Christmas Jumper Day. Week ending: 16.12.16

Today it is Christmas Jumper Day so we have come to school wearing our Christmas jumpers to raise money for Save the Children. 

In Maths we have been doing some word problems, we had to think if they were addition, subtraction, multiplication or division word problems.

This week we have been rehearsing for our Year 2 Christmas sharing assembly, we have been practising our lines and the songs. We can’t wait for you to see it on Tuesday! It starts at 9:10am.

On Wednesday we had a very special visitor – it was … FATHER CHRISTMAS! We all got a present! We were very excited and he told us that he had very cold feet and that his reindeer's were on the roof.

We read the Jolly Christmas Postman and wrote our own letters to Little Red Riding Hood and Baby Bear.

In Games we have been learning how to safely flat tackle in hockey.

Congratulations to Hollie who will be taking home Snowy this weekend for her kind actions.

Well done Holly who is our Star of the Week for always thinking of others.

Don’t forget our Christmas party day in on Monday 19^th December. We will be wearing our school uniform and our party hats that we made. The teachers will also be providing a yummy treat.

Home Learning is to keep a diary of what you get up to over the Christmas holidays. You can write sentences, draw pictures or add photographs to your diary entries.

Please make sure all costumes are in school Monday morning as we will be doing a dress rehearsal. Please make sure they are placed into a named carrier bag which will be placed on your child’s peg.

We cannot wait for the pantomime this afternoon!

Chestnut Class

Maths problem solving week!

Hello,

In Maths we have been learning about length. We have been using rulers to help us measure cm. We followed instructions to measure different lengths of paper to make a Christmas tree.

In Creative Writing we had to think about how the Robin got back home. We read the start of the story 'Coming Home' and watched the Waitrose advert. 

We have been looking at the key words; any, many and only and we used these words during dictation.

For computing we made our own Christmas cards using different effects and designs.

During PSHE we were all thinking about respect and what it means.

Well done to Tori-Mae for getting star award this week for being a good friend and well done to Bertie for getting Snowy this week for always trying his best.

Reminders: 
Wednesday is our school Christmas lunch.
Costumes to be in for Thursday 15th December in a named carrier bag please.
Next Friday is Christmas Jumper day which is also non-uniform.

Have a lovely Christmas weekend! (Don't forget if you would like to send cards to your friends to include their name and class on the front.)

Love

Chestnut Class

Friday 2nd December - Christmas Tree Day!

Hello,


This week we have been dividing in Maths. Dividing means sharing into equal groups. In Maths today we worked in groups to solve division problems around the classroom!


In English we read Little Red Riding Hood and looked at inverted commas which is when someone is talking.
"What big teeth you have" said Little Red Riding Hood.


In PSHE we were sorting out all sorts of problems and in RE we smelt frankincense and myrrh they smelt nice and a bit like flowers.


On Wednesday we visited our woodland area where we drew a birds eye view of the area. We included a key so we knew what everything was.


Today - we were all very excited to put a decoration on the school Christmas tree. We then got to see  the fairy placed on top of the tree, and the lights got turned on!


Well done to Grace for getting the star award this week for helping others and Olivia for getting Snowy the Owl for always trying her best and challenging herself.


Home learning is special this week. Each child has been given a star to decorate on one side and write a message on the other side. If you bring the star back into school with a donation for GOSH, we will display them in the classroom.


Have a lovely weekend!


Chestnut Class

Trip to Tesco. Week Ending: 25.11.16

This week in maths we have been learning about multiplication. We have been using different strategies to solve multiplication number sentences. “You could use an array” Theo. “You could draw pictures of groups” Tori – Mae, “You could use repeated addition” Edrich.

 In Creative Writing we imagined we were in a glass elevator. As we opened the doors we came up with our own imaginative ideas about where we were. We thought about our senses- what we could see, hear, smell, touch and taste.

During our Gym session we focused on how to hold different balances whilst on the equipment. Have a look at our Year 2 photos to see our balances.

On Wednesday afternoon we visited Tesco to find out a little bit more about where food comes from. We challenged ourselves to try different foods. 

With Mrs McLellan we made butter during our Science investigation session. We have been finding out about explanations and we read an explanation on how to create butter and then we had a go at doing it ourselves.

This morning we read the story ‘The Selfish Crocodile’ and we thought about how our behaviour can affect others. We came up with some strategies for the crocodile to use to mend his friendships.

