Some Old Work (12 - 13)

This is my second blog of work from previous years. This is just one year as I'd taken photos more frequently. I taught Year 6 during this academic year and it all happened amidst 2 classroom moves due to building work. Hope something here is useful!

1. Britain's Got Talent Launch

This was one of the first times I decorated my classroom door. I've since decorated it again in different ways.

For the BGT topic this year, we expanded on what we'd done previously and started to incorporate other 'talents' and aspects of Britain. This was a September launch following the summer Olympics. All medal winning athletes were represented in this display. All children chose a British athlete from the Olympics or Paralympics to write to and lots of them received handwritten replies.

The history element of this topic was 'Who are the British?'. We looked at invaders and settlers.

2. Crime Scene Investigation

The second topic of the year was Crime and Punishment and I chose to launch it with a 'Crime Scene Investigation'. The 'body' was made using an overall suit, scrunched up paper, a balloon (the head) and some clothes. Children had to learn about finger printing and clues and then were let loose on the crime scene to try to work out what had happened. They loved the activity and got a lot out of it and it led to some good written work and a better understanding of inference. I've done this every year since but now do theft as the crime.

3. Year 6 Maths Display

This display was up all year and acted as a reference point for some key maths elements.

4. Big Maths

This display was used as a tracker for the CLIC tests to record when children had achieved full marks. It also has an area to celebrate the 'top scorers' and 'most improved' from the instant recall learn its test. The blank space was for the three learn it facts we were focussing on.

5. Alcatraz Writing

This piece of writing is probably the best writing every class I've taught has done all year. Every child seems to achieve with this and show skills beyond their current level. After looking at the history of Alcatraz and then learning about why it was used as a prison, we spend a lot of time studying images, maps and videos to get a true feel for the place. They then write a descriptive piece, in present tense and first person, imagining they are a prisoner who has just been brought to the island for the first time. They are never allowed to discuss crimes or the prisoner's past, only the journey from the boat to the cell (dock, yard, cell block and cell).  Children are able to write figuratively and very imaginatively. For the next academic year (15 - 16), I'm going to change the format slightly and make it into a story where some sort of time travel/body swap is involved.

6. Police Sketch Artist Work

This was the first year we've done this task and we've done it every year since. My HLTA and I take four celebrities and write descriptions for them as if they've been seen by a witness as a suspect for a crime. The children didn't know that these were famous people, they just got the witness description. When we revealed the original pictures at the end the children were really impressed at the celebrity they'd just drawn. A couple along the way did say "this looks a bit like...".

7. Graffiti Art Work

As a piece of art that looks at accurate drawing, colour, 3D lettering and patterns, children write their own name using graffiti lettering. This runs alongside an English unit where the children write discussions about graffiti.

8. Town Landmarks Big Art

This piece of work was a launch activity for a topic on the local town. Children had to make a local landmark using any media and materials they wished to use. They worked in groups and the results were remarkable. Some chose collage, some chose 3D and there was sketching and painting.

My next post will look at some work from 13 - 14.

Signing off!

The Yorkshire Teacher