Sycamore class news
Just to let you know that we are no longer completing a weekly class blog in KS3. Instead, Addington School is moving towards a new photo capture software called 'Earwig', where I will be able to show you photos of your children enjoying all of the activities we do in school. I will discuss this with you at parent's evening which is in a few weeks time.
Week beginning 13.1.20
On Monday some of the class made carrot seed strips in gardening and we had our second 'Keys for Happier Living' session with Simone.
In Literacy, we have been learning how to use an atlas and how to locate Addington School. We then used Google Maps to find different places during ICT.
The class looked at fish in science and in maths we worked on positions, including our left and right.
We went and looked at some local graffiti in the streets around school during art. Have a look at what we found in the pictures below!
This week, Kayron, a PGCE student (trainee teacher) from the University of Reading joined our class. He will be with us until just before Easter. The class have really enjoyed getting to know him and he is looking forward to teaching some exciting lessons soon!
Have a fantastic weekend!
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 6.1.20
Happy New Year everyone! It has been lovely to see all of Sycamore class coming back fresh-faced from the Christmas holiday.
It has been a busy first week back at school. On Monday, we started a new session with Simone called 'Keys for Happier Living'. She will work with us once a week to give us skills to keep positive. We also shared our holiday news and started our new PSHE topic on E-Safety. In Business Enterprise we did some litter picking around school and we filled up half a plastic bag with rubbish.
During cooking we started learning some independence skills. We worked on making tea/hot chocolate and toast, and then we got to eat/drink what we had made.
We made a New Years Resolution in literacy which we will look at again in July to see if we are on target for reaching it. We also wrote about our holiday.
In science this half term the class will be investigating living things and in music the class are learning about 1970's 'fashion' music.
We have started our new topic on 'Urban Pioneer's' and on Thursday we did a treasure hunt to find out what this means. We looked at an old photo of Reading and we learnt that Reading was once famous for making biscuits, bricks, beer and bulbs (4 B's).
In maths we did some work on 'positions' and learnt a trick for remembering our left and right; the left thumb and finger make an 'L'.
Have a fantastic weekend!
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 16.12.19
We have had a busy and fun last week of term! Have a great Christmas holiday and a Happy New Year!
Just a reminder that Sophie has now left the class, she will not be replaced.
Have a great break!
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 9.12.19
In gardening this week, some of Sycamore class made potpourii which smelled great!
We all enjoyed the 'Jack and the Beanstalk' pantomime and some of the class volunteered to get involved in the show which was great!
We went carol singing to the National Grid on Tuesday and all the staff at the offices really enjoyed our enthusiastic performance!
During 'Get Together', we did a Christmas treasure hunt around school. Some of the class were also awarded their certificates.
On Thursday, we played some games in P.E. We also did some carol singing in school on Thursday afternoon because the Woodley Precinct carol signing was rained off.
On Friday, we made our place mats for Christmas dinner and also did some Christmas maths.
Just a reminder that it is the Addington carol concert on Monday evening.
Have a lovely weekend,
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 2.12.19
We have officially started the countdown to Christmas in Sycamore class! Everyday, a different pupil is able to open our class advent calendar and we have been learning lots of Christmas Makaton.
In gardening, we made lavender snowmen to decorate our classroom. We have also made some paper chains and have begun work on some Christmas tree decorations.
In maths, we have started some work on capacity. The class experimented by measuring with different containers.
In literacy, we have been learning about rockets. The class labelled a rocket and then in art we made our own rockets out of toilet roll tubes! We also learnt some reindeer facts and shared them with the class.
On Friday, Addington school had a visit from two reindeer; Hail and Bilzzard. The class were able to feed the reindeer if they wanted to. The reindeer handlers were very impressed with all the facts we had learnt about reindeer in literacy. Did you know they reindeer can swim really well?!
Have a relaxing weekend,
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 29.11.19
What a busy week it has been! We have rehearsed and performed our KS3 Moon Zoom performance lots this week and we have really enjoyed it. Thank you to the parents who were able to come and watch. The class loved seeing your faces in the audience. I am sure you are very proud of your children; I certainly am! We have filmed the performance and are happy to show any parents who were unable to make it. Please just let me know in the diary and I will arrange this for you.
On Friday, there was the Inter-House Gingerbread Competition which was won by the yellow tigers. The gingerbread was sent home with your child this evening.
