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Oak 3

 
Welcome to Oak 3!
 
 
2024 - 2025
 
Mrs Oz/Mrs Bayliss - Class Teachers
Mrs Cook/Mrs Barber/Miss Alders - Teaching Assistants
 
Spring 1
 
Forces, Magnets and Metals
Come back soon to find out about what we have been learning in Spring 1
 
Autumn 2
 
Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age
Year 3 enjoyed taking part in a PSHE Now Press Play experience linked to friendships and feeling left out. We thought about how it would make us feel if we were in that situation and also solutions to help others who might be feeling excluded or lonely at times. 
Year 3 had a wonderful day at The Think Tank in Birmingham where they got the chance to explore all the wonderful interactive areas and exhibits. They enjoyed learning about technology in the past and then looking ahead to how technology might help us in the future. They also learned more about how the human body works. A favourite area was the outdoor science garden where they discovered how forces work and had lots of fun testing out things with their friends. 
Year 3 have been mixing tints and shades to create backgrounds for our cave paintings. We then experimented using different techniques to add texture to our work. We also used natural materials such as charcoal to create own designs showing what life was life for people in the Stone Age.
Year 3 made a wonderful start to their new theme by taking part in a Stone Age day. We went outside searching for things to help us survive, tried flint knapping (with soap), made Stone Age style pinch pots and even took part in a Now Press Play experience. 
 
Autumn 1
 
Road Trip USA!
Year 3 have been making American style burgers this week! First they learned about the protein beef and the importance of hygiene when preparing raw meat. They used the claw and bridge technique to carefully chop onion and parsley, which was then combined into the beef mince to make deliciously tasty burger patties. After cooking the patties in the oven, the children assembled their burgers with bread buns, lettuce and their choice of relish before eating them all up. The verdict - delicious! 
Year 3 have been busy making their bridges and testing them out. They discovered that triangle frameworks are stronger than other shapes so used triangulation within their designs to strengthen their bridges.
Year 3 had a wonderful time working in groups with artist Darrell Wakelam to create one of their favourite book characters. The children used a range of different techniques in order to bring Paddington Bear to life. Look out for Paddington Bear next time you are walking around school!
In DT Year 3 investigated different types of frames to see which were stronger to help us with our bridge structures. We worked together and discovered triangular frameworks were the strongest. We added diagonals to our cubes to create triangles which reinforced them. We now plan to use these ideas in our bridge designs. 
In PSHE we learned about the importance of road safety and how to cross the road correctly. We discussed the new zebra crossing outside our school and the different types of crossings. We also discussed why some places are unsafe places to cross. Then we had a go at crossing the road safely using the crossing marked out on the playground.
Year 3 have had an excellent start to their Key Stage 2 journey.
 
On Day 1 of Year 3, we took a Road Trip to USA and learned about the Geography of the USA including some states, the continent it belongs to and some of the major cities.
 
We read our new key text 'Snow White in New York' and compared it to the traditional tale.  Children created freeze frames of the key points in the text and had great fun becoming the evil Queen of the Underworld, or the poor little rich girl, Snow.
 
Welcome to Juniper 2!
 
 
2023 - 2024
 
Miss Houghton - Class Teacher
Mrs Barber/Mrs Calloway/Mrs Spencer - Teaching Assistants
 
Summer 2
 
Beside the Seaside
We've tested the fruits to find our favourites, we've learnt where the fruits are grown from across the world, and today we have been busy making our 'frollies' ready for this week's Farmers' Market! We can't wait to taste them!

What an incredible day our Year 2 children had on their recent school trip to Weston-Super-Mare!  Their adventure began with an exciting coach ride, filled with laughter and chatter. After a quick pit stop at the services for a snack, we headed straight to the sandy shores. Our little explorers wasted no time and dived into building sandcastles and burying each other in the sand.  Of course, no trip to the seaside is complete without a classic serving of chips! The seagulls clearly agreed and made several attempts to snatch a chip or two.  To cool off, we treated ourselves to ice-lollies.  We also had the opportunity of taking a leisurely walk along the pier. The children were thrilled to explore the arcade and admire the beautiful views of the sea!  What a fantastic day to remember!

