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Year 3 - English - Generating Vocabulary About Walls
Our Year 3 poets scaled the heights of creativity today! During our English session, we dove deep into vocabulary building, using the humble wall as our inspiration. Rather than just seeing bricks and mortar, our young writers explored the textures, secrets, and stories hidden within different types of walls.
Year 1 Handwriting
✍️ Big Pens, Big Dreams! Our Year 1 superstars at Darwen St James’ have been working incredibly hard on their handwriting this week! From practicing letter formations on the floor to mastering their sentences on whiteboards, these students are proving that practice makes perfect. We love seeing their confidence grow as they "Nurture Ambition" one letter at a time! ???? Highlights: Creative Spaces: Writing on large paper to develop those fine motor skills. Teamwork: Supporting each other at the writing stations. Success: Seeing those full sentences come to life! ???? #HandwritingHeroes #Year1 #DarwenStJames #NurturingAmbition #PrimaryEducation #LearningIsFun
Year 5 English - Identifying Non Fiction Text Types
Magazine Marvels: Year 5 Uncover the Secrets of Non-Fiction! This week, Year 5 kicked off an exciting new English unit: Writing for a Magazine. Before we can become world-class journalists and editors, we had to learn how to "decode" the different types of writing found on the page. The Great Text Sort The classroom was a hive of activity as we worked in teams to sort a mountain of cards. We had to match Text Types with their specific Examples, Features, and Purposes. It was a brilliant way to see the difference between: Instructions (How to do something) Explanations (How something works) Recounts (Retelling an event) Information Texts (Sharing facts) Persuasive Texts (Convincing the reader) Discussion Texts (Looking at two sides of an argument) Real-World Research with Aquila To put our new skills to the test, we delved into copies of the wonderful Aquila Magazine. We became "Text Detectives," hunting through the pages to see which types of writing the editors used most. Our big discovery? While there was a sprinkle of everything, Information Texts are the true kings of the magazine world! We are now feeling inspired and ready to start planning our own professional magazine spreads. Watch this space! Join the Investigation! When you're reading a newspaper or magazine at home this week, see if you can spot a 'persuasive' advert or an 'explanation' article—can you tell your child what gave it away?
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Year 2 - English - Non-Fiction Texts
Can you tell the difference between a fairytale and a fact file? This week, Year 2 swapped the classroom for the quiet corners of the library to explore the fascinating world of non-fiction. As they delved into a variety of information books, the children had brilliant discussions about how these texts differ from their favourite storybooks, identifying key features like glossaries, indexes, and contents pages. The biggest "lightbulb moment" came when they realised that while stories take us on imaginary adventures, non-fiction is a treasure trove of real-world facts! It was wonderful to see their curiosity grow as they discovered how to navigate these books to find answers about the world around them. #Year2English #LibraryVisit #NonFiction #PrimaryLiteracy #FactFinders #ReadingForPleasure
Year 6: English - Macbeth
This week in English, Year 6 have been focussing on understanding how to create tension and atmosphere in their writing. They have written a powerful setting description for the opening to Macbeth.
Pre-School - Literacy- Retelling Of Our Story - Little Red Riding Hood
Our classroom transformed into a theater this week! After diving into Little Red Riding Hood, the children took the lead and decided to bring the story to life using character masks. It was amazing to watch them retell the key events with such confidence. We even heard some fantastic "Big Bad Wolf" growls and "Grandma" voices as they fully embraced their roles! #EarlyYears #Literacy #RolePlay #LittleRedRidingHood #LearningThroughPlay
Nursery - Literacy - Story Props
This week, our literacy focus centered on the classic story The Three Billy Goats Gruff. The children used a variety of resources in the malleable tray to bring the narrative to life and deepen their understanding of story structure. To support their retelling, the children were provided with a rich assortment of aids, including puppets, masks, and soft toy teddies. These tools allowed the children to take on different roles, experimenting with key phrases from the book, such as the famous "Trip, trap, trip, trap!" as the goats crossed the bridge. To ensure the activity was inclusive and accessible for all learners, we integrated sound buttons which provided auditory prompts for the children to hear and repeat key parts of the story. We also utilized Widgits to offer visual symbols that helped the children sequence the events and recognize important vocabulary. Through this interactive play, the children demonstrated a growing grasp of narrative sequencing and gained confidence in using expressive language to communicate the story to their peers.
Year 5 English - Investigating Clockwork
Year 5’s English lessons came to life this week as we explored the mechanical mysteries of our class book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret. To help us describe the story's famous automaton, we held a Clockwork Investigation lesson. From examining the tiny cogs of wind-up clocks to calibrating pull-back Lego cars, the children explored exactly how stored energy and gears create movement. A huge thank you to Mrs. Thompson for bringing in her collection of mechanical treasures! This hands-on experience has been invaluable, giving the children the "technical talk" they need to make their persuasive and descriptive writing truly shine.
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Year 4 English - Writing with Adverbs
Year 4 have been working hard this week, learning about the different types of adverbs and how we can include these appropriately in our writing to give more information to the reader. Some of the work produced by Year 4 with the inclusion of adverbs has been rather impressive!
Nursery - English - Write Dance
This week, the nursery class began their 'Write Dance' journey, a program designed to bridge the gap between large physical movements and early writing skills. We started with a focus on gross motor movement using the classic song 'The Grand Old Duke of York' as our guide. The children used ribbons to mirror the lyrics, moving their arms in large up and down motions. They were highly engaged, enjoying the visual feedback of the ribbons trailing through the air as they controlled their movements to match the rhythm of the music. To transition these movements toward literacy, the children then used their core muscles to lie on their tummies, a position that builds the shoulder stability necessary for writing. On large paper, they worked to recreate those same up and down movements, observing how their physical actions left marks on the page. This process was vital for helping the children give meaning to their movements, turning a physical dance into a purposeful mark-making experience.
Year 3 - English - The Characters, Settings and Events In A Story
This week, Year 3 traveled thousands of years into the past! We dove into the story of Stone Age Boy to discover what life was like long ago. The children became history detectives as we explored: Characters: We looked closely at the boy and his friend, Om. We talked about how they were different and what they learned from each other. The Setting: Using clues from the pictures and text, we described the cold caves and the busy Stone Age camp. Key Events: We mapped out the most exciting parts of the story, from the moment the boy tripped into the cave to his amazing adventures learning to hunt and flint-knap.
Year 6: English - Macbeth
This week in English, year 6 have been looking in depth at the character of Macbeth. We wrote a character description so that the reader could visualise what he looks like, and also understand his character traits. L.O: To write an effective character description.
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