Have a fantastic weekend,
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 18.11.19
We have been rehearsing really hard for our KS3 'Moon Zoom' performances next week. Please could you send in your child's costume on Monday in a named bag. In ICT we made posters to invite other classes to come and watch our performance. The class are looking forward to showing you!
In maths, we did some work on time and in literacy we have been working on space poetry. Some of us performed our poem as a call and response using a drum.
Half of our class made rock cakes in cooking and the other half went shopping to buy some ingredients for future bakes.
Next week will be busy! We have rehearsals and our 'Moon Zoom' performance and it is also the Inter-House gingerbread competition.
Have a great weekend,
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 11.11.19
We started this week with a fun trip to Brookfield's school to play scooter hockey. The class played really well and did Addington School proud!
In business enterprise we decorated 'snow' rolls (toilet rolls decorated like snow men), gift wrapped some wreaths and decorated Chocolate Oranges like reindeer.
On Tuesday, some of us went to Co-Op and the other half of the class made rock cakes which were yummy.
It was anti-bullying week at school and so we did a few different activities, we; went to the smiley photo booth, took part in an anti-bullying drama lesson and also wrote compliments to one another.
We have been rehearsing for our Moon Zoom performance at the end of November during drama and music. In art, we also made some props for our scenes.
I hope everyone has a relaxing weekend.
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 4.11.19
Sycamore class have had lots of trips this week! We were very lucky to have had the opportunity to visit Pizza Express on Tuesday to learn how to make pizza's the 'Pizza Express' way. Steve the chef showed us how to flatten the dough, shape it in to the pan and then spread the tomato sauce by shaking the pan. He explained that a Margherita pizza is made in the colours of the Italian flag; white dough, red sauce and green basil and oregano. We learnt that pizza's only take 5 minutes to cook in their special oven and that they make about 1000 pizzas a week. We enjoyed eating our pizza's and some of the class are now considering a career at Pizza Express!
In literacy we wrote about our experience at Pizza Express and in maths we have started to work on time; as well as continuing with our PLP targets.
On Friday, we all went to Vue cinema. We got the public bus in to Reading and then walked to Vue. It was very cold! We were supposed to see 'Luis and the Alien's' but unfortunately it was broken and therefore we watched the new Shaun the Sheep film 'Farmageddon'. It was about an alien whose spaceship crash lands on Earth and Shaun helps it get home to its parents. We are going to write a film review on Tuesday in literacy.
Please remember P.E. kits (if they're not in school) because we have a sports trip to Brookfield's school on Monday. The class will be playing scooter hockey. We do NOT need a packed lunch (unless you want one) as we are back in time for lunch.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 24.10.19
We have had such a busy and exciting last week of half term! On Monday, some of us hollowed out a pumpkin and washed it's seeds. We then put sugar, cinnamon and oil on the seeds and baked them to make a yummy snack. We also made some stained-glass pumpkins which have gone home this evening.
On Tuesday, we had our trip to Winchester Science Museum. We got to play with the hands-on activities and then we watched an amazing planetarium show. The guide showed us stars, constellations and explained that there are millions of galaxies! It was very dark in the planetarium and our seats tilted backwards so we could look up easily. It was very cool! After this, we had a rocket workshop. We added shapes to plastic bottle rockets and then raced them along a track. We found out that a rocket needs to be streamlined, balanced and light to work effectively.
Our class have been working on the 'Walking on the Moon' song in music. They have been practising 'off-beats' this week.
Thank you for a great first half term Sycamore class!
Have a restful and fun half term,
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 14.10.19
This week, some of our class were very busy rehearsing for the Shakespeare School performance. The performance was on Wednesday and it went really well. We are SO proud of the pupils in our class who took part!
In gardening, some of our class painted pots and planted some daisies in them.
We worked on 2D shapes in maths and used maths skills for cooking/shopping.
During science, Sycamore class measured their own blood pressure.
In RSE we learnt about the different kinds of relationships we can have and in PSHE we talked about our daily routine.
It was great to see lots of parents at parents' evening so I could tell you about the hard work Sycamore class have been doing. I think I told most of you about our class 'Moon Zoom' performance on 29th November. There will be letters about this after half term. We have been rehearsing with Chris, the drama teacher, each week.
