Stretham Community Primary School
Welcome
Rabbit Class 2022
Video message from Mr Sweeney.MOV
Summer Term 2023
Week Beginning 10th July 2023
On Tuesday, Rabbit Class had a fabulous Seaside Day! We recreated the experience of an old-fashioned seaside holiday by turning our school hall into Stretham-on-Sea! In the morning, we had the chance to make all sorts of seaside souvenirs, such as a shell box, a puppet and a hook-a-duck. In the afternoon, we had tickets to board a steam train to visit the seaside stalls.
Week Beginning 3rd July 2023
In Computing over the last few weeks, we have been working very hard using the Scratch software to create a simple animation. We had to create a background and add two moving and talking characters. We also added sound to our animations.
Week Beginning 26th June 2023
In Maths this week, we have been thinking about position and movement. To give us practice at using some positional language, we played a game where we took it in turns to place coloured counters on a grid and give instructions to our partner to do the same; the test was then whether our grids looked the same!
It was time to release our butterflies this week! We have thoroughly enjoyed learning about the incredible life cycle of the butterfly and watching the process with our very own eyes.
Week Beginning 19th June 2023
Every morning in Rabbit Class, we have a go at writing a couple of sentences that are dictated to us. The sentences include words that follow the different spelling patterns we have been learning and also some of the tricky common exception words. We then check our sentences, sometimes working with our learning partner, and make any necessary corrections using a pink pen.
In PE this week, we practised throwing and catching with accuracy.
Week Beginning 12th June
What a busy week we've had! Take a look at the photos to see just some of the things we've been up to:
- floating on our front and backs in swimming
- using sketching pencils, in Art, to make as many different shades of grey as possible
- working as a class (with a conductor!) to compose soundscapes to represent the city and the countryside.
Week Beginning 5th June 2023
In Art this week, we were creating rollercoaster pictures using paint. Our objectives were to use the right amount of paint, hold the brush properly and use single, sweeping strokes.
In Maths, we have continued to practise telling the time. This week our focus was minutes past and minutes to the hour (to the nearest 5 minutes). We had great fun making our own clocks and then using them to play a game to give us lots of practice.
Week Beginning 22nd May 2023
We thoroughly enjoyed exploring the wildlife down in the Explorers' Area this week!
In History, we learnt about Stonehenge. Using rubbers and pencils, we explored how our ancestors moved the giant stones to build Stonehenge.
Week Beginning 15th May 2023
In Art, we really enjoyed making tiles from clay. We used tools and a template to make the tile and then selected objects to create repeating patterns. Don't they look fabulous!
We have worked so hard this week, it was nice to enjoy a little bit of free-choosing!
Week Beginning 8th May 2023
We've thoroughly enjoyed exploring some replica prehistoric artefacts this week (on loan from Ely Museum). We have predicted and discussed what they would have been used for and even had a go at sketching some of them.
In English, we have been working very hard over the last few weeks to improve the quality of our writing, making sure that we include adjectives, adverbs and conjunctions. We have also been paying attention to using a consistent tense. Here we are sorting sentences into the past and present tense to help us distinguish the difference.
Week Beginning 1st May 2023
We have enjoyed a variety of activities this week to celebrate the King's Coronation. Here we are making a proclamation to say what we would do if we were the new King or Queen.
In Science this week, we set up a comparative test to investigate what a broad bean needs to grow into a healthy plant. In groups, we decided on different conditions for our beans; some won't get any water, some will be without sunlight and others haven't got any soil. We can't wait to see how they grow!
In Maths, we have been learning about fractions. We have practised writing fractions, finding fractions of amounts and exploring the fact that one half is equivalent to two quarters.
Week Beginning 24th April 2023
In Art this week, we explored cave paintings of the Stone Age and had a go at creating our own. First, we produced a textured cave background using paints and a sponge and then added prehistoric animals using stencils. We also added our handprints using paint in a spray bottle (not quite how they did it in the Stone Age - it is thought they used to spit or blow the paint through hollow bone).
In History, we learnt more about life in the Stone Age and being a hunter-gatherer; hunting animals and foraging for food.
Week Beginning 17th April 2023
What a super first week back it's been! We are all very excited about our new topic - The Stone Age. We enjoyed looking at information booklets to kick-off our learning and listening to 'Stone Age Boy', by Satoshi Kitamura. In this story, a young boy trips and falls down a dark hole to find himself in a very different time and place - Stone Age Britain! Before writing a description of the Stone Age camp, we used drama to explore the various jobs that people might have been doing.
