Laughter is the Best Medicine
As we welcomed everybody back to school this week, it was inspiring, heartening and so rewarding to be greeted by smiles, hugs and laughter from children and parents alike.
In a world where we are consumed with worries on national and international levels, we would all do well to take a leaf from Doddie Weir’s book and make the most of every day. As we commence our month with the specific focus on the ‘Thinkers’ Learner Profile Attribute, we can all think about ways in which to bring positivity and light to aspects of the every day. I particularly like the notion that we should laugh daily. Laughter is indeed the best medicine and when education is as fun as it is at St Leonards, there is much to laugh about. Schools are unusual places where all sorts of hilarity occurs on a daily basis. Our children are natural comedians and we should indulge this, have fun with it and rejoice in it.
An alarming statistic states that ‘The average four-year old laughs 300 times a day. The average 40 year old, only four.’ Upon further reading, I was a little reassured to see that this is in fact an urban myth but that despite the numbers being somewhat exaggerated it is true to say that children do indeed laugh considerably more than adults.
Various researchers, such as Norman Cousins, have demonstrated that no matter how many times we laugh it changes us and in the loveliest ways.
‘When we lighten up we feel more positive and optimistic, more hopeful and engaged. We're friendlier, more resourceful, more attractive, more radiantly alive.’ Pamela Gerloff in Psychology Today
Well, I do not know about you, but that sounds like a pretty good excuse to make more laughter a number one resolution for this year.
So with our thinking caps on, let us find ways to laugh our way through 2023, this term and well beyond.
Happy New Year!
Claire Boissiere, on behalf of the PYP Leadership Team
Jump into January
There was a great community spirit out on East Sands this morning, as our pupils courageously took to the water for their first dook of the year! Our students were joined by parents and staff, including our Head Mr Brian, to brave the cool temperatures. With our younger years paddling their feet, and our Year 4-6 pupils going for a swim or even a dunk, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the community feel and the refreshing North Sea. A huge well done to all who participated, what a great way to start 2023!
Year 1
Long and Short Sounds
In Music, the Year 1 pupils began the new year singing 'January', a song that brings in the new year with "long days" and "short nights". Using the Learner Profile Attribute 'Thinkers', pupils were asked to select an untuned percussion instrument and consider whether they thought the instrument was better at playing long sounds or short sounds. Here are their results!
Pupils had to listen carefully to the words of the song to make sure they played the right music at the right time. Well done to all pupils who sung and played at the same time, demonstrating the Learner Profile Attribute, Thinkers.
Year 1C
New Learning
1C started to learn all about numbers to 20 this week, making sure they understood the value of the ‘tens’ and the ‘ones’. The pupils also made sure they were writing their numbers correctly, before matching their Numicon pieces to their outlines and adding their words and numbers. Well done, 1C!
Sorting Shapes
1C have been sorting shapes into colours, size and object. Dominic sorted his into the colours of the rainbow, well done Dominic!
Bear Toast
1C have begun learning about the Goldilocks and the Three Bears story this week, beginning their topic by making Bear Toast! What a delicious smell the toast made around the school. They had lots of fun spreading the toast with chocolate spread or blackcurrant jam, before adding banana and blueberries to decorate.
Reading Challenge
This week, 1C started their learning on reading comprehension. The children read a little passage with their ‘ay’ sounds before answering simple questions. The pupils did very well and enjoyed the challenge - great work 1C!
Year 1P
Puzzles and Pieces
Year 1 have had a wonderful start to 2023, exploring their thinking skills. They have been doing lots of puzzles this week and working collaboratively to share ideas and strategies to solve problems. A great start 1P!
Year 2
Tuning In
Year 2 tuned into their new Unit of Inquiry, ‘Simple Machines’, by being invited to engage with six playful provocations. Over the course of this half term, they will explore the form, function, and connection between six Simple Machines; the inclined plane, wheel and axle, screw, wedge, lever, and pulley. Each play provocation required the children to attempt to solve a problem without the use of a relevant Simple Machine. This got them thinking about what those six Simple Machines might be, and about how much easier each task is when we can use them.
The six tasks involved using Lego to design a vehicle that could travel easily down a carpeted slope, cutting up a Playdough cake into equal fractions, designing a flagpole that could move up and down, cutting out an image without use of any tools, boring a hole through a piece of wood, and finding a way to get clockwork toys to walk themselves up onto the top of a box.
Once they had correctly identified and named the six Simple Machines, they started to plan their Unit together. The children have composed some thoughtful questions about the structure and use of each Simple Machine, as well as planned some exciting experiments and practical activities that they would like to try.
If any parents have expertise in woodwork, and would like to get involved in helping us put together a workshop area where the children can use tools safely, Miss Fisher would love to hear from you!
Please see their observation notes below:
David “My flag goes round and round! Not up and down!”
Owen “You have to get the dough flat. I wish I had some scissors to cut it with.”
Imogen “You can draw lines and plan how to get it into thirds.”
Hector “Thirds means three bits that are exactly the same size.”
Arya “Maybe the slope is too steep?”
Year 3
Solar System
Year 3 have begun their new Unit of Inquiry, The Solar System, with gusto. The children looked at pictures and used hints to make a 'fruit Solar System'. Here are some of their fantastic inquiry questions which they will investigate in the coming weeks:
What is inside the planets?
Why is Earth the only planet with oxygen?
Why are the planets different sizes?
How did the universe begin?
Why is the moon separate from the Sun?
Why do the planets orbit the Sun?
New Term, New Learner Profile Attribute
Year 3 have thrown themselves into the new Learner Profile Attribute, Thinkers by tying together their adjective work from last term and writing riddles. Great fun was had trying to work them out in class and some fantastic adjectives were used in the process. Well done Year 3, super thinking!
Year 4
Problem Solving
Year 4 have been applying their understanding of bar modelling this week, to work together as a team in order to solve maths problems. The pupils were then asked to explain how they reached their conclusion. Great teamwork!
Reflection
In Year 4, the children have been reflecting on 2022 and discussing their New Years goals and resolutions for 2023. The children then related these goals to how they can be successful and meet the Learner Profile Attributes of this new term.
Year 5
Beautiful Art
This week, Year 5 have embraced the new Learner Profile Attribute of Thinkers. Everyone seems to have begun the term with enthusiasm and keen to learn. They began their ongoing Unit on Beauty, inspecting the pictures in their 'Art Gallery', deciding how beautiful they found them. This was a wonderful opportunity for the children to tune into the concept of beauty. Not only did they have to rate the pictures out of 10 but they had to think about why this rating was given. All of the pupils approached this task with an open mind and were able to justify their ratings, well done!
Countdown Clock
During Maths, the pupils had to be Thinkers during their game of countdown. Many different solutions were found and impressive dedication was applied.
9X9X9
A huge well done to Jos, who used his thinking skills to solve a 9X9X9 Rubik's cube!
Tayside Trophy
Congratulations to Bethany who took part in the Tayside Trophy ice skating competition!
Year 6
Entrepreneurship
Year 6 have started their fourth Unit of Inquiry, 'Entrepreneurship'. This week so far, Year 6 have looked into what it means to be an entrepreneur and created fact files about an entrepreneur they are interested in. Year 6 have started to look into what makes a business successful and have thought about creating their own and what would go into this process. A great start, Year 6!
Mindfulness Colouring Club
On Thursday, 18 pupils enjoyed some ‘chill’ time, colouring mindfully, with dimmed lights, a candle to reflect with and calming music. The best way to end a busy and productive week!
Birthdays
Isobel M, Julia M, Ramsay S, Arthur R and Issy M, we hope you have a wonderful day!