Dear Parents/Carers,
Well here we are in May, what a strange reality we now live in. I hope everyone is well and delighted at the government’s news that we are through the peak. We as a nation have helped to stop the disease spreading, together we have saved lives.
How wonderful are your lovely sketches this week – fantastic artists you all are. Looks like you had a lot of fun.
I wanted to take a chance to talk about all the hard work the school is doing, now to support families in their different situations and for the future too.
School Open
The staff of Ash Grange have kept the school open every day of the week since lock down began, we have worked throughout the Easter holidays and will work this forthcoming Bank Holiday so that we can provide learning for those children who have parents who have to go to work or they are children who have additional needs at this time. Each day the staff provide wonderful creative learning experiences for on average 18 children a day.
Social Distancing at School
How many strides do you take to make 2 metres? An interesting question and one we have explored at length with the children this week. This week in assembly I invited the 18 children in school to explore the distance and it ranged from a stretch away to about the railway line! But the reality is about 4 adult or 8 child strides away.
It is really quite challenging to keep the children and adults at a safe distance and as soon as they line up they get too close.
Parents who collect are doing really well at distancing but when you try walking down the path and through the gate keeping a 2 metre distance – you need to keep your wits about you.
This gives you some idea of the challenges faced with social distancing and schooling.
Improving our Provision
The staff have been working hard since lockdown on our curriculum, reflecting on it’s strengths and areas for development. All of the subject leaders have been creating new certificates to give children the big picture of learning and smaller steps to show their learning pathways. Staff are now planning learning experiences that are even more creative and developmental, to increase children’s progress. This is a huge piece of work which lockdown has enabled, you know us, we make the most of any opportunity!
Our website is having a makeover too so we hope it is easier to navigate. Let us know if you have any ideas on this as well.
Home Learning
Each week the teachers are planning Maths, Reading and Spelling activities, linked to all the children have learnt and need to consolidate. These are reviewed weekly by the teacher and then the next week’s selected and set.
A parent shared a desire to teach their child the new maths ways correctly, he’s become aware that the children are using different words and doing calculations differently. For the maths Parent Workshops, we have a booklet showing the stages in maths so I’ve attached it to this week’s newsletter for all to use.
This week we are having a Science week, with a particular focus on the impact of exercise on the heart. The teachers have created 3 activities for each class, of course children can do activities from the different classes – there are lots to inspire.
So this week’s home learning resource is a skipping rope, there is one each for every child – no sharing allowed and we have 4 different colours to choose from so pop in from Monday to collect.
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Year Band |
Activities for this week |
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Early Years Preschool to Reception Class |
Let’s Get Moving! When you exercise or move very fast your heart beats faster. Try these activities for 10 seconds and see which one makes your heart beat the fastest.
You can check your heart beat by putting your hand on your chest do this for 10 seconds.
Now try one these activities whilst singing your favourite song then see how fast your heart is beating. |
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Year 1 |
2. Visit the BBC Super Movers website and dance like some of the characters – Year 1 have enjoyed copying the 2, 5 and 10 times table dances in class. https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers
3. Design a poster to show how your body feels after you have exercised. Do you feel hot or cold? Do you breathe faster or slower? |
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Year 2 |
Grow your own rainbow: www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zrssgk7/articles/zpd6hyc
Make a rainbow appear indoors: www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm9ZkYTnCNE
Do the raisin dance! What water will work: fizzy or still? www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEGCvj977_A
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Year 3 |
Let’s investigate! What happens to your body when you exercise?
Now take another photo or look in the mirror - describe 3 changes that may have happened to your face and body after exercise. How can you measure what effect exercise has on your heart rate?
www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/science-ks2-how-our-circulatory-system-keeps-us-alive/zhf76v4 How to take your pulse: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gbVAHcYpzI b) Using two fingers as you saw in the video, try to take your pulse rate on your wrist, side of your neck or head. Record how many beats your heart makes in 1 minute - it may be easier to time for 6 seconds and then multiply the number by 10 as there are 60 seconds in a minute. d) Take your pulse again 2 minutes later. Has your pulse rate gone down? Challenge question: What number should your pulse rate eventually stop at?
What effect can regular exercise have?
Keep a record of your scores on a table. See the attachment for an example you could use. Challenge Question: What have you noticed from your results table? What effect can regular exercise have?
See 3 linked docs |
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Year 4 |
Watch this video to learn how to listen to your pulse (heart beats); www.youtube.com/watch?v=tF9-jLZNM10
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Year 5 |
This week’s activities are all science based and will get you investigating your heart rate! Remember to collect the weekly challenge from school and check the resources on Showbie to help you!
Start by visiting this website and watching the videos to learn how your heart works and what a heart rate is: www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zwdr6yc/articles/ztg6gdm youtu.be/RiWr69OzfPo and www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/science-ks2-how-our-circulatory-system-keeps-us-alive/zhf76v4
1) Record your resting heart rate using this technique youtu.be/AHHr8qNU9QY Then try five different exercises for one minute at a time; after each one record you heart rate. Remember to let your heart return to its resting beats per minute (BPM) before you move on to the next exercise. When you have the five results, turn them into a bar chart to compare which exercise increased your heart rate the most!
SHOWBIE RESOURCES: Exercise activity cards; bar chart PowerPoint.
2) Challenge your family members to a ‘skip off’ using the weekly challenge skipping ropes from school (or a ‘jump off’ if you don’t manage to collect one). After a minute of skipping/jumping, record everyone’s heart rate using this technique youtu.be/AHHr8qNU9QY Who’s heart rate was the highest? Record your results in a table!
3) Start by recording your resting heart rate - you may even be able to find this information from a Fitbit if you have one! Then complete your favourite exercise for at least two minutes. When you finish, record you increased heart rate using this technique youtu.be/AHHr8qNU9QY Check your heart rate again after 60 seconds and repeat this until it has returned to your resting heart rate. How long did it take to go back to normal? Usually, the faster you can return to resting BPM the fitter you are! Record your investigation data in line graph.
SHOWBIE RESOURCES: Line graph PowerPoint.
BONUS CHALLENGE: Ask an adult if they can make a free Twinkl account so you can explore the heart in augmented reality in your house! www.twinkl.co.uk/reality
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Year 6 |
Rocket Launch : www.science-sparks.com/how-to-make-a-film-canister-rocket/ all you need is an old plastic container and a fizzy ( effervescent) vitamin tablet or Alka Seltzer. What happens if you add more or less water? Does Alka Seltzer work better than a vitamin tablet? Can you think of way to measure the height reached? How many launches can you get from one tablet, by adding more water after each launch? What would happen if you added a weight to the container?
Make an Ice Volcano : www.sublimescience.com/free-science-experiments/ice-volcanoes/ You will need: Baking powder White vinegar Food colouring Bowl Plastic Plate Pipette (optional)
Some questions for you:
Blue Carrots learning-center.homesciencetools.com/article/drinking-plants/ You will Need: Two carrots with stems removed One cup of water Blue food colouring Scissors Some questions for you:
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Calling all Times Tables Rock Stars
We’re climbing up, oh yes, now in 3rd place – keep working on those tables superstars.
Free School Meal Vouchers
At last your free school meal vouchers have all come through. These will be issued every few weeks.
Keep well, keep safe, stay home and protect our NHS.
Kindest regards, Mrs Curtis