4HT

  As part of Children's Mental Health Week, we decided to design a Calm Corner for our classroom. It is going to be positioned near the window and provide a space for us to have some quiet time during the school day.  Here are some of the designs and the wonderful ideas that the children came up with. We discussed that we will add to it each week and build up our Calm Corner from now and throughout next half term.

We had a go at ‘bucket-filling’ by writing on post-it’s things we are grateful for, examples of when someone has shown kindness to us or when we have shown kindness to someone else and then popped them into Mr Jones bucket in the hall.  Bucket-filling is a term that refers to positive attitudes and behaviour. The bucket contains a person’s feelings and emotions. When the bucket is full, this represents us feeling happy and contented. However, when it is empty, we feel the compete opposite and might feel quite low and unhappy.  Bucket-fillers and people who act in a kind way that help to full another person’s bucket. 

We have had a busy day on Zoom calls. Firstly, this morning we connected with Mr Jones' class 1PJ to share some jokes. We definitely had some laughs!  Then this afternoon, we met Sally (one of our school governors) and shared with her what we have been up to this week whilst celebrating Children's Mental Health Week. She then shared some things with us that she does to help keep good mental health herself. (Sorry Sally, the only photo I have is one I have managed to snap with your eyes closed, we shall say that we had a really calming effect on you!) 

 So, the sun was shining again this morning, therefore we put on our wellies and headed to the field.  Mrs Hurst set us the challenge of not walking with our friends but instead finding people that we don't usually spend as much time with and that we don't know as much about.  Here are some photographs of this exercise in motion. It was amazing to see children chatting happily away, laughing and potentially new friendships forming.  When we got back to the class, Mrs Hurst asked us about whether we had made the effort to seek out someone to talk to who we don't usually spend time with and whether we enjoyed getting to know them. A sea of hands went straight up in the air! We all agreed that this is something we will make a conscious aim to do every so often.  When we were discussing what makes us calm yesterday, Oscar mentioned that nature has a positive effect in his mood. I think we can all definitely agree that we felt so much better after being outside and enjoying the

  We have been blessed with some lovely sunshine this week and have made the most of heading outside, having some fresh air and getting some exercise. All of which are great for our mental health.  Yesterday, we enjoyed starting a walking group around the playground at playtime and we took photos of the different activities that our classmates were getting up to. 

 We started our Thursday, by listening to James and the Giant Peach and doing some mindfulness colouring. 

We are doing such a wonderful job of being more positive in our outlook and approaching each school day with a positive mindset. We have been investing some time in PSHE lessons as well as at the start of each school day to consider the positive things we have to say about ourselves. Some of us find this more challenging than others! Each day, we are going to aim to put something positive in the Positivity Jar to keep it topped up!  Also, we are enjoying spending some time each day listening to our teachers and TA reading Harry Potter and The Philosopher's Stone to us. Whilst we do this, we can either choose to just sit and listen or some of us like to do some colouring whilst we listen loosing ourselves in the words from the story and mindful activity of colouring. I think you will agree the turtles are coming along nicely. 

 It was lovely, as always, to hear about the objects that the children brought in to show and share with us today. It is great to learn something about the children that we might not already know and it is a great chance for them to practise speaking in front of people and using their oracy skills. 

 Here is a copy of our class poem that we will be performing in the annual POSCARS. It would be great if you could start learning it at home ahead of us starting rehearsals next week. It is also on the Year 4 page as a downloadable PDF. A copy will be coming home on Monday too. 

  Next Friday, (11th February) we will be having our non-school uniform day for getting 100% attendance award last week. 

  Week Beginning: 7th February 2022 Poetry - Kennings This week we will be focusing on poetry.   We will look closely at an Anglo-Saxon form of poetry called ‘Kennings’, which are very easy to write, yet sometimes difficult to decipher! For our Big Writing on Friday, we will be writing our own Kennings, therefore, thinking about synonyms for verbs would be very handy!   E.G., walk = stroll, pace, wander, ramble, trudge. If you would like to do any homework around the subject...then 10 Dojo points will be on   offer.   Perhaps you could draw a labelled picture...or create a word bank...or even perhaps a Kenning poem?   The choice is yours! Alongside the kennings, we will also be learning to recite by heart, a class poem for the, ‘Poscars’. If you would like to get a head start, then please check our class blog to find a copy of our    poem...which you can start learning. Thank you for your continued support! Mr Forrester, Mrs Hurst and Mrs Teague