Year 1

Welcome to Year 1!

GreenVolution

Year 1 have been learning about all things eco in our Spring Vehicle GreenVolution. The class explored what climate change is and how we can look after God's creation. In English, the class worked hard to write a non-chronological report about their findings, and the steps we can take to slow down pollution. During our Geography unit on weather and climate, we explored how we can experience extreme weathers because of climate change, and how climates around the world are impacted by the Earth getting hotter. In an effort to raise awareness about global warming, the class pledged to go green! We are been focusing on recycling, turning lights off, and learning about keeping our environment clean. We took part in the Great British Spring Clean 2024 and invited our local councillor, Jill Hood to join us in spreading the message - join the GreenVolution and keep Britain tidy!

Dots & Pots

In the Autumn term, Year 1 explored materials in Science. We experimented with many different materials to investigate their properties such as strength and waterproofing. During Art, we looked at the local ceramic artist, Emma Bridgewater and how she created pottery that is both practical but aesthetically pleasing. The children explored a wide range of her pottery, including an online tour of her factory, and created their own double page information spread. Our visit to Middleport Pottery Museum really helped our understanding of how clay is sourced and used to create beautiful pottery. The class had a go at using the clay to create a mini bottle oven, and experienced a printmaking workshop which followed a similar process to which Burleigh Pottery is still made to this day! The children used their knowledge of materials to decide which material would be better suited to create a Christmas tree bauble and they decorated them in the style of Emma Bridgewater's famous dot pattern. During a class liturgy based on our Catholic Social Teaching, solidarity and the common good, the children decided who they would like to gift their bauble to. 

Transformers!

This Summer term we have been exploring how Technology has changed over time and made our lives easier and better. We looked at the Wright brothers and how they never gave up to invent the first ever aeroplane, and whilst it only flew for 12 seconds, they continued to improve it. Thanks to the Wright brothers, we can now go on holiday and travel to lots of different countries, we have explored space, and are now developing an electric powered super-sonic jet. Technology has advanced so much! The children were able to explore a range of aeroplanes on our school trip to RAF Cosford, and completed a workshop to develop their coding skills. We have continued our coding skills during computing lessons where we have programmed algorithms for air traffic control and computer screensavers. We used all this information to write an explanation text in English. To help us, we invited Grandparents into school where we hosted a pop-up museum where we investigated how technology has changed over time. There were some very funny objects Year 1 had never seen before, such as a type-writer, some old phones and a record player! We realised that anything is possible when we look at the world through a different perspective - and we did just that! In D&T, the children created a pair of inventor glasses that changed how we see our problems. They used their glasses to invent solutions, such as a robot that made our beds for us, a special alarm clock that paused time so we could have a lie in, or a magic ring that opened a doorway to instantly take us where ever we wanted to go on holiday. With how technology is evolving, who knows? We may just see this in the near future! 

Express Yourself!

During the Spring Term the class explored communication, inference and emotions through the Performing Arts. David and Sandra from Pelham Puppets in Stone visited the class and performed a puppet show. The class had a fantastic time and were able to investigate the variety of puppets and ask wondering questions. Using the book 'Giraffes can't Dance' by Giles Andreae as inspiration, we made jungle-themed animal hand puppets ready to perform our own puppet shows! Our visit to the New Vic Theatre helped us in thinking about our character's emotions and how to create an interesting story. The class worked extremely hard in creating their own narratives in English, which they used to perform and record their puppet show performance.

Fabulous Fruits!

During the Autumn Term we explored healthy eating, how to safely prepare fruits and vegetables and designed/created our own smoothies. We had a special visit from our local green grocer All Seasons, where Hayley talked us through a range of fruits and vegetables and brought some exotic fruits for us all to try! We ended our vehicle at Gladstone Pottery Museum where we explored the history of the wider local area and how clay pots are made and fired in a kiln. The children completed a workshop where they created their own fruit bowls made of clay. The class designed Christmas wrapping paper in the style of Matisse to take their bowl home and give to someone special!