Brain Week Two
On Tuesday, Dave from d-side came to talk to the children about how drugs and alcohol can affect the brain.
Children were given the opportunity to try out special glasses that show the children how their eyes ‘see’ and brain ‘thinks’ when they are affected by alcohol. The ‘Beer Goggles’ certainly made the children gain an insight about how drugs including alcohol could affect their brain.
How do drugs affect the brain?
…This was one of the questions Key Stage 2 children have been looking at today as part of their drug education sessions with d:side.
Each class have been focussing on a different drug and its effects on the body:
- Year 3 – tobacco
- Year 4 – alcohol
- Year 5 – solvents
- Year 6 – cannabis
Both pupils and staff have given great feedback on the informative sessions and d:side also commented on our ‘very friendly and well behaved’ children.
If you have any questions please see a member of staff or contact Dave Hill, d:side Programme Manager, on 2225471.
For a comprehensive guide to this subject visit the Talk to Frank website (www.talktofrank.com).
Brain Week One
Year Six have learnt some brilliant facts about the biology of the brain.
- If you tried to count all of your brain cells without resting or sleeping, it would take 3171 years to count every last one of them…Wow!
- The brain smells of cheese… Interesting!
- We are born with 100 billion brain cells…That’s a lot!
Our amazing brains – Brain Box week!
This week is dedicated to developing an awareness of learning and how the brain works.
The importance of exercise, healthy food, sleep, hydration and emotional health, for a healthy brain, will be covered throughout the week alongside a main focus for each day:
Monday
Understanding your brain, brain cells and how to help your brain to learn.
Tuesday
How your brain learns best and learning styles.
Key Stage 2 classes will also have a visit from d:Side. As part of our drug education in school, representatives from d:Side, a drug and health programme, will be looking, in particular, at the effects of various drugs on the brain.
Staff from d:Side will be available after school, in the dining room, for parents / carers to ask any questions about these sessions.
Wednesday
Developing the understanding of multiple intelligences and that everyone has gifts and talents.
Dr Dave Lewis, Senior Lecturer of Neuroscience, from the University of Leeds will be visiting Key Stage 2 classes.
Thursday
Thinking about thinking and problem solving.
Friday
A day to remember – exploring a range of memory strategies.
The whole school Water Aid sponsored walk will take place during Friday.
Please check the website for further information and links to websites throughout the week.
Using iPads to extend learning
Year Six have been enjoying using the new IPads to extend their learning in Literacy and Maths.
This is what they said about using IPads:
“Learning is fun!”
“It helped me build some great sentences with adverbs.”
“Using the iPad helped me explain my Maths.”
Welcome to Year Six
Hello and welcome to Year Six! I hope you all had a relaxing summer and managed to find some good weather amongst the rain.
Things have been busy already in Year Six with lots of learning. I’ve been really pleased with how motivated and responsible the children have been on their return to Moortown, especially now they are the oldest in school.
Our first few weeks will involve some re-capping. For example, checking through the children’s preferred strategies for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division as well as lots of learning in Literacy on how to use punctuation correctly, especially commas. Children already have a guided reading book and a target page to read to for the following week.
For those of you who I don’t know, this will be my third year at Moortown Primary, all of which have been in Year Six. I have taught at several other schools and have been a teacher for more than twenty years. Parents’ evening will be towards the end of October; in the meantime, please feel free to drop in if you have any questions. I look forward to getting to know you all better.
Finally, I’d like to welcome Mehak to our class. She’s been welcomed by all the class and is already proving to be a great member of the Year 6 learning community and is impressing everyone with her excellent Maths and quietly confident attitude to learning.
Fruit tuckshop returns!
Our fruit tuckshop, to be run by the Year 5 class this year, returns next week on a new day – Tuesday.
The tuckshop is open to all Key Stage 2 children during playtime. Reception and Key Stage 1 children receive free fruit at playtime.
Each item costs 20p and the fruit can be a snack for playtime or used to top up their packed lunch box – all contributing to their 5 a day!
As stated in our Food Policy, fruit is the only snack allowed at playtimes for Key Stage 2.
SEAL statement 07 September
This week we begin our new SEAL theme, New Beginnings, and the weekly statement is ‘I can make someone feel welcome.‘
Over this half term, as the children are experiencing new beginnings, each class will be looking at how they can all contribute to establishing a welcoming and safe environment for learning.
A final message from Mrs Hazell
Dear Year 6 and parents,
Wow! What a year!
As the school year draws to a close, it’s always a good time to look back at the many and varied achievements that have taken place…and there have been quite a few!
Where to begin?
I want to say a huge well done to everyone for their attitude to learning. Jatinder’s, Sean’s, Matthew’s, and Valerie’s reading and maths has improved dramatically. Adam, too, has improved due to a huge effort and determination on his part. Bronwen, Kai, Lauren, Robert, Akash, Keighley and Anna have impressed everyone with their determination to extend their learning and push themselves in their Tough Stuff Maths.
I have been pleased with how the class respond to their targets and want to make progress with their learning. Charlotte, Zach, Vikram and Cyd are especially impressive at this, always asking questions about how to improve and thinking hard about how to be the best they can. Great stuff!
This Year 6 have become excellent and creative writers. Omar, Angel and George FP have entertained me no end all year with their quirky and imaginative writing styles. I’m sure there’s a budding author here somewhere!
The class is full of characters who keep everyone positive with their sense of humour and great outlook on life: Aleena, Hasan, Shoaib and particularly Abdul – thanks! You have contributed massively with your laughs and smiles.
I also want to say a huge well done to Rene and Izzy who are very talented artists. You have been great role models to the rest of the children in Art and have helped everyone produce high quality work.
For a successful team you need many different components. Kiran, Amy, Bradley, Aqsa and Ajay: thanks and well done. The way you approach your work with quiet tenacity and give everything such effort is commendable and inspiring to others.
Grease was amazing. I think the singing and dancing was the best I’ve seen from a group of ten and eleven year olds in my whole career [message from Mr Roundtree: “And that’s a very long time indeed!”] and I think we may have uncovered a new star in George C. Keep on rockin’ and a rollin’, George!
You guys are a very special, talented and memorable bunch of children who, as a group and as individuals, have risen to every challenge they have been set in a calm, determined and positive manner. You have been fantastic fun to teach. I have laughed…lots!
Thanks!
Mrs Hazell
Health questionnaire
There will be no further homework this term. However, please support your child to complete the health questionnaire sent home today in order to find out their views on some of our key health issues at school.
Emotional health and obesity are the two targets we are working on in school to further our healthy schools status and the questions, devised last year by the school council, are linked to these areas. These include:
- Are you happy at school?
- What do you enjoy most about playtimes and lunchtimes?
Completed questionnaires to be returned by Monday 16 July.
