Amethyst & Emerald Blog - Friday 27th January 2023

 Happy Friday everybody! Work on our "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" is in full swing now and we have been looking at the different characters in our work in English. We have also started to turn our attention to the most exciting aspect of our project:

Designing Chocolates!

The culmination of our project is where we become chocolatiers and the children invent and create their very own chocolates - just like Mr Wonka! During this process, the children will take part in taste testing the different possible ingredients before making a decision about which ones they wish to include in their marvellous creations.

We are aware that some children have allergies/dietary requirements and are happy to accommodate these. We have all the possible ingredients for the chocolate making, so if your child has an allergy to any food, please come and see us after school one day next week and you can let us know which ones are appropriate for your child. We will then get suitable alternatives where needed to replace any that your child can not have.

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 34 & 35.

For Year 1's this focuses on dividing. This is explored initially as practical sharing equally between 2 people. Begin to explore which numbers can be fairly shared and which leaver an odd one left over. This is good to help your child think about odd and even numbers. 

For Year 2's this also focuses on dividing. As mentioned before, in Year 2 we relate all division calculations back to their multiplication inverse as this is often a more efficient method of solving a calculation.

Both year groups can enhance their knowledge of division through the games below:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/mental-maths-train

https://ictgames.com/mobilePage/doggyDivision/index.html

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day - we would love to see you!

Have an amazing weekend!

Best Wishes

Mr Jude & Mrs Yuille

Amethyst & Emerald Blog - Friday 20th January 2023

 Happy Friday everybody! Time really is flying in Key Stage 1 and all the children have been working so hard in all areas of our project! We have continued to look at the genre of explanation texts in English this week, in particular explaining how chocolate bars are made, and looking at all aspects of number and place value in Maths!

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory - REMINDER

As part of our current project we would like to share the 2005 film of "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" with the children. We use excerpts from the film to help us look at character in our English work and use many of the scenes to help our descriptive writing and poetry work.

The film is classified by the BBFC as PG so we are asking for your approval to show the film to your child. If you have any concerns regarding this and you do not want your child to watch the film, please come and speak to us. Below is a link to the film's trailer for an idea of the film's tone:

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 32 & 33.

For Year 1's this focuses on multiplying. The first step in confidence with the times tables is practising counting on in different steps e.g. 2, 4, 6, 8 etc or 10, 20, 30. Grouping objects such as socks or gloves is a good way of showing this in practical terms. Regular practising of counting on in multiples of different numbers will also help - maybe count the steps upstairs but in 10's or 2's instead of 1's?

For Year 2's this also focuses on multiplying. Remember, practicing little and often at times tables facts will help your child gain confidence in this area. We talk about this in class as "squeezing the orange" - the more effort you put in, the more juice you get out!

Both year groups can enhance their knowledge of multiples of different amounts through the game below:

Coconut Multiples Game

The interactive number square below is really good to "paint" the multiples and explore the patterns that they make too:

Paint The Squares

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day - we would love to see you!

Have a relaxing weekend!

Love & joy

Mr Jude & Mrs Yuille

Amethyst & Emerald Blog - Friday 13th January 2023

 Happy Friday everybody! We have had a very busy in our first full week back in Key Stage 1. We have been exploring the genre of explanation texts in English and finding halves, quarters and other fractions in Maths!

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

As part of our current project we would like to share the 2005 film of "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory" with the children. We use excerpts from the film to help us look at character in our English work and use many of the scenes to help our descriptive writing and poetry work.

The film is classified by the BBFC as PG so we are asking for your approval to show the film to your child. If you have any concerns regarding this and you do not want your child to watch the film, please come and speak to us. Below is a link to the film's trailer for an idea of the film's tone:

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

Reading Comprehension Homework Book

Your child will be coming home with a comprehension homework book this week! Just like with the maths homework book, we ask that you complete one page (double page where the task is spread across 2 pages) and bring the book back to school by Wednesday.

In the blog from 25th November (scroll down to remind yourself of this blog) we spoke in depth about all the key skills involved in comprehension and how reading is more than just mechanically reading the words on the page. The activities in these homework books will help develop these skills. Again, please come and see us if you require further advice on this area.

