Module 6
Transdisciplinary Theme: Sharing the Planet
Central Idea: The Earth is shared with all living things.
Lines of Inquiry:
An inquiry into how we affect the planet.
An inquiry into steps people have taken to protect the planet.
An inquiry into what it means to share the planet.
Key Concepts:
Causation
Responsibility
Connection
Learner Profile Attributes:
Balanced
Principled
Caring
We have been using lots of different manipulatives and representations to support our maths learning.
This week, we have been thinking about different emotions we and other people might have.
We talked about what they might look like and completed some matching activities.
As part of our literacy sessions looking at the book Somebody Crunched Colin, we have created boats out of recycled materials.
During performing arts this week, the class took part in an interactive version of the story "We're Going On A Bear Hunt."
In art, we used different materials to create pictures of plants.
Using our knowledge of colours and shapes to help us.
During our first week back, we have really enjoyed independently choosing books to read by ourselves, with our friends or with an adult.
Module 5
Transdisciplinary Theme: Sharing the Planet
Central Idea: The Earth is shared with all living things.
Lines of Inquiry:
An inquiry into how we affect the planet.
An inquiry into steps people have taken to protect the planet.
An inquiry into what it means to share the planet.
Key Concepts:
Causation
Responsibility
Connection
Learner Profile Attributes:
Balanced
Principled
Caring
We went outside and collected different natural resources that we could use instead of paint brushes.
We used our 'natural paintbrushes' to create a Spring style painting.
We enjoyed making and playing with our home made bubbles. We all had a go at making bubbles and taking turns with our friends.
We have been looking at copying, continuing and creating our own patterns.
We have used different resources for this, and even made some patterns using our bodies by singing songs like 'heads, shoulders, knees and toes'.
We have been learning about drugs and medicine - thinking about how they can be helpful for our bodies.
We created our own grass head friends, to watch grow. Linking to our inquiry topic - showing friendship and being caring.
We followed instructions of how to make them very well.
We used different utensils with care and followed instructions.
Module 4
Transdisciplinary Theme: Where we are in place and time...
Central Idea: Our choices today will shape the reality of tomorrow
Lines of Inquiry:
An inquiry into personal and environmental identity
An inquiry into historical impact on the present
An inquiry into cultural influences and interconnectedness
Key Concepts:
Change
Connection
Causation
Learner Profile Attributes:
Inquirers
Communicators
Open Minded
Thinking about who I am, and what makes me... me!
I enjoyed learning about rhythm and beat and how these might be different in music from around the world.
I enjoy using the skills I learned through phonics to build and blend words.
I have used a range of skills and approaches to working with number. I was really proud when I calculated two groups of eight!
I explored avocado, and made guacamole, as part of our inquiry learning.
I was very proud of what I achieved in maths today.
We took part in some fantastic teambuilding with our friends in other classes to see who could build the biggest tower (don't worry, the bricks and stones are foam!).
I was excited to use Numicon to support my calculations in maths.
I was really focused on this activity, and proud that I could use Numicon to support my calculations.
I was able to use different methods to solve my calculations.
I am improving my writing skills by drawing and overwriting different shapes and patterns.
I used my phonic knowledge to identify and write the initial sound in different words.
I enjoyed showing other adults how clear my writing is.
I used my reading, speaking and listening skills to play a matching game with Matthew.
We had a lot of fun with exploration, play and inquiry around the theme of St. Patrick's Day.
Module 3
Transdisciplinary Theme: Where we are in place and time...
Central Idea: Our choices today will shape the reality of tomorrow
Lines of Inquiry:
An inquiry into personal and environmental identity
An inquiry into historical impact on the present
An inquiry into cultural influences and interconnectedness
Key Concepts:
Change
Connection
Causation
Learner Profile Attributes:
Inquirers
Communicators
Open Minded
We practice our 'communication skills throughout the school day.
I can choose the best tools for the activity
I can cut along the line carefully
I can show resilience to complete some tricky threading.
