Temple Newsam Home Farm Visit
We had a wonderful day out at Temple Newsam Farm today! We were lucky enough to see lots of amazing animals — including some adorable piglets that had been born just this morning.
The children were fantastic! They showed great respect for the animals and asked some thoughtful, curious questions.
During our workshop, we learned all about different materials and even had a go at building our own structures using wood. It was a fun, hands-on way to explore how things are made!
Topic – Design and Technology
We’ve been experimenting with different 3D shapes to find out which one is the strongest.
Through our testing, we discovered that the cylinder was the strongest individual shape—it held an impressive 26 books before collapsing.
Next, we each built a cylinder, then combined our cylinders as a group to test if a team structure could hold more books than a single one.
Together, our group’s structure held over 50 books!
Then we took it a step further and combined all the cylinders from every group to build a superstructure. Amazingly, this superstructure supported more than 80 books.
From our investigation, we learned that a strong, stable structure usually has three important features:
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Low height
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Wide base
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Flat base
We also found that adding more cylinders helped distribute the weight more evenly, allowing the structure to hold significantly more books.
Help at home: Can you remember the three key features to create a stong, stable structure?
Daniel and the Lions’ Den in RE
This week in RE, Year One have been learning about a very brave man called Daniel. We read the story of Daniel and the Lions’ Den and talked about how Christians believe that God sends messages and special people called prophets help to share them.
We thought about Daniel’s message and decided it was:
“Trust in God.”
The children made fantastic lion masks and enjoyed acting out the moment Daniel prayed to God in the lions’ den.
They also shared what their message to others might be if they were a prophet!
Living and Learning – I understand there are different types of families
Today, we explored how all families are unique in their own special ways.
We read The Great Big Book of Families by Mary Hoffman and Ros Asquith. After the story, we talked about an important question: Are all families the same?
We discovered that families can be very different:
Some people live with their grandparents instead of their mums.
Some families have pets.
Families celebrate different holidays and traditions.
Some families speak different languages at home.
Even though our families may look and live differently, we learned that what really matters is how much we care for one another.
We also shared ways we show love and care to our own families:
“I take care of my little sister by pushing her on the swing.”
“I cuddle my cats.”
“I give my sister her milk.”
“I play with my dog at my uncle’s house.”
“I make things for my dad and sister.”
It was a lovely reminder that every family is special and caring for each other is what makes a family strong.
Healthy Fruit Bars in Year 1
Year One had a fantastic time making their own healthy fruit bars!
First we carefully measured out bananas, oats, honey, butter and dried fruit. Next we mixed the ingredients and followed all health and safety rules. The children prepared the equipment like real chefs and learned that fruit bars can be a tasty, healthy snack full of energy and natural sweetness.
Everyone enjoyed baking together and especially tasting their delicious creations! It was a fun way to practise our measuring skills and learn about healthy eating.
Well done, super chefs!
Maths: Finding a half and a quarter
Today, we read Peg and Cat: The Pizza Problem by Jennifer Oxley. (This is a YouTube link. Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog along the play bar and turn off autoplay – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip). We learnt that every whole can be divided into two equal halves.
After the story, we explored wholes, halves and quarters using wraps and discovered how to identify a whole, split it into two halves and even divide it further into four quarters.
Help at Home: Find a piece of food (fruit, bread or a wrap like we used at school). Try cutting it in half and for an extra challenge, cut it into quarters. Can you see how many halves or quarters make one whole?
Use the sentence stems:
- There are two halves in every whole.
- There are four quarters in every whole.
Fruit and Vegetables in Year 1
Today we became fruit and veg detectives! The children explored juicy strawberries and crunchy carrots, using their senses to investigate how they look, feel and taste. There were lots of surprised faces and thoughtful comments as they compared the sweet and earthy flavours.
Austin “The strawberry has seeds on the outside.”
Jolyon “The strawberries grow from the flower.”
George “The carrot is crunchy!”
Gracie “The carrot is the root.”
Alfie “We can eat ALL of a plant!”
Olivia “The carrot is tough and rough”
Spirituality
It wasn’t just about tasting — we also took time to pause and admire the beauty of nature. From the tiny seeds on a strawberry to the bright orange of a carrot, the children were filled with awe and wonder. A deliciously fun and thoughtful afternoon of learning! 🍓🥕
Class novel – Rosie Revere, Engineer
The children have had a great week so far and have enjoyed reading our new class novel Rosie Revere, Engineer by Andrea Beaty. (This is a YouTube link. Top tip for watching YouTube with your child: go to the settings cog along the play bar and turn off autoplay – this avoids an inappropriate clip coming up automatically, and helps to discourage your child from passively watching clip after clip.) It’s all about a young girl who dreams of becoming an engineer and learns that failure is just part of the journey to success.
It ties in perfectly with our Design and Technology topic for this half term, where we’ll be encouraging the children to be creative, try out ideas and not give up when things don’t go to plan.
We’ve also talked about how the book links to our Christian value of courage – believing in yourself, having a go and chasing your dreams, just like Rosie does.
Home Learning – Be an Inventor!
Design and build your own invention using recycling materials—like boxes, tubes or bottle tops. It could be a flying machine, a robot or something to help people!
Bring in a photo or drawing to share. Remember, just like Rosie, it’s all about being creative and having the courage to try!
Living and Learning: 60 active minutes
Today, we learned that children need at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day! This can be spread out between school and home, and we discovered that many of the things we already do each day can count towards this.
Some examples we thought of included:
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Wake Up Shake Up
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Playing at break time
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Walking to school
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Swimming lessons
We also talked about the importance of rest. To help our bodies recover and our minds stay sharp, we should aim for 10 to 12 hours of sleep each night. A good night’s sleep helps us feel refreshed, focused, and ready to enjoy a new day of learning and fun!
We discussed how our body needs both rest and physical activity to stay healthy and strong.
🌙 Why we need rest:
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Rest helps us grow. When we sleep, our bodies repair and grow stronger.
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It gives our brain a break. Sleep helps us think clearly, remember things, and feel happy.
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We get more energy. After resting, we feel ready to play, learn, and do our best.
🏃♂️ Why we need physical activity:
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Exercise keeps our hearts and muscles strong.
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It helps us stay a healthy weight.
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We feel happier and less stressed when we move our bodies.
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Exercise helps us sleep better at night.
So, getting enough rest and being active every day helps us stay healthy inside and out!
Help at home: Could you make a small change to your routine to help fit in your active time?
Here are a few simple ideas:
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Walk to school or the shop instead of taking the car
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Ride your bike or scooter after school instead of watching TV
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Have a dance party, play in the garden, or go for a family walk
Even small changes can make a big difference to your health and happiness!
Deciduous or Evergreen?
Year One have been learning about deciduous and evergreen trees. We explored different types of leaves, looking carefully at their shapes, textures, and colours. The children enjoyed sorting them and spotting similarities and differences. We now know that deciduous trees lose their leaves in autumn, while evergreens stay green all year round.