We finished the week with a fun inter-house volleyball tournament.
Just a reminder that next week we have our Winchester Science Museum trip on Tuesday and your child will need a packed lunch please.
Have a relaxing weekend :)
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 7.10.19
In gardening we planted some onions and made leek and potato soup which was delicious! We decorated Chocolate Oranges to sell in business enterprise.
Some of our class went shopping on Tuesday. We worked on crossing the road and money skills.
We decorated biscuits to sell at the bake sale on Thursday to raise money for Mental Health Awareness Day. We gave them smiley faces so that we spread some happiness!
In music we used guitars and in science we learnt about veins and arteries.
Have a super weekend everyone!
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 30.9.19
On Monday this week, we had drama rehearsals for both Shakespeare School's and our KS3 'Moon Zoom' performances. Some pupils planted Violas during gardening. Some pupils also practised brushing their teeth in PSHE. We learnt that you start with the gums, then do the top teeth, bottom teeth and finally the tongue.
We read a story about aliens in underpants saving the world in literacy and we also did some work on letter writing.
In maths we have been practising money skills and data handling.
During cooking, some pupils made 'alien' slime leek and potato) soup whilst the other half of the class went shopping. We have been learning knife skills and hygiene in the kitchen. We also got to use a hand blender!
In art we decorated our paper mache planets.
Have a great weekend!
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 23.9.19
This week, some of the Sycamore pupils went to rehearse the Shakespeare School's performance at South Hill Park theatre. They got to practice their performance on the stage.
We had Business Enterprise on Monday. We painted some items to sell and cut some ribbons for decorations.
In ICT we worked on our typing skills and in art we made some paper mache planets. Julie dissected some hearts with the class in science - it was amazing!
In maths we have been working on money and data handling skills.
During literacy, we have continued our 'Moon Zoom' topic and designed planets. We then wrote a story about the aliens and planets we created.
Sycamore class were lucky to have a cricket session with a cricket professional in P.E. In music, the class did some solo singing which they enjoyed.
Have a super weekend!
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 16.9.19
On Monday this week, some of us did some gardening. We planted hyacinths which have been 'tricked' into thinking it is Winter by putting them in the fridge so that they will be ready in time for Christmas gifts. The other pupils in our class rehearsed for the Shakespeare schools performance.
Half of our class made alien fruit salad in cooking; we practising the bridge position and the claw position when cutting the fruits. The other half went shopping to the local Co-Op. They practising money skills, crossing the road and also conversation skills in the shop.
We enjoyed writing about our own alien in literacy and also writing an alien crash landing news report.
In maths we have been measuring items around the school using rulers or cubes.
In science the class have been learning about organs in the body and in music they have done some work using Star Wars as a theme.
We had a KS3 assembly on Wednesday in the small hall. We sang and made a group moon using tin foil.
In art on Friday we blew paint to make blob-aliens. We will add arms/legs/eyes to them next week. We also used chalks on black paper to make space-themed pictures.
If your child is in the Shakespeare schools performance then there is a rehearsal at South Hill Park on Monday during the day and therefore they will need a packed lunch please.
Have a great weekend!
Kathryn and team
Week beginning 9.9.2019
Our first full week in Sycamore class has been busy!
We have learnt about the planets in literacy. We did an information treasure hunt and the class found out lots of new facts about the planets. Did you know that Jupiter has around 79 moons?! In art we made the planets we have learnt about using plasticine.
In maths we have started to learn about length. Some of us learnt how to use a ruler correctly.
A space dome came to school on Thursday and we learnt even more about space! It was very dark inside and we saw the planets, stars and even galaxies.
On Friday, there was an alien crash landing on the field! We went to investigate and next week we will be writing a news story about it.
Enjoy the weekend!
Kathryn and team.
Week beginning 2.9.2019
Hello! Welcome to the first Sycamore class news blog. It has been great getting to know everyone in Sycamore class over the last two days.
In the last two days we have made a time capsule to open at the end of the year to see if things like our height and favourite food change. We have also done some marbling in art to make backgrounds for our space-themed lockers. We did some writing about our summer holidays and played some getting to know each other games too!
This term our topic is Moon Zoom. We have a space dome coming in to school and will do lots of topic work around this theme.
Have a great weekend!
Kathryn and team
