Kersey Church of England Primary School
Achieving Potential Together
Hedgehogs
Class Newsletter - Autumn 2016
11.7.16 - We had another great day in the forest! Today we went on an scavenger hunt, then sorted the objects using Venn and Carroll diagrams. After that we made 3D shapes using sticks.
6.7.16 - Kagera Day - We were very lucky to have some visitors in to help use think about children and families from Tanzania in Africa. We learned about the animals that live there, we learned to speak some Swahili and we tried different African fruits.
4.7.16 - Forest Schools Day 1 - Wow! What am amazing day we had! We started off exploring the wood and collecting different things for our forest crowns. We then made people, skeletons and mud faces!
23.6.16 - Sports Week Day 4 - What an amazing trip to Play World in Stowmarke!. We all enjoyed going on the go-karts, playing football and climbing and sliding in the soft play area!
This half term in Science we are learning about our bodies. We started off by learning about some of the organs and bones and why they are important. Now we are learning about the importance of looking after our bodies - washing our hands properly to prevent the spread of germs and why we should eat a balanced diet!
22.6.16 - Sports Week Day 3 - Wow what an amazing sports day!
20.6.16 - Sports Week Day 1 - Today we had the opportunity to try lots of different circus skills. Activities included plate spinning, juggling, stilt walking, diablo spinning and feather balancing. It was great fun!
10.6.16 - We had a great day celebrating the Queen's 90th Birthday! We made cheese and cucumber sandwiches, built our own castles from the construction materials and made crowns and Union Jack flags. We also designed our own royal carriages and soldiers. We hoped you enjoyed our performance during the tea party in the afternoon!
8.6.16 - We have been learning how to do a Maypole dance!
We all enjoyed our trip Piper's Vale. We have some very talented gymnasts in our class!
13.5.16 - We investigated which objects float and sink in fresh and salt water. We were surprised to find out that the tomato, carrot and many of the other objects sunk in fresh water but floated in the salt water. I wonder if anybody can find out why?
11th May 2016 - We have had a fantastic trip to Hollow Trees Farm. We spent the morning learning about bees, planting our own flowers for the bees and learning a bees dance. We then had a tractor ride into the farmers fields and learned about the different crops, before returning to the farm and visiting the animals. We finished our day off with some well earned free time in the woodland play area.
We have been building our own Lego bird and programming it to move in different ways.
We are continuing to practise telling the time on a digital and analogue clock; and making different amounts using coins.
Below are some games which will support learning at:
Money games:
Making amounts - http://www.ictgames.com/payForIt/index.html
Giving change - http://www.ictgames.com/change_eXchanger_Pounds.html
Time games:
15 minute intervals - http://resources.oswego.org/games/stoptheclock/sthec2.html
5 minute intervals - http://resources.oswego.org/games/stoptheclock/sthec3.html
http://resources.oswego.org/games/BangOnTime/clockwordres.html
It is the Queen's 90th Birthday on Thursday! We all wrote letters to the Queen to wish her a happy birthday. I wonder whether we will get a reply!
We enjoyed our first djembe drumming session. We can't wait to show you what we have learnt at our upcoming music concert!
We have been busy learning about plants and how they grow. We planted sun flowers; made our own clay pots and planted cress in them; and painted our own tins and planted bulbs inside. We can't wait to see them grow!
Sport Relief. Today we have been thinking about a family from Bangladesh. We learned that their house was only 244cm by 305cm. We drew houses the size of theirs on the playground and thought about what they might look like.
Jack and the Beanstalk stop animation
In our computing lessons we have been learning about stop animation. We made a stop animation to retell the story of Jack and the Beanstalk. We had to use the characters and move them slowly, taking a picture each time. We then put them together in Windows Movie Maker and added the sound.
We all enjoyed our Yoga session at the village hall today!
Thank you to everybody that came to our science discovery cafe. We hoped you enjoyed learning about plants and growing with us.
We have started learning how to play the recorder. Today we learnt how to blow into the recorder and tried hard to keep our hands in the right places.
recorders.wmv
We have some fantastic authors in Hedgehogs. Well done to everybody who submitted their story to the BBC 500 words competition. A few of the entries are below, so please have a read of their amazing work!
Wow, what a busy start to the half term! Our new topic is growing. We are currently learning about Spring and the weather in Spring time. We have been measuring the temperature, rainfall and wind direction each day and seeing how it changes.
In maths we have been learning about units of measurement. We learnt that weight is measured in grams and kilograms. We had to use the scales to weigh out the correct ingredients for our flapjacks.
Thank you to everybody that came to our class assembly. We hope you all enjoyed finding out about what we have been learning.
