Inventors
Look at our fantastic home learning. From fabulous pop art, an outstanding slave report and so much more!
Hello Inventors,
Have a look at this week's remote learning grid below. Make sure you organise your time efficiently, to complete the tasks. You have your English and Maths lesson everyday alongside your foundation subjects, which we would normally do in the afternoon.
I look forward to seeing your work on Showbie.
Mrs Walsh
Have a look at our fantastic home learning this week!
Good morning Inventors,
Please find the remote learning grid below for this week (11.1.21). All the documents/videos are on Showbie, as is this learning grid.
Good luck and I hope you all have a great week.
Mrs Walsh
Remote learning grid 11.1.21
Dear Inventors,
So sorry to not be able to see you for the next few weeks due to another lockdown! :(
However, I will be uploading activities for you to continue with your learning on Showbie and on the class blog.
For the next few days, I have already uploaded some activities to refresh your memory of how to use Showbie and present your work. Have a go at these and familiarise yourself again.
Next week there will be a full time-table of activities that you are expected to attempt and send into me via Showbie- We have been working so hard up until this point so I am keen to continue with the progress and new learning that we were doing.
I am looking forward to see what you create/ find out along the way.
I hope you all stay safe,
goodbye for now,
Take care,
Mrs Walsh x
A Christmas Story
Thank you for all your hard work this year. It has been a difficult one in many ways but as always the children have surpassed our imagination. I am looking forward to what next year has in store for us all.
I wish you and all your family a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.
See you all in 2021
Mrs Walsh and Mrs Powell
Party day!
What a fabulous day Inventors! We started with a super surprise; watching the best pantomime Cinderella. The children received an admission ticket to attend the annual Royal Ball. We sang along and enjoyed being able to still experience such a fantastic event.
Then it was party afternoon. We danced the day away, played music statues and pass the parcel. Well done to all the winners! Afterwards, an elf joined the party. We danced to classic songs like the cha cha slide and gangnam style.
Thank you all for a wonderful day full of Christmas cheer.
This afternoon, we looked at algorithms through dance. The children worked in groups to write their algorithms with the intention of me being able to learn the dance through their instructions. We looked at any issues and 'debugged' the dance to make it right. The children enjoyed showing their dance routines to the rest of the class.
Monday meditation!
Spellings W/C 23.11.20
We have had a busy start to the week, just look at the pictures below. We started our new science topic- Sound and began by listening to sounds we could identify around the school and linking that to how and why we actually hear sounds. In maths, we have been multiplying and dividing by 10, 100 and 1000. It was important we used place value counters so we could physically manipulate what was happening during the calculation. In writing, we are writing a persuasive text from Lucy (girl from The Wolves in the Walls book) to her family to convince them there really are Wolves living in the walls of their home. We started by hunting for the persuasive techniques around the classroom before matching them with their definitions. Well done to the winning table!
Are you a TTRockstar? Inventors, let's win this!
Homework grid for Autumn 2
Sign up to showbie
Sign Up with a Username
Tap on the button that says Sign Up for Free and you’re on your way to creating your own Showbie account.
- I’m a Student
- Sign Up with a Username; Signing Up with Google and Other Sign-up Options are a bit different (see below)
- Type in your account information and then tap Sign Up when you’re done. If your teacher gave you a class code already, type it in now and then tap Join Class. Don’t have a code yet? Just tap Skip and join a class later instead
Note: Remember that student accounts don’t need an email address. You can leave the Email field empty and still create an account.
Our class code is- MR3YU.
Let it grow
For Harvest, we decided to sing Let it grow. The children did extremely well to learn the words this week, as well as forgetting the familiar words to Let it go! We are very impressed with their efforts.
Inventors,
Congratulations for making it through the first half term. You have all been amazing and you should all be so proud of what you have achieved so far this year. Now it is time to have a well earned rest and come back fresh and ready to learn in Autumn 2.
Mrs Walsh
Look at the houses we built to test if they were flood proof!
This week we have written nonsense poems after being inspired by Spike Milligan. We enjoyed his 'Ning Nang Nong' poem which helped us write our own versions of the poem. Some children created their own rhythm for their nonsense poem. Have a look at the videos below to see some of our fantastic efforts.
IMG_4142.MOV.mp4
IMG_4139.MOV.mp4
IMG_4135.MOV
Today, we focused on the work of Rosa Bonheur. We looked at The Horse Fair by Rosa Bonheur. We noticed how she created a 3D effect on the horses using tone and shading as well as showing a shadow. Then we drew our own animal adding tone, shading and shadow to make it look 3D.