What a fantastic class assembly! Well done to all our Year 2 children for their amazing performance. You all rocked the stage and you should all be so proud! Thank you for the music! 

Wow, can ya believe it? Last week, Year 2 got the golden opportunity to hop on a Zoom call with the real stars of our class book, Jan and Sara - the brilliant authors of Sam Silver! They put our comprehension skills to the test, and we even got to fire away with our own treasure trove of questions. Jan and Sara were very impressed with our pirate tales that Mrs Stockton and Miss Houghton had emailed them.
In RE, this half term, we have started our learning by comparing Christianity and Islam.  We recalled our knowledge from our previous learning to identify similarities and differences. Our next lessons will be focusing on the Islamic belief of caring for all creatures no matter how big or small.  We will then discuss our own differences and how these should not impact treating others with kindness.

What an exciting start to our final half term in Year 2! Year 2 have dived headfirst into their seaside theme, kicking it off with the fascinating book 'Flotsam'! We started our adventure by sifting through trays of flotsam, unravelling mysteries and deciding which treasures belong to whom.  Let's make learning about the seaside a tidal wave of fun and discovery!

 
Summer 1
 
Land Ahoy!

Well done, Year 2! You rocked those Seaside Adventure Trails (SATs)!! and for working so hard, celebrated with a tea party!! Keep shining bright!

Using our keen pirate senses and our knowledge of maps, we plotted our course with care. We plotted our course to locate England and Jamaica and to find their capital cities; London and Kingston.
With cutlasses (pencil) in hand and curiosity in their hearts, these young Year 2 buccaneers delved into the depths of pirate history. Aye, they plundered through books, websites, and tales told by old salts to uncover the mysteries of these seafaring rogues. From the Caribbean to the seven seas, their quest for knowledge knows no bounds!
In Year 2, our minds have embarked on an exciting journey blending creativity with mechanics. We have dived into the captivating realm of crafting moving pictures using sliders and levers! Next we will be creating our own design that will link to our pirates story!
Arrr, matey! Welcome aboard the good ship Geography! Year 2 be on an excitin' voyage where ye start learnin' to read maps like a true swashbucklin' navigator. Ye'll be explorin' different lands (Jamaica) through the lens of maps and comparing it to our own port (England). So hoist the sails, sharpen yer compass, and let's set a course for adventure!
Ahoy, mateys! Arr, it be time to buckle down and hoist the sails of knowledge! Them young bucaneers be workin' hard preparin' for their Seaside Adventure Trails (SATs), just like ol' SpongeBob tackles the challenges of the Krusty Krab kitchen! Well done Year 2!

Year 2 have had to say goodbye to our butterflies.  We have cared for them since they were the tiniest caterpillars, and we have looked on with wonder as they have turned into butterflies.  We have learned so much along the way.  Although it was a little sad letting them go, we hope they will enjoy life in our kitchen garden.  Please click on the QR code to watch our diary from caterpillar to butterfly.

Ahoy, mateys! Avast ye, it be Year 2 Pirate Day, where landlubbers turned into scallywags, and desks became ships! Shiver me timbers, we plundered knowledge and set sail through our adventures together! 
This week, Year 2 had a very exciting letter from ‘Sponge Bob SquarePants’ !!  The letter said that if we do our best when completing our Seaside Adventure Trails, then we would have a special treat when we go to the seaside next half term!  To help us prepare, Sponge Bob has sent us some practise Seaside Adventure Trails, which we have loved starting this week! 
Ahoy, me hearties! Listen up, ye brave sailors of the seven seas! We be settin' sail on a grand adventure into the land of pirates!  
 
Juniper Class embarked on a thrilling quest to uncover the mysteries of the high seas. Armed with parchment and quills, (whiteboards and pens) they gathered 'round a sturdy table, their faces alight with excitement. With imaginations ablaze, they crafted questions fit for the most seasoned of pirates.  
 
On our grand Pirate Day and in the comin’ weeks, all our burning questions about the life of a swashbuckler shall be answered!
 
