This blog is 1 year old today.
It made me wonder who else was born on the 26th February.
Wikipedia has a post all about things which happened on this date.
Here are some of the people who were born on this day:
1829 – Levi Strauss, German-born clothing designer (d. 1902) ...maker of which type of clothing?
1852 – John Harvey Kellogg, American surgeon, advocate of dietary reform (d. 1943) - Which cereal brand do you think he made?
1928 – Fats Domino, American musician
1932 – Johnny Cash, American singer (d. 2003)
1953 – Michael Bolton, American singer
1986 – Hannah Kearney, American freestyle skier, 2010 Olympic Gold medalist
Thursday, 25 February 2010
How do I get better at subtraction?
We have been thinking about subtraction and also how to get better at subtraction.
We used this sheet
and then thought about which skills we needed, to get better.
We all wrote our own subtraction targets.
Here are some of the common targets:
I need to get better at:
We used this sheet
and then thought about which skills we needed, to get better.
We all wrote our own subtraction targets.
Here are some of the common targets:
I need to get better at:
- learn number bonds to 10 more quickly
- learning simple bonds to 100 (where both digits of the smaller number are less than the digits in the bigger number)
- using a numberline
- partitioning numbers into 10s and 100s
- writing down my workings
- understanding what words mean in problems
- reading the question carefully
- looking at the sign (operation) carefully
- learn and use words which mean add, subtract, multiplied and divide.
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Isis and Osiris
Here's a version of the story we have been reading, taken from
http://www.philae.nu/philae/IsisOsiris.html
The Golden Casket
Osiris, the king of Egypt, and Isis, his queen, was beloved by all his people. He was kind and just and taught them to plow the earth, how to honor the gods and he gave them laws to live by. But his brother Seth was jealous and plotted against him to take over the throne. Queen Isis was constantly on her guard when Osiris traveled around his kingdom, she never felt safe from Seth´s scheming.
One day Osiris held a big banquet for his court and as he was kind and just Seth was also invited. This was the moment he had long waited for. Together with his accomplices he could set his plan in motion. He began to describe a wonderful coffin that he had been given, and soon enough he was asked to have it brought in for people to see. It was indeed beautiful, made of the finest wood and gilded and painted. He promised to give it as a gift to whomever fitted exactly into it. And as he already had acquired Osiris´measures, the king was the only one that fitted into the coffin, and when he was persuaded into taking place in it, Seth´s accomplices quickly nailed the lid to it and while the rest of the court was held back, it was taken away and thrown into the Nile where the current carried it away.
Isis was overcome with grief and cut off a length of her hair, dressed herself in mourning clothes and went on her way to look for the coffin with her husband´s body. She wandered everywhere and searched all over Kemet and beyond without finding a trace, until she heard some children saying that they had seen the golden coffin being thrown into the waters.
The Wonderful Tree
She wandered for a long time, weeping and searching for the casket, and often she heard rumours that a golden casket had been seen floating by some village. So she kept following after until she left Egypt and came into the land of Byblos. Here the rumours spoke about a wonderful tree that suddenly had started to grow on the shore. Isis understood then that the coffin had floated ashore and got stuck in a bush. Nurtured by the divine presence of Osiris´ body, the bush had sprouted and grown into a large tree which the king of Byblos had let cut down and used in the buildings of a palace. When Isis reached the place, she was shown to the palace by the villagers.
The Burning Prince
She waited outside the palace until she met the Queen´s maidens. She told them she was an Egyptian headdresser and plaited their hair and breathed on them so that a divine scent surrounded them. And they brought her before the queen who took a liking to her and asked her to take care of her young son, the prince. Soon enough she found the treetrunk that enclosed her husband´s coffin. Isis stayed there, and every night while the little prince slept, she went into the room where the pillar enclosing the coffin with her husband´s body was and she wept and mourned for him. And every day she looked after the little prince, and shortly she became so fond of him, that she decided to make him immortal.