This week, the children have been working hard to re-tell the story of 'The Boy, The Bear, The Baron and The Bard'. The book is a picture book, therefore the children could interpret the book in their own way. In pairs, they created a power-point to tell their version of the story with pictures from the book and added voiceover too! They shared their stories this morning and they were all individually brilliant and all very different!
In PE, we have looked at the meaning of sympathy and empathy through dodgeball. Whilst two teams played, one team watched and recognised their class mates emotions (e.g. upset when they got out) and related that to how it made them feel. We will continue to look at well-being through PE for the rest of them term. Next week we are looking at assertiveness.
In Art this week we focused on the work of L.S. Lowry. Lowry mainly used oil paints to create his paintings. Interestingly, he worked with just five colours: ivory black, vermillion, Prussian blue, yellow ochre and flake white. We used felt to create Lowry type characters using the five colours he used and added detail with a running stick. Look at some of our work below!
Homework grid Autumn 1
Good morning parents,
Today, you will receive a letter from me to give you an overview of what to expected while your child is in the Inventors class. I have also added one to our blog.
Thanks,
Mrs Walsh
Today we created our own Play-station controller. We added coping strategies to deal with our different emotions!
Roman numerals in the sun
Today we read the book 'The Cloud' by Hannah Cumming. In the book, a little girl makes another girl feel welcome in their class by creating art together. Therefore, we did a similar project. We each drew, with chalk, half a picture and somebody else in our class finished the picture off. They couldn't look at the other half of the picture, which made it much more interesting. Look at the picture below to see some of our creations.
We have been revisiting what we already know in place value this week. Today, we played a game in which we all had a number and when Mrs Walsh read out a number- e.g. 3145- we had to place our digit in the correct place in terms of its value. The teams worked well together. Congratulations to the green team who won by answering the last question correctly!
In school we are focusing on developing healthy minds through lots of wonderful picture books. Our assemblies and lessons for the first two weeks will focus on these books which will help us to think about our thoughts, our busy minds, our feelings and how to deal with our emotions when we are feeling worried, sad, cross or anxious! As you do not have the books at home we have shared the links below so you can listen as someone reads it to you. Listen carefully to the words in the book and enjoy the lovely illustrations. When you do come back to school you will be able to see all the books on the display in the school hall with lots of things to help you to think about the messages the books are giving us!
Hello Inventors,
Welcome back! I hope you all had a lovely summer. Mrs Powell and I are looking forward to welcoming you into our classroom. We have been working hard to get the classroom ready for your return (I have added some photos on the blog for you to get a sneak peek). The first two weeks we will be keeping busy by doing lots of activities based around new books that Mrs Hunter has chosen.
I am excited to meet the new children to the Inventors, as well as seeing the familiar faces of the year 5 children. We have two new children starting (1 in each year group) and I cannot wait for us all to get to know them.
School will look a little different at the moment due to the building work that has started. Don’t worry, we are in the same classroom and will still get to enjoy our dinner in the hall.
I know you have been away from school for a considerable amount of time but be assured that we are here for you all and cannot wait to get started again!
See you tomorrow,
Mrs Walsh
A short message to introduce myself to the new Inventors!
Summer activity grid
Hey Inventors!
You all understand how important it is to know your Times Tables. Well, check out this amazing website ( https://mathsframe.co.uk/en/resources/category/585/HTML5). There are lots of free games to play on your tablet or computer and will get you learning your Times Tables whilst having fun 
.
I have particularly enjoyed playing 'Super Maths Bowling' and you can play against somebody else . Can you beat them?
Hello,
It's me again! Well here we are, the last week of the school year. It has been very different to any other year we have experienced before. But you have all remained resilient, positive and have shown amazing character.
It has been a pleasure to teach you this year! Although our time together was cut short, the experiences we had with stay with me forever. I am lucky enough to still have the year 4 children next year and I am looking forward to making up for lost time.
I have added a summer grid onto the blog. It has fun activities to complete before we return to school in September. I have also added a video to introduce myself to the year 3 children- soon to be year 4- coming up to Inventors.
I am looking forward to seeing you all very soon. Have a lovely summer with your family and friends.
Mrs Walsh
Can you guess the member of St. John's staff from their baby photographs? Check your answers to see if you guessed right towards the end of the power point! GOOD LUCK and NO CHEATING!!
Hi Inventors,
Thank you to the children who continue to send me pictures of their home learning. I have been amazed by your creativity!
