A magical game of Quidditch 

Year 4 children from Michelangelo and Ringgold class enjoyed an outdoor games session with a difference today. They played a game of Quidditch and, given that the children are all avid Harry Potter fans, it went down very well. The children rode on 'brooms' and worked in teams whilst attempting to chase the 'snitch' and score points by successfully hitting the snitch through the hoop. It was a fun and enjoyable session.  

A day of all things French

Today we celebrated French day. The day began with a sea of red, white and blue flooding into the playground as the children came dressed in colours of the French flag. Each class enjoyed various French activities. Michelangelo class enjoyed an outdoor challenge of trying to make the Eiffel Tower out of marshmallows and spaghetti. We looked at the work of Claude Monet and had a go at re-creating a Monet masterpiece. Mid-morning the children were extremely lucky to enjoy a visit to a French cafe where they nibbled on a selection of French delights. It really has been a fun filled day!  

Oh we do like to be beside the seaside...

Michelangelo class recently enjoyed a trip to the beach. The sun was shining and the conditions were just perfect for beach combing, tug of war and creating sand art master pieces. As you can see from the pictures, the children had a super time. 

Writing a balanced argument

Our latest writing focus has been constructing a balanced argument, using information that we researched online. We based this on the issue of fox hunting. The children wrote points for and against the debate, with supporting evidence, before giving their own opinion. As several of children the children mentioned in their conclusion, it certainly is a very emotive issue. 

Super sprinting

Our Sports Day preparations continued in PE today. Sprinting was the focus, in readiness for the 60 meter sprint event. The children really gave it their all and, if today's lesson is anything to go by, I have no doubt that Sports Day will be a wonderful, enjoyable event for the children. 

3D shapes

This week our Maths will focus on 3D shapes and their properties. To facilitate the learning of this topic, we used real life examples of these shapes and examined them to identify their features.  

Sports Day Preparation 

Our PE lesson today was all about trying out some of the skills and moves that will be needed for our annual sports day. Balancing and skipping were our main focus today and we will look at the skills needed for other events in the next couple of weeks. Despite finding some of the lesson tricky, all of the children tried their best and had fun in the process. 

Water workshop 

Michelangelo class were lucky enough to have a special visitor this morning. Janet, a representative from United Utilities, came in to discuss all things water with the children. The visit was arranged to link in with our current topic and it really was a fun, informative visit. We explored the natural water cycle, the processes that happen before the water reaches our taps and what happens when you flush the toilet. We did various activities around these and the children really enjoyed it. 

Gods and Godesses

In topic today we looked at different Gods and Goddesses if Ancient Egypt.  We worked in mixed partners to read and select information from an information source and the internet.  We moved around the classroom so we could research different Gods. We also looked at some delightful figurines of Gods and Godesses. Feel free to pop in and have a look at the facts we found.

Investigating changing states of matter

Today’s lesson was especially tasty. We conducted an experiment to see which type of chocolate melts the quickest. The white chocolate melted the quickest, as most of the children predicted, and we concluded that this was most likely due to low cocoa content. Once all the chocolate had melted, we were left with no other option but to dip marshmallows in and eat it. It would, after-all, have been a shame to waste it!

In a similar vein, we also conducted an experiment to see if an ice pop would melt quicker on cling film or tin foil. We placed both materials over a bowl of hot water and then placed the ice pop on top. We discussed the properties of each material and how they contributed to the result. After working our socks off, we took a few minutes to enjoy a cool, refreshing treat.

It's all about the fizz

As part of our science topic 'What are states of matter?', Michelangelo class are conducting an experiment to find out which fizzy drinks contain the most carbon dioxide. The experiment involves weighing a selection of fizzy drinks before opening and then weighing them again a few days later. The difference in weight should indicate the amount of carbon dioxide that has been lost therefore demonstrating which drink contained the most carbon dioxide to begin with.  

Healthy Heads

Michelangelo class are working with Fleetwood Town on a new initiative called 'Healthy Heads'. The aim of this scheme is to help the children think about what is needed for healthy bodies and minds. The session is in two parts. The first is a class room based activity where the children will brainstorm about the various emotional aspects of having a healthy mind. During the second session the children play outdoor games and try to apply what they have been discussing previously. Today we discussed praising our peers and being a good character. The children then demonstrated this in the game that followed. 

Pizza making 

To conclude our Italian topic, Michelangelo class visited Domino's pizza in Fleetwood. The visit began with a tour of the kitchen which included the fridge room and a talk about food hygiene. As you will see from our pictures the fridge room was teeth chatteringly cold!  After this, the children had a go at making an essential feature of Italian cuisine, their very own pizza. It was a fun, informative and tasty visit.  

Fun with parents

As our topic 'What do you know about Italy?' draws to an end, Michelangelo class invited parents and carers in to enjoy a fun Italian themed activity. The task was to construct an Italian landmark using spaghetti and marshmallows. It was great fun and lovely to see parents and children working together. 