I can be 'knowledgeable' and can use skills to create artwork for Chinese New Year.
We were 'inquirers' finding out what happened when you mixed the three ingredients together.
I can follow instructions
I can choose tools to mix ingredients
I can mould the ingredients together
We were all very 'principled' during cooking as we resisted licking the spoon!
I can be 'open minded', I can listen to different stories!
In Viking Class, we have a love of books and really enjoy when Stefan the librarian visits.
I can identify the main character on the page
I can find the characters in the story.
I can engage with the story
I can show I am a good 'communicator' and I can share to show I am 'caring'.
I can share
I can take turns
I can play a game with friends
I can be 'reflective'! Let's find out how am I feeling.
I am a 'risk taker' as we practice different forms of communication, including; writing, singing, signing and dancing.
I can recognise how I am feeling and share this emotion
I can overwrite patterns
I can identify who is in class today
I can count the number of people in class
I can identify who is in class today
I can count the number of people in class
I can identify who is in class today
I can count the number of people in class
I can make patterns
I can continue patterns
I can continue patterns
I can find what is missing in a pattern
Module 2
This module, we are continuing with our Lines of Inquiry into special places. We are going to be learning more about what makes a place special, how the special place and its associated culture has changed over time, and the uses of the place. This will show the students how expression is shaped by history and culture. And what could be more special than... Disneyland!
When Walt Disney was a little boy, as well as doing lots of drawings - he also made toy cars. In Viking Class we used a STEM project to make our own balloon cars during our Design Technology work. The students followed written and verbal instructions as part of their speaking and listening and reading objectives. Everyone really engaged and used tremendous fine motor skills and patience to get their car right.
This student was able to identify that the flag was that of America using his prior knowledge of country shapes. He knew it was not the countries he had learned about in Module 1 - and even said "that is Italy because it is like a boot". This is doubly good as he has been working on using 'because' in a sentence.
To celebrate World Nursery Rhyme Week, students in Vikings have combined their maths knowledge with their literacy skills. We all joined in with a version of Hickory Dickory Dock - and then identified not only one o'clock but all the other times going around the clock. Students were able to identify that if the mouse went "up and down" all the way around the clock he did this twelve times. One student even worked out that if he went up 12 times and down 12 times the total was 24!
After we had identified the hour, students then used their number line knowledge (being introduced to the greater than sign >) to add on to find a new o'clock time. Finally they were able to not only read the new time, but find the rhyming word. They especially liked "three" and did not want to be "stung" by the bee!
Students used their measurement knowledge from last module to find different lengths. They knew how to use their rulers well to complete the instructions to make a moveable flag. Our DT focus of pullies and levers is great for our understanding of how things work and to see how levers and pullies are used at the Disneyland parks.
Students used their measurement knowledge from last module to find different lengths. They knew how to use their rulers well to complete the instructions to make a moveable flag. Our DT focus of pullies and levers is great for our understanding of how things work and to see how levers and pullies are used at the Disneyland parks.
Being a Risk Taker! One of the IB attributes is being a "risk taker" - giving something a go. This is a hard task for a lot of our students but some of Viking pupils volunteered to taste Marmite and decide if they were lovers or haters!
As you can see, reactions were mixed but all gave it a go and were risk takers - so well done!
The tuff tray this week showed different areas of the Magic Kingdom. These students are looking at the Dinosaur area - dinosaurs were one of the first features of Disneyland when Walt Disney opened it in 1955. As well as developing play skills with their friends, students pracitsed their signing for scary.
The Disneyland Park has specific areas for specific features. We talked about how at Milestone we also have special areas that have specific functions. These students used their geographical skills to locate the different placs and were able to identify their use.
The students looked at the wonderful rides that Disnelyland has and used their Design Technology skills to make a moveable Mickey ferris wheel.
Students helped Father Christmas up the chimney by carefully building the bricks and then putting him on top. Lots of opportunity for good maths positional language.