A message to the year 5 children. Please can you complete your buddy letter and return it to school by the 10th of July. If you need guidance, please scroll down on our blog and you will find a template to help you. Thank you Isabella, I have received yours.
Can you believe it is almost the summer holidays already? I certainly can't. We will be working hard to get the school ready for your return in September. I am looking forward to seeing you all again soon. But for now, keep safe and keep smiling.
Mrs Walsh
Home learning 6.7.20
Home learning 29.6.20
Hello Year 5,
You have all been contacted in regards to writing a letter to your new buddy. Your buddy will be a new reception child, so it is important they have someone they can look up to. We will deliver the letters this summer therefore need them back as soon as possible.
I have upload a template for you to look at so you can guide your way through and have some ideas of what to write. You can make it personal by including your likes and interests. Please write your letter on lined paper and remember to write in your best handwriting. You could do a draft copy first, check your spellings and edit it, then write it again. If you need anything to complete the task please ask us.
At this stage, please write your letter to 'Buddy' and when you return we will tell you and introduce you to your new buddy. We have a tray outside the school gates for you to return your letter to us.
Thank you year 5. Remember if you have any questions or need any help, please ring the school office and we will help you.
Mrs Walsh
Template buddy letter
Home learning photos 22.6.20
Home learning 22.6.20. Can you complete all the activities on this space themed grid?
Home learning photos 15.6.20. Super coding, tasty cooking and fun in the sun!
Hi Inventors,
I hope you're all well and keeping yourself busy at home. It seems like a long time ago since we were all in class together.
We had a good week in school learning about civil rights and equality and the key worker children created some brilliant work. The display we made over the week is on the newsletter- check it out.
We hope you enjoyed the quiz we did for you all last week. I'm sure most of you beat your adults and siblings 
.
Remember you are all doing a fantastic job and when we can return to school safely we will do so. We will all be here waiting for your return. In the meantime, keep up with completing the activities and keep smiling.
Mrs Walsh x
Home learning 15th June 2020
Home learning 8.6.20
Wow! You have been working very hard at home. Keep up the good work.
QUIZ TIME!!
Ms Hill and I have created a general knowledge quiz for you and your family to complete. Can you beat your parents? There are two videos. One is me reading out the questions (1-10) and then Ms Hill giving you the answers. Good luck!
Quiz answers
Home learning pictures week beginning 1.6.20
Home learning 1.6.20. Can you complete every task? Remember to send your pictures to the school office; we love seeing them! Check out the edstart document for daily challenges too!
Wow! Someone has been working hard. Well done cycling 20 miles :) that is amazing!
BIG NEWS!
I am very excited to share this news with you today. JK Rowling has written a new book called 'The Ickabog' which she is releasing day by day until mid July. This means we get to read a chapter or two every day until then. I cannot wait to get reading and I want you to join me on this reading journey. If Harry Potter is anything to go by this will be a big hit. The first two chapters have been released and are on the website- https://www.theickabog.com/home/.
Also for you artistic children, there is an illustration competition going along at the same time.
Enjoy Inventors!
Hi Inventors,
Thanks again for the lovely pictures to show me how hard you are working at home. I know several of you enjoyed the science experiments, therefore I have added another one to our blog. The added notes will help you understand the science behind it.
Remember to continue with your reading! I have been reading lots and I have found it helps to take your mind away from everything else. It allows you to be creative and almost enter another world. Lots of you are completing your TTrockstars challenge- well done! I discovered this website this week- https://www.wizardingworld.com/collections/harry-potter-at-home- it has lots of fun activities for you to complete.
Finally, keep learning the lyrics to the song 'Looking to the rainbow'. We will record it in September- it's going to sound great!
Have a lovely bank holiday 
Mrs Walsh x
Home learning 25.5.20
Home learning photos 18.5.20
Hello Inventors!
It is me again 
. This week is Mental Health awareness week and the theme they have decided on this year is Kindness. The Mental Health Foundation stated that, 'One thing that we have seen all over the world is that kindness is prevailing in uncertain times. We have learnt that amid the fear, there is also community, support and hope. The added benefit of helping others is that it is good for our own mental health and well-being. It can help reduce stress and improve your emotional well-being'.
As we know our mental health is just as important as our physical health. By showing kindness to others, not only are we helping with their mental health, we are improving our own. The feeling you get from showing kindness to others can not be underestimated. Therefore, I have based a couple of this weeks activities around this concept. There is a Mental Health awareness pack on our blog which has lots of ideas on how to show kindness to others. I look forward to seeing how you have achieved this throughout the week. Please remember to send your pictures to our office email.