We made up our own dance to tell the story of "The Magic Toybox". Don't they look fantastic! (The other groups videos will be uploaded soon)
toybox dance 2.wmv
We had a great day with Premier Sports! We found out how fit we are, learnt about healthy eating and played lots of games to keep us active!
This week we have been learning learning the names of 3D shapes, talking about their properties and sorting them in different ways. We even had a go at making some 3D shapes. Can you guess what shapes they are?
The toys in Hedgehogs have been up to mischief again, but luckily we caught them on video! We are writing our own stories based on what has happened - I can't wait to read them!
We had a surprise when we came to school this morning. All of the toys had come alive and been up to mischief! We think the naughty teddy used the magic wand to cast a spell!
The year 1 children have now covered all the phase 2,3,4 and 5 phonemes. Please continue to practise these daily with your children at home so that they become confident using them in their reading and writing. It is important that the children are able to recognise each of the diagraphs and triagraphs so that they do not sound out each letter individually.
Here are some games that you may wish to play to support their learning:
http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/freeIndex.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/phonics/play/
http://www.ictgames.com/literacy.html
http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/phase-4-games.html
We all thoroughly enjoyed our trip to see the pantomime "The Sword and the Stone".
In our computing lessons we have been learning about algorithms. We have been learning to code and how to debug codes that do not work.
Below is the link to the Lightbot coding game. Many of the children were keen to play this again at home!
http://lightbot.com/hour-of-code-2015.html
Spring Newsletter 2016
I would like to say a massive well done to all of Hedgehogs and Squirrels for their fantastic nativity performance of A Miracle In Town. They all worked incredibly hard learning their lines, practicing the songs and learning how to move around the stage. Well done everybody!
Look who came to visit us this morning!
We enjoyed putting on our antlers and red noses and taking part in the Reindeer Run for St Elizabeth Hospice.
Christmas dinner
Our nativity rehearsals are going well and we are all very excited to perform it to you on Wednesday 16th December.
Please could all children have their costumes in school by Monday 7th December, so that we can have a dress rehearsal. Please see you child's diary for more information.
Many thanks,
Miss H.Fenn
A big thank you to everybody that joined us at our "Discovery Café". We focused our learning around the story The Tunnel by Anthony Browne. 
We had lots of different activities around the classroom to help us think about the book including a board game, a sorting activity, character descriptions and a tunnel to help us think about what it might have been like for Rose and Jack.
Thank you again for joining us and we look forward to welcoming you to another café soon.
In Science we have been learning about different materials. We were set the challenge of finding out which material would be strongest for the three little pigs houses. We had to think carefully about the equipment that we would need, how to record our results and how to keep it a fair test!
We went on a walk around Kersey to look at all of the different houses. We learnt about the materials that they are made of and how houses have changed over time. We were set the challenge of finding the house with the oldest date!
In gymnatics we have been learning to move in different ways - over, under and through the apparatus. We have even learnt how to do a forwards roll on the bench! We can't wait to try out what we have been practising at Pipers Vale next week!
Our new topic for this half term is houses and homes. The children have been set the challenge of finding out their address and bringing in a photo/ drawing a picture of their home to add to our map in class.
We have been learning about the place value of 2-digit numbers. We made the numbers in different ways to help us.
We have been making our own African sock puppet animals!
We have been learning about a village in Keyna. We thought about how the houses were different to ours, and then had a go at making our own clay and straw huts.
The year 1's have been thinking about numbers to 20 and beyond. We have been learning that teen numbers are made up of some tens and some ones and created our own numicon number line.
We are very lucky to have Claire Henry and members of the City of London Sinfonia - Lullaby Concerts orchestra visiting our school over the next 3 weeks. The Sinfonia are focusing on Key Stage 1 and during their visits, the children will have the opportunity to experience orchestral music, orchestral instruments and possibly handle some too.
In gymnastics we have been practising our jumping, rolling and learning different ways to move.
We have been busy learning about Africa and the animals that live there. Look at our amazing African art that we have created.
In Hedgehogs class some of the children have been working hard to learn their number bonds to 10.
This game will support their learning at home.
Class Newsletter Autumn 2015
Forest schools day 2 - Our activities today included hide and seek, leaf headbands, making our own stick men and building dens. We had a fantastic time!
We had a fantastic trip to Daws Hall! We looked at lots of different mini-beast habitats including the woodland, meadow and pond.
Forest Schools Day 1 - Today we have been busy searching for minibeasts; exploring the forest; and making our own hungry caterpillars and butterflies.
Wow - We Certainly have been busy these last few weeks! Today we tried some Judo. Take a look at the photos and video below.
Judo
Great job year 2's - look at the fantastic sports people we have!
