Middle Department News

This week in Year 3

History

Mr Hinton led Year 3 on a fascinating journey through London this week in History. We started in Roman Times, discovering how and why the Romans chose to settle there; we then moved through key dates in London’s history, including The Great Fire of London, which obviously the children knew lots about from their studies in Year 2, up until the 2012 Olympics.  The children had great fun creating timelines.

Art

Year 3 have been looking at the works of Japanese artist, Hokusai, known for his woodblock printing, and pictures of Mt Fuji,

The have now come to the end of their projects, and the results really are fantastic – look how Idris has so creatively chopped up and re-stuck one of his paintings, to make a really interesting page in his book !  Well done!

Mrs Kelway-Bamber

Forest School

Today it was 3M’s turn for Forest School and what a wonderful morning they had!

Netball

On Thursday, Year 3 girls took part in a netball triangular against teams from Edge Grove and Heath Mount.

The girls rotated around six different teams, and this week, in recognition of International Women’s Day, the teams were named after inspiring women:

• The Earharts (Amelia Earhart – female pilot)
• The Pankhursts(Emmeline Pankhurst – helped get women the vote)
• The Wrens(women code breakers)
• The Williams(Venus and Serena Williams – tennis players)
• The Austens (Jane Austen – author)
• The Curies (Marie Curie – scientist)

This week in Year 4

Things got a little bit mucky in Science this week, as we came to the end of our Human Body topic, when we delved deep into the digestive system. Using a pair of tights, a paper cup, a foil tray, orange juice, water, a banana, a cracker and a food bag, the process of digestion was well and truly explained!

Alongside chatting about Aylmerton, the children have been continuing to work on their poetry skills. Inspired by the poems of James Carter, the children have been using some examples of James’ poetry to help create some of their own poems based upon the title, ‘The Moon is not …’ Here is just a little taster of a few of the lines we have had the pleasure of reading this week. 

The moon is not … 

a dazzling silver disco ball spinning and sparkling in the dark sky. 

a mammoth grey raindrop illuminating the darkening sky. 

a huge bowling ball patiently waiting to be rolled. 

a blunt freezing stone which fell from an ancient mountain 

a grey football kicked by an angry giant 

Forest School 

It was 4L’s turn in Forest School this week – have a look below at what they got up to! Next Friday, 4K will be having their final session of this term.

Aylmerton Update

If your child has any medication that will need to administer on the trip, please can we ask you to bring it into School next week. It must be clearly named and have details of the required dosage and any necessary instructions.

Also, if your child is intending to bring in any pocket money, but has not yet brought it to school, please could we ask you to send it in next week in a named and sealed envelope. 

If you need a copy of the kit list or final details, then a copy of the letter that was sent last week is available in your child’s Google Classroom

New and exciting Summer Term Club for Year 4 – Toot Flute Club

Mrs Childs, Beechwood’s Flute Teacher, is hoping to start a Year 4 “Toot-Flute Club” in the Summer Term.  This will be open to anyone in Year 4 who thinks that they would like to explore the flute in a relaxed and fun environment.  If you are interested, please contact Mrs Childs in the Music Department,

The “Toot” represents a bridge between the recorder and the flute; if your child has enjoyed playing the recorder, and is keen and ready to progress, this could be the perfect option!

For more information about this, please click here

Mrs Childs

This Week in Year 5

This week has certainly tested the perseverance and resilience of the Year 5 pupils as several of them have battled illness and seasonal bugs. A big well done to all of the pupils for drawing on their reserves of energy and enthusiasm in the classrooms, studios and on the pitches.

We would also like to say a very big WELL DONE to our wonderful Year 5 musicians, both to those who performed in the Music Competition ‘heats’ and to the pupils who performed so beautifully in the concert last Friday evening. The standard of poise and performance was stunning and an extra special mention to Jasmine for winning the Middle Department Cup with her wonderfully spirited Angry Tango!

In History, our attention has turned to the defensive features of castles, to siege warfare and medieval battle tactics and this has most definitely whetted our appetites for our Warwick Castle trip in two weeks’ time.

In a much more peaceful vein, the focus this week in TPR has been on the Torah scroll and, in particular, the special Shema prayer which is such an important part of Jewish worship. The pupils aged their own ‘parchment’ and either traced or wrote out the opening lines of the prayer in Hebrew, many choosing to write from right to left for a more authentic experience. With calming music playing in the background, this really was a special and contemplative activity. Mrs Savage managed to take some lovely photos of 5CB beginning the task; thank you, Mrs Savage!

Wishing you all a restful weekend.

The Year 5 Form Teachers

From the Middle Department Library

This has to be the most anticipated book for Beechwood Year 5 pupils this year!

Immortalised in multiple World Book Day costumes last week and passionately delivered by Madame Bliss to her Form, the Adventures on Trains series is a must for all Middle Department pupils; either as a family read or independent for confident readers.

Sabotage on the Solar Express is the fifth in the series, and arguably the best so far. Readers are quickly drawn in as hero Hal continues this train-based exploits, solving mysteries and travelling the world.

We’re already excited about the sixth book set in the Arctic circle and it’s only in its research stages!

House Matches

Please note the following dates for Lent Term House Matches