 Congratulations to Ollie who will be taking Snowy home this weekend. Ollie answered some great questions and shared his knowledge brilliantly this week.

Well done to George who is our Star of the Week for being a supportive friend.

Don’t forget tomorrow it is the Christmas Bazaar. We look forward to seeing you. The Christmas Bazaar starts at 11am.

Chestnut Class

Stripes and Spots. Week Ending: 18.11.16

Hello,


Today we have come to school wearing stripes and spots because we are raising money for Children in Need. Some of us also made eye patches for our teddies. Have a look at our class photos.

In maths we have been learning about money. We handled different coins and tried to make different values. Have a go this weekend at using some coins to pay for something. Can you work out how much change you should receive?

This week we have been learning about nocturnal animals. We used our research from last week to create a non - chronological report. 

In gym we practised our jumps on the equipment. " It is important to bend your knees when you land from a jump." (Trudie)

On Thursday it was World Philosophy Day. We read the book 'Zoo' by Anthony Browne. We had a discussion about whether it is right or wrong for animals to be kept in a zoo. What do you think?


We have been finishing our Christmas decorations and these will be on sale at the Christmas Bazaar.

On a Thursday and Friday morning the library will be open from 8:30am- 8:45am. Please visit to share and borrow some books.

Congratulations to Ciara who is our Star of the Week for being  lovely caring friend. She has offered to help children with their tricky coat zips this week.

Well done Tori - Mae who is taking home Snowy the Learning Owl. Tori - Mae demonstrated some lovely caring and sharing today with a friend.

We hope you have a good weekend.

Chestnut Class

Remembrance Day. Week Ending: 11.11.16

Hello,

In maths this week we have been exploring different fractions. We have been shading fractions of a shape and also finding 1/2, 1/4 and 1/3 of a number. 

We have been studying nocturnal animals in English. "A female fox is called a Vixen" (Theo) "A badger can eat around 100 worms a night." (Teddy)   "Hedgehogs have about 5000 to 6500 spines at any one time" (Holly) We have been gathering our own research because next week we are going to be writing our own non - chronological report about nocturnal animals.

In history we found out about the past and Remembrance Day. At school today we had 2 minutes silence at 11 o'clock to remember the people who died during the war. We have been buying poppies at school and recording facts about Remembrance Day in our own way. Some of us created a mind map, some made poems and others created their own prayers. 

During PSHE we spoke about World Kindness Day. We shared examples of how we have received kindness and also experiences about being kind to others. World Kindness Day is happening on the 12th November. What will you do as a kind act? We have set ourselves challenges. 

We have been using our sewing skills during topic. We are busy creating Christmas tree decorations ready to sell at the Christmas Bazaar!

Congratulations to Oliver who is taking home Snowy the learning owl for showing great independence skills this week. 

Well done to Bertie who is our Star of the Week for his brilliant team work skills. 

Rocket Diary! Week Ending: 4.11.16

Hello,

This week in Topic we have been researching events from the past. We have been finding out about the Gunpowder plot. "Guy Fawkes tried to blow up King James I using gunpowder" Teddy.


In Maths we have been learning about 2D shapes and 3D shapes. A 2D shape is a shape that is flat and cannot be picked up. " A cube has 8 vertices, 12 edges and 6 square faces" (Theo and Leyton) 

We became rockets and fireworks in dance. We used our bodies and movements to create firework shapes and patterns. We performed our movements to music.

Today we wrote a rocket diary in creative writing. We imagined how it would feel to become a firework and we wrote a diary entry about this. We also create our own acrostic poem.

Flaming fireworks
I saw some fireworks
Racing rockets
Everyone is watching
Whoooooosh went the firework
Orange flames are flying out of the back of a rocket
Red rockets racing like a shooting star
Keep your hands in your coat pockets to keep them warm
Sizzling when they start

Well done to Simeon who is our Star of the Week for always being a king and caring friend.

Congratulations to Sharon. Sharon will be taking Snowy our Learning Owl home this weekend.

We hope you have a good weekend. If you visit any firework displays remember to stay safe, stay with your grown up and be sensible.

Welcome Chestnut Class!

Hello,

Welcome to our Chestnut Class blog. We have been in Year 2 for 7 weeks now. Our topic this term is 'Brilliant Books'. We have enjoyed sharing our favourite stories with our friends.

We will update our blog each week to let you know what we have been up to and how we will be taking our learning forwards.