It was finally time to release our butterflies today. We have all enjoyed learning about their life cycle and seeing them grow and change from caterpillars.
Sports week Day 4 - We had lots of fun trying different dance activities. Here are some photos of us giving baton twirling a go!
SPORTS DAY 2015! A massive well done to all of Hedgehogs class. You all tried your very best!
Sports week - Day 2. Some of the Dads from Wattisham set up an army assualt course for us. It was great fun, but very tiring!
Sports week - day 1. We have some amazing climbers in Hedgehog class! I am proud of all of the children for giving it their best attempt. All of them tried their hardest and many even managed to reach the top, which was 9 metres off the ground!
Look at our caterpillars!
Mrs Brockless brought in some newts from her pond to show us. We learnt lots on interesting facts and even had the chance to hold them!
In ICT we have been programming our own beebots.
We have been planting some different vegetables in the garden.
Newsletter Summer 2015
This week we have been writing our own poems based on the Sound Collector. We had to think carefully about our use of description including similies, adjectives and adding in clauses. Today we performed our peoms to the rest of the class.
We had a fantanstic trip to Framlingham castle!
Thank you to everybody that came to our class assembly. We enjoyed showing you want we have been learning this half term!
WORLD BOOK DAY 2015 - Somebody came in our classroom and left some big footprints. The person left us a note and we followed a trail to find out who it was.
After Half Term our topic will be castles. If anybody has any kitchen roll tubes or cardboard boxes suitable for making castles then we would be very grateful (shoebox size or slightly bigger would be ideal).
I hope you all have a lovely half term break.
Below are some good websites if you wish to practise your phonics over the holidays.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/literacy/phonics/play/
http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/freeIndex.htm
http://www.ictgames.com/dinosaurEggs_phonics/
http://www.ictgames.com/hybrid.html
http://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/5-7-years/letters-and-sounds
The Kersey Primary School pancake race!
We had another challenge in Science this week. Teddy needed a new umbrella but didn't know which material to use. We thought carefully about how we could carry out a fair test.
Our class assembly will be held on Thursday 12th March at 9:00 in the church. We look forward to showing you everything that we have been learning about!
Humpty Dumpty keeps falling off the wall and breaking his shell! We investigated different materials and thought about which one would be the best outfit to protect him. We made sure that our investigation was a fair test - I wonder if the children can tell you how?
Wow, Hedgehogs are certainly very good gymnasts. We explored partner balances in PE today and the children all showed fantanstic control, posture and strength throughout the lesson!
Sping Newsletter
Look who came to our Christmas party!
Look at our fantastic Great Fire of London stop animation. We had to take lots of photos to tell the story and then recorded our voices to make the characters talk.
We have been sewing. Don't they look great!
Look at our amazing Great Fire of London artwork!
This week in maths we will be learning about pictograms, bar charts and tally charts. The following game is useful in supporting your child's learning at home.
Remember to have a look at the new online maths resource that each of the children have access to at home!
https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk/login?c=0
I will regularly set the children new challenges related to what we have been learning about in class.
If you have any problems with your log in detail please let me know.
Our new topic for this half term will be Fire. In particular we will be focusing on the Great Fire of London. More information about what we will be covering can be found on the parents, curriculum link on the school homepage.
This half term in PE we have been developing our throwing, catching and kicking skills.
Our class assembly is next Tuesday morning (21st October) at 9.15 in the church. The children are looking forward to sharing everything they have been learning about with you.
Our trip to Tescos! We made our own pizza, looked around the bakery, played a game in the fruit and vegetables area and looked at the cheese and fish counters.
Apple felting - group 2
Our focus for this week in maths is addition. This website may be useful to support learning at home.
http://v7.k12.com/sample_lessons/activities/images/swfs/building_expressions_final.swf
We have been learning to tell the time on analogue and digital clocks.
This website has some great games on to support the children's learning at home. Bang on time and stop the clock are particularly good.
http://www.maths-games.org/time-games.html
To help us think more about fruit around the world we have been reading Handa's surpise. We looked at the different fruits in the story and where they came from. We then had great fun feeling, smelling and tasting them!
Mrs Hill came in to help us with our art. Some of us have started making different fruits by rolling up wool. They look fantastic.
Our class assembly will be on Tuesday 21st October at 9.10.
This half term we have been thinking about how to stay safe online. We have watched the CEOP animal magic e-safety cartoon http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TuSsj78hwmc and have made our own masks. We are going to use these to role play different online situations to help us stay safe.
Today the year 1's have been practising their number bonds to 10 by throwing beanbags into hoops. The children then used the chalk to write down their number sentences.