Finally, please find the song and lyrics (on our blog) to 'Looking to the rainbow'. In September, as a school, we will record this song. I am learning the song and look forward to hearing it come together when we arrive back at school.
Keep smiling, singing and surprising us. You're all amazing.
Mrs Walsh
Home learning 18.5
Looking to the rainbow
Home learning photos. Super work again Inventors!
Hi Inventors,
I hope you are all well and keeping busy. Did you celebrate VE day? I was in school last week and we had lots of fun. We made VE medals with clay, painted union jacks, decorated biscuits and made slime. We spoke about the importance of remembering those who fought so we could live today.
Last week I also celebrated my 30th birthday 
. It was a strange one, not being able to see family and friends, but I had a lovely day and ate lots of cake!
Well done for continuing with your home learning, you're doing a great job. I have added an extra resource to our blog this week. Have a go at it and remember to complete your TTrockstars as normal.
I hope to see you all soon,
Mrs Walsh
Home learning week beginning 11.5
Wow Inventors. You guys are amazing! Home learning photos week beginning 4.5.20
Home learning week beginning 4th May. I have based this weeks learning around VE day. How many tasks can you complete this week?
Click the link to access daily family prayer and worship activities.
https://engageworship.org/engage-at-home-daily-family-prayer-and-worship-activities
Challenge yourself throughout May!
Hello Inventors!
I hope you and your families are well and you are keeping busy doing lots of fun activities. Thank you for sending in your pictures. I love seeing what you are all doing at home. Keep them coming! Remember to try and have some routine to your day, I have found it really helps.
I did it! Yesterday I ran 13.1 miles (half marathon) with my Mum. We got up early to do it because we knew it would be too hot later on. I am really proud of myself and have found running gives me an extra focus at this unusual time.
I found this article (https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/family-kids-news/50-fun-kids-activities-home-17975046) it has lots of great ideas and activities for you to do. Check it out and have some fun 
.
I miss you all lots and look forward to the day we can be back in the classroom. For now, look after yourself and your loved ones.
Mrs Walsh
Parents! Please use the link below to access this fantastic resource. It provides lessons for all school year groups from Reception through to year 10 and will be taught via a new Government-backed online platform, the Oak National Academy. The scheme, which has been set up by teachers and funded by the Department of Education, is set to provide video lessons for students, with each lesson arriving with a quiz and worksheet to go with it.
Home learning and spellings for week commencing 27.4.20
From making bread to a Jacuzzi :)
Check out this power-point that Evelyn has made. It is so good, she should be very proud of it. I learned lots from it. Thanks Evelyn, fantastic work!
More pictures of our busy children. Brilliant Banksy art, tasty looking cakes and a gorgeous rainbow!
Wow! More fantastic pictures of you all working hard and enjoying this beautiful weather.
How many activities can you complete this week? Don't forget to send your pictures!
Hi Inventors!
Hope you all had a lovely Easter. I certainly did. I have posted a picture below to show you a couple of things I have been up to, including my attempt at a cheesecake and a cute picture of my dog!
I ran 11.5 miles today 
, it was very, very hard. However, I am now only 1.5 miles from my target of 13 miles (half a marathon). Believe it or not, my Mum runs with me. She is 53 and is smashing it!
Keep smiling and look after yourself.
See you soon,
Mrs Walsh
Those cheesecakes look delicious! I'm going to have a good at making my own today, I may post pictures (depending on the outcome). Thanks again for the lovely pictures and messages from home.
More super pictures of our fantastic Inventors working at home. Very proud of you all.
Hi Inventors!
Happy Easter to you and your families. Make the most of this precious time you have with your families.
It was lovely to speak to most of you this week. It sounded like you are all keeping very busy and enjoying the sun at the same time. I enjoyed my week in school. We had fun making structures to hold a cream egg, tallest one won (which wasn't my team). We also decorated boiled eggs, decorated Easter eggs, made Easter cards and played lots of sports, of course 
.
Thank you for the pictures (below), I love seeing what you have been up to.
I look forward to seeing you all again. Keep safe and enjoy your Easter break.
Mrs Walsh
Wow! What a lovely rainbow poster :)
Fantastic Easter card and rainbow! Keep up the brilliant work. I love seeing your great photos.
A little message from the staff
Wow! It looks like you have been very busy. Your cupcake artwork is fantastic. Keep up the good work. Send your pictures in Inventors. I love to keep up to date with all the amazing things you are doing at home.
