Hello, and welcome to Discovery Class!

 

Discovery class is one of our Resource Base classes.  Their teacher is non-other than the fabulous Mr Mace.   The awesome children in Discovery class are also supported by

the amazing Ms Massheder, the incredible Ms Crayden, the fantabulous Ms Johns and the awesome Ms Julia.

The Discovery Team have had a very successful start to this academic year.  There have been hundreds of Green Cards, the attendance has been excellent, the children have shown a real love of learning and have demonstrated that they hold the Athelney Values close to their hearts.

 

On this page you will find info and photos to show what we've been up to, find out about what we are learning about at the moment and what's coming up.  You can also find useful information about our timetables etc.  In addition to this, there are some great learning suggestions and links to useful websites so that your child can continue their learning journey at home.

 

As well as being serious about learning, Discovery Class also has lots of fun!  Have a look at the photos below to see some of the great stuff that we've been up to:

 

 

 

 

     

 

   

Our Topic:

 

This term our topic is... 'It's a wonderful world!'.  This broad topic allows us to develop the children's sense of curiosity and wonder in the world around them.  The world is an awe-inspiring place; we want to foster a sense of awe in the children to help them to appreciate some of the finer aspects of this incredible planet that we all live on!

In pursuit of this wonder, the children will look at lots of incredible stills and images, find out many jaw-dropping facts, create projects about a chosen country in the world, write poems, do experiments (the magic of magnets in Spring 1 & light and shadows in Spring 2) and go on trips that will inspire!  They will, of course, also learn 'It's a Wonderful World' by Louis Armstrong. 

 

Science:

 

In Science we are currently investigating the magic of magnets.  The children have shared what they would like to find out and lessons have been planned around their questions so that they will be able to find out what they really want to know.  So far they have begun to develop their technical vocabulary and now know what words like 'attract', 'repel', 'pole', and 'non-contact force' mean.  They have also planned and investigation to find out whether 'bigger magnets are stronger than smaller magnets' and to find out 'how far different magnets can pull'.  We've got lots more investigations to do and questions to answer, including (one of my favourites) 'What was the first ever fridge magnet?'!

 

After half term we will be studying the awe-inspiring subject of light and I can already anticipate some of the great questions your children will ask, such as:

What is light?

What is it made of?

Where does it come from?

Why can't you touch a shadow?

 

I will update the above list when I know what they want to find out so that you can help them to find answers to their questions and continue their quest for knowledge at home!

 

Class Book:

 

To tie in with our study of magnets in Science, our class book is 'The Iron Man' by Ted Hughes.  It's a wonderful awe-inspiring story about an Iron Giant that appears in the world of a boy called Hogarth who is 'taller than a tower' and with a 'head as big as a bedroom'... BIIIIG!

After half term, the class book will be a wonderful non-fiction picture book called 'one night, far from here' by Julia Wauters that looks at the incredible animals in our world and the habitats that they live in.  We will finish the term by finding out different ways in which we can protect our planet and read '10 things I can do to help my world' by Melanie Walsh. 

 

Trips:

 

Discovery class have their own allotment so we make sure that we visit this every couple of weeks.  Even though it is Winter, there are lots of jobs that we can be getting on with; preparing the soil for planting, creating labels for the plants we intend to sow, learning about how plants grow and so(w) on!

 

We are also planning trips to inspire awe and wonder in the world around them, such as a woodland walk when the bluebells arrive in spring, trips to see some amazing buildings, a trip to the Cutty Sark and lots more - if you have any good suggestions please let us know!!

 

Useful information

 

PE: Our PE day is Friday.  Discovery class enjoy a session with an expert; the one and only Mr Plummer.  They are currently learning about Hockey.

 

Swimming:  Discovery class do Swimming with Mr Owen (Athelney's specialist coach) every Wednesday.

 

Homework:  This is given out every Friday and is expected in by the following Wednesday.

 

Reading:  Discovery Class visit the Athelney Library every Wednesday.  They should be reading at home every night and, if possible, they should jot something down in their Reading Record.

 

Contact Book:  Make sure that you check your child's contact book to find out how their day in school was and what they have been learning about.  Also use this as a way of contacting your children's teachers - it's really important that you keep us up to date with how they are at home, what they have been up so we can bring it up in class and any changes that may affect how they are in school.

 

Parents:

 

Do you have a skill that you think Discovery Class would enjoy?  It could be painting / knitting / yoga / origami / cooking - if so, let us know; we always welcome parents into the classroom and it would be great to develop this this year. 

 

Learning Links:

 

www.mathletics.co.uk     Your children have their username and password written in contact book.

 

https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk/login?c=0     Your children have their username and password written in their contact book

 

www.phonicsplay.co.uk   Children work through phases to improve their spellings

 

 

Do you have any ideas for this page? Why not let your Teacher know!

 

Have you seen the Kids’ Zone? Play games and visit some cool websites. You can vote for your favourites.