Chestnut Class

Whole School Picnic. Week Ending: 8.7.16

Hello,

Today we had a whole school picnic in the hall and it was lovely for us to all sit down and eat together. 

We had great fun in science this week as we used a plastic bottle, water, glitter and washing up liquid to create a tornado! We then wrote a list of instructions in our science books.

This week we wrote creatively about our own choice. Some of us wrote a story about Chestnut Class and others used ideas inspired from Roald Dahl's story writing. 

Well done to Freddie who was awarded the Star Award for really nice sharing.

Congratulations to George who was awarded Swoop, as George has been so engrossed with his reading, it has been lovely to see his passion for the Roald Dahl stories.

We have been working really hard during our rehearsals and it is all coming together nicely!

On Monday we invited our family and friends into school to celebrate the Year 2 French Cafe. We sung lots of French songs and served pastries and juice to our families.  

In PSHE we came up with the top 10 things about being in Year 2. Here are some of our ideas:

1. The Roald Dahl challenge
2. Learning our touch typing skills
3. Learning french
4. Maypole
5. Being monitors
6. Earning our book worm badges
7. Becoming sports captains
8. Being role models to others
9. Sitting on the benches when we are monitors
10. Creating sculptures

Well done to Archie who sold the most raffle tickets at the Strawberry Fayre.

We have sent home our lines for the Leavers Assembly, please start to practise these. 

We hope you all have a good weekend.
Chestnut Class

Maths Problem Solving Day. Week Ending: 1.7.16

Hello,

Well done to Joshua who was awarded Swoop for responding well to his feedback and his positive attitude.

Congratulations to Hannah who is our Star of the Week. Hannah always makes good choices and thinks of others. 

Today it was Maths Problem Solving Day. During our maths learning we explored different problems all about money. 

This week we have been taking part in lots of Roald Dahl activities. We came up with our own magic potions, dream jars and drew / coloured in pictures of our favourite Roald Dahl characters.

We have also started to practise our play 'Reach for the Sky'. Please continue to practise your lines- using expression and your acting skills. 

Science was great fun as we carried out experiments to discover how our paper helicopters changed their speed when we altered the weight of the helicopter. 

On Monday we took part in a Rio Games Workshop, where we had a go at relay races, shot put and basket ball.

Don't forget tomorrow is the Strawberry Fayre. It starts at 11 o'clock and finishes at 2 o'clock.We look forward to seeing lots of you there! 

During Learning Through Play we have been using our problem solving and team work skills to create a Knex Ferris Wheel. We are very close to finishing it!!

Chestnut Class

Healthy Living. Week Ending: 24.6.16

Hello,

Well done to Harriet who was awarded Swoop our Learning Owl for her fantastic presentation, Harriet has been challenging herself with her handwriting.

Congratulations to Jamie for really working hard, using his independence skills.

In Creative Writing we became authors because we wrote about the next adventures for Fantastic Mr Fox. 

On Tuesday we started to practise our play which is called 'Reach for the Sky'. Home Learning until further notice is to continue practising your lines. Can you challenge yourself to use expression and your drama skills?

During Celebration Assembly we found out that Blue Team won the coin challenge, so they will be given some extra play time to celebrate. Well done to all the teams for taking part!

We were also awarded the golden bell for the second week in a row! The golden bell is awarded to the class who line up sensibly for their lunch.

This week we have been thinking about making healthy choices. 
To stay healthy you could:
1. Eat lots of fruit and vegetables, and don't eat to many sugary foods or drinks. 
2. Get  plenty of sleep so you feel refreshed.
3. Exercise daily. 
4. Brush your teeth twice a day.

We hope you have a good weekend.

Chestnut Class

Green Day. Week Ending: 17.6.16

Hello,

On Wednesday we celebrated Green Day by coming to school wearing something green. We also gave a donation to Tiggywinkles. On Green Day we did not use any electricity and we were thinking about wind power because it was also World Wind Day. We made our own kites and it was great fun taking them outside and flying them. Have a look at our website to see some of the photos.

During Maths we made our own number bond book about our family. Some of us wrote about Chestnut Class. Here is an example:
"In Chestnut Class when it is lunch time you might see 29 children nibbling pizza, whilst the other 2 are crunching on carrots." 


We have been writing about what we have enjoyed doing in Year 2 and how we will challenge ourselves in Year 3. 

