Reception - Mardi Gras! 

In RE, we have learned that Mardi Gras is a festival that is also celebrated on Shrove Tuesday. The children found out that Mardi Gras is a carnival that is celebrated in February to mark the end of the pre-lenten season in many countries, such as America, Brazil, Italy and Germany - we used a globe to look at where all of these countries are in the world. There is music, dance, colourful parades and costumes as part of Mardi Gras celebrations. The word Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday - (like pancake day) from the custom of using all the fats in the home before Lent in preparation for fasting and abstinence. In the Mardi Gras parades the people wear beautiful masks and costumes as well as beaded necklaces.
The children all made these fabulous beaded necklaces that they could wear in a Mardi Gras parade! Take a look at them, aren't they fantastic!

Water Workshop - Science/Geography 

The whole school had an assembly all about water from United Utilities. We learned about how much water we might use in a day and we got some tips on how to use less water. The children were very shocked about how much water we could be using daily! 
Year 4 were lucky enough to take part in a workshop which taught them even more about where our water comes from and how we can conserve water. This linked to our science learning about the water cycle and it also linked to our local geography map work. 

Reception - Local Area Winter Walk

We have been on a little winter walk around the edge of our school grounds looking for signs that we are in the season of winter both in our school grounds and the local area we could see, using information we have learned from the books we have been reading. Evidence we found…
* We could feel the cold air.
* The wind was freezing.
* We had to wear lots of layers to keep warm.
* The trees had no leaves as they had lost them in autumn and they’ve not yet grown back because it is too chilly.
* Some buds were starting to appear on the trees preparing for the new leaves to grow when the springtime months come around.
* There was water on the grass, but it hasn’t rained. We learned that this was from frost and ice that had been there this morning and had since melted and turned back to a liquid in the winter sun.
* Some thistles still had frost on them - we thought they looked like snowflakes!
* Some branches had been blown off the trees trees during the stormy winter weather.
* We found catkins grinning on one tree, we learned some birds like to eat these in winter.
* In a garden of a house next to school, we could see some evergreen trees and plants/bushes (we learned these are plants and trees that don’t lose their leaves).

We talked lots about the features of the local area we could see such as the houses right next to the school field, the sea, the wagon road, the cliffs at St. Bees Head, the fields and our school building. Lots of great speaking and listening and application of vocabulary. 

Reception - Diwali! 

We have been learning all about Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Light! We learned that this festival is celebrated by Hindu people and originates from India, but is celebrated by Hindu people all over the world. We found India on the globe and world map. We then learned all about ways in which Hindu people prepare for and celebrate Diwali wherever they are in the world. These included - cleaning and tidying their homes, decorating their homes with garlands, flowers and diva lamps, sending and receiving cards, praying to the Goddess Lakshmi, visiting the Temple, preparing and sharing foods and sweet treats, buying and wearing new clothes, having fireworks, dancing and spending time with friends and family! Take a look at our wonderful exploring around this! 

Reception - Learning all about Nigeria!

A huge thank you to Angelo’s Daddy for visiting Reception to talk to us all about the African country of Nigeria where his family are originally from. We found the continent of Africa on the globs and then the country of Nigeria within it. 
He shared lots of wonderful pictures and taught us lots of interesting things - information about the weather, food, families, weddings, clothes, houses, plants and animals in Nigeria! We loved how he wore his traditional clothing and hat from the Igbo tribe which his whole family are part of.
The children then asked lots of questions that we had thought of and Angelo’s Daddy kindly answered them all.
The children loved chatting with and learning from Angelo’s Daddy. 😀 

Reception - Italian Pizza! 

Our learning today has been all about the European country of Italy! 
We found Italy on a map and then looked at it on Google Earth. We talked about how Italy looks like the shape of a long leg with a boot on!
We learned about some foods that Italy is famous for - pasta, ice cream and PIZZA!
We learned about the first ever pizza made in the Italian city of Naples 144 years ago. A chef made it for Queen Margherita and added 3 toppings- red tomato passata, white mozzarella cheese and green basil leaves which represent the 3 colours of the Italian flag! This is why it is called a Margherita pizza today! We found the city of Naples on the Google Earth Map too. 

The children then enjoyed making and eating their own Italian Pizzas! 

Reception - EY Picture News - Learning for children in Afghanistan...

This week's news story is about a new BBC television programme called Dars. It has been started to help children learn from home in Afghanistan.

We discussed: have you heard of the country Afghanistan before? What do you know about this country?

A group called the Taliban took charge of Afghanistan in 2021 and since then, most girls older than 11 have been banned from going to school.

We discuss: What does banned mean? Do you think it’s fair that boys can go to school but girls cannot? What do you think the girls will do all day? How would you feel, if you were told you were not allowed to go to school anymore?

The new television programme has been specially made for children wanting to learn in Afghanistan and is called Dars, which means ‘lesson’ in the main languages spoken in Afghanistan.

We discussed: There are many languages in the world? Can you say any words in a different language? Is there a language that you would like to learn? Do you think this new television programme to help Afghan children learn is a good idea? How do you think we could help?

We looked at the map to see where Afghanistan was.

We then looked at some ways that we can learn. (See attached photo)

We discussed: How do you think you learn best? Which way do you enjoy the most? Why? If you enjoy exploring, where do you like to explore and play? Outside/inside, in a garden, a wooded area, in the classroom, in a sandpit/water tray? Do we all enjoy learning in the same way? Why?

Reception - EY Picture News - The Earthquakes in Turkey and Syria

The children in Reception learned all about the earthquakes that have happened in Turkey and how the have impacted on people's lives. 

They learned how now many children and their families are having to live in tents and make shift shelters because their homes have been destroyed. They also found out about ways to construct buildings so they are stronger for if they are built in a place that is prone to earthquakes and they tried some construction skills out with lego and duplo blocks. The children alos learned how the children in Turkey are having to use a lot of natural materials to help them with their learning as most of their schools and resourecs have been destroyed. 

Year 6- Water Workshop- Climate Change

Local Walk - Physical and Human Features

As part of the Year 2 geography topic 'Where we Live', the children in Year 2 went on a local walk around Whitehaven. They looked at physical and human features in their local environment.

YEAR 5 - RAINFORESTS

As part of our Year 5 topic, Rainforests, we have been learning where in the world they can be located, labelling both the continents and countries where they can be found, discussing the different layers of a rainforest - and what animals can be found in each layer. As well, we have been learning about the meaning of 'climate' and produced climate graphs using data of the Amazon Rainforest and compared them to the climate of a British forest. 

Year 5 have visited Stocks Wood Outdoor Centre - the children explored the woodland looking at the different layers of the British forests in comparsion to the Amazon Rainforest, which is our current topic.