Stations of The Cross

Tomorrow sees the return of our annual 'Stations of The Cross' reflections. Each class will represent two stations. Michelangelo have looked at Station IV when Jesus sees his Mother. At this station, Jesus is covered in blood, sweat, and spit. He is bent under the weight of the cross and is being shouted at by the soldiers and people in the crowd. Mary is experiencing every mother’s worst nightmare, seeing her child suffering harm, and she feels the pain pierce her soul. Though Mary is not the one carrying the cross, seeing Jesus in this terrible state fills her such pain and sadness it as if she too is carrying her own invisible cross. To reflect on this, we have thought about a time when our Mum, or another special lady in our life, has helped us. It may be when they have taken on our worries or sadness, as Mary did with Jesus. Perhaps they offered us help when we needed it most. We have written about this on a flower and created paper flowers in honour of special women who help us. As we did this, we remembered how it felt to be offered help.

Our second station is Station XI, where Jesus is nailed to the cross. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, his pain and suffering must have been unimaginable. We have thought about how many people suffer pain every day and we have thought carefully about the different types of suffering. This can be from illness, hunger or poverty, and because of war or natural disasters. We have written prayers asking Jesus to help them and pinned them on a cross. 

Marvellous creations

Our topic 'What do you know about Italy?' is coming to an end. To mark this, the children have created a model relating to Italy. The variety of creations was fantastic, the children have created everything from meatballs to the Basilica - and everything in between ! We will proudly display them for the rest of the school to admire and the winning creation will be announced on Monday. Well done and thank-you to the children and parents for their fabulous efforts!

Joyeuses Pâques

The children have hunted for coloured Easter eggs in our shared story.  They learnt about the importance of the church bells to French children and made their own Easter cards.

Dear diary...

Our writing focus over the last week has been on producing a diary entry as William, a World War 2 evacuee in our class book 'Goodnight Mr. Tom'. It was a different style of writing for the children and they worked hard to produce a moving and heartfelt diary entry. 

Church visit

Michelangelo class visited church today. Our visit was slightly out of the ordinary in the sense that we didn't go to attend Mass as we would normally. Instead, we went to spend some time with father Michael and hear explanations about parts of the Mass, the Gospel and some of sacred artefacts and what they symbolise.  It was an informative visit and the children enjoyed it. 

Inspiring young minds

St. Mary's was fortunate enough to have a special visitor on Friday. George Fouche, an international and professional rugby player, came in to speak to the children and share some of his experiences. George spoke about the highs and the lows of his life and career. The overriding message to the children was that they can do anything they set their minds too and, just as he has done, overcome any hurdles they may face. The children were enthralled and I'm sure that George 's words have left their mark.  

The magical sound of the panpipes

As part of our ongoing Science topic, 'How do we hear sound?', we have been listening to different sounds and focusing on pitch. As a class, we looked at the example of string instruments and how the tightness of the string alters the pitch. We then went on to make our own panpipes so that we could identify low and high pitched sounds. 

Super Science

Today has been a particularly special as, across the school, we have been celebrating Science. Our day began with a spectacular Science assembly, during which the children were entertained with a variety of experiments and awesome scientific facts. Each class then conducted their own Science based activities. It has been an incredible and exciting learning experience for the children, involving everything from constructing catapults, making ice cream, propelling rockets, producing slime, creating volcanic eruptions, and making lava lamps -  to name just a few of the wonderful activities. The children have been enthralled and it's been a truly memorable day.  

Amazing clay creations

The children were very fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy some clay modelling today. Mr Hill, a retired teacher and artist, has been working with all the classes this week and helping the children to create amazing creations. The task was to create a sea creature and a habitat for their model to rest on. All the children were fully immersed in the task and the end results are incredible. Our wonderful morning ended with with Mr Hill giving a demonstration on his potter's wheel, a rare and unique experience for the children. We will be painting our creations soon so watch out for the finished pictures. 

Non- fiction writing

Our topic for this half term is Italy. We have written lots of non-fiction pieces, ranging from Italian food menus to fact files on Italian landmarks. The research that we have done along the way has enabled the children to produce a non-fiction booklet, all of which are crammed with interesting  facts and pictures. The children are very proud of their booklet and quite rightly too, they are wonderful. Well done children! 

Preparing for Easter

Our Easter preparations are well underway. This week the children have made Lenten promises, they have thought hard about how they can better themselves on the run up to Easter. Also the children have been contemplating the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us. We will explore this further next week as we prepare our Stations of The Cross. 

World Book Day 2019

Our World Book Day celebrations have gone brilliantly! As always, the children and parents have made a fantastic effort. The children have thought long and hard about their chosen character and it was a real pleasure listening to the children talk about their selection. Many thanks to the parents and children for making it such a splendid celebration. 

The Bulgarian Good Luck Charm 'Martenitza'

St. Mary's is fortunate enough to be blessed with a small number of children from the Bulgarian community. The children have been generously giving out a lucky charm this week. The “Martenitza” is a good luck charm weaved from intertwined white and red strings. It can either come in the form of an accessory such as a bracelet or necklace, or as a pair of small dolls named “Pijo” and “Penda”. Bulgarians put on the lucky charm on March 1 and wear it until they see a stork, swallow, blossomed tree or another symbol of the coming spring.