In the night she brought him to the pillar where the casket was hidden. There she lit a fire and speaking the magic words she laid down the sleeping boy in the flames. The fire started to burn away all that was human in him, but she did not watch over him, she turned herself into a swallow and began to fly around the pillar, wailing and mourning over her dead husband. The queen, who slept nearby, was woken up by the sound of the flames, and hastened to the room. When she saw her child surrounded with flames, she raised a cry of horror and the swallow turned into woman again and the magical fire died. Isis then revealed herself to the queen and told her that now it was impossible for the prince to become immortal. The queen then regretted her ignorance and asked how she could repay Isis. And Isis asked for the pillar with the coffin. She instantly cut it into pieces so that the coffin could be taken out, then she drenched the bits of wood in oil, wrapped them in fine linen and asked the queen to keep them in the temple of Byblos.
Then she left Byblos by boat and headed for Egypt. After a long journey, when she finally could bring the casket ashore by the Nile again, she opened it and embraced Osiris and wept for him. He looked as if he was only sleeping. Then the coffin was closed again and she continued on her way home through the marshlands to bury him.
Lost Again
But that one night Seth and his men were out hunting nearby. When he happened upon the casket, he recognized it, realized his treachery had been found out and feared that Isis would punish him. While she slept he broke into it and tore Osiris´ body into several pieces which he spread out all over the land. Only then did he feel safe that Isis would not be able to find them.
When Isis saw the empty casket, her cry of anguish shook heaven and earth. She called out to her sister Nephtys who came to console her and once more she went on her way, now with Nephtys by her side. For many long, sorrowful years they searched the lands together. Wherever they found a piece of Osiris´ body, they erected an altar, giving thanks to the gods. When at last all the parts had been assembled, Isis made Osiris into the first mummy. She then proceeded to use her powerful magic and breathed new life into Osiris and so she was able to conceive the child Horus. After this Osiris became in time the King of the Land of the Dead, while Horus fought against his uncle Set and won his father´s throne and became the Living King of Egypt.
How do the two versions compare?
Which details are the same?
Which details are different?
http://www.philae.nu/philae/IsisOsiris.html
The Golden Casket
Osiris, the king of Egypt, and Isis, his queen, was beloved by all his people. He was kind and just and taught them to plow the earth, how to honor the gods and he gave them laws to live by. But his brother Seth was jealous and plotted against him to take over the throne. Queen Isis was constantly on her guard when Osiris traveled around his kingdom, she never felt safe from Seth´s scheming.
One day Osiris held a big banquet for his court and as he was kind and just Seth was also invited. This was the moment he had long waited for. Together with his accomplices he could set his plan in motion. He began to describe a wonderful coffin that he had been given, and soon enough he was asked to have it brought in for people to see. It was indeed beautiful, made of the finest wood and gilded and painted. He promised to give it as a gift to whomever fitted exactly into it. And as he already had acquired Osiris´measures, the king was the only one that fitted into the coffin, and when he was persuaded into taking place in it, Seth´s accomplices quickly nailed the lid to it and while the rest of the court was held back, it was taken away and thrown into the Nile where the current carried it away.
Isis was overcome with grief and cut off a length of her hair, dressed herself in mourning clothes and went on her way to look for the coffin with her husband´s body. She wandered everywhere and searched all over Kemet and beyond without finding a trace, until she heard some children saying that they had seen the golden coffin being thrown into the waters.
The Wonderful Tree
She wandered for a long time, weeping and searching for the casket, and often she heard rumours that a golden casket had been seen floating by some village. So she kept following after until she left Egypt and came into the land of Byblos. Here the rumours spoke about a wonderful tree that suddenly had started to grow on the shore. Isis understood then that the coffin had floated ashore and got stuck in a bush. Nurtured by the divine presence of Osiris´ body, the bush had sprouted and grown into a large tree which the king of Byblos had let cut down and used in the buildings of a palace. When Isis reached the place, she was shown to the palace by the villagers.
