Ashton Under Hill First School

Shaping Bright Futures Together


Oak Class Week 2

Yet again our week has flown by. We have continued to develop our understanding of the Maya, learning why it's important to study them and deciding which areas of their lives are the most influential for us to link to our lives today. We also studied where on a history time line, their civilisation fitted in to the period of history we have already studied.

Our play rehearsals have started in earnest now and we are very impressed with the efforts that have been made to learn lines and the extra practice children are putting in at break times to perfect their acting. We have also looked at the songs we need to learn, we are sure you will be humming along to them soon too. The tracks have been saved on to the Google Classroom space so children can sing along at home too! The performances will be on Wednesday 16th February, in the afternoon and on Thursday 17th February in the evening. Put the dates in your diaries - it will be the must see event of the month!!

In English this week we have continued to study a Mayan folk tale called the Chocolate Tree and have been writing setting and character descriptions, experimenting with some new sentence structure ideas. We have also planned how to re-write the tale from a different characters view point - the Night Jaguar, a menacing God who disagrees with Kukulkan's treatment of the Maya.

In response to ongoing Maths training (Teaching Maths for Mastery) Mrs Tulley has been experimenting with a new approach to Maths lessons this week and has been really pleased with the response from the children. This should help to deepen children's understanding of Maths and help them to explain and problem solve with more accuracy.

One of our class, Esme, is, at the end of the month, partaking in a very brave and thoughtful charity fundraiser. She is donating her beautiful long hair to the children's charity Little Princess Trust. The hair she donates will be used to help provide wigs to children with cancer to restore their confidence and identity. Details of the website where you can donate to support her are below. What an inspirational act; we are extremely proud of her.

Esme's Charity Fundraiser