Shrove Tuesday

Michelangelo class enjoyed a tasty treat this afternoon. Pancakes were the order of the day with a choice of either lemon juice, chocolate spread or syrup. As you can see, the children thoroughly enjoyed them! 

Colours of the Rainbow

Using a mixture of methods, the children have been learning about colours in our French lessons.  Firstly, we revised what the children knew about how the colour adjectives sound, this was followed by a matching game where they paired coloured balloons to the written form of the word. Once they were starting to recognise the words and their spelling, they completed a written activity using these adjectives.  To close the lesson and to show what they had learnt, we played a game of Sow and Grow on the 'frenchgames.net' website which they really enjoyed.

Outdoor learning

Michelangelo class took full advantage of the delightful spring weather today and took their learning outside. Continuing our work on capacity, the children worked on various word problems before getting the chance to complete the potion challenge. The potion challenge involved making potions using different amounts of liquids which all had to be measured carefully.  

Thinking about capacity

Today we have been thinking capacity. The children worked in pairs to record the capacity of various jugs before experimenting with water and various containers to test out different measures for themselves. 

French Learning Fun!

Michelangelo children have been learning the vocabulary for parts of the body.  they played games matching pictures to written words, they labelled Alex to show where the body parts were situated and made a human body train.  As well as this, they joined in singing the French version of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes.

Take a look at our exciting egg-periment...

In keeping with our focus on the digestive system, Michelangelo class are conducting an experiment to see the effects that different liquids have on our teeth. We used hard boiled eggs, the surface of which is very similar to tooth enamel, and soaked them in various liquids to see what happens. Watch this space to see if our predictions were correct!

Results time

The results of our recent Science experiment  are in. As most of the children predicted, the vinegar and Coke caused the most damage to the egg shells. We discussed that the sugar and other chemicals in these liquids were the most probable cause. 

Cake sale

Michelangelo class hosted a cake sale on Friday, with all proceeds going towards the travel costs for the Young Voices event in Manchester. It was a roaring success, and the cakes really did 'sell like hot cakes!'. Many thanks to the parents and children for their support.

Safer Internet Day

Yesterday was Safer Internet Day. To mark this, Michelangelo class had a discussion about using the internet safely - with a specific focus on the importance giving and seeking consent. The children watched a video, featuring children their own age, and then went on to complete a word search and design a poster. 

The Fib

Our English topic this half term is Issues and Dilemmas. To support this topic we are reading The Fib by George Layton. 

Today we read more of our story and we discussed it in detail. We started picking out evidence to support our verbal comprehension. Then we did a carousel around the classroom working in groups to answer the following questions using our knowledge and evidence from the text…

Turning rubbish into art

This week we are looking at our topic from an art perspective. Our focus is the digestive system which we have linked with healthy eating. We are looking at the work of Jason Mecier who uses food to create famous works of art to explore our theme further. 

You are invited to the party

In French the children have been learning about the months of the year.  They now recognise the written words and have made their own party invitations and included their birthday dates.

Fractions

Our Maths focus for this week is finding fractions of shapes and amounts. To begin the topic today, the children worked in pairs using special dry wipe paper to answer some fraction based questions. 

Persuasive writing

Our writing this week has focused on persuasive techniques such as rhetorical questions, dramatic language, different sentence starters and so on. We included all these techniques in a letter to ASDA, in an attempt to persuade them to ban fizzy drinks due to the poor health implications. This links to our Science lessons in which we have looked at the effects of too much sugar on the body. 

Joyeux Anniversaire

In Michelangelo class the children have been learning about the months of the year.  They revised what they knew about days of the week, then they made a party invitation using the new vocabulary they have been practising today.

How well have you brushed your teeth? 

Our Science lesson today involved looking at how we can brush our teeth effectively. The children brushed their teeth as they would normally, then used a disclosing tablet to see if any plaque was still left. The results were surprising.

Raising awareness

This week we are thinking about caring for our teeth. Today we looked at the amount of sugar in various drinks and how this might effect our teeth. The children suggested taking our display into the playground at home time to share what we have been doing with parents and children from other classes. Feedback from other parents and children suggested that they were just as shocked as we were about the amount of sugar in some drinks, particularly those drinks you would least expect.  

Finding the area...

Our focus for this week is finding the area. This really tested our multiplication skills and the children worked very hard. 

Finding our inner calm...

Our PE lesson today was very relaxed. The children worked in pairs to try various yoga poses, some of which were more challenging than others. 

How does the digestive system work?

This afternoon we did an experiment to examine the digestion process in more detail. We used various substitutes - such as orange juice, a plastic bag and so on - to replicate the elements of the system and see how the food is broken down and processed in detail. It was an engaging, fun and informative lesson as you can see from the pictures below. 

Using IT in Maths

Our Maths lesson today involved using the I Pads to investigate Roman numerals. We worked in groups to translate numbers into Roman numerals. It was a lively, informative activity with an emphasis on team work. 

Rolling, balancing and hopping

In PE today, Michelangelo class navigated an obstacle course which involved balancing, rolling, hopping and jumping. It was a fun lesson and many of the children managed a movement that they weren't able or confident enough to do previously.