Beech Tree Class Blog 2023-2024
Beech Tree Blog
Weekly Update-13/2/25
Mr Kyriacou (n.kyriacou) on: Beech Tree Blog
Hello everyone,
This week, in writing, we have completed our alternative resolution and endings to a non-fiction volcano survival story. The children then edited their work and shared their own versions for the class to listen to. It was lovely to hear the fantastic work that the children had produced and how encouraging they were towards each other. Finally, we went back to the original story and read the actual resolution and ending of the story and compared it to what the children had produced. Some children liked their own versions more, some liked the real events more and some liked the idea of combining parts of their own resolution and ending with the some of the actual events that occurred during the resolution and ending part of the story. The children really enjoyed this piece of writing.
In our reading, we have been looking at a volcano themed poem by Justin Coe which was based around the eruption of Mt Vesuvius in 79AD. The children really enjoyed reading it, identifying different features and completing retrieval and inference tasks based on it.
In computing, as part of our final lesson on sequencing sounds, the children were tasked with animating three sprites with different types of movement, making the sprites produce notes to play the beginning of a song, to allow the sprites to change costume with each note that is played and for the background to switch after each note is played. The children used all their knowledge that they have gained throughout this unit of work and produced some lovely final pieces. Below are some video examples.
Take care,
Mr Kyriacou
Weekly Update-7/2/25
Mr Kyriacou (n.kyriacou) on: Beech Tree Blog
Hello everyone,
This week, we have continued reading Kidnap in the Caribbean and focusing on reading tasks revolving around retrieval and inference skills, commentating and sharing opinions about different author choices made throughout the book and summarising skills.
In maths, we have been focusing on dividing 3 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers using short division, we have also focused dividing 3 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers with remainders. The children have also been practising to use the inverse (short multiplication) to check their division calculations. It's been amazing to see the progress!
In our writing we have focused on a variety of features that will be included in our next piece of writing. These include inverted commas for speech, expanded noun phrases and fronted adverbials. The children have also planned their resolutions and endings to the real-life story about three men trapped in the crater of Kilauea.
In PSHE, we had a Mind Mate assembly on resilience, along with a one-hour workshop. The children really enjoyed it and understood the value of having and showing resilience in everyday life. In our other PSHE lesson based on our Keeping Myself Safe unit, the children were learning all about the dangers of alcohol and cigarettes and the impact that they can have on your body.
In computing, as part of our Sequencing Sounds unit, the children used coding on Scratch to write the beginning of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The children were also able to demonstrate good problem solving throughout the lesson in order to make their note sequence work correctly. The children also experimented with changing the pitch of the sound which also relates to work that we have been doing in science.
Take care,
Mr Kyriacou :)
Weekly Update 31/1/25
Mr Kyriacou (n.kyriacou) on: Beech Tree Blog
Hello everyone,
This week, we have started working on our next piece of writing. This is again based on a non-fiction text and is about three men who end up trapped in a volcano crater. This is all the children have read up to in the story and their task for their next piece of writing will be to write their own solution and ending to this story. Together, the children have mind mapped possible solutions that are realistic and fit in with what they know about the story so far. We have also focused on work involving apostrophes for singular and plural possession as well as using inverted commas for speech.
In our maths, we have moved onto short division using the bus stop method. This week, we have focused on dividing two digit numbers by 1 digit numbers. The2 children have shown amazing progress with using the bus stop method and have also been using the inverse operation (short multiplication) to check their answers.
In science, the children conducted an experiment revolving around whether the volume of sound is affected by the distance someone is from the sound source. The children really enjoyed it and with three groups conducting the experiment, we were able to determine that all 3 sets of results were accurate.
Take care,
Mr Kyriacou :)