Happy Easter Inventors! Over the next 2 weeks your home learning grid is based around fun Easter activities for you to choose from. Do still continue with the blue squares from previous grids but remember to give yourselves a break too as I'm sure you've been working very hard!
It is my turn to be in school this week. I am very much looking forward to it! I will post pictures on the school twitter and class blog to keep you updated with what we have been up to. Remember to send your pictures to the school email address so I can see what you have all been doing! The email address is on our blog, as is the time capsule activity link.
Remember, keep safe and stay at home! 
It looks like home learning is going well. Thank you for your pictures and updates. Remember to send in some examples of the work you have been doing to office@thornhamce.sch.uk.
Hi Inventors!
I hope you are all doing well during this unusual time. Remember to keep smiling and keep your body and mind active.
Just a quick reminder to complete your TT Rockstars activity. I am still completing my weekly check. I am sure you are all completing your weekly tasks and having fun doing so.
I have been working from home and whilst doing so have been completing my daily exercise by going for a run. My target is to complete a half marathon within the next two months. 
I miss you all and look forward to seeing you all back at school when we can.
Stay safe.
Mrs Walsh
Home learning grid 30.3.20 with spellings
Here are some great home learning activities from white rose. Just click on the link below. Keep up the good work and stay safe!
Spellings week 1
Home learning grid- week beginning 23.3.20
In the unfortunate cases where children are not able to attend school but are still well in themselves please help them to continue on their learning journey by completing the activities in the grid below. The activities in blue should be completed daily and those in orange are one off activities. We have also set a whole school 'Dippy' challenge too. You will also find below the Dippy Enquiry walk booklets for each Key Stage to support your child in completing their project. A new class specific grid will be uploaded each week by the class teacher in the event that children may have further time off school.
For science week- we built our own air rockets. The children made their own rockets and decided what it was they wanted to investigate. They decided between how the length, width or design of a straw affected the distance the rocket travelled. Well done to Evelyn who created a rocket that travelled over 5 metres! Afterwards, the children thought about what they would do differently next time to improve the performance of their air rockets. Look at the pictures below to see the rockets in action.
Science week!
Our science lesson this week was the first one of our new topic. The learning intention was to describe the movement of the Earth and other planets relative to the Sun. The children created their own mnemonic, with the aim to help them remember the order of the planets. After looking at the order and sizes of the planets, the children created a fruit solar system so they could visualise and compare the 8 planets. Finally, they wrote a description to show their understand of the movement of the Earth and other planets relative to the Sun.
Congratulations to Lilly and Annabel who both earned their pen licence last week. They have both worked hard to be consistent with their handwriting and presentation. I am on the look out for more deserving inventors this week!
What a treat!
To finish our D&T activities relating to the Greeks, we made Greek honey cake. The children all had a turn to measure and mix the ingredients. All the staff had a taste and the feedback was incredible. Well done star bakers.
Greek honey cakes
This week we have been writing our own poems based on Kit Wright's 'The Magic Box'. A magic box was delivered to school at the beginning of the week to allow the children ask questions about what might be in it. The children have written some fantastic poems which they also read out in class to share their work with their peers.
NSPCC number day
We made the most of the sunshine and complete our Maths lesson outside. Today was NSPCC number day. Therefore, we played fractions frenzy in which the children had to solve fraction, decimal and percentage problems. I also painted the children's face with a number of their choice.
Painting our Greek Masks
This term our topic is 'Groovy Greeks'. Therefore, in design and technology the children have researched, designed and started to make their own Greek theatre masks. As a class they decided to use Modrock to structure the masks. Next week, the children will paint the masks according to their final design.
Modroc Greek masks
Inventors would like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Finished Volcanoes
This week the children completed a maths hunt to discover a secret code. They worked in pairs to complete the challenges; focusing on multiplication and division. On Friday we shared our fantastic homework with each other. There were lots of brilliant power-points focusing on the Extreme Earth!
Maths hunt
The children enjoyed learning new balances (in gymnastics) with a partner this week. They then created a sequence to perform to the class. The other pairs had to give feedback to the performers- what did they do well and what could they do better next time.
This week we were lucky enough to go on a whole school trip to Chester Zoo! The children had a fantastic time, with some saying, 'It was the best day ever'. Well done to every member of the Inventors class for being brave and going through the Bat cave; it was well worth it.
Chester Zoo!
This week we have had an exciting start to our new topic 'Extreme Earth'. The children have researched and designed their own Volcanoes and will begin to make them next week. We have also located dangerous volcanoes around the world on a map. We will post pictures of our volcanoes in due course.
