Mighty Yodas

1. Mighty Yodas Class information session - January 2017 Learning we are!

2. General class info Mrs Moreland (Tues, Weds, Thurs) and Mrs Young (Monday and Friday). Support staff : Mrs Robinson, Miss Katie, Mrs Lewis PR coach: Mr Randall In line with the school behaviour policy, pupils work towards 10 minute class rewards. They choose the reward and then collect pebbles in our class jar. Card system used to deal with negative behaviour quicky. Warning given & then card is turned over to white if the behaviour continues. If the right choice is still not made the card goes to orange and then red which is a ten minute time out.

3. At St Mary’s we link learning through a theme. This term our theme is… UNEARTHING THE PAST

4. Literacy We will be starting this term with a story writing unit. The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. Within each lesson work is carefully planned to meet the needs of pupils to ensure all children make progress. Groups are fluid which means children can be stretched or supported as needed. Children are actively encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and challenge themselves. Children are expected to apply the writing skills taught in Literacy across different subjects. Children are also expected to apply spelling knowledge from weekly tests to writing tasks across the whole curriculum. Handwriting session every week.

5. Maths Daily Maths lessons at the start of every school day. This term we are starting with fractions and decimals. Within each lesson work is carefully planned to meet the needs of pupils to ensure all children make progress. Groups are fluid which means children can be stretched or supported as needed. Children are actively encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and challenge themselves. Children’ prior learning will be built on and they will be given skills which extend their understanding and deepen their knowledge through techniques such as creating rules and proving them; checking answers through inverse operations and being able to explain their answers in their own words. Children work toward earning ‘Maths club badges ‘ which recognise their progress and achievement with mental maths. Theses are tested once a month and presented in achievement assembly.

6. Other subjects Music - Learning to play the recorder RE - PSHE - Setting goals, personal finance and looking after our teeth PE- Real PE sessions which focus on agility, balance & co-ordination French- weekly lesson using a scheme designed by Catherine Cheater

7. Getting organised PE day: Tuesday Spelling days: Weekly tests given on a Friday. New spellings also given out on this day. Reading records check : This will now be done on a Friday. However, your child should have their reading book and reading record in school every day. Times table tests: Weekly tests now given on a Thursday. Once a month this test slot will be used to check if children have achieved their next Maths club badge.

8. Homework Reading - please read with your child at home. If they are keen to read independently, please still spend some time talking to them about the text they have read. Please complete the reading record as a way to let us know they are reading at home. Children have asked about choosing books from home instead of choosing from the school library. We have explained to the children that we are more than happy for this to happen if the book is at an appropriate reading level for your child. However, we do have to ensure children read a wide range of different genres so at times we will need to direct their reading choice. Spellings- please practise at home ready for their weekly tests using the look, cover, write approach. We are starting to work through the common exception words from the National Curriculum. Times tables- please practise at home by asking questions at different times e.g. when clearing the table after dinner. Learning times table facts will help pupils to achieve their Maths club badges as they need rapid recall of facts. Connector projects - one each half term. First project due in Wednesday 1st February .

9. Wednesday Ist February ... Create a timeline in a media of your choice to represent the three ages studied this half term (Stone Age, Iron Age, Bronze Age). This project should be to support your maths skills of understanding numbers (dates), and could take the form of a model or an ICT presentation. You can supplement your work with pictures, labels and information. Create an accurate timeline Explain the events on the timeline. Support the timeline with pictures. Organise the layout e.g. arrows, chronological order Calculate some periods of time within the timeline.

10. Swimming Monday afternoons starting 9th January • 5 more weeks • Coach to Thrapston Swimming Pool • Swimming trunks, not baggy shorts • Swimming costumes, not bikinis/tankinis • First swimming hat will be provided and named – to aid recognition in the water • Goggles on medical advice only

11. Class blog Please sign up to be a follower so you get instant updates when we have posted something new. You can use the blog to contact us. You can also comment on photos, posts and help us to celebrate the children’s achievements. https://mightyyodassmbl.wordpress.com

12. Additional info... Parent evenings- Jan 30th and 31st Walking home alone- written permission required Mobile phones- must be handed in to an adult as children arrive at school .

13. Thank you Thank you for your time today. Together we can ensure your continues to have a very successful year! :)