have adored being able to hold them! We have also been engaging hands-on with our Plant Parts project by enhancing our outdoor areas with the planting of seeds and the addition of flowers. Year R have certainly been entertained by becoming their teachers - the glasses seem somewhat familiar!
Rowan
The children in Rowan class have been working hard on their fractions this week, using a range of concrete resources and visual representations to support hem with their learning. They have also been germinating plants - we can’t wait to see what they manage to grow.
Birch
We are learning to play rounders in PE this half term in Birch Class. I am delighted to see so many talented batters, bowlers, backstops and fielders!
Sycamore
Sycamore Class have been working hard on decimals in maths. As a final activity in the unit, we played a game, matching tenths and hundredths written as decimals and fractions as well as a pictorial representation
Aspen
Aspen class have continued their physical activities this week with Bikeability. The children have worked really hard at their cycling skills and it has been great to see so many of them practising their skills safely on the road.
Year 6
Year 6 have been working hard on their writing this week based on the book ‘Letters from the Lighthouse’. They have also been practising their cricket skills with out Activ me 360 coaches.