The Burning Prince
She waited outside the palace until she met the Queen´s maidens. She told them she was an Egyptian headdresser and plaited their hair and breathed on them so that a divine scent surrounded them. And they brought her before the queen who took a liking to her and asked her to take care of her young son, the prince. Soon enough she found the treetrunk that enclosed her husband´s coffin. Isis stayed there, and every night while the little prince slept, she went into the room where the pillar enclosing the coffin with her husband´s body was and she wept and mourned for him. And every day she looked after the little prince, and shortly she became so fond of him, that she decided to make him immortal.
In the night she brought him to the pillar where the casket was hidden. There she lit a fire and speaking the magic words she laid down the sleeping boy in the flames. The fire started to burn away all that was human in him, but she did not watch over him, she turned herself into a swallow and began to fly around the pillar, wailing and mourning over her dead husband. The queen, who slept nearby, was woken up by the sound of the flames, and hastened to the room. When she saw her child surrounded with flames, she raised a cry of horror and the swallow turned into woman again and the magical fire died. Isis then revealed herself to the queen and told her that now it was impossible for the prince to become immortal. The queen then regretted her ignorance and asked how she could repay Isis. And Isis asked for the pillar with the coffin. She instantly cut it into pieces so that the coffin could be taken out, then she drenched the bits of wood in oil, wrapped them in fine linen and asked the queen to keep them in the temple of Byblos.
Then she left Byblos by boat and headed for Egypt. After a long journey, when she finally could bring the casket ashore by the Nile again, she opened it and embraced Osiris and wept for him. He looked as if he was only sleeping. Then the coffin was closed again and she continued on her way home through the marshlands to bury him.
Lost Again
But that one night Seth and his men were out hunting nearby. When he happened upon the casket, he recognized it, realized his treachery had been found out and feared that Isis would punish him. While she slept he broke into it and tore Osiris´ body into several pieces which he spread out all over the land. Only then did he feel safe that Isis would not be able to find them.
When Isis saw the empty casket, her cry of anguish shook heaven and earth. She called out to her sister Nephtys who came to console her and once more she went on her way, now with Nephtys by her side. For many long, sorrowful years they searched the lands together. Wherever they found a piece of Osiris´ body, they erected an altar, giving thanks to the gods. When at last all the parts had been assembled, Isis made Osiris into the first mummy. She then proceeded to use her powerful magic and breathed new life into Osiris and so she was able to conceive the child Horus. After this Osiris became in time the King of the Land of the Dead, while Horus fought against his uncle Set and won his father´s throne and became the Living King of Egypt.
How do the two versions compare?
Which details are the same?
Which details are different?
Class assembly
We are planning our class assembly.
We are writing a play based on the Ancient Egyptian Goddess Isis and how she searched for her husband...below are some pictures from some of the scenes...it's very early days yet, but we are just writing the playscript, deciding on the scenes, the characters and the props.
We will publish the date of the assembly in the next week or two.
Wow! Cave of Crystals!
Watch this incredible video of a cave in Mexico with 10m long crystals. Listen out for the narrator and how he describes some of them...a word we were learning about in science.
Monday, 22 February 2010
Egyptian explorers
Questions we want to answer
We used kidspiration to help organise our questions using the question words.
How could we answer these questions?
How could we research?
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
Gillian Cross
We had a visit from Gillian Cross today!
We have been finding out about her and discovering the story of the Demon Headmaster in class.
Gillian told us where the idea for the story came from. Can you remember who nagged her to write the story?
She also went on to tell us about a story which was set in a tree house. Can you remember which objects the dad sent to the children?
How did they use the objects?
Gillian asked us to draw pictures of a place which would make a good den (hiding place or secret place to play). Some of these are shown below:
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
Not everything on the internet is correct...Carroll diagrams
Yesterday we tried using the Carroll diagram generator.
