4th Day Week 1

8.50 reading
9.00 - 9.50 maths
9.50 - 10.00 change for dance
10.00 - 11.15 dance
11.15 - 11.30 break
11.30 - 11.45 reading
11.45 - 12.40 literacy or phonics
12.40 - lunch
13.30 - second dance performance

note: South African teachers on exchange will be arriving next week as part of the schools international schools link.

Reading:
Child S forgot to bring in his reading book and as a punishment was made to read the dictionary during the reading session and at break, this will hopefully encourage him to remember to bring it next lesson. Child N completed a reading quiz on the computer and achieved 100 %, he was rewarded with a good choices sticker.

Good choices reward sheets:
Children who make 'good choices' are rewarded by collecting stickers for a chart. Once they have received 40 they will claim a certificate. Reasons why children receive these vary. One child collected stickers for bringing glasses and putting them on without being asked when reading, others will get points for making suitable suggestions in class or working/reading quietly without being told to do so.

Mathematics:
The introduction to this lesson consisted of a review of the previous lesson. B asked questions about the process of segmenting lines with a compass. She repeated how to use a compass properly and accurately and the key points for making a line segment:

the infinity line - a continuous line until it is broken by intersection.
intersection - where one line crosses another.
labeling - capital letters should be used.

We reviewed how to check for accuracy against a ruler when measuring, remembering to start at 0 and how to line up the pencil with the point of the compass.

W.A.L.T - we are learning today WILF - what I'm looking for
use a compass to draw line segments of given lengths. ( see examples)

W.A.L.T
use a compass to draw triangles with sides of given lengths. (see examples)

instructions given:

1. draw an infinity line
2. place the letter A on the infinity line and draw a short line with a ruler where it intersects.
3. open compass
4. measure from 0 to 9cm
5. place point of compass on A
6. create arc on infinity line to make a line segment.
   (never hold the pencil, hold compass from the top and twiddle)
7. where the arc meets the line label this B

B makes deliberate mistakes on the board so that the children can point out what has gone wrong or why it cannot be accurate in this way e.g she placed the compass randomly on the ruler instead of starting at 0.

8. create the arc AC (the first letter of the line e.g A is where you need to place the compass to draw the arc).

9. create BC arc in the same way.
10.label where the arcs intersect as C
11. join AC and CB

The children were then asked to make the triangle below using the working example to help them:
AB = 7
AC = 5
BC = 8

B instructed children to turn their chairs towards the board so that they could see and were not twisting to read what was on the board. They were also expected to put down any pens and compasses when she was speaking.

Dance:
4 children were chosen to read opening introduction to the dance. 2 for the morning and 2 for the afternoon.

The performances were a success with each year providing a dance from a different culture or country: India, Ghana, England(contemporary), Africa.

The dance had allowe the pupils to express themselves through movement, work as a team, understand rhythm and a musical beat and keep fit. They enjoyed the performance on the wholeand were excited to see the other year groups attempts.

Parents, relatives and friends showed up to watch and support their children. The deputy head gave a speech regarding the schools interational school award.

Phonics:
As it was the last phonics lesson before half term the children were instructed to organise their files. They complete 4 books every half term and then review how they think they have improved or what improvements they could make in order to progress. Each child set themselves targets for after half term relating to their spelling, handwriting and learning of articular graphemes e.g. vowel sounds, 3 letter graphemes.

Some of the key areas suggested were:
grapheme rhythm,
root words,
sentence construction,
spelling,
the past tense,
complex speed sounds: vowels and consonants,
one letter graphemes,
two letter graphemes,
three letter graphemes,
simple speed sounds.

The pupils then practiced their speed words from the previous session.When learning spellings, pupils spell out words in terms of graphemes, they are encouraged to listen carefully and write down every one they can hear. Any words written incorrectly should be repeated until memorised.