Spring 2
 
Under the Canopy
 

Plastic Pollution

As part of our learning and activities for our science day we explored how time impacts the quantity of plastic in our oceans.  We discovered that as plastic takes over a 1000 years (in some cases) to decompose.  More and more plastic pollutes our oceans because dropped litter makes its way into our rivers, streams and then our oceans.  Sea creatures can accidentally eat plastic which is harmful.  We explored how difficult it is for animals to separate plastic from food by conducting an experiment. First we placed cereal and cut up pieces of plastic bags into a bowl.  Then we had 30 seconds to move the ‘food’ into a separate bowl using a spoon.

This half term, Year 2 have been learning about the effects of deforestation on our planet’s wildlife.  We have been considering ways in which we can make a small contribution to saving our rainforests.  We discovered that one reasons for the destruction of rainforests is to create space for palm oil plantations.  Therefore, in DT we made ‘palm oil free flapjacks’ to show that small changes can go a long way.
What a fun filled afternoon Year 2 had at the Botanical Gardens.  We explored the outside area … including the play park!! Then we were immersed into the rainforest when we visited the Glasshouses.  We also had time to meet a very friendly cockroach and snake and learn lots of facts about the rainforests.
What a memorable experience for Year 2 when we visited Lozell’s Mosque! We were given the opportunity to see everything we have been learning about during our RE lessons on Islam.  This included; the prayer room, the dome, prayer mats and the room where the washing ritual of Wudu is carried out.  We answered lots of the Imam’s questions and he was very impressed by our knowledge.  Well done Year 2.
What a wonderful world book day we have had and what amazing costumes!  Children have enjoyed their day sharing books, performing poetry and creating posters that promote the love of reading. Happy World Book Day!
Last week, we walked around our school grounds looking for habitats.  We then discussed what we had found and shared any patterns we had spotted.  In the microhabitats we found centipedes, woodlice, worms, slugs and spiders. The children found that most insects were underneath things such as logs, bricks and leaves. They thought this may be because they are hiding from predators, they do not want to be trodden on and because it is warm and dark. 
This half term we have been practising on our Gymnastic skills in PE.  We started by recalling how we perform a jump safely, then we practised performing a variety of jumps from varying heights.  We recalled and practised our Year 1 learning, focusing on a pencil roll, teddy bear roll and egg roll, then we learned how to safely complete a forward roll.  We had lots of fun working as a team and persevering.  Well done Year 2! 
In music this half term, Year 2 have listened to and analysed music that describes different vehicles. They have discovered how composers use volume, speed, and rhythm in their music, exploring the key words 'crescendo, diminuendo, accelerando and ritenuto'. They then finished the topic by creating their own 'train composition', using a variety of percussion instruments. 
Year 2 have started learning about orangutans. We have read 'There's a Rang-Tan in my Bedroom' and we are going to be writing a non-chronological report to help others learn about those wonderful, but sadly endangered creatures.
This half term year 2 will immerse themselves in all things 'Under the Canopy'. From making palm-oil free cereal bars, to visiting the botanical gardens, the children will learn all there is to know about Asian rainforests, the creatures that live there and the effects of deforestation.
 
Spring 1
 
Alive and Kicking
 
After being given a challenge to create our own 'David Attenborough' documentary, we learned all about the life cycle of a butterfly and what they needs to survive.  We then created our own documentary to show what we have learned.  We hope you like our documentary.  This half term we are going to be watching as real butterflies go through each stage of their life cycle.  Don't forget to look out for some photos!!
'The children enjoyed playing in your beautiful garden, so open it back up!'
'If you don't knock down the wall, winter will never leave.'
'How selfish you are being!'
 
After reading 'The Selfish Giant',  we had to convince the giant to open his garden again, after he built a wall and put up a poster that said, 'Trespassers will be prosecuted'. 
 
We will be writing a letter to persuade the giant to open his garden again! 
As part of Year 2's healthy living topic, the children explored how germs spread and how we can prevent the spread of them by washing our hands and keeping clean. Our first activity demonstrated 'germs' (pepper) dispersing when they come into contact with soap.  Our second activity showed how 'germs' (glitter) spread when we touch other objects.
Juniper 2 made a fantastic Jumping Bean Salad today which contained their 5 a day! We have been learning about eating a balanced diet and the importance of preparing food hygienically. To prepare our salad we used the bridge and claw cutting technique!
On Wednesday, Year 2 took part in the Infant Agility competition at Polesworth High School. The team were FANTASTIC and they all tried their hardest, resulting in Birchwood placing first against 6 other teams.  
 
