Dear parents and carers,

We began a new unit in English this week based on the book Happy Hatchday by Rob Biddulph (of Draw with Rob fame). We started by learning about 5 part story structures and made up our own, very short, 5 part stories which we performed to the class. We then read Happy Hatchday and drew a story map to help us remember it. We then wrote summarised versions of the story, breaking it down into 5 parts, preparing ourselves for planning our own stories next week!

Maths saw us begin another new unit, this time with a focus on multiplication and division. We started by making equal groups and understanding what equal and unequal means. We then looked at making a set number of equal groups with a set number of items in each group (grouping). We then looked at how we could add these groups through repeated addition which will lead us into introducing the multiplication sign next week.

We had lots of fun making clay dinosaur eyes in art. The children did brilliantly and are really excited to paint them, once we have allowed them to dry and they have been fired in the kiln.

In PE, we practised our speed bounce and throwing skills. Ask your child to challenge you to a speed bounce competition – how many jumps can you do in 20 seconds?

In RE, we continued our unit looking at Islam. We learned about the prophet Muhammed (PBUH) and why he is so important in the Muslim faith.

In Science, we learnt about how we know dinosaurs existed – fossils. The children had a great time learning about how they are formed and even had a go at making some in the classroom too. Next week, we will learn about where in the world they have been found.

In computing, we finished our unit looking at E-safety. The children are now very aware they should always be close to an adult when they are using an electronic device – especially one with internet access. They also know who their safe adults are both in and out of school and know when they should seek their assistance.

Reminders:

• Swimming is on Tuesday each week
• PE is currently on a Wednesday. Can children please leave PE kits in school and we will send them home during the holidays to be cleaned. Can you please also ensure your child has a pair of trainers in school for PE.

Key Dates

• Fluffy Friday – Friday 14th February
• Half term – Monday 17th February – Friday 21st February
• Sports Hall Competition – Wednesday 5th March
• Natural History Museum Trip – Monday 24th March