Welcome to Juniper Class
Our theme this term is:
Lights, Forces and Magnets
During the Spring Term, Juniper Class will be immersed into their new theme of 'Lights, Forces and Magnets' with magic and the circus being the driver. The children will be discovering lots of new information about how shadows are created, how friction is caused and what materials are attracted to magnets. They will then use this sticky knowledge to perform their own shadow puppet show and magic trick, using puppets and magician cloak's made by the children themselves! To spark engagement in the classroom, mysterious objects or sounds will regularly appear in our 'Curiosity Corner' to help us unveil new, interesting facts. We have already discovered a performers hat, a ticket to the circus and our new class book 'Leon and the Place Between'. What will be next?
Our classroom environment:
To support our theme, we will be reading 'Leon and the Place Between' by Angela Mcallister and Grahame Baker-Smith. This narrative features a boy, Leon, who wants to prove to his brothers and sister that magic really exists. Leon volunteers to be in Abdul Kazam's magic show and gets transported to a mysterious world filled with rabbits, doves, playing cards and magician's assistants - among other things - if a magician can make it disappear, it will end up in the Place Between! When Leon returns, not only do his brothers and sister believe, but we do too. We will be unpicking this text in our reading sessions, where we will complete written tasks using our VIPERS skills.
Later in the term, we will also be reading 'Harley Hitch and the Missing Moon' by Vashti Hardy. This inventive narrative is about when the circus comes to town and Harley's curiosity gets the better of her - and she accidentally breaks a cabinet that makes things magically disappear! Soon after, everyone realizes that the Moon has gone missing. Time is speeding up, wildlife is getting disorientated by the darker nighttime, the wind is getting stronger, and there's no more tide. Is Harley to blame? Can she sort out the mess before it's too late?
Things to remember:
- Juniper Class PE days are Wednesday (indoor) and Thursday (outdoor). The children are welcome to bring some warmer clothes for outdoor PE. We are doing dance, gymnastics, football and tag rugby this term.
- Reading planners need to be in school everyday. Children need to read with an adult at least 3x a week and record this in their reading planners. These will be checked every Thursday. If your child has finished their reading book, they need to tell the class teacher who will allow them to go to the library.
- Children should access Times Table Rock Stars at least 1x a week on the following link: Times Tables Rock Stars: Play (ttrockstars.com)