The final week of term has been an exciting one in the Inventors classroom. We completed an experiment to understand the process of the digestive system using items such as tights, crackers and orange juice. The children then used this knowledge to write a narrative from the perspective of a book, travelling through the digestive system. On the final day of term the children shared their amazing homework with one another before completing an Atlas scavenger hunt in Geography. Well done to the winning team: Koel, Harrison and Jacob.
Have a fantastic half term and I look forward to seeing you all again in a weeks time.
Final week of term
Another successful week in the Inventors classroom. The children have almost finished their D&T projects, in which they are making trenches. (I will post pictures after completion). The children enjoyed an afternoon of meditation with Rev. Jason Powell in which they had time to create their own story and explain their thoughts to one another. Thank you to everyone for wearing yellow and sharing the message and importance of Mental Health.
This week we have moved on in Maths to addition and subtraction. The children completed problem solving activities to explore different ways of using numbers. In English, the children have written some fantastic play-scripts (in relation to War Horse) which we will share with one another tomorrow. We have also began to make our trenches, learn adjectives in French and use volleyball skills ion PE.
Another fantastic week in the Inventors classroom!
This week the Inventors have enjoyed learning outdoors (we will enjoy the sun while it lasts). We have designed our trenches in Design and Technology, which we will begin to make next week. The children have produced some fantastic writing from the perspective of Father in War Horse. The children are excited to continue learning about WW1. Tomorrow we will locate countries, on a map, who were a member of the British allies.
Outdoor learning
Have a look at our wonderful classroom! The displays will help you to think and learn!
Welcome back!
Mrs Walsh and Mrs Hill hope that you have had a fantastic summer holiday and are ready and raring for the school year ahead- we definitely are! We have an action- packed first term ahead of us full of interesting and new learning opportunities. We hope you enjoy your new learning but also take the opportunity to come out of your comfort zone, be creative and challenge yourself!
Our first topic this half term will be "Shell Shock" where we will be travelling back to 1914 and learning about World War One; from how it all began, the effects of the War across Europe, until how the War ended in 1918.
Don't forget to earn your raffle tickets to be in the prize draw every Friday!
We look forward to another great year at St. John's...
Making the Most of Symmetry in the Sun!
Running for distance
As part of our athletics unit of work, Inventors were asked to design a running course that would test their stamina and endurance. The course had to last between 30 seconds and 1 minute, using a range of equipment to help them. At the end of the lesson, the children got the opportunity to test each other's designs out.
What a great afternoon of physical activity!
All of the Area
Children had to work in groups to investigate the area of different shapes, using different materials. They had 5 challenges to complete with a time limit of 10 minutes per challenge. There were lots of skills demonstrated during this lesson not only mathematical but also great examples of co-operation and team- work. Well done Inventors!
Bye, Bye Butterfly!
Thank you to Tomas for bringing in his butterflies that he has been rearing over the last few weeks. He showed Inventors the cocoons that they had evolved from and we discussed the complete metamorphosis that they go through from caterpillar to butterfly.
We then set them free in our old forest school area, where we hope they will flourish in their natural habitat.
Prayer Workshop with Bishop Mark
Inventors had a fantastic afternoon participating in a prayer workshop with Bishop Mark. The workshop showed children how they could pray in different ways by interacting with fun and interesting activities with a specific message and bible reading.
The afternoon ended with a pray and blessing led by the Bishop himself.
Get a head start! Take a look at Inventors' half term homework grid- make your choices now and get the gold medal for organisation!
GO FOR IT MO!
Do you know what it takes to be a world famous athlete?
Remember to have a go on the TT Rockstars app or website so you know what to do when it is a homework activity next half term! ROCK ON INVENTORS!!!
Take a sneak peek of some early homework examples for our "Habitat" topic- we can't wait to see everyones on Friday (the last day of the half term!)
Who lives in a house like this?
During topic lessons we have been looking at different styles of houses and where people live. We have been learning new vocabulary linked to house and homes and have started to create an estate agent style advertisements whereby children are trying to sell their own houses. We have been using lots of persuasive language as well as floor plans and pictures.
Inventors enjoying their JAG TAG session ran by Edstart.
Take a sneak peek of next half term's homework grid related to our next topic... Who lives in a house like this?
Inventors win "Cakes and Shakes" for the second half term in a row!
Well done for gaining the most compliment slips Inventors and a big thank you to Miss Robertson for preparing such a delicious treat!
INVADERS,RAIDERS, TRADERS?
Take a look at some examples of our fantastic grid homework this half term. These are just a few pieces, there are lots more displayed in our classroom and the school's lobby area.