You should be so proud of your efforts Year 2, well done!
What super movers we are in year 2! This half term we are focusing on how dance can express our mood, such as, happiness, sadness, anger and fear.  We have also introduced the concept of considering a starting and ending position for our dance routines.
In music this half term, year 2 have been having lots of fun getting to know the words and actions to Grandma Rap. We have been exploring rhythm and beat using a clapping game and durations of a walk for crotchets
Year 2 have been putting their coding skills to the test in Computing lessons this week.  We have been exploring coding and creating programs using Purple Mash activities.  If the program did not run correctly, we debugged our program by finding the error in our code.  What cyber-tastic work Year 2!
"Do I look the sort of wolf who goes around eating Grandmas?"...  After reading the Wolf Story by Toby Forward, we had to decide if the wolf was telling the truth and if it was just a BIG misunderstanding.  So, with our partner we took turns to 'interview' the wolf!  Using our 'w question words', we asked questions like; 'Were you going to eat Little Red?' and 'What were you doing at Grandmas house?' The wolf insisted he was friends with Grandma and he did not want to eat Little Red because he was vegetarian!
Year 2 have started this half term with a challenge!  
 
Miss Haynes came to visit us on Tuesday morning and explained she had some animals which she would like us to take care of.  However, to be able to do this Miss Haynes asked us to find out everything we know about the animals to ensure we would be able to care for their basic needs of survival!  The animals that Miss Haynes wants us to care for are ... butterflies!! 
 
We are really excited but before we can meet the butterflies we have to complete Miss Haynes' challenge.  Not only do we need to find out lots of information about them but we are also going to be making a documentary - just like the incredible naturalist David Attenborough!!  We are going to post our documentary onto the Birchwood website!! So remember to look out for it here!!
 
Autumn 2
 
Significant People
Juniper 2 have enjoyed their lessons using footballs this half term. They have been practising stopping and passing the ball with the correct part of their foot, as well as dribbling the ball.
What a wonderful nativity performance!  You were all stars!  Your acting was amazing, your singing was super and your smiles were beaming! Well done to you all.  
We had fun at the fair!! What a busy Friday we had! First Year 2 made their melted snowmen biscuits, then we made posters to advertise them and finally, of course, we got to buy one and eat it … deeee-licious!!!
Juniper 2 loved their trip to the library. Along the way, we spotted different geographical features in our local area, such as houses, shops, rivers and small hills. 
 
When we were in the library, we chose a book to take home and listened to a couple of Christmas stories!
Today Year 2 followed the Birchwood poetry trail, which led us to many wonderful poems written by children in our school, which focused on our one school rule ‘Consideration and Respect’
Juniper 2 loved their forest school session this afternoon, creating their very own  ‘toffee apples’. They peeled their apple using a peeler, lightly coated them in sugar and cinnamon before toasting them over the fire!  DELICIOUS!
Well done to our Year 2 winners of our ‘house competition’.  Your Halloween stories were ‘spook-tacular’!  The children received a book token to use at our book vending machine. We hope you enjoy reading your chosen book!
The children looked fantastic in their bright clothes on 'BE BRIGHT, BE SEEN' day. They learned how to stay safe and why it is important to stay safe near roads. 
Year 2 have been very lucky this half term as they have had two visitors in two weeks!
 
Florence Nightingale came into school to tell us why she is a significant person and taught us what she did that was so important.
 
After learning about the history of the police, a peeler came into school to tell us all about Sir Robert Peel. We learned why he was significant and were fascinated to know he had a country home in Tamworth! 
Today, as part of our anti-bullying theme, we wore odd socks to school to show that each one of us (like odd socks) are different and unique - there are no two people the same and we all agreed that is the way we like it. 
After receiving a postcard from Paddington asking what the recent vibrant lights in the sky were, Larch begin their learning about our theme of ‘Significant People’.  We took part in a Now Press Play all about Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.
 