As you can see, several of us found that it was incorrect sometimes!
You have to think carefully about what you read. This is called critical thinking.
What should we do?
Should we take the program from our blog?
Should we try and find the maker of the program and ask for advice?
Should we leave the program on the blog BUT put a large warning next to it?
Please vote on the poll on the sidebar.
This week's homework is to use a Carroll diagram program and become an expert.
See these extra links to other Carroll diagrams:
Crickweb polygon sort (2D shapes)
Number sort - from earlier this week...see warning here
Then make your own.
You could draw one using paper and pencil, you could make one using word or publisher, you could make several as a powerpoint!
Ideas for parents to help with making Carroll diagrams on paper or on a big floor:
Tape marked on floor
Printable worksheets and problems
Blank Carroll diagrams to print and use
Then hand in as homework. Due in on Monday after half term.
Sensible option: hand in on Friday before the Half term break
As you can see, several of us found that it was incorrect sometimes!
You have to think carefully about what you read. This is called critical thinking.
What should we do?
Should we take the program from our blog?
Should we try and find the maker of the program and ask for advice?
Should we leave the program on the blog BUT put a large warning next to it?
Please vote on the poll on the sidebar.
This week's homework is to use a Carroll diagram program and become an expert.
See these extra links to other Carroll diagrams:
Crickweb polygon sort (2D shapes)
Number sort - from earlier this week...see warning here
Then make your own.
You could draw one using paper and pencil, you could make one using word or publisher, you could make several as a powerpoint!
Ideas for parents to help with making Carroll diagrams on paper or on a big floor:
Tape marked on floor
Printable worksheets and problems
Blank Carroll diagrams to print and use
Then hand in as homework. Due in on Monday after half term.
Sensible option: hand in on Friday before the Half term break
Monday, 8 February 2010
We made a movie!
Have a look at our class movie about our 3 day trip away.
Text and pictures: Melyssa
Transitions: Melyssa and 3W
Music: Melyssa
E-safety check: Melyssa
Director: Mr Ben
Do you like the pictures Melyssa chose?
Would you have chosen this music as a backing track? Why?
Panning out and zooming in - we used some great language when describing the transitions from one slide to the other, including many positional words (up/down/topleft/bottom right/diagonal)
Music - it is so easy to add music and it is rare that you can choose music to create mood. A great opportunity to integrate music and writing, photography and ICT.
Esafety? What's that? We made sure that all of the children's pictures in the photostory were not next to the name of the person. We talked about why we do this and the class agreed to let me know immediately if our blog is not esafe for any reason.
Tomorrow is safer internet day...see here for further details.
Text and pictures: Melyssa
Transitions: Melyssa and 3W
Music: Melyssa
E-safety check: Melyssa
Director: Mr Ben
Do you like the pictures Melyssa chose?
Would you have chosen this music as a backing track? Why?
Panning out and zooming in - we used some great language when describing the transitions from one slide to the other, including many positional words (up/down/topleft/bottom right/diagonal)
Music - it is so easy to add music and it is rare that you can choose music to create mood. A great opportunity to integrate music and writing, photography and ICT.
Esafety? What's that? We made sure that all of the children's pictures in the photostory were not next to the name of the person. We talked about why we do this and the class agreed to let me know immediately if our blog is not esafe for any reason.
Tomorrow is safer internet day...see here for further details.
Sunday, 7 February 2010
Carroll diagrams
See warning below!
Thanks to Warrington ICT for this link. Have a go at sorting the numbers correctly using the Carroll diagram.
Ơ
Follow this link to get to a larger copy of the game.
Warning: some children in the class found that this game has errors. Please comment on this post if you find any. I may need to remove the game if it is not helping you to learn.
Thanks to Warrington ICT for this link. Have a go at sorting the numbers correctly using the Carroll diagram.
