We are artists!
After many weeks of learning about Kandinsky and Napaltjarri, Year 4 have begun creating their sculptures inspired by them!
First, we cut out the shapes that we had chosen in our designs.
The next step was then to start decorating these shapes using oil pastels and chalk. Some children have chosen warm colours, complementary, cool colours or a mix!
This week will involve using Brusho dye to complete our colour choices and fixing the individual shapes together.
Watch this space for the grand reveal of our final pieces!
Living and learning: mental health
Over the last couple of weeks, Year 4 have been learning about mental health.
During our first session, we talked about feelings. Being able to identify and talk about feelings and emotions is an important part of our mental health. We spent time discussing different feelings and how to manage them. We also talked about how to spot how others are feeling by looking at their body language.
This week, we started to look at self-care. There are lots of different ways that we can practise self care. Some ideas are:
- talking to someone
- reading a book
- having some quiet time
- taking some deep breaths
- hugging our teddies
- doing some exercise
- writing our feelings down
Help at home by talking to your child about what self-care techniques they can do whenever they are feeling ‘big feelings’.
Basketball new year camp
City of Leeds Basketball Club, who run our basketball after-school clubs, are running a new year camp. Details can be found below.
Leeds Schools Sport Association Cross Country
A number of children have recently represented school and competed in the Leeds Schools Sport Association Cross Country races.
The date of the next race is Saturday 02 March 2024 at Woodhouse Grove.
In the meantime, have a look at our physical activity guide to see how to get involved in athletics.
Food Technology: leek and potato soup
On Thursday, Year 4 ventured to the Space to take part in their first food technology lesson this year. We made leek and potato soup – a simple and healthy recipe for the winter months!
The first part of this recipe needed us to chop onions, leeks and potatoes. We talked about how to use a knife safely including keeping the ends of your fingers tucked in and holding the knife and vegetable firmly.
After perfecting our chopping skills, we boiled all the vegetables and potatoes with some stock and then blended it together using a hand blender.
Overall, our soup was a big success! Some children even came back for fourth and fifth servings!
Help at home: by asking your child how they stay safe when chopping using a knife.
Artwork inspired by Kandinsky
This half term, we are artists.
Our two featured artists this half term are Martha Mcdonald Napaltjarri and Wassily Kandinsky.
This week, we looked at Kandinsky’s pieces and discussed his use of colour and shape in his artwork. Then, we practised using pastels to create concentric circles in complementary colours, inspired by Kandinsky.
At the end of the lesson, we placed all our individual artwork together to create one collective piece.
Help at home by asking your child what complementary colours are.
Living and Learning: anti-bullying
Last week was national Anti-Bullying Week!
“Bullying is when you hurt someone, physically or emotionally (including online), several times on purpose.”
We define it by using two STOP acronyms:
- Several Times On Purpose
- Start Telling Other People
One’s a definition of bullying and the other’s a solution.
Our school definition helps us understand the different types of bullying – physical (hurting our body), emotional (hurting our feelings) or cyber bullying (online).
On Anti-Bulling Day, we wore odd socks to show that we are all the same but we are all different.
Year 4 spent time discussing what makes a good friend and how to sort disagreements with our friends in a healthy way.
Help at home: ask your child how they could resolve a disagreement with a friend in a restorative way.
Cross country stars
*UPDATE* Four of our Year 3 runners have qualified for the Leeds School Games cross country final!
On Friday, twenty two Key Stage 2 children took part in the Leeds North East School Games Cross Country festival at Roundhay High School attended by 900 pupils.
We had a great start from our Year 3 runners with 4 children coming in the top 10! After that, we saw some excellent efforts from the rest of the children throughout the afternoon with great support and encouragement from the other pupils.
Well done to all the children who took part and represented the school. We are sure there will be some qualifiers for the next race, the Leeds final. Watch this space!
Thank you to the parents who came along to help and support at this event.
It was a brilliant event. The Team Moortown spirit was very strong.
If you’re child would like to take part in cross country, have a look at our physical activity guide for details of local running clubs and junior Park Runs.
We are artists!
This term in topic, we are artists.
Our two featured artists for this half term are Martha McDonald Napaltjarri and Wassily Kandinsky.
During our first lesson of this topic, we used an atlas to find where both of these artists were born.
Living and Learning: new school charity
Every year, we vote for a new school charity to support and this week is the start of the selection process.
Our new charity will replace our current school charity St Gemma’s Hospice. An amazing £1500 has been raised for this great, local cause.
Whole school homework this week is to consider the following shortlist of charities.
The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund
The main objective of the charity is to enhance the quality of care and support available to babies, young children and adult congenital cardiac patients, who are treated at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, based at Leeds General Infirmary. https://www.chsf.org.uk
Zarach
We receive referrals through our network of schools. We deliver a bed bundle for every child in the household that requires it; this includes a brand-new Bed, Mattress, Duvet, Pillow, Bed Sheets, Pyjamas and Hygiene Kit. We work with local partners to include Food Parcels and, if needed, a school uniform. We can also mediate between families and their support services, as well as making referrals. https://zarach.org/
Leeds Hospitals Charity
To further any charitable purpose or purposes relating to the general or any specific purposes of Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust or the purposes of the National Health Service. https://www.leedshospitalscharity.org.uk
Simon on the Streets
Objectives are to: 1) prevent and relieve hardship and need and distress amongst those who are homeless and rootless by the provision of practical and emotional support, in particular but not exclusively to those who are sleeping rough or who are unwilling or unable to accept existing provision; 2) educate the public concerning the problems of social isolation and homelessness. https://simononthestreets.co.uk/
Trussell Trust
The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks and together we provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK. www.trusselltrust.org
Mind (The National Association for Mental Health)
We provide information and support, campaign to improve policy and attitudes and, in partnership with independent local Minds, develop and provide local services. https://www.mind.org.uk/
The charities will be reviewed in class on Thursday 23 November. Each class will vote for one charity which will be brought to the Junior Leadership Team who will have the final vote on Friday 24 November.