After the resounding success of Mystery at Magpie Manor, we have been really focused on our Numeracy, Maths and Literacy learning for the rest of this week. We used the creatures created in our Chris Riddell (author and illustrator) inspired illustration lesson to learn about developing characters. In previous lessons we have created characters and then drawn them whereas this time, the children drew their creatures and then work on building the characters using the Chris Riddell technique of What, Who and Where. The writing jotters have been sent home today and I’m sure you will agree that the characters developed by the children were fantastic.
A conversation in class sparked learning about Hyperbole and the children have all embraced the use of it – be prepared for lots of “so hungry I could eat an elephants”, “I can run faster than a rocket” or some of the other many examples the children came up with in class.
In Numeracy and Maths we have been looking at mapping and coordinates as well as number sequencing and interpreting data. There have been lots of opportunities for active learning, the bee bots have been in class again and some of the children tested their map drawing skills by describing routes to the office and then walking their routes. They quickly learned to adjust their maps as soon as they realised that they led to other classrooms, dead ends and into walls.
The weather inspired today’s art lesson, the children created Salt Snowflakes. We looked at photographs of snowflakes and discussed the similarities and differences, the children designed their own snowflakes as a result of this discussion and then by combining glue, salt and water paints, they discovered what happens when you add water to salt. They watched as the colours spread across their snowflakes and were able to identify the appropriate colour palette to create winter themed pictures. I am delighted with how sensible and mature they were as they worked together to created their artwork and then tidied the classroom afterwards.