This morning we practised our Sports Day events. Sports Day will be taking place on Wednesday 23rd. Don't forget to come into school wearing your PE kit, with your school uniform in a bag. 

In Topic we have been learning about the seven continents. We are part of the continent Europe. Did you know Asia is the biggest continent?

During English we became an expert on a country. We researched facts and then recorded then in our own way. Finally we drew and coloured a picture of the countries flag.

Well done to Eleni who will be spending the weekend with Swoop our Learning Owl. Eleni was awarded Swoop for her change in attitude and neat presentation. 

This week Star of the Week was awarded to Jamie for his hard work.

The History of The Olympics. Week Ending: 10.6.16

Hello,

It was great fun today when we went over to The Juniors and we read to our new reading buddies. We also asked them questions about being in The Juniors.

This morning in Computing we became game testers. We used our problem solving skills to play a computer game. Then we came up with ideas on how we could make the game easier or harder. We also spoke about other ideas on how we could change the game.

This week we have been doing a special art activity where we have been drawing and painting pictures of our family. We will be showing off our fantastic art work as part of an art exhibition during Open Evening. 

Congratulations to Amelie who was awarded Swoop this week for always being ready for her learning.

Well done Faye who is our Star of the Week because Faye always has a positive attitude. 

During Topic we have been learning about the history of The Olympics. Did you know the first Olympics took place in Olympia and the athletes competed naked!! Instead of winning medals they were awarded olive leaf crowns. The Olympics started around 3000 years ago! We are looking forward to the next Olympics in Rio!

Next week Chestnut Class will be visiting Forest School on Thursday 16th June. Don't forget to bring your wellies!

As the weather is warming up please make sure you bring your sun hat and water bottle into school everyday. 

Chestnut Class

Disco Night. Week Ending: 20.5.16

Hello,

Today we had a morning full of creative writing! We made up our own stories and challenged ourselves to use paragraphs, conjunctions, noun phrases and punctuation.

During maths we have been showing off our learning by having a go at questions in our own special booklets. We used lots of strategies like empty number lines, partitioning, repeated addition and drawing out our ideas. 

This week we have started to design our sculptures and we explored clay by creating lots of patterns and changing the shape of it.

Congratulations to Ridwan who will be spending the weekend with Swoop. Ridwan has shown off his hard work and learning, whilst also persevering with his work.

Well done to Dominic who is our Star of the Week because Dominic was able to help the younger children during lunch time, showing us his caring and sharing skills.

Well done to Chestnut Class have returned all of their questionnaires!!

We hope you have a lovely weekend.

Chestnut Class

Forest School Fun! Week Ending: 13.5.16

Hello,


On Monday we had our class photos we look forward to seeing them when they are printed.

We loved visiting Forest School in the sunshine yesterday afternoon. We were finding out about different habitats and researching lots of mini - beasts that live down at Forest School.

"Yesterday at Forest School I found a baby snail" Nikos
"My favourite part of Forest School was finding mini - beasts underneath the logs" Eliza
"I enjoyed making chocolate cupcakes with Hannah and Asma in muddy kitchens. I used the petals as marshmallows." Kitty
"My favourite part was when Eleni and I held the newt from the pond". (Isabella) 
"At the end I held a funny looking bug" Jake.
"Mr Joyce came up with a funny song that rhymed" Amelie

In Science we made different types of circuits. We had to try and work out how to put them together. We used different components to create a circuit. The circuit works when all the pieces connect together and the electrons travel around which caused the light bulb to work.

This week in Maths we came up with a song to help us to  remember how many sides different shapes have. We also found the missing digit in some number sentences.

Congratulations to Joel who is taking home Swoop our Learning Owl this weekend. Swoop thought Joel had some fantastic ideas during our philosophy session and he has been using his problem solving skills lots when creating the different circuits. 

Well done to Ridwan who is our Star of the Week because Ridwan is a kind and thoughtful friend. 

Don't forget to ask your adult to fill in the questionnaire and bring it back into school ASAP.

Have a good weekend,

Chestnut Class

The Return of Paddington! Week Ending: 6.5.16

Hello,

Today we have been creating algorithms whilst programming the Bee Bots. They had to travel from one planet to another planet.

This week we have started to create a story plan. We designed our own illustrations and thought about what we could include in the beginning, middle and end of our story. We are using ideas from the story ' The Sweetest Song'. Next week we cannot wait to write our stories and share them with everyone!