Ơ
Follow this link to get to a larger copy of the game.
Warning: some children in the class found that this game has errors. Please comment on this post if you find any. I may need to remove the game if it is not helping you to learn.
Friday, 5 February 2010
Reading
Reading is probably the most important homework your child should be doing at the moment.
20 minutes each night is the time I would recommend.
I will keep a closer look at what you are reading at home. I will look at your reading records every Friday and give them back before the end of the day.
You will need to write about your reading. Get your parents to sign your Reading Record entry.
The easiest way
You might want to simply record brief comments.
I will then know that you are reading and your parents know about your reading.
Want to be an excellent reader? Try to:
about READING.
20 minutes each night is the time I would recommend.
I will keep a closer look at what you are reading at home. I will look at your reading records every Friday and give them back before the end of the day.
You will need to write about your reading. Get your parents to sign your Reading Record entry.
The easiest way
You might want to simply record brief comments.
I will then know that you are reading and your parents know about your reading.
At the end of your book
You might decide to write at the end of your book.
A daily record
You might decide to write a few sentences every day about your book.
Whatever you do:
- Try to read every day for at least 20 minutes.
- Write something down in your reading record book every week and give it to me on FRIDAYS.
- Make CONNECTIONS...to other books, to your life, to films/movies
- Write original interesting comments about what you thought about the book...not just about what happened.
- Illustrate your writing sometimes.
about READING.
Thursday, 4 February 2010
Asking and answering our own questions in maths
Last week, when Mrs Anne took the class, we wrote down questions which we wanted to answer using a survey. We knew that we would be asking our friends in 3W and we wrote doen 4 or 5 possible answers.
We made sure that we had an other category in case someone's favourite wasn't on the list of answers.
This week we have been busy researching and here are some pictures.
Here is the form we are going to use to help make our own work. Thanks to Guilli, Punn and her mum for thinking of these criteria and typing up.
To have a go at making a graph using the web try this site.
We made sure that we had an other category in case someone's favourite wasn't on the list of answers.
This week we have been busy researching and here are some pictures.
Here's a gallery of the ones which we have finished so far and us working hard!
Here is the form we are going to use to help make our own work. Thanks to Guilli, Punn and her mum for thinking of these criteria and typing up.
To have a go at making a graph using the web try this site.
Wednesday, 3 February 2010
Demon Headmaster - episode 2
Here are some question (in blue) which we thought about while watching. Our answers are in red.
What are the main events in episode 2?
Do the main characters learn anything new?
Many children learn about the planets. The headmaster realises that Dinah has a soft spot for Harvey and he is going to use that in assembly.
What are the main events in episode 2?
Dinah wants to break a rule. They have a snowball fight. They shovel up all the snow (with no hats or coats or gloves!) and made a pile of snowballs as a punishment.
Do the main characters learn anything new?
Many children learn about the planets. The headmaster realises that Dinah has a soft spot for Harvey and he is going to use that in assembly.
What does Dinah feel at different parts of the episode?
She feels a pain when she sees other children being hypnotised.
She feels confident when she tries to break the rules.
She felt surprised that she knew so much about the planets.
She was surprised that everyone knew the same things.
Tuesday, 2 February 2010
Demon Headmaster!
Don't worry Mr Mills, I am not talking about you!
Gillian Cross will be coming to visit school next week. Here are some facts about her life (her biography).
We watched the first episode of The Demon Headmaster today in class. It was written by Gillian, nearly 30 years ago.
Who moves to live with a new family?
What are her foster-brothers called?
To find out more and read some reviews, go here.
If you have read any books by Gillian Cross or want to write a review, please leave a comment.
Here are links to all of her books.
The Demon Headmaster is very serious, too serious. He hypnotises children (smart pupils) using his eyes (he normally wears glasses when he is not hypnotising), usually during assembly. He puts information into their minds. Dinah Glass is one of the girls, she is 11, and is being fostered by the Hunter family. In this episode she starts to get to know how evil the headmaster really is...