Results Day 1- Children are looking out for signs of decay; focusing on appearance and the odour of the mackerel. They are then recording their findings in their science books. Do you think there has been many changes?
How did the Vikings preserve their food, when travelling on long voyages?
As part of our science week Inventors have been researching ideas about how to preserve food. Children came up with several suggestions on how to preserve mackerel.
We then gathered our information and set up five experiments to see which out of the following food preservation methods would be more effective- salt, smoking, lemon and lime juice, honey and vinegar.
We look forward to seeing the results.
Inventors are reading "Alex Sparrow and the Really Big Stink" by Jennifer Killick with Mrs Purser.
They tweeted Jennifer to tell her how much that they were enjoying her book.
She sent them posters and a signed postcard.
Children have written thank you letters to her too.
A Kingly Debate
Inventors had to go back in time and take on the role of either King Alfred the Great or King Athelstan. They had to use their debating skills to prove which king was the best!
Aliens need our help!
Inventors were asked to create a food source for an alien life form. However, they added too much salt, which was detrimental to their health! Inventors had to think of a way of separating all of the materials again using different equipment so that the extra salt could be removed.
The Inventors successfully completed the task.
Well done comrades!
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Solid or liquid? You decide!
Inventors were set the challenge of creating their own cornflour slime. They were astonished at the results...did it turn out to be a solid or a liquid? It was hard to tell, as it seemed to have the properties of both. We had some great discussions around the children's ideas! It was a messy but fun afternoon to end the week.
Inventors are ready to journey back through time to learn all about the Angry Anglo-Saxons and Vicious Vikings!!!
Using the "mysterious" stimulus, children had to answer the 5 ws (who, what,when,where,why?) and create their own story maps.
We look forward to hearing the children's creative ideas.
Inventors made a shocking discovery in the classroom yesterday... what do you think it is?
Inventors' Spring 2 Homework Grid
Welcome back Inventors for another fun-filled half term!
We have got so much to learn; from Anglo-Saxon and Viking invasions to watching our own chicks hatch and grow!
Let's have a great six weeks learning together.
Inventors enjoying their CAKES and SHAKES as a reward for earning the most compliment slips this half term. What a great way to spend the last day before the half term break!
Please take a look at some examples of Inventors' grid homework from spring 1. You can see further examples in the school's lobby area.
Isn't it AMAZING?!
Find out about what Inventors got up to in their topic lesson this week...
Inventors' trip to The Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Museum.
Forest school in the snow
Children emulating bird flight by creating their own paper aeroplanes today in topic lesson.
Today in science children had to dissect a flowering plant and find all of its different parts. They then had to create their own botanical illustrations from their findings.
Please see our new homework grid for the first half of the spring term. Children will bring homework books home next week with a copy stuck in.
Our new topic in the first Spring half term is "Planet Earth" linking natural history and science together. Finding out about life cycles of animals and plants; habitats and all of the weird and wonderful things that we have on this planet.
If you had the opportunity- what would you ask Sir David Attenborough?
May we take this opportunity to wish all Inventors and their families a very happy and peaceful Christmas.
We look forward to seeing you all in the new year!
Merry Christmas or Wesołych Świąt!
Best wishes,
Mrs Browne & Miss Ireland
TASC Days
During the last week of school before the Christmas break, we have been busy researching Christmas traditions around the world. Inventors chose to investigate how Polish people celebrate Christmas to discover any similarities or differences that there maybe. We have found out lots of interesting facts out about Poland, as well as taking advice from our class member Jakub!
Following our research we designed and created our very own Christmas decoration inspired by our Polish research.
We cannot wait to share everything that we have been doing in our church service on the last day of term!
Science
As part of our science assessment this half term we had to work in a group to sell our ear defenders that we had produced and investigated- using a fair test. We had to include lots of persuasive and scientific language in order to prove that ours was the best.
The children worked very well in their groups and it was a hard decision as to whose ear defenders were the most effective!
The Rockers of the future need you! Check out what Inventors have been creating in science lessons this half term.
Our reflection area for the coming weeks will be focusing on Advent and its true meaning.
The children will have time for reflection and to write personal prayers based on hope, joy, faith and love.
These will then be shared in Lighthouse assemblies.
Forest School Session
5.12.18
Due to the weather, forest school had to take place indoors today. However, we were able to create some fantastic festive pieces using natural materials from our school grounds.
It was another great session!
Mindfulness
Every Thursday and Friday afternoon our children have the opportunity to participate in some mindfulness activities.