'At the Duck and Drake Inn you serve a man called Guy Fawkes who is kicked out for being catholic. This doesn't sound fair, so you join his and Robert Catesby's gang. You realise the plot has gone too far when you see the gunpowder in the Houses of Parliament. You have to prevent it from happening!'
Juniper 2 loved their forest school session! We whittled wood with peelers, created boggarts and explored new areas of our forest area such as the mud kitchen and swing!
 
Autumn 1
 
Bright Lights, Big City
Year 2 have enjoyed learning the lyrics and actions to the tune “Tony Chestnut”.  We have explored “call and response” patterns, our voices and the glockenspiel.
After baking our very own bread rolls, Year 2 celebrated the end of our London topic with a Paddington style tea party! Well done for a wonderful first half term in Year 2!
Year 2 have had fun designing and making a vehicle for Paddington.  We prepared the chassis by cutting and taping boxes.  Then we painted and decorated the boxes.  We practised measuring and sawing dowel which we used as our axle.  We attached the axle to our chassis and then attached the wheels to the axles.
 
We were so please with our vehicles, we hope Paddington likes them too

Year 2 visited Selly Manor to learn about ‘The Great Fire of London’.  They all had an amazing time and they were immersed into the past as their learning was brought to life through role play, playing with toys from the past and visiting Selly Manor which is furnished as it would have been in the past.  Selly Manor dates back as far as 1476.  It was bought in 1907 by the Cadbury family who later turned it into a museum.  Children enjoyed learning facts about The Great Fire of London from our very knowledgeable tour guide. By visiting the Manor children understood how the fire spread so quickly as the materials it was built from originally were mainly wood for the beams and held together with a straw cow dung mix! 

Juniper 2 have enjoyed National Poetry Day! We loved dressing up as an adjective, learning a poem to share with reception and writing our own poems about consideration.
This week in science Juniper have been investigating materials.  We have recalled our previous learning from year 1 and created  a ‘what I know’ page all about materials.
There was lots of laughter this week, when we had a visit from @ComedyCampbell (James Campbell).  He shared stories from his hilarious books and inspired our children to become writers themselves.  The children had a wonderful time and enjoyed the visit
On Friday we discussed safe and unsafe secrets in our PSHE lesson.  We discussed how to identify a safe or unsafe secret by thinking about how it makes us feel (for example, do we get our early warning signs by keeping the secret), also considering if it was a nice or sad outcome and the length of time the secret had to be kept.  We then sorted different scenarios into safe and unsafe secrets.
Today, Year 2 have enjoyed a practical maths lesson, using their learning from the last two weeks.  The challenge was to make a  specific 2-digit number.  It included the greatest and smallest odd/even number.  Well done Year 2, you did a super job!
On a school trip to Buckingham Palace, you meet the King, but he is behaving strangely! When you discover the real King locked in the basement you must go on a mission across The UK to foil her imposter, the evil Dr Disguise - and free the King!
Year 2 were in a sticky marmalade situation this morning when they received a message from Paddington asking for help! We started the day by working out where Paddington's tea party will be. After discovering it will be in London, we located the city on a map of the UK.

We will be exploring our capital city, looking at human and physical features, famous landmarks and comparing modern London to how it was in the 17th century.
 
Welcome to Hazel 1!
 
 
2022 - 2023
 
Mrs Stockton - Class Teacher
Mrs Mills/Mrs Cook - Teaching Assistants
 
 
Summer 2
 
Enchanted Woodland
 
Hazel class had lots of fun today creating a poem called ‘The Wonder Box’.  It is about all the questions that make us wonder.  We hope you enjoy listening to our poem.
The Great Science Share
 
Hazel class had so much fun completing their science investigation and they really enjoyed taking part in an alternative way of sharing their findings.  They had so many questions and were also eager to share their existing knowledge. 
 