This website has some fantastic games to help children with their recall of important number facts including number bonds and doubles.
http://www.mathplayground.com/addition_subtraction_games.html
All the Hedgehogs have settled back into school really well and we have had a great couple of days. I am looking forward to all the other exciting things we have planned over the coming weeks.
Forest schools day 3! Today we started off by leaf rubbing and then we made our own dens!
Class News 16.6.14
It is coming to the end of a busy school year for Hedgehogs. All the children have worked hard and made good progress.
Over the past few weeks we have enjoyed taking part in forest schools and learning about ourselves. In maths we have been using what we have learnt this year to solve problems - it has taken a lot of perseverance! In literacy we have been writing our own interesting story starters. We have also been developing our dictionary skills and making sure we know our alphabet!
We have more exciting activities planned for the last few days of term; with the year 6 leavers service taking place on Monday.
I wish all of you a happy and safe summer holidays!
H.Fenn
Another fantastic forest schools morning! Today we went on an alphabet scavenger hunt, made our own life sized butterflies and then made our own blackbird nests.
Wow - what a fantastic time we had at our first forest schools morning. Today we were thinking about the different colours and textures we could find in the woods. We went on a colour hunt; made and painted with our own mud paints; and made our own amazing forest weavings. Have a look at these outside our classroom - they look fantastic!
Sports Week - Athletics
We have had great fun trying lots of different sports this week!
Hedgehogs class assembly will be on
Wednesday 18th June at 9.15 in the church.
The children will be sending out their
invites after half term.
Our new topic for after half term will be "Ourselves". This topic will give the children the opportunity to think about how we grow and change, parts of the human body, our senses and timelines of our own life.
We have been making our own clay pots!
Summer Term Class Newsletter
THANK YOU TO EVERYBODY THAT CAME TO OUR CLASS ASSEMBLY!
Wow look at all our amazing costumes for World Book Day!
Our pancake races were lots of fun and we really enjoyed eating some afterwards too! Thank you Mrs Craske for helping make the pancakes and to Morrisons for providing the ingredients.
Our class assembly will be on Tuesday 11th March - the children will be sending out their invites soon.
We had great fun on our school trip to Christchuch mansion!
In Science this week we were thinking about floating and sinking. We thought that heavy things sink and light things float - but then why do ships float? We tested out different materials and shapes to find out - we even made our own boats and tested which groups boat was best!
Have a look at these questions - they will really help your child progress in their reading!
My Movie3.wmv
THE MAGIC TOYBOX
In PE the children have worked very hard. We have made up our own dance based on the story a Magic Toybox....why don't you ask the children to tell you the story!
My Movie.wmv
In Science we have been learning about forces. We thought about the push and pull forces that make toys move. We then began to think about why we go down the slide and why a ball falls onto the floor if we drop it. We carried out our own experiment to find out more!
We have been learning about alliteration in poems. We thought about what might be in a toy box and wrote our own poem as a class. We practiced saying this with actions.
Hedgehogs Toy box poem
One old octopus opening oranges,
two tigers tails twisting,
three tickling teddies talking to ted,
four flapping falcons fishing for fish,
five fantastic fish finding friends,
six snapping sharks slurping seals,
seven sailing sailors singing,
eight enormous elephants eating eggs,
nine nibbling naughty ninjas,
ten talking tigers.
Hedgehogs Spring Newsletter 2014
Over the past 6 weeks the children in Hedgehogs class have been working hard on their gymnastics skills. We have been practicing every thing from balancing, to rolls, jumping and even using the spring board! They have all worked really hard and I am very proud of the improvement they have all made!!
The children are all working really hard and the nativity is beginning to come together now! Please can all children bring their costumes in (in a named bag) by the end of next week. This will give us plenty of time for dress rehearsals.
Many thanks
Miss H. Fenn
In maths we have been very busy learning about 2D and 3D shapes and sorting them into Venn and Carroll diagrams. I wonder who can remember what a right angle or a quadrilateral is? Or who can remember which part of a 3D shape the faces, vertices and edges are!
After half term our new topic will be houses and homes.
Hedgehog's class would be very grateful of shoeboxes if anybody has any they know longer need.
We spent last week reading different traditional tales. Look at some of our stories based on the Gingerbread man!
Look at our amazing sock puppets that we made! Over the past few weeks we have been designing them, dying them the correct colours and adding on the features!
We had great fun on Friday afternoon looking at all the different puppets and having a go ourselves! We are going to use some of the traditional tales told in this session to help with our own story writing next week!
We had great fun at Colchester Zoo...although we did get very wet! We spent the day doing lots of exciting things - going on the train, feeding the elephants, going into the lemur enclosure and looking at all the animals. Here are some photos from our day:
We worked in groups to research information and used this to make our own African animal posters!
Safari animal art