During Topic we have been using our research skills to find out about wonders of the world. We have also been using our sketching skills to draw pictures of different wonders of the world. 

Games was great fun this week. We were learning how to strike the ball at a goal.
"My favourite part was dribbling the ball around the cones and then taking a shot at the goal" Jake. Take a look at some of our photos on the Year 2 page of our school website. 

Thomas Edison is a famous inventor because he created the light bulb. Before the light bulb was invented people used candles and whale oil for light. 

In Maths we have been revisiting some of our previous learnt skills, such as working out the inverse operation and also using the < less than > greater than and = the same as sign. 

Congratulations to Asma who will be taking home Swoop this weekend. Asma has really grown in confidence and shown this by taking risks with her learning.

Well done Isabella who is our Star of the Week. Isabella is a kind and supportive friend in Chestnut Class.

Chestnut were awarded Paddington in Celebration Assembly today for our amazing attendance this week!

Please remember to bring in a water bottle and sun hat as the weather is now warming up!

We hope you all have a fantastic weekend. 

Chestnut Class

Algorithms. Week Ending: 29.4.16

Hello,


Today during Maths we have been learning about multiplication. We used repeated addition and an array to help us problem solve.
5 x 4 = 20


*****
*****
*****
*****
5 + 5 + 5 + 5 = 20
Our new unit in Computing is called 'We are Programmers'. Today we learnt a new word called an algorithm. An algorithm is when you follow instructions. Today we became robots and our talk partner had to give us instructions to get us from one cone to the other.


This week during English we read a story called 'The Sweetest Song'. We used our drama skills to come up with reasons why the Little Girl should or shouldn't have gone past the gate into the woods. Then we wrote some persuasive sentences.


During Science we researched where electricity comes from. We discovered we can get electricity from a variety of sources like: power stations, wind turbines, batteries and solar panels. We also discussed the dangers of electricity and how to stay safe. Do not over load plug sockets. Never play with electricity. Do not use any electrical appliances near water.


This week we have started to learn our country dance and we have also learnt a new maypole dance.


Swoop our Learning Owl will be spending the weekend with Archie because Swoop was really impressed with Archie's sentences and pace this week!


Well done Harriet who is our Star of the Week. Harriet is always a supportive friend in Chestnut Class.


We've been asked to create a colourful poster for Redbourn in Bloom, on the theme of gardens. These need to come in to school on Tuesday.


We hope you enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend.

Year 2 Trip to Waddesdon Manor. Week Ending: 22.04.16

Hello,

Welcome back, we hope you all enjoyed your Easter Holiday. This week in Chestnut Class we have been very busy.

At the start of the week we drew a self- portrait and then we looked back at our self-portraits from Nursery, Reception and Year 1. Then we read the story 'Romeo's Tea with The Queen'.  Afterwards we retold the story in our own words including the repeated phrases and in order of when the events happened.

On Thursday we visited Waddesdon Manor where we saw lots of sculptures and statues. We made our own pots using clay and we had great fun exploring the playground. We all felt very tired on the coach on the way back to school! Have a look at a few of the photos from the trip on the school website.

Today we wrote a recount all about our Waddesdon Manor trip. We challenged ourselves to use WOW! words, paragraphs conjunctions, capital letters and full stops. 

Today we have come into school wearing our sporty clothes because soon it will be the Redbourn Fun Run. 

Congratulations to Faye who is our Star of the Week for always being fair.
Well done Freddie who is taking home Swoop this weekend for thinking about the questions he asks. 

Home Learning this week is to research The Queen and The Royal Family and record in your own way.

Please make sure you read with an adult and record what you have read into your reading record.

Chestnut Class

Chestnut Sharing Assembly. Week Ending: 1.4.16

Hello


Today we performed our brilliant Sharing Assembly. We hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did!

Yesterday was RE Day and we took part in lots of fun activities. We were focusing on Easter and the Hindu festival of Holi. We went outside and threw powder paint onto paper. We also enjoyed the Indian Dancing.

We have also been reading the Easter Story and thinking about why Easter is a special time for Christians to celebrate.

Well done to Conor who is our Star of the Week for always being kind, calm and for following the Golden Rules.

Home Learning over the Easter Holidays is to learn a list of spellings and also the Easter Challenge is to create your own garden using a shoe box and your imagination!

We loved celebrating Mrs Byrne's Birthday with her. She was blown away with our special Song for Everyday!