Viking Class really enjoy a Friday reading session from Stefan. We are looking at Christmas books now in the "build up" to the big day! Students sat beautifully and listened showing great focussing skills as well as working on their speaking and listening knowledge to answer questions about what they have heard.
Students were asked to name the object being pointed out, as well as some using 3 and 4-string sentences to say what is happening, where it is happening and using the word "because". Great reading and speaking and listening whilst enjoying a Christmas book!
Fantastic number skills this week. Learning the relationship of numbers and how they are constructed using visual and concrete representations.
Adding the right amount of chocolate powder to the cone and understanding the sequence of what to add are both good maths skills as well as good "work place" skills for this student.
One of the students was working on the one to one task of making the hot chocolate cones, but then showed great interpersonal skills by asking a classmate to join him - saying "this is fun come and make one"
Tightening those antlers around the finished cone requires great focus and fine motor skills.
As the student filled the bags for the market he was asked to say how much he thought that they would sell for - whilst his estimate may have been a little bit "off" he showed good money language.
On Thursday this week, we all wore Christmas jumpers so the day before students used both a software program and traditional pencils and pompoms to come up with their own designs. But there was a twist - they had to answer maths questions to determine how many pompoms there should be on their jumpers.
This module we have been using Numicon a lot to show number bonds. After completing her stocking design that required 7 pompoms this student then found diffferent ways that she could make 7. This was a wonderful piece of embedded work as she was not asked to do this but instead chose to use the manipulatives to make lots of 7s!
Students used an AI program to create their own Christmas elf. They used chatting sheets to identify what descriptive words they wanted to input and then let AI come up with the results. One of our students used great student agency to create a rather unique elf!
We had lots of fun using edible felt tips to decorate Christmas cookies - good fine motor skills and choosing colours for themselves.
Module 1
Central Idea: Self-expression is shaped by culture and history.
Lines of Inquiry:
An inquiry into the uses of places and buildings (form).
An inquiry into how people make places special (connection).
An inquiry into how culture is reflected in buildings / self-expression / through places and time periods (change).
Key Concepts:
Form
Connection
Change
Learner Profile Attributes:
Inquirers
Communicators
Caring
Risk-Takers
We started the week by creating a Jackson Pollock(esq) piece of artwork. The students used their own expression to create a drip painting that now proudly hangs in the classroom as soon as you enter the class. Viking Classroom is our special place this year, and it is a good starting point to explore other special places around the world.
All the students really enjoyed this - and are rightly proud of their work.
Students tasted lots of different Chinese foods and did some sensory exploration finding artefacts in noodles.
One of our students is very food sensitive and was a real risk taker by not only playing with the noodles but also eating some himself. He was very happy with all the praise we gave him.
Our librarian, Stefan, came to read us stories and everybody was super engaged and able to answer lots of questions and point to different pictures in the books.
As well as lots and lots of other great learning that has taken place this week, the students really enjoyed listening to their (and their classmates') hearts during science. One of our students even listened to our Phase Leader, Maria's heart.... just to check she was okay! 😄
Week 2 and we have seen some incredible learning - and have definitely been having fun and being aspirational learners. We have continued learning about China's Great Wall including making it from biscuits. The Great Wall has helped the students learn more about the maths language of long and short and this week we have been using "noodles" to find things in our classroom that are longer than the noodle. We have been practising our letter formation including writing in rice flour with chopsticks. Please look at the photos of the second week to see some of what we have been doing.
They used their senses to be curious and brilliant inquirers about what they were exploring - whilst the mint was popular the mackerel got a thumbs down!
Our Inquiry learning with the focus on China both last week and this, was a great way to develop our writing skills. Using different tools and paint to write the Mandarin word for mountain. Following lines and holding the brush helps students with their handwriting,
Week 3 of module 1, and Vikings have been learning about a new country as part of our Line of Inquiry; studying important places around the world and how they have been shaped by history and culture. This week we have explored The Colosseum and all things Italian.
