This week’s bible story
Peter’s story (Based on Mark 8.27-38, Mark 14.15-72 and John 13.36-38)
Have you ever told a lie to keep yourself from getting into trouble? You don’t have to answer the question out loud, just to think about it.
Have they ever let a friend down, rather than get into trouble? Again, don’t answer outloud, just remember how it felt if they have.
In the bible, Jesus had 12 disciples – these were special friends of his that helped him. One of his closest friends was a man called Peter. Peter, even though he was Jesus’ friend, was someone who did both of those things. Read Peter’s story (Based on Mark 8.27-38, Mark 14.15-72 and John 13.36-38)
Reflection:
Why do you think Peter behaved as he did. Peter was confused: how could anything so awful happen to God’s Special One?; his fear of arrest; his fear of the palace guards; his courage in following Jesus as far as he had; his loyalty to his friend despite his cowardice.
How do you think Peter felt when he heard the cock crow. Do you think he could ever be friends with Jesus again?
Jesus meet Peter again for the first time after he had risen from the dead. He asked Peter three times if he loved him, once for each time he had denied him (John 21.15-19). Jesus told Peter then that he would have an important part to play in telling the world about him; and he did – but that’s another story!
Prayer:
Dear God,
When we are frightened:
Please help us.
When we don’t know what to do:
Please help us.
When we are tempted to lie:
Please help us.
When we let our friends down:
Please help us.
When we are sorry and want to make amends:
Please help us.
Amen.
Year 1 maths: 3D shapes
This week, Year 1 have been learning about 3D shapes. We have looked at some common 3D shapes such as cylinder, sphere, cuboid, cube, square based pyramid and cone. We have been on a shape hunt around school to find some everyday objects that are 3D shapes.
We played a game of guess the shape in my feely bag. The children had to listen to the description given e.g. “my shape has a curved surface, and it can roll” and find that shape in the bag.
We have also carefully examined each shape and sorted them into hoops using two criteria e.g. shapes which do/do not have a square face. After the children were challenged to choose their own way to sort 3D shapes into two sets, using do/do not.
Help at home by encouraging your child to go on a 3D shape hunt around your house and listen to the 3D shape song.
Reading with prosody
We have started talking about prosody in our reading practice sessions.
Prosody is the rhythmic and intonational aspect of speech that manifests as expressive reading. It comprises timing, phrasing and intonation, and helps to convey meaning and add ‘life’ to reading.
It is basically reading with expression.
We have been reading and talking about Owl Babies and trying to add prosody when reading certain sections. Ask your child to read this page with prosody.
Science – microbes
We have been working scientifically in science this half term and also learning about microbes, linked to preventing illness and cleanliness.
We used pepper in a test today to represent microbes. We filled a dish with water. We put a stick in the water. It got wet! We then dipped the stick in a dish filled with water and pepper . The pepper stuck (like microbes do to our hands when we touch anything). Finally, we dipped our stick in a bowl of washing up liquid and water. When we dipped it in the water again, the pepper moved away like magic! There was a gasp from everyone! This shows us that microbes (that sometimes make us ill) do not like soap and that is why we use it to wash our hands.
This week’s bible story
The Son Who Left Home: Luke 15:11-32
Jesus told many stories that are recorded in the New Testament. His stories were often about everyday events that all the people could relate to, but they had a special purpose – they were told to help people understand more about God. Usually, the stories, or parables as they are called, spoke for themselves, but sometimes they had to be explained. Let me now tell you one of Jesus’ best-known parables.
Read the story of the son who left home.
Reflection:
Jesus told this story to show how much God loves us. Just like the son in the story, we often want our own way and do not think of the consequences. We make foolish mistakes and come to regret them later. Just like the father in the story, though, God never stops loving us and is always ready to forgive us when we admit our wrongdoing.
Prayer:
Dear Lord,
Forgive us, we pray, for the times when we have acted foolishly.
When we have wanted our own way and not listened to good advice;
when we have not considered the thoughts or feelings of others.
May we be prepared to forgive others when they are sorry for hurting or upsetting us, just as you are prepared to forgive us when we admit our wrongdoing.
Amen.
Year 2 maths : multiplication and division
The year 2s have begun to learn about multiplication and division and are loving it! We use real objects and pictures, linking this to calculations. Talk about what each number represents in a calculation.
Help at home by encouraging your child to play on Times Tables Rockstars and watch BBC Supermovers videos.
Living and Learning: health and prevention and Science
Our Science and Living and Learning lessons have been all about microbes, handwashing, health and preventing illness this week.
In Science, we have talked about how microbes can be harmful but also how some can be good for us. We made microbes out of play-dough deciding whether they were virus, fungi and bacteria.
Washing our hands is really important. All the children could all talk about this, with our experiences of Covid-19!
Maths fluency – new app
The children have been using a new app we have on the iPads called White Rose 1 minute maths (it’s free to download).
This is a fantastic app to use alongside Numbots in order to support your child with their maths fluency – knowing number facts instantly.
Topic – computing
We are going to be playing, and making, lots of online and offline games. As this is a computing topic, we’ll be using a range of technology including Bee-Bots and iPads.
Here is a lost of some of the vocabulary that will be taught in the coming weeks.
This week’s bible story
The Unforgiving Servant: Matthew 18: 21-35
Have you ever broken anything? It could be a toy or a plate from the kitchen or even a bone in your body. Some things that are broken cannot be mended, but it is often possible to mend things that we have broken. If we care for our environment, it is a very good idea to try to mend things rather than always throwing them away and then buying new things. For example, what might use to mend the following things if they were broken: a hole in the toe of my socks? a ripped page in a book? a handle that has come off a mug? a puncture in my bike tyre? a cut finger?
What could you do about mending a broken friendship?
When you fall out with one of your friends, you can’t mend that friendship with a needle and thread, or some sellotape, or superglue or a puncture kit or a sticking plaster. Read the story about the Unforgiving Servant.
Jesus explained to his friend Peter that God is like the king in the story: Christians believe God forgives us every time we tell him we are sorry for the wrong things we have done, and he wants us to treat our friends in a similar way – forgiving them each time they say ‘sorry’ to us.
Reflection:
What would you say was the key word in that story? The key word could be ‘forgiveness’.
Have a think about these questions:
‘What does it mean to forgive someone?’ (KS2) or ‘What kind of things do you need to say sorry for? (KS1).
At the end of the Bible story Jesus tells us that, if we have done something wrong, we need to say sorry to God and then he will forgive us. In a similar way, if you have fallen out with a friend, two things often need to happen: if you know you have done something wrong or upset someone, you need to be brave enough to say sorry to that person. The person to whom you have said sorry then needs to forgive you.
So, going back to the questions at the beginning of the assembly:
What might I use to mend a broken friendship? A good answer to this question would be ‘forgiveness’.
Prayer
Dear Lord,
Thank you for today’s Bible story about forgiveness.
Thank you that if we say sorry to you, you give us a fresh start.
Please help us to be forgiving people here in this school.
Amen.