Theo said, “Is this science Mrs Stockton? Because I have just decided my favourite subject is science.'
This week, Hazel class have had lots of fun in computing.  We have been creating an animation with sound using the sock puppets app.  We chose a sock puppet, then added a background and props.  Next we recorded sentences about our woodland discovery that we had made earlier in the week. 
This morning, Mr Jackson sent Hazel class a note which he had found on the playground.  The note said that if we went down to the woods we would be sure of a big surprise… watch our video to discover what we found. 
In PSHE this week we have been discussing our mental health.  As a class, we talked about all the things that make us happy, then we did our own individual mind maps.  We also talked about things that made us unhappy, such as feeling poorly or rainy day.  We thought about things we can do to make ourselves happy again when we are feeling sad.
Hazel Class have been learning about road safety.  We learned that we should always find a safe space to cross, look and listen all the time and always hold our adult’s hand.
 
Summer 1
 
Rio de Vida
 
‘Everyone means everyone,’ said Elmer.
 
After Reading Elmer’s Special Day, Hazel class thought carefully about the importance of including everyone. We thought about adjectives that reflected how we felt when we are included. 
Today, Hazel Class have been exploring different flag designs before creating their own design.  After half term we will be using various joining techniques to make our flags from felt. 
Today we have used the bridge and claw method to chop vegetables ready to cook in the oven.  When the vegetables were cooked we mixed them with the cooked pasta, pesto and mayonnaise.  We agreed that the pasta and vegetables were very ‘tasty’!
The focus of our Science lesson was trees and understanding the difference between deciduous and evergreen. We also discussed the different parts of a tree and looked carefully at the different leaf shapes and colours. 
After reading the book ‘Maybe Something Beautiful’, by  Isabel Campoy and Teresa Howell, we were inspired by Mira’s story.  Mira showed how art can transform and unite a community.  We learned that King Charles III’s values include caring for the environment and encouraging communities to work together.  We decided that together as a Year 1 community we would create a collaborative piece of art inspired by nature and the Union Jack flag.
As part of our coronation celebrations, we took part in Forest Schools with Mrs Smith.  Together we made flower bombs and our very own clay pebble keepsakes.  We had a fantastic time.
Obrigado amigos!  What a wonderful class assembly Hazel 1! There was singing, samba dancing, poetry (The Rhythm of Life) & acting from the story ‘The Sock Thief’.  You should be proud of your performance. You are all stars!
Today in PSHE, we have been learning about needs and wants.  We discussed the things we need that we can’t live without and things we want that we can live without.  We all had different thoughts but discussed our reasons for our choice with our group. 
Hazel Class have been exploring mixing colours, using thin and thick brushes and creating geometric shapes in the style of Paul Klee’s painting Castle and Sun. 
To begin our new theme, this half term, in Hazel Class, we have started reading The Sock Thief’ by Ana Crespo.  Before we read it we made predictions based on the front cover about what we thought the story could be about.
 
Spring 2
 
Monarchs
In Geography, Hazel have been learning how to follow a map.  We followed the route by looking carefully at the pictures on our map and spotting the features in our playground.  We followed the route and ticked each feature as we arrived at it.  Well done Hazel!
Hazel class have been leaning about the different ways we can communicate using ICT. We have been using purple mash to create a poster about keeping passwords safe. Next, we are going to edit our posters by adding a background! 
What an amazing day Year 1 have had at Tamworth Castle! We have trained to be a knight, we helped the Lady of the Castle to dress the table ready for a banquet, we visited the dungeons and we saw an amazing view from the tower! Well done Year 1!
Some of our wonderful pictures of Isabel from our whole school text ‘The Invisible’ by Tom Percival.  Even Tom Percival agreed we had done a ‘great job’.  Well done Hazel! 
Hazel class have been investigating all the different ways we can make half of a square. Once we found a way, we checked that each part was about the same size. 
Today, Year 1 had a visit from GXO and had fun exploring their truck.  We found out that the trucks wheels are nearly as tall we are, it costs £600 to fill the tank with diesel and when we went into the cab we realised the driver can only see some places on the road around them so we have to be very careful.
Happy World Book Day from year 1! Today we have read together, sang songs, recited poems, created reading rivers, completed activities linked to our whole school text ‘The Invisible’ & dressed up as our favourite characters.
 