Gillian Cross will be coming to visit school next week. Here are some facts about her life (her biography).
- When did she get married?
- How many children does she have?
- Has she ever been a childminder?
- Which countries has she visited?
Who moves to live with a new family?
What are her foster-brothers called?To find out more and read some reviews, go here.
If you have read any books by Gillian Cross or want to write a review, please leave a comment.
Here are links to all of her books.
- Beware of the Demon Headmaster
- Beware Olga
- Born of the Sun
- The Black Room
- Calling a Dead Man
- Chartbreak
- The Crazy Shoe Shuffle
- The Dark Behind The Curtain
- The Dark Ground
- The Demon Headmaster
- The Demon Headmaster and the Prime Minister's Brain
- The Revenge of the Demon Headmaster
- The Demon Headmaster Strikes Again
- The Demon Headmaster Takes Over
- Facing The Demon Headmaster
- Down with the Dirty Danes!
- The Furry Maccaloo
- Gobbo the Great
- The Goose Girl
- The Great Elephant Chase
- The Iron Way
- A Map of Nowhere
- The Mintyglo Kid
- The Monster from Underground
- New World
- On the Edge
- Pictures in the Dark
- Posh Watson
- Rent-a-Genius
- Rescuing Gloria
- Revolt at Ratcliffe's Rags
- The Roman Beanfeast
- Roscoe's Leap
- The Runaway
- Save Our School
- Swimathon
- Tightrope
- The Treasure in the Mud
- The Tree House
- Twin and Super-Twin
- What Will Emily Do?
- A Whisper of Lace
- Wolf
The Demon Headmaster is very serious, too serious. He hypnotises children (smart pupils) using his eyes (he normally wears glasses when he is not hypnotising), usually during assembly. He puts information into their minds. Dinah Glass is one of the girls, she is 11, and is being fostered by the Hunter family. In this episode she starts to get to know how evil the headmaster really is...
Bring and Buy Cake Sale
Who...can buy things at the Sale? Year 3 children and parents
Who... needs to bring in things? All Year 3 children who have things they no longer need.
What...should we bring in? Unwanted toys, books, games and clothes. CAKES TOO!
Where...will the bring and buy sale be? In the Year 3 classrooms.
When...will the sale be? On Tuesday 9th February, between 11:30 and 12:10
When...do we bring in items for the sale?
Which...kind of money should we bring? Thai money, hopefully in 5 and 10 baht coins, and 20, 50 and 100 baht notes.
How...much money should we bring into school on Tuesday? No more than 300 baht.
Who... needs to bring in things? All Year 3 children who have things they no longer need.
What...should we bring in? Unwanted toys, books, games and clothes. CAKES TOO!
Where...will the bring and buy sale be? In the Year 3 classrooms.
When...will the sale be? On Tuesday 9th February, between 11:30 and 12:10
When...do we bring in items for the sale?
- Cakes should be brought in on the day.
- other items should be brought in from now until the day of the sale.
Which...kind of money should we bring? Thai money, hopefully in 5 and 10 baht coins, and 20, 50 and 100 baht notes.
How...much money should we bring into school on Tuesday? No more than 300 baht.
Monday, 1 February 2010
Our Garden
In our garden today we noticed how large the pumpkin plants have grown, but there are no flowers turning into fruits.
I wonder why that could be?
We also took off a couple of leaves (there are so many it would not harm the plant) and on the underneath of one, we found this:
What could it be?
I wonder why that could be?
We also took off a couple of leaves (there are so many it would not harm the plant) and on the underneath of one, we found this:
What could it be?
Katy Cassidy's blog
Today we commented on 2 blog posts from Katy Cassidy's blog.
Please have a look and post a comment.
Remember
Please have a look and post a comment.
Remember
- to be positive
- to ask questions if you can
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