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 30 & 31.

For Year 1's this focuses on adding and subtracting. The ability to switch between these different operations is very important for the children, so take particular care to look at the sign when solving these calculations to decide which approach to use!

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/addition-and-subtraction

For Year 2's this again focuses on times tables and their related facts. All that we mentioned last week holds true for this week too. Just like reading or riding a bike, practicing little and often at times tables facts will help your child gain confidence in this area.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/number-facts/number-fact-families

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. Just come down the steps to see us!

Have a super weekend!

Best wishes

Mr Jude & Mrs Yuille

Amethyst & Emerald Blog - Friday 6th January 2023

 Happy Friday everybody and a very Happy New Year to you all! It has been lovely to have a 2 day week to ease everybody back into the swing of things (teachers very much included) and it has given us an opportunity to wrap up our "999 What's Your Emergency?" project before we begin working on "Charlie & The Chocolate Factory."

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 28 & 29.

For Year 1's this focuses on subtraction. As with all the different operations in maths, as much practice as possible is key in learning the approaches to solving these calculations. Try number lines, try concrete objects - toys, pencils, spaghetti - anything!

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/addition-and-subtraction

For Year 2's this focuses on times tables. All Year 2 children are expected to know their 2, 5 and 10 times tables by the end of this academic year. This also includes the related division facts, so if we know that 4 x 2 = 8 will also know:

2 x 4 = 8

8 ÷ 4 = 2

8 ÷ 2 = 4

The more eagle-eyed of you will realise that this is just the same as addition and subtraction being the inverse of each other and, yes, we can represent it on a triangle!

And again, the game below is good for reinforcing this idea:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/number-facts/number-fact-families

Next week we will also be sending a second homework book home but we will explain this in next week's blog.

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. Just come down the steps to see us!

Have a great weekend!

Much love

Mr Jude & Mrs Yuille

Amethyst & Emerald Blog - Friday 16th December 2022

Happy Friday, everybody! What an exciting week it has been for everyone in Key Stage 1 - we have performed our Christmas Production of "It's A Christmas Emergency!" to the whole school on Monday and all the parents on Tuesday and Wednesday. We are all so very proud of everybody - it has been tricky with a lot of illness floating around but all the children stepped up and did a fantastic job - WELL DONE!

There is a page on our website with photos, see the link below. Below the photos is a folder with the photo files in if you wish to see a particular photo in more detail.

Christmas Photos

Half Term Homework

We will not be sending home the homework books this week or during the holidays - have a break and enjoy any new presents you get! It would be useful, however, if you keep up the reading, little and often, to ensure your child's continuing progress in this very important area. 

Also, if after all your festive celebrations, you find that you have any small, interestingly shaped boxes/packaging, we would very much welcome these to use with our Design & Technology work in the Spring Term.

Although we are all here next Monday & Tuesday next week, we would like to use this opportunity to wish you all an amazing Christmas and a peaceful New Year. We look forward to welcoming everyone back on Thursday 5th January!

Much love

Mr Jude & Mrs Yuille

Amethyst & Emerald Blog - Friday 9th December 2022

 Happy Friday everybody! There is an expectant hush over Key Stage 1 today as we have now finished all our rehearsals of our Christmas Production "It's A Christmas Emergency!" The children have worked hard and done so well in learning their lines, the songs, the musical instruments and how to put a performance together. They are all very much looking forward to sharing this with you next week!

As previously mentioned, in line with our safeguarding duty of care we are unable to allow photography during the performance but we will be putting photos of the children up on our website next week after the shows for you to share with others.

Christmas Jumper Day

All the children looked amazing in their Christmas Jumpers today and we have raised money that will continue to sponsor Thoko and her local community in Malawi. We thought you might like to hear what Thoko wrote in her most recent letter to us. She writes:

Dear Down Hall

I am learning in Standard 4. I go to school everyday. I always work hard in classes and my end of term results are always good. When I finish school I want to be a nurse. Very soon we will start harvesting crops. Greetings to you!