Spring 1
 
No Place Like Home
Hazel 1 Dojo Winner - Autumn using her golden coin to collect her book from our vending machine.  Autumn decided she would like a non fiction book. 
In DT we have been exploring structures.  We found lots of strong and stable structures in our trim trail and around our playground, including climbing frames, the shelter, benches and the shed.  We discussed the structure’s purpose, what it was made from and who used it.  Later this week we are going to use our learning about what makes a good structure to make a chair for baby bear as Goldilocks has broken his favourite one!
During our writing lessons we have been piecing together the parts of a sentence.  We constructed our sentences ensuring they included a sentence opener, an adjective and a noun.
As part of ‘Children’s Mental Health Week’, Hazel 1 made a paper chain to symbolise our connection to one another and though we’re all different we all support one another. Neve said she feels calm by 'taking a deep breathe and counting'.
In Hazel class, number day was centred around the story book ‘The Jolly Postman’.  We played a game ‘most post’, we ordered the number of letters the Jolly Postman had delivered and we also had a game of ‘fairytale imposter’.
Hazel class have been testing their knowledge of common animals during our science lesson.  We classified and grouped the animals lots of different ways .. these included groups  based on their features, where they live and what they eat!
This week, Year 1 have been retelling the story of ‘Jim and the Beanstalk’ by Raymond Briggs.  Before writing our story ending, we had lots of fun role playing the final few pages of the book!
Today we role played a story to help us understand how wildlife habitats are being reduced because of human actions. In our story the newspaper represented the hedgehog’s habitat, but the newspaper/habitat slowly disappeared as trees were cut down, litter was dropped, houses were built, and leaves/grass were removed.
Today, we have learned that an algorithm is a precise set of step-by-step instructions that describes exactly how a task needs to performed.

 

We listened to the Hokey Cokey song.  The song tells people exactly how to perform a dance. We identified the pattern and predicted what came next in the song and when our teacher accidently dropped the cards on the floor, we helped to debug the algorithm by putting them back in the correct order.

Hazel class have been exploring which resource they prefer to use when ‘making ten’.  
 
Theodore, 'I prefer the bead string because the beads don’t move about and I can see the group of ten.'
After finding a note from Goldilocks on Wednesday, asking for instructions to make porridge, Hazel class visited the food tech room today to learn how to make it.  Next week, we are going to write instructions for Goldilocks!

Today, we had a mysterious visitor in school.  The visitor had eaten a bowl of porridge and had left year one a note asking for instructions of how to make it because it was so tasty.  Our only clue was an initial G at the end of the letter. 

 
Autumn 2
 
School Days
Year 1 were very excited today to receive their winter books.
 
Tova said, 'Thank you team Birchwood' and Theodore added, 'These books are great.'
 
Our parent/teacher association kindly donated the funds to buy all our children a winter book each and we think our smiles tell a story of how happy we are with them!
Year 1 had an enchanting visit to Polesworth Abbey.  The children paid their taxes in return for a badge and then wrote their names on the census.  We then followed the signs to Bethlehem, where we met Baby Jesus.  
 
Scan the QR code to see photos of our day.
We travelled back to the Victorian era to learn about what school was like then.  We paid our school pence, we sat in rows, completed drill exercises and stood when an adult entered the room to show respect.  The teachers were a little strict but we had lots of fun learning about the differences between then and now.  
Hazel 1 had a visit from the Fire Service today.  They taught us how to stay safe in case of a fire.  We learned to ‘stop, drop and roll’, we learned that we should always have a grown up with us when using the cooker and we got to try on some of their uniform!
This half term, in art, we are learning about the Austrian artist/architect Friedrich Hundertwasser.  We have discussed two of his paintings ‘Park’ and ‘Waiting Houses’. We recreated our own versions of trees using the spiral patterns and bright colours he is famous for. 
As part of anti-bullying week, we listened to a Now Press Play experience which encouraged us to think about how we can work together and all be friends.  
This half term Year 1 are looking into the past.  We are on an adventure back to the Victorian times.  This week we were sent a memory box that had been dug up near Polesworth Abbey and we have been asked to investigate what was found inside. 
 