During our cookery lesson we were all showing great curiousity about the smell of basil, and one of the students who find new foods difficult to taste was a real risk taker and smelled and licked all that he was given,
We recreated our own versions of The Colosseum using biscuits, and jenga bricks. It was good fun and the students talked about the shapes of the biscuits/bricks too as well as noting the Colosseum is circular. Lots of lovely maths talk in our inquiry work today.
One of Viking Class found an atlas with all the world's flags. He was very excited to find the flag of China and Italy - all by himself. Good self occupation during a gloomy lunchtime.
Great signing of "long". Application of maths language during independent inquiry.
And then the student told me that the Lego was like a rectangle - I am sure that he meant the faces, but what an amazing demonstration of what he had learned.
Thursday was European Languages Day - we are so lucky in Viking Class to have somebody from Brazil, who can speak a European Language. He was able to say different phrases and really enjoyed answering his friends when they all wanted to know... "What is Portuguese for .....". Lovely speaking and listening opportunities and looking at an interactive map of Europe on the whiteboard.
We also had good fun being "archeologists" and looking for fragments of mosaic in the the tuff tray. Students had to remove the "soil" to reveal the pictures. They used paint brushes like real archeologists - and this also supported their handwriting by encouraging the use of using different tools.
Week 5 in Viking Class and we have been really doing a lot of maths this week, as well as concluding our line of inquiry into Italy and the Colosseum and moving around the globe to Brazil. Students have been learning about the animals in the rainforest and how they like fruit - which is lucky as so many delicious fruits are grown in Brazil. Brazil is also one of the top producers of coffee and students had great fun taking "coffee orders" and using their maths skills during student led learning.
We have also learned the signs for the animals too. Snakes proved to be a favourite - and were helpful in continuing our work on length.
This student stretched the rubber snake and told the adults that the snake was long, but he had made it longer - great comparative language.
This student said that snakes were long and that they were curved on the branch. Great fine motor skills too to twist them around the branch.
And used their number formation skills when "taking orders".
Using symbols to support language in making colour choices.
Our finished headdress!
Working together to share resources and make the headdresses.
This student loved learning the Makaton signs for the animals and learning more about them. The noisier the animal the more interesting it was - parrots were a big hit!
Week 6, and the students in Vikings are continuing to learn more about Brazil - and again are especially enthralled by the animals that live in the rainforest. We have learned this week that not only does Brazil produce a lot of coffee, it also grows cocoa which makes yummy chocolate. The students were fascinated to learn that their chocolate bars started from a bean grown on a tree.
Students danced to Samba music this week and made masks for carnival - learning that carnival is just before Lent. Lent being a time of giving up things and thinking about the sacrifices that Jesus made in the desert.
We also learned about Christ the Redeemer statue and how Brazil 's mostly Christian population take comfort in having a huge statue of Jesus on a mountain in Rio de Janeiro looking over them as a symbol of his care and love.
This week we celebrated Black History Month, and Halloween. A lovely end to a busy module. See the photos and text below to see how we ended what was a busy, but certainly a "happy, and aspirational" module!
To celebrate Black History Month we looked at inventions the students would be familiar with and which were the result of Black men and women. It was also great to see the students celebrating their culture - we are lucky to have a lot of students and a staff member from Nigeria. We have listened to African music, tasted some jollof rice and looked at the wonderful fabrics that are part of Nigerian clothing. Students liked the idea that it was a Black man who invented the ice-cream scoop... as it meant they had ice-cream! They also enjoyed a game of "stop and go" to music as the inventor of traffic lights was a Black man.
And as a final day treat - Vikings had not one but x2 continuous provision "tuff trays". This morning we had a maths pumpkin patch where spiders were lurking in the oats. Students counted the spiders and/or the pumpkins and found the corresponding Numicon tiles. This afternoon we had a literacy based tray - students had various ingredients that they used good speaking and listening skills to request. Then they made a mixture and cast their spells.