Today we did some meditation, where children had to find a comfortable position in order to listen to some relaxing music and a meditation clip. This encouraged children to relax their mind and become calm in order to be ready to learn after lunch time.
As you can see, some children were very calm and relaxed!
Inventors were creating mathematical stories to deepen their understanding of multiplication. They were using pictorial and concrete resources to help to explain their reasoning.
Inventors were part of the Celtic tribe trying to discover the Roman army's new piece of weaponry. We found out vital information and were able to recreate it. We now need to find out how it works and how best to defend ourselves against it! We have had lots of fun learning about the Romans and Celts last half term and look forward to our new topic- Listen up!
We even got chance to practice Roman military formations and play some Roman games- We've had a great day!
Inventors' Roman Day! What a fantastic end to our history topic!
Inventors have carried out a Celtic Market place. Each table had a different aspect of Celtic life to research e.g. religion, homes, appearance/clothes, warriors. They then had to present their findings to the rest of the class. We are now Celtic experts!
Please see a copy of our Autumn 2 homework grid, full of lots of exciting learning activities! Remember homework club will be on every Thursday lunch time too!
Our class loves the forest school session they do every Wednesday morning; learning different skills in the great outdoors!
During a maths lesson we were using resources to investigate prime numbers up to 100. Do you know what a prime number is?
More fantastic homework examples
Take a look at Inventors' impressive Roman style homework pieces! From mosaics to Roman snacks the children have worked really hard to produce some excellent pieces of work. Thank you for all of your support at home with this. More photographs to follow...
Inventors have been researching, designing and creating prototypes for Roman catapults in design technology. We look forward to testing them out when they are finished!
The Roman Quests book that we are focusing on in English this half term is a series of books by Caroline Lawrence. Why not see if you can find any in your local library or book shop? The children and I are finding it very exciting so far! I am sure that they would be able to tell you all about it.
The children have been using talk for writing strategies to plan their re- telling of the chapter "Porta Ostiensis" from the book we are focusing on in English this half term "The Roman Quests- Escape from Rome" I can't wait to read their finished pieces of writing next week!
"Don't stop believing!"
Inventors learning to play a new song on the xylophone this afternoon with Mrs Purser- very impressive!
Inventors have been exploring positive and negative numbers in maths this week- they had lots of fun creating their own number lines on the playground
Inventors enjoying R.E and Art week
Our Roman Topic Wall is really taking shape after all of the children's hard work so far...
Welcome Back Inventors!
Mrs Browne and Miss Ireland hope that you have had a fantastic summer holiday and are ready and raring for the school year ahead- we definitely are! We have an action- packed first term ahead of us full of exciting and new learning opportunities, which we hope you enjoy but also take the opportunity to come out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself!
Our first topic this half term will be "The Empire Strikes Back" where we will be travelling back in time and learning about all things Roman; from how it all began, until the Empire was over thrown (not forgetting everything in between!)
Don't forget to earn your rewards from "The Bank of Browne" too!
We look forward to another great year at St. John's...
Look at our newly decorated classroom ready for our Inventors
GOD & THE BIG BANG WORKSHOP – YEAR 5
Our Year 5 attended a God & The Big Bang Workshop Day at Manchester Cathedral on Tuesday which explored the interaction between Science & Faith. The children took part in an exciting day of hands-on activities, small group workshops, and had time for big questions with scientists of faith and were involved in interactive sessions throughout the day.
BANNER SERVICE – YEAR 4
Our Year 4 attended the annual Banner Service on Tuesday at St Michael’s Church, Bamford. As Headteacher of St. John’s (Thornham),Mrs Hunter belongs to RAF (Rochdale Anglican Federation) and once a year, pupils from the Anglican Schools in Rochdale attend a service, led by Bishop Mark. This service is known as “The Banner Service” as several years ago the Headteachers of RAF produced banners which tour around the Rochdale school. At the service all 4 banners are paraded as a symbol of unity for the Rochdale schools. This years’ theme was Friendship and all schools that attended created a “Friendship Wreath” containing their prayers which they presented at the service. The children all enjoyed a picnic in the sunshine at Queen’s Park after the Banner Service.
ROBINWOOD ACTIVITY CENTRE TRIP
The children from Years 5 & 6 enjoyed a wonderful time at the brand new Crosslanes Centre in Wrexham last week.
The took part in a range of exciting activities; The Giant Swing, Zipline, Piranha Pool, Caving, Archery, Trapeze, Rock Climbing and the Dungeon of Doom!!! The children were impeccably behaved and were a credit to our school.