We hope you all enjoy the Easter break.


Love Chestnut Class

Easter Weekend. Week Ending: 24.3.16

Hello,

This week in Science we have been learning about our teeth. In our mouth we have different sets of teeth. They are called molars, pre-molars, canines and incisors. Can you remember the jobs of the different teeth?

We had great fun watching the Year 1 performance of Rise and Shine. Well done everyone in Year 1!

During Computing we were learning how to copy and paste a graph from Excel into Microsoft Word. You can right click on the image and select copy or you can press the buttons ctrl and C.
To paste you right click and select paste or you can press the buttons ctrl and V.

In PSHE we spoke about the words 'impulsive' and 'thoughtful'. We discussed different scenarios and how we should always stop and think before we act. 

Well done to Eliza who is our Star of the Week for her kind and caring behaviour. Eliza is a also a helpful talk partner. 

Don't forget to practise your words for our sharing assembly next Friday and also practise the poem The Ning Nang Nong.

Home Learning is to create a poster explaining how to look after your teeth.

Next Friday school finishes at 1:30pm. 

We hope you all enjoy your Easter weekend!

Chestnut Class

Sponsored Run. Week Ending: 18.3.16

Hello,

Today at school we raised money for Sports Relief by coming into school in our sports clothes. We also took part in a sponsored run around the school. It was great fun and we have raised lots of money! Thank you to our Class Governor Mr Allen for sponsoring everyone in Chestnut Class.

Congratulations to Lauren who is going to spend the weekend with Swoop our Learning Owl. Lauren has been coming into school with a lovely smile every day.

Well done to Lara who is our Star of the Week. Lara listens to instructions well and is a brilliant talk partner.

In Creative Writing we wrote our own space adventure stories. We wrote stories, letters and diary entries.

In Topic we have been learning about bones and our skeletons. “When you grow your bones grow with you” Eliza. “Your smallest bone is in your ear” Jasmine.

This week we finished off our non- chronological reports on space. We challenged ourselves to include a front cover, contents page, use sub-headings and finish with a glossary or an index page.

Yesterday afternoon we spent time down at Forest School in the glorious sunshine.  We took small world animals down and created dens for them. We also created Easter nests and measured the length and circumference of different tree trunks and sticks.

Well done to Marley and Amelie who performed in a special music assembly this afternoon.

Home Learning next week is to record signs of spring in your local area.  

Chestnut Class

Living Things and Non- Living Things. Week Ending: 11.3.16

Hello,

In Science we have been learning about the digestive system. Did you know that food stays in your body for 24 hours? We discovered how food travels through the body and what happens along the way.

This week in Maths we have been using our measuring skills. We measured the length of different objects in the classroom using a ruler and a metre stick. Then we used the scales to measure the weight of different objects. There are 100cm in 1 metre and 10 millimetres in 1 cm. There are 1000g in 1 kilogram.

We have started to write our own non-chronological reports about space. So far we have written and designed our front cover and also we have recorded the introduction. Next week we will be carrying on with these and we will be adding some sub-headings.

Yesterday afternoon we took part in a pedestrian workshop which taught us to look both sides of the road before crossing. When there are three junctions that is called a T-junction. 

In Topic we researched living and non-living things. A living thing can move, breathe, eat, reproduce and grow. 

Congratulations to Marley who will be spending the weekend with Swoop our Learning Owl. Marley demonstrated lovely caring and sharing whilst out on the playground.

Well done to Margarita who is our Star of the Week for being a fantastic talk partner with others. 

Home Learning next week is to practise spelling the days of the week and the months of the year.

Don't forget there are parent consultations on Wednesday (16th) and Thursday (17th) March after school. We look forward to seeing you there. 

Have a lovely weekend.
Chestnut Class

Book Week. Week Ending: 4.3.16

Hello,

This week we have had an amazing time celebrating Book Week. We have taken part in 12 stop and reads. Well done to Maple Class who achieved the most stop and reads over the week.

We also created our own poems. We listened to the poem The Ning Nang Nong. Then we came up with our own nonsense poems. These were very funny and silly!

Prof. Pango Mango came into school and he performed a variety of fantastic poems to us. Some of them were nonsense poems and we joined in with actions and props!

Some of us visited the Juniors and some of the Juniors came over to Chestnut Class. We all read 'The Rainforest Grew All Around'. Then after this we took part in some art activities and also we created some calligrams and acrostic poems about rainforest animals.