Autumn 1
 
Space
Happy National Poetry Day from Hazel Class !! Today, we have had fun dressing up as describing words … we wrote them on our whiteboards to show each other. 
We had a wonderful time in Hazel class during our first week of forest school!  We played a ‘trust game’, we learnt how to stay safe when lightning a fire and we even found stick man hiding in the wooded area!  We had a fabulous time! 
After discovering a crashed spaceship we spotted a passport in the bush nearby!  Hazel class found out that the spaceship belonged to a friendly alien called Beegu.  We wrote a letter to Beegu and she wrote back!!  We also decided to take photos of the crash scene using iPads, then we shared the photos with each other using the ‘swipe function’. 
 
Welcome to Chestnut and Acorn!
 
 
2021 - 2022
 
Miss Lowe/Mrs Smith - Class Teachers
Mrs Tweed/Mrs Spong - Teaching Assistants
 
Summer 2
 
Mad About Minibeasts

When we visited Ash End Farm, we explored the creepy critters and held snakes, lizards and a tortoise. Then we went to see goats, alpacas and cows grazing in the fields. We met Steve the man who looks after the birds of prey and learned all about owls. Did you know owls have no noses?!

After lunch we fed a whole range of goats, cows, sheep and even held some baby chicks and ducks. Some lucky children had a special treat because it was their birthday and had a special "happy chick day" song sung to them with chicks that hatched that morning!

The first Sports Day we have been able to have for reception children in 2 years! Every child in reception took part in every event and we were cheered on by so many parents, grandparents and carers. Every single child managed to get at least one 1st, 2nd or 3rd place sticker over the course of the afternoon, which is an amazing success for not just their house teams but for them personally. Well done Reception!!
 
Summer 1
 
The Sights and Sounds of Africa
This half term our learning has focused on Africa and making comparisons to life in our country. We began our learning focusing on the key text 'Anna Hibiscus' Song' where the children followed a recipe to make pounded yam.
 
We had to mash the yam up, it was hard," Lucie.
'It was a bit weird; I didn't like it," Euan. 
 
We then took our learning outside the classroom to practise some of the movements we deemed to be proud of. We explored running, hopscotch, skipping ropes, hula hoops and ball skills. The children thoroughly enjoyed sharing their strengths with the rest of the class as well as the teachers. 
 
To complete our learning about Africa we had an African Drumming workshop, exploring beats and rhythm within music. We counted out the syllables and beats within words while listening to a story all about Sammy the Spider and his many friends.
 
Spring 2
 
 Dinosaur Stomp
Reception have had a very exciting couple of weeks as we received a special parcel. In line with our learning about Spring and new life, we have had the exciting experience of watching chick's hatch. We have since enjoyed learning about caring for chicks, watching and observing their behaviour and most importantly, having a little cuddle.
Children were greeted this morning with some mysterious footprints leading out to our outdoor area and an egg in a nest. We are going to be keeping a close eye out to see if anything happens to the egg over the next few days.
 
Spring 1
 
Winter Wonderland
When we arrived back to school after our Christmas break, we were excited to see lots of changes both outside and within the classroom. We began our learning by discussing what we already know about Winter and ice. This involved making our very own ice lollies, "they were so yummy!" The children then enjoyed exploring our first key text 'Snowflakes by Cerrie Burnell' where we were able to show our learning around ice, snowflakes and seasonal changes in a variety of ways. To finish our work on this text we made our very own tree decorations just like those in the book and went to hang them on the trees around the school grounds.
 
Autumn 2
 
Why do squirrels hide their nuts?
Chestnut class have enjoyed starting their new theme 'Why do squirrels hide their nuts?' and looking at all things Autumn. We began by going on an Autumn walk after being told about some strange things happening to the environment outside. We noticed things like "The leaves are on the ground. They have fell off the trees." "The leaves are yellow, red and orange." "They aren't green anymore". We also had to wear our wellington boots and coats as the weather has changed and it is now getting cold and wet.  We have then been starting to explore seasonal changes within our classroom environment. We have explored pumpkins, describing their appearance, smell and weight using our senses.  We can't wait to see what other learning we complete this half term. 
 
Autumn 1
  
 We all belong here!
We have enjoyed settling into school, learning about the school rule and routines. We have also explored people who help us both inside school and outside of school. We then moved on to learn about our key text 'Have you filled a bucket today?'