P3A 2023-24

This term we have enjoyed getting outside every week to take part in outdoor learning. We started the term with a senses/spring walk through the school grounds. We listened carefully to hear the sound of the trees moving in the wind as well as the lovely sound of the birds. We enjoyed smelling all the different flowers and plants and we were surprised that some of the leaves that looked soft turned out to be quite rough when we touched them.

Later in the term, we used the wildlife area to help us with our writing tasks. We made potions and then wrote instructions on how to make a potion. We also used our imagination to come up with some great ideas of what the potion could do!

We also used the wildlife area to help us write nature poems, we focussed on finding adjectives to describe what we could see. Our outside space was not just used for literacy tasks we also used it to create wonderful nature art. Everyone enjoyed finding leaves, twigs and flowers to create wonderful masterpieces.

We even managed to get some of our maths completed outside when we were measuring in metres and centimetres.

On our last visit to the wildlife area, we used the area to help us set a scene for our last piece of writing. We took Lego figures with us and found all sorts of different adventures for them. This was a great activity, which we all enjoyed.

During our outdoor activities, we have been learning the skills of focusing, adapting, creativity, curiosity and collaborating.

Pupil comments:

Focusing – ‘We had to think about what we needed for what we were doing.’

Adapting – ‘We had to adapt to the wildlife area to find the right spot for our Lego characters.’

Creativity – ‘We were all working hard and being creative, making potions and making Lego scenes.’

Curiosity – ‘We had to check if the place would work for our Lego character.’ ‘We had to go and find things for our nature picture.’

Collaborating – ‘We had to find exactly the right pieces to make our nature art.’

‘It was fun doing the Lego scenes.’

‘It’s exciting going outside ’cause you can learn loads of stuff.’

‘Doing activities outside is calm.’

‘Being outside is probably the best.’

Our Topic this term has been ‘Our Healthy Bodies’ and we have enjoyed finding out about the human body.

We have found out lots about the human skeleton and its purpose. We looked at the different bones that make up our skeleton and labelled skeleton diagrams. We realised that some bones have more than one name so we used the internet to research the different names used for the bones in the human body.

We have also been learning about the major organs in the human body. We enjoyed using our collaborative meta-skills working in pairs and small groups to research the job of the major organs.

Everyone worked hard to make model lungs, it was quite tricky but everyone showed great determination and teamwork to ensure everyone completed the task successfully and it really helped to show how lungs work.

We think our big picture displays look great and really help to reinforce what we are learning.                             

As part of this topic, we have also been learning about our 5 senses. We have learnt about the fascinating story of Helen Keller who was born in 1880 in America. Helen became deaf and blind when she was just 2 years old after a serious illness. It was interesting to learn about the importance of braille and we even tried writing our names in braille. Helen went on to become a famous writer and won many awards for her studies – a true inspiration.

This term, we have been learning about common diseases – their symptoms, prevention and treatment along with the safe use of medicines.

During Health and Wellbeing Week, we looked at the many different ways to keep ourselves healthy in both body and mind. We learned about the importance of sleep and created eye-catching posters promoting good sleep habits. We enjoyed learning about meditation techniques to help us relax. We also had a visit from the Childsmile Team, who reinforced the importance of looking after your teeth and gums. It was great to get fresh fruit delivered to class as part of HWB Week and it was great to get the opportunity to try different types of fruit – this seemed to be the highlight of the week! To end HWB Week everyone enjoyed a yoga session with P3B and Mrs Teale. A great end to a super week!

Pupil comments:

‘It has been fun learning about the skeleton.’

‘I didn’t know that the femur is the longest and strongest bone in the body.’

‘It was very interesting learning about lungs.’

‘The lungs are the only organ that can float in water.’

‘I didn’t know that one lung is smaller than the other.’

‘It is cool that the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body.’

‘Helen Keller lost 2 senses – sight and hearing.’

‘I researched Helen Keller at home.’

‘Helen Keller was determined to keep going.’

‘I enjoyed doing braille.’

As part of Health Week, the pupil council asked for an Olympic themed obstacle course.  Before starting we discussed what the Olympics were and this years Games in Paris in July.  The pupils were surprised to find out the amount of sports taking part.  The circuit was a variety of activities to develop skills that all sports people need,  including agility, coordination, balance, changes of height and direction.  By the end of the lesson, the pupils had also worked there stamina.

This was our first PE indoors as our new class.  This type of activity really helped us adapt to the bigger numbers inside.  Our transitions in PE are going well.

Our first transition session in music involved working in mixed groups across both classes, to play different untuned percussion instruments. We learned a little bit about the Italian composer, Antonio Vivaldi and his most famous composition ‘The Four Seasons’. In the clip below, you can see the first rotation of instruments for the first movement called ‘Spring’ Gp 1 – triangles, Gp 2 – tambourines, Gp 3 – shakers. Each group had to follow the visual play along and they could only play when their instrument was highlighted. There were sections in the music where two groups had to play together and at the end, all three groups played their instruments to create a loud crescendo by shaking or striking their instruments continuously. At the end of the piece, each group then moved to another section and a new untuned percussion instrument. Everyone had the chance to play all three instruments during our session.

Here is a clip of rotation one:

P3 had their first together PE lesson this week.   We started with a walk and talk.  Partnering a pupil from the other class, we had to find out about them.   We then had to answer questions about our partner.  Next we did passing in 3’s with each group having at least 1 person from each class.  A successful start to PE together.

P3 have started term 4 with athletics.  Our main focus has been on practicing our sports day events, learning the correct technique for the best results.

P3A – Curriculum Information – Term 4 2024

We have finished the term in PE doing skipping with a focus on stamina.  We started the block with a discussion on stamina and how skipping is a really good form of exercise to develop this.  We also discussed other areas that skipping develops, like

• co-ordination
• rhythm
• timing
• muscular endurance in legs.