Student Learning
"Fancy Long Legs" and "String Symphony"
On May 15th, the Reception and Year 1 classes had a wonderful opportunity to attend the Dream Big Children’s Arts Festival.
The Year 1 cohort attended the String Symphony Puppet show. Our children were treated to a beautiful blend of storytelling and puppetry. The puppeteers, who included students from our classes, expertly synchronized the movement of the string puppet in line with an enchanting story. String Symphony is the story of Leor, a giant marionette made of over one kilometre of woven rope, waiting to be brought to life by Dream Big’s audience.
Both the Reception and Year 1 classes attended the imaginative show Fancy Long Legs. Fancy Long Legs dazzled us with its colourful set and engaging songs. Fancy Long Legs and her three friends enjoy making webs. That’s not that unusual, given that they’re spiders. They each have their own individual methods and styles, though, and Fancy’s particular approach doesn’t seem to have the same success as her counterparts. This is due to the amazing way Fancy’s brain works, which would have her classified in our human world as neurodivergent. The message was clear, important, and wonderfully delivered. They built a whimsical atmosphere full of humour and heart, captivating the audience from start to finish.
The excursion was not just an entertaining outing but also a fantastic learning experience. It sparked conversations about creativity, teamwork, and the power of storytelling through different media. It was an inspiring journey into the magical world of puppetry and storytelling that left everyone spellbound, bringing to life quirky, interesting characters that danced and wove their stories in the most delightful ways.
The Reception and Year 1 Teachers
Chinese Learning - Year 4
Exploring the Dragon Boat Festival with Year 4 Classes
As the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival approaches on 31st May, our Year 4 students in F8 and F11 have been engaging in exciting lessons to deepen their understanding of this cultural celebration. On Thursday, we explored the history and significance of the festival through interactive activities and discussions.
Turn and Talk Activity: Students discussed the question, "What other events or celebrations have been in existence for 2,000 years? "Their responses included Easter, Christmas, Chinese New Year, Snow Festival (Japan), and Ramadan (India). Students explored the historical significance and cultural impact of these long-standing traditions, appreciating how they have evolved and continue to be celebrated across different cultures.
Think-Pair-Share: Students were asked, "What do you think would be fun about being in a dragon boat race team? What would be challenging? Why?" This activity encouraged critical thinking and sharing of perspectives.
Fun Aspects:
Working together as a team and feeling the excitement of the race.
Experiencing the thrill of paddling in sync with others.
Enjoying the festive atmosphere and cheering from the crowd.
Challenging Aspects:
Maintaining coordination and timing with the team.
Building the physical strength and endurance needed for racing.
Handling the pressure of competition and staying focused.
Final Turn and Talk: Students shared their own traditions and celebrations, such as birthdays, Christmas, Easter, and Mid-Autumn Festival, discussing what makes them important. They reflected on the personal and cultural significance of these events, highlighting how they bring families together and create lasting memories. This was a great opportunity to celebrate our multicultural classroom and learn from each other's experiences.
Creative Activities:
Students also enjoyed choosing different styles of sticky rice dumplings to colour in and creating their bracelets, celebrating the diversity and creativity within our multicultural classroom.