Our new topic in Science is plants. This week, we explored the idea that plants can grow from a seed and that a plant needs to disperse its seeds far and wide. We enjoyed making 'helicopter seeds' from paper and watching them fly outside in the breeze.
Spring Term 2023
Week Beginning 27th March 2023
It's been another busy week in Rabbit Class, with lots of learning, a class assembly, a morning down in the Explorers' Area and a few fun Easter activities! Here we are enjoying the Explorers' Area.
In DT this week, it was time to build Baby Bear's chair. Everyone attempted to make and test a strong and stable chair for Baby Bear. Many demonstrated fantastic perseverance and those that were not so successful did a great job of evaluating their designs and suggesting how to improve them. We have even had reports that further improvements have been made at home! Well done Rabbit Class! 
Week Beginning 20th March 2023
In Design Technology, we tested the strength of different structures, comparing a cuboid, a cylinder and a triangular prism. To our surprise, the cylinder was the strongest (most of us predicted that it would be the cuboid). We then set to work making cylinders of different sizes and thicknesses to make the strongest structure we possibly could.
In Maths this week, we developed our knowledge of measure. We carried out a practical investigation to explore volume and capacity, part of which required us to estimate how many small containers of water would be needed to fill a larger container. We also practised using thermometers to measure temperature.
Week Beginning 13th March 2023
Hooray for Science week! We have certainly enjoyed celebrating British Science Week, with lots of different activities in Rabbit Class. This year’s theme has been ‘Connections’. There are connections in the world all around us; connections between people, places, plants, animals, forces and materials. It’s been a busy week – we squeezed in a lot:
- We joined a live lesson with Science Farm LIVE to find out how tractors are connected to space and then explored why tractors have big wheels.
- We learnt about the diversity of careers in Science and engineering and read about some inspirational scientists.
- We discovered how forensic scientists make connections, between evidence left at a crime scene and potential suspects, and then examined our own fingerprints.
- We talked about healthy living and the effects of exercise on our bodies. This included an enquiry to see what happens to our heart rate when we do exercise.
- We played ‘The Floor is Lava’ with miniature bears – the challenge was to see how many bears we could save using 3 cups and 4 large lollipop sticks!
Hooray for Science week! We have certainly enjoyed celebrating British Science Week, with lots of different activities in Rabbit Class. This year’s theme has been ‘Connections’. There are connections in the world all around us; connections between people, places, plants, animals, forces and materials. It’s been a busy week – we squeezed in a lot:
- We joined a live lesson with Science Farm LIVE to find out how tractors are connected to space and then explored why tractors have big wheels.
- We learnt about the diversity of careers in Science and engineering and read about some inspirational scientists.
- We discovered how forensic scientists make connections, between evidence left at a crime scene and potential suspects, and then examined our own fingerprints.
- We talked about healthy living and the effects of exercise on our bodies. This included an enquiry to see what happens to our heart rate when we do exercise.
- We played ‘The Floor is Lava’ with miniature bears – the challenge was to see how many bears we could save using 3 cups and 4 large lollipop sticks!
Week Beginning 6th March 2023
Our Fenland area is famous for its 'big skies'. This week, we enjoyed painting sunsets and then adding a silhouette of Ely Cathedral. We were very pleased with our finished pieces!
In Maths this week, we have been exploring mass. Here we are comparing the mass of various objects, predicting which is heavier and which is lighter, and then using measuring scales to check.
Week Beginning 27th February 2023
On Thursday, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Ely. We started the day with a visit to Ely Museum to learn more about the Fen landscape, how they drained the Fens and what life was like in this area in the past. We enjoyed exploring replica artefacts such as an eel catcher, various farming tools and a type of wooden bird scarer. After Ely museum, we went to Ely Library to celebrate books and reading – what a treat for World Book Day! Finally, we explored Ely Cathedral inside and out. I think we were most impressed with the magnificent ceiling.
Week Beginning 20th February 2023
On Tuesday, we enjoyed a visit to St James' Church in the village, as we have been learning about the features of churches. We explored the pews, the font, the pulpit, the lectern, the cross and the beautiful stained-glass windows.
In our RE lessons, we have also been thinking about places that are special to us. We all had to draw our own special place and then describe it to a partner and explain why it is special to us.
