In English, we are reading Grace and family by Mary Hoffman and Caroline Binch. Grace goes to stay with her father in The Gambia and while there she visits a market.This morning, we created our own ‘African market’ and the children tasted different fruits, smelt spices, saw bright, colourful fabrics and heard music and the hustle and bustle of a busy market. We used this as inspiration to write expanded noun phrases which we will include in a setting description of an African market.
This week we have been celebrating Black History Week. We have been talking about what makes us special and learning about different cultures. In topic, we learned about Africa. We found out many facts about the country and compared Africa to the UK. We made some African necklaces and took part in some African dancing.
Year 4 had a brilliant time exploring an African market, which was inspired by the one featured in the story Grace and Family. They listened to traditional music and imagined they were wandering along the bustling aisles, sampling a range of delicious foods. We’re very excited to write detailed setting descriptions using our notes.
Miss Cook came back to visit us in Year 1 after her month long visit to Kenya. She had been a volunteer teacher at a school there and wanted to share details of her fantastic experience with us. She saw zebras, elephants, giraffes, lions and hippos while on a safari there. At break times, the pupils ate cooked sweet potato or corn on the cob. Miss Cook brought a Kenyan worry doll and a Masai warrior robe to show us. Lots of our pupils seem keen on going on travel adventures just like Miss Cook.
Zulu Warriors visited school today and everybody got to take part in the activities. Zulu warriors are extremely strong and also very graceful. They shared their music and dance with children, even getting some of them to join in.
We hope you enjoy our photographs and videos.
Zulu warriors use drums and percussion to create rhythms for their dances.
We took lots of photos – the zulu warriors wear amabeshu and use fur and feathers to decorate their heads. They use goat skin and fur to decorate their arms and legs.
The Zulu Warriors enjoyed the spectators in school – they wanted us to join in with their dances. One of our children joined the warriors – he was very good!
We loved the dances and the singing – we hope that the Zulu warriors will visit our school again.
Mr Bird has been teaching Samba drums to Year 1 children, playing them in an African style.
Perhaps the children will use their new skills in their performance this Easter.
Year 1 have been looking at African art, with a particular interest patterns and printing. They made African headbands to wear in their Easter concert.
Year 1 have had a great time learning about Africa through stories like ‘Handa’s Surprise’. The children even wrote their own ‘Elephant Adventure’ stories. African culture also provided the inspiration for their Easter concert production, which was set in Africa.
Today, Year 4 took a trip to Africa and visited the very busy African market. This term, we have been looking at stories from a different culture including Gregory Cool and Grace and Family (which we have just started today). In the story, Grace visits a traditional African market, which the children had the chance to experience today.
They looked at photos and videos of an African market, they tried fruit juices including: apple, mango, orange, orange and mango and a tropical punch. They also looked at a range of spices discussing the bright vibrant colours and the unusual smells that filled the market. The children also got the chance to try a range of African foods including: Mango, pineapple, sweet potatoes, spicy rice, plain rice, couscous, green and red peppers, pomegranate, and salsa.
The children will be using their experience from today to write a description of the market using the writing devices we have been looking this term!