Today we dressed up as a book character and then in Creative Writing we included our book characters within our stories.

This afternoon there was a whole school stop and read. It has been lovely to celebrate lots of different books this week. Don't forget to record any reading you do at home into your reading record and ask a grown up to sign it after reading to them.

Money has been our focus within Maths this week. We have been exploring different ways to create an amount and we have also been using our empty number line and partitioning skills.

Home Learning this week is to research the digestive system as we will be learning about this in Science next week.

Well done to Eoghan who is our Star of the Week for his fantastic concentrating skills during his sewing.

Swoop our Learning Owl is going to spend the weekend with Jasmine because Jasmine showed great perseverance when she found an activity challenging. Well done, we hope you have a lovely weekend!


What a busy week we have had, we hope you all enjoyed yourselves!

Enjoy the weekend,

Chestnut Class

First Week Back. Week Ending: 26.2.16

Hello,

We have been busy practising our sewing skills this week in Topic.

In English we have been reading a variety of different poems about space. Some of the poems included: rhyming words, onomatopoeias, alliteration, similes and verses. 
Our Home Learning this week is to read some poems and to discuss what we like about them. Can you come up with your own poem?

In Maths we have been using our time vocabulary. We have been focusing on o'clock, half past and quarter past / to the hour. 

We had great fun on Tuesday taking part in the Moondust on my Socks Workshop. "I enjoyed making the rocket card" William. "My favourite part was when we listened to the space story." Eleni " I liked it when we created a circuit." Millie

This week we went outside to practise our Tennis skills. We challenged ourselves to pass the ball to our partner during a rally. 

This week it was our first time using the maypole. We learnt a dance called the Barbour's Pole and we had a great time. we cannot wait to learn some more maypole dances. 

Congratulations to Lauren who is our Star of the Week. Lauren has come into school this week with a big smile!

Well done to Finn who will be spending the weekend with our Learning Owl Swoop. Finn has shown excellent team work skills as he was a really good partner. 

Next week is Book Week and we will be focusing on poetry. We will be taking part in lots of stop and reads. On Friday you can come into school dressed up as a book character.

Window walling will also start at school next week. On Monday Chestnut Class need to be dropped off and collected from Tree Tops Class- the mobile classroom near the playground. Then on Tuesday Chestnut Class need to enter school through the doors near the playground and come through the hall into Chestnut Class.  

We hope you have a good weekend.

The Chestnut Class Winners! Week Ending: 12.2.16

Hello,

Chestnut have been working so hard this week we were very proud in assembly today! We were awarded the golden broom for having the tidiest classroom. We also won the golden bell for lining up brilliantly in the hall for lunch. Then we were  awarded Buster's walk challenge as we were the most improved class. After that we were awarded the golden boots for walking to school. Finally Miss Hoad won the golden plug for turning off the lights and computers to save electricity at the end of each day.

This morning in Creative Writing we wrote a story of our choice. We tried to include noun phrases, punctuation, repeated phrases and story language.

We had great fun in Games this week. We revisited how to use our forehand when hitting the ball. Then we learned how to hit the ball using a backhand movement. 

We have become experts at creating maps. This week in Topic we designed a map from a birds eye view perspective. We created maps of Chestnut Class, the hall, our gardens or a room in our house. 

In Maths we have been continuing to multiply. This week we had a go at using repeated addition and an empty number line to help us solve problems. 

We completed our Singing in the Rain dance routine this week. We enjoyed using our imagination as we jumped in lots of puddles!

Congratulations to William who is our Star of the Week. William always challenges himself and words hard. Great job!


Swoop is going to have a rest over half term. He cannot wait to hear what we all get up to!


Home Learning is to use your maths time vocabulary to practise saying and reading the time. There is also a Redbourn Fun Run half term challenge to design a flag for the race.

We hope you all have a lovely half term. Make sure you get lots of rest and stay safe!

NSPCC Number Day. Week Ending: 5.2.16

Hello,

Today we came into school in non-uniform wearing a number because it is NSPCC Number Day. We have been busying exploring numbers and creating number sentences.

This week in Maths we have been using different strategies to answer multiplication number sentences. We used an array and repeated addition. 

5 x 3 = 15

5 + 5 + 5 = 15

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In Science we have been investigating materials and their properties. Miss Hoad's umbrella ripped so we tested lots of different materials to discover which ones were waterproof and flexible so we could repair it. 