Week Beginning 6th February 2023
We enjoyed a visit to our Explorers' Area this week. As well as the usual activities, we looked for the first signs of spring and cooked some potato wedges with cheese; they were very tasty!
We thoroughly enjoyed being quiz masters this week! We learnt all about cacao pods and how chocolate is made and then wrote our own quiz questions ready to test the rest of the class.
In Maths, we have been exploring division, using lots of practical resources. Here we are completing challenges to find halves and doubles.
Week Beginning 30th January 2023
On Tuesday, we all thoroughly enjoyed a visit from The Animal Experience. We have been learning all about animals, with a focus of rainforest animals, so this was a fantastic opportunity to learn more and get up close to some amazing creatures. We met a bearded dragon, a blue-tongued skink, a royal python, a tortoise, a giant cockroach, a chinchilla and a sugar glider. As you can see from the photos, we got to touch and hold many of the animals and we learnt so much. Huge thanks go to Kayleigh, from The Animal experience, and to you, the parents, for supporting this event. It was brilliant!
Week Beginning 23rd January 2023
In Maths, we have been exploring multiplication for the first time. We started the week by identifying equal groups and making equal groups with a given number of objects. We then used this knowledge of equal groups to find the total, using repeated addition. Finally, we introduced the multiplication symbol and made the link between repeated addition and multiplication (i.e. 4 groups of 3 is the same as 3+3+3+3 which is the same as 4x3).
In English this week, we used the laptops to do some research on different rainforest animals. Once we had discovered lots of interesting facts, we wrote our own information texts on our chosen animal.
Week Beginning 16th January 2023
In Geography this week, we developed our atlas skills by playing a game, 'Where in the World Am I?' We also had a lot of fun using Google Earth to look at aerial views of our local area.
In PE, we have been working both individually and in groups to develop our dance skills to produce some animal-inspired dance routines. We focused on dynamics this week; how we move as dancers.
Week Beginning 9th January 2023
A busy week in Rabbit Class, with lots of learning! 
In Art, we looked at some rainforest-inspired paintings by Henri Rousseau. Then we used blue, yellow and white paints to create different shaped leaves, mixing the paints on the paper. We added the details to our leaves using a technique called sgraffito, which means scratching into the paint with the other end of our paintbrush.
In English, we read 'The Great Green Forest' by Paul Geraghty, the story of a sleepy tree-mouse who is trying to go to sleep in the noisy rainforest. We re-enacted parts of the story, pretending to be various animals in the rainforest, before thinking about how we could describe their appearance and the noises they were making using exciting vocabulary.
Happy New Year to you all!
We hope you all enjoyed the festive period. The children have come back to school with energy and enthusiasm, ready for the new term. Watch this space for our Spring Term Topic Web and Learning Log activities - coming soon!
We launched our new topic, 'Rumble in the Jungle', this week with some creative writing about an orangutan in our bedrooms and some music-making. In our music lesson, we had to move around the classroom as different animals but the challenge was to move in time with the drumming music. Then we learnt to clap some rhythms, again keeping in time with the music.
Autumn Term 2022
Week Beginning 12th December 2022
What a show! We put on our final performance of 'Baarmy Bethlehem' earlier today and what a performance it was. After lots of hard work to learn lines and practise songs, the children in Rabbit Class did a fantastic job - each and every single one of them did themselves proud! We hope you enjoyed watching it.
Week Beginning 5th December 2022
What a busy week we've had! After lots of hard work with assessments and rehearsals for our nativity, we were allowed a little bit of free-choosing. 
In Computing, we were learning how to alter digital images using colour effects.
Week Beginning 28th November 2022
We had a fantastic time at Forest School on Monday afternoon. We enjoyed lots of digging in the mud, creating animals out of pumpkins and gourds, singing around the fire and making pizza wraps to cook on the fire. We then wrote superb recounts describing the afternoon's activities! 
In Maths this week, we have been learning about the properties of 2D shapes. Here we are sorting 2D shapes.
Week Beginning 21st November 2022
In Design Technology this week, it was time to make and evaluate our own healthy wraps. When evaluating them, we had to rate the appearance, smell, taste and how well they met the brief of being healthy. They were delicious!
Week Beginning 14th November 2022
We have had a whole-school focus of 'kindness' this week to mark it being Anti-Bullying Week. In Rabbit Class, we have enjoyed lots of different activities to look at how we can be kind to one another, what bullying is, how it can make people feel and what we can do about it. We have also celebrated the fact that everyone is different!