Thoko

A local representative who oversees Action Aid's money also adds:

Dear Supporter

One of the problems in Primary Schools is the shortage of desks. As a way of addressing the issue, we bought desks and shared them with two Primary Schools in the Kalowe Zone. This initiative has helped increase the number of children who have access to sit at a desk. Thank you for your support which has really promoted education in the area.

Its amazing to think that from such a small act on our behalf, we can make such a big difference for the young people who live such a long way away but share our right to an education. Thank you all so much!

Santa Dash

Two message from Miss Sharman:

Next week, children across the school will be taking part in the Santa Dash challenge set by Deanes. During the week they will be walking, jogging or running to accumulate as many miles as they can to add to a whole school total. We will then send our results to Deanes who will add our score to those from other schools to see if, as a school sports partnership, we can make it all the way to the North Pole! Children may bring in Santa hats to wear during the dash if they wish!

Good luck everyone!

And a reminder if you have not already done so - our school has been selected by Sport England to complete an Active Lives survey. Parents are invited to fill out their own survey by following the link below:

Parent Survey

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 26 & 27.

For Year 1's this focuses on addition. As with all the different operations in maths, as much practice as possible is key in learning the approaches to solving these calculations. Try number lines, try concrete objects - toys, pencils, spaghetti - anything!

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/addition-and-subtraction

For Year 2's this focuses on how addition and subtraction are the inverse of each other and we can use this to check our calculations. So if we work out that 14 + 12 = 26 we also know (without needing to work out) that:

12 + 14 = 26

26 - 14 = 12

26 - 12 = 14

In class we look at this as a triangle to show the relationship between these 3 numbers:

The game below is good for reinforcing this idea:

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/number-facts/number-fact-families

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we have discussed previously as well!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. Just come down the steps to see us!

Looking forward to seeing you all next week!

Yours in anticipation,

Mr Jude & Mrs Yuille

Amethyst & Emerald Class Blog - Friday 2nd December 2022

 Happy Friday everybody and oh my goodness, it's December already! Things are getting close to our Christmas Production so we wanted to share some of the arrangements that relate to this.

Christmas Production Programmes

Our Christmas Production will be on Tuesday 13th December at 2:30pm and Wednesday 14th December at 9:30am. Entry to these performances will be with the show's programmes which you can get at the office on Monday 5th December from 2:45pm and Tuesday 6th December from 8:45am. Programmes are limited to 2 per family and you can get 2 for either day or, if you prefer, 1 programme for each day. Please bring these programmes on the day of the performance to help keep entry quick and simple. We are all very excited to see you there!

Christmas Jumper Day

Our Christmas Jumper Day is Friday 9th December. On this day, the children can wear their fabulous festive jumpers and donate £1 which goes to our continued sponsorship of Thoko. The charity Action Aid use this money to ensure that Thoko and the other children in her community enjoy their right to an education just like all of us at Down Hall.

The children will also need their Christmas jumper for our performances (Monday to the rest of the school and Tuesday and Wednesday to parents) so consequently will not bring their jumper home on Friday but keep them in school until Wednesday.

Please be mindful, therefore, on Friday when you send your child to school about what they are wearing underneath their jumper to ensure that they won't be too cold when they come home. If the children could bring in a plastic bag with their name on it then this would be extremely helpful in keeping everything organised too!

Maths Homework

This week, we would like you to look at pages 24 & 25.

For Year 1's this focuses on the signs we use in addition and subtraction calculations. Knowing the names for these signs is very important as is the fact that there are different words for each sign e.g. -, take away, subtract, minus. There are lots of fun games at the site below to further support your child's confidence with these operations.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/addition-and-subtraction

For Year 2's this focuses on subtraction of 2 two-digit numbers. We use the same approach as outlined last week for using lines and dots to represent the tens and ones but this time we make the first amount and cross out the second amount:

If we do not have enough ones to take away, then we exchange a ten for ten ones first:

Don't forget to keep up all your fantastic efforts with your reading at home - it will make a huge impact on your child's reading development. Keep using the range of questions we discussed last week too!

If you have any issues or questions, please, please come and see us at the end of the day. Just come down the steps to see us!

Have a lovely weekend!

Best wishes

Mr Jude & Mrs Yuille