It was great fun visiting St Mary's Church to learn more about special places. We asked Rev Will about his role at the church and how Christians use the church. We also spent time creating some observational drawings. 

We became authors in English this week as we created our own stories inspired by the story 'The Blue Coat.' 

Home Learning this week is to go for a walk with your family, then create a map of your walk from a birds eye view perspective. Can you challenge yourself to include a key? 

Congratulations to Eleni who is our star of the week. Eleni has persevered with her maths learning this week. 

Swoop will be spending the weekend with Nikos as Nikos has been trying really hard with his learning and has been using the resources around him to take his learning forwards. Well done!

Don't forget it is the school disco this evening.

Have a great weekend!

Creating Lava Lamps. Week Ending: 29.1.16

In Science we created Lava Lamps it was really cool when we placed a torch underneath them and watched the bubbles float around. We discovered the oil and water did not mix together.

Mrs O came into Chestnut Class this week to talk to us and to demonstrate how to sketch pictures inspired by Stephen Wiltshire. We drew pictures of buildings from Redbourn. Take a look at our photos to see our fantastic art skills. 

This week we have been using our division skills to share objects and numbers into equal groups. We created our own word problems then used an array to work out the answers.

We have been continuing to practise our dance routine to 'Singing in the Rain' using umbrellas as a prop.

Congratulations to Eliza who is our Learning Owl this week. Eliza has demonstrated fantastic team work skills and also knows how to work independently using her resources. 

Well done to Conor who received the Star Award. Conor always has a positive can do attitude towards his  learning.

Home Learning this week is to take part in The Big Garden Bird Watch. www.rspb.org.uk/


Please read over the weekend and ask the grown up you read with to sign your reading record. 

Fun down at Forest School. Week Ending: 22.1.16

Hello,


This week in Maths we have been busy using empty number lines to add and subtract two digit numbers. We have also been estimating where numbers go on a empty number line.

We became authors this week in English as we retold the story of The Ugly Duckling. Before we wrote our retelling we created a story plan. Our challenge was to use speech marks, story language and to think about the tense the story was written in. 

In Dance we have started to create a routine to the song 'Singing in the Rain'. We used umbrellas as props. If you have an umbrella at home you can bring this in on a Wednesday to use during our Dance lessons. 

Today we became scientists as we explored how ice changes from a solid to a liquid. In a solid the atoms are close together whereas in a liquid the atoms are not as close together and they start to move.

In PSHE we watched a clip from the film  Inside Out. We spoke about Joy's challenge and how she could achieve it. We then thought about how we could break our own challenges down into smaller steps.

Yesterday we had great fun down at Forest School. It was a lovely sunny afternoon and we spent time creating a map of Forest School using a birds eye view.

Home Learning this week is to research an inventor and to explain why their invention is important today.

Congratulations to Faye who is taking home Swoop this weekend. Faye really concentrated during our Science investigation today by asking really good questions and making a sensible prediction. 

Well done to Kitty who is our Star of the Week. Kitty has been going for her challenge leaf which was to use speech marks within her writing. 

Have a good weekend

Chestnut Class

Happy New Year. Week Ending: 15.1.16

Hello,

In Topic this week we researched facts about the artist Stephen Wiltshire. Then we took our pencil for a walk and created different patterns, lines and shapes with our pencil.

In Maths we have been learning about fractions. We cut up fruit into halves and quarters. We also used the polydron to help us find a half, quarter and a third of a number. 

This week we read the story Storm Whale and The Ugly Ducking. We identified what tense the story was written in and we have also been identifying story language. Have a go at searching for story language when you read this weekend.

In Gym we used the equipment and floor mats to explore different types of rolls. Have a look at our class pictures to see what we got up to.

We became authors in Creative Writing as we created some new adventures for Stick Man. We challenged ourselves to use repeated phrases.

In Science we have been learning about materials. Miss Hoad wanted to order some glass chairs and wooden windows but we didn't think it was a good idea. The glass chairs might smash as glass is fragile and the wooden windows would not let any sun light into the classroom. 

we worked as a team in Music to come up with an ostinato. An ostinato is a repeated pattern.

Congratulations to Isabella who was awarded Swoop this week. Isabella always tries her best and isn't afraid to have a go. 
Well done Joshua for earning Star of the Week  for taking responsibility for his learning.