For one of the activities, we each had to invent a new friend who is different to us. After drawing a picture of our friend, we had to introduce them to the class and explain how they are different to us.
Week Beginning 7th November 2022
In Design Technology, we are designing and making our own healthy wraps. This week we tested different combinations for taste!
In History, we have been learning about the Great Fire of London. To help us understand how the fire spread so quickly, we made our own Tudor houses, lined some up and then set fire to them. Watching the houses burn also helped us gather some exciting vocabulary to write poems about fire. It's been a busy week!
Week Beginning 31st October 2022
In Science, we continued our topic of 'Uses of Everyday Materials' by investigating how we can change the shape of some objects by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
In English this week, we read the first few pages of 'Vlad and the Great Fire of London' by Kate Cunningham. It's 1666 and Vlad the flea and his friend, Boxton the rat, are eating and biting their way round the busy streets of London. We used drama to imagine what the two friends might get up to. They ended their busy day by curling up for a sleep on the floor of a bakery on Pudding Lane - just another ordinary night, or was it?
Week Beginning 17th October 2022
We had a wonderful afternoon down in Explorers' on Monday. The weather was glorious and Mr Froment joined us; he made a fire, helped us cook marshmallows and at the end of the session he played the guitar so we could have a lovely singalong. Along with the mud kitchen, tree climbing and making s'mores, we also created some autumn leaf art and built Sukkas. In RE, we have been learning that Sukkas are 3-sided huts made with branches and leaves that Jewish people eat their meals in, during the festival of Sukkot.
Week Beginning 10th October 2022
In Maths this week, we have been developing our understanding of addition. Using number bonds to ten, we have been adding ones to 2-digit numbers to make the next ten (eg. 34 + 6 = 40). The next step was to add ones to 2-digit numbers, crossing the next ten (eg. 34 + 8 = 42).
With all the hard work that goes on in Rabbit Class, sometimes we just need to take a 5-minute fun, fitness break!
In History, we used role-play to learn about the jobs Edith Cavell carried out as a nurse during the First World War. Some of the casualties look rather happy!
Week Beginning 3rd October 2022
In History, we explored some artefacts that Florence Nightingale might have taken on her travels around the world as a nurse. We had to try and work out what each object may have been used for.
In English, we learnt more about the life of Florence Nightingale. Using the laptops to explore a presentation with lots of information about Florence, we had to decide on the missing words to complete some factual sentences about her. We then started planning and writing our own non-fiction pieces about this inspirational woman.
Week Beginning 26th September 2022
In PE this week, we were developing our hopping, jumping and skipping skills through a challenging activity that also required some serious teamwork!
In History, we have been learning about significant individuals from the past who helped people, including Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole. Here we are playing a game to learn about the life and achievements of Mary Seacole.
Week Beginning 19th September 2022
This week, we each took Traction Man on an adventure in the classroom. On his missions, he encountered all sorts of obstacles and villains: table mountains, evil apples, wicked pencil sharpeners and bins of doom to name but a few! We did some super writing to describe his adventures.
In Science this week, we compared the suitability of various materials for different jobs. Would you like a chocolate radiator, a wooden tissue, a metal pillow or a paper garden fence? We wouldn't!
Week Beginning 12th September 2022
What a busy week we have had! We started our first topic in Science, Uses of Everyday Materials. This week we went on a material hunt, thinking about materials used inside and outside our school.
In English, we thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story 'Traction Man is Here' by Mini Grey. We all designed a new outfit for Traction Man, ready for him to have an adventure in Rabbit Class next week!
We do lots of reading in Rabbit Class! Sometimes we read to an adult, sometimes we read together as a class and sometimes we just have time to enjoy a book either on our own or with a friend.
Week Beginning 5th September 2022
Welcome to our Rabbit Class web page!
The children have had a super first week in Rabbit Class and should feel very proud of themselves. We have had a lot of fun exploring our new classroom, deciding on class rules, working together, being creative and thinking about the year ahead and all that we want to achieve.
In Art, we worked hard to create some repeating patterns by printing with a variety of objects. They looked great, especially when they were all put together to create a classroom display.
In Maths, we thoroughly enjoyed playing the game 'Dotty Six'. All you need is a dice, a 3x3 grid and some pens. Take a look on the NRICH website if you would like to play at home.
