Stanford Junior School

I am very excited by the number of plants that I have been growing from seed over the past few weeks that I am hoping to plant in the school garden and raised beds very soon.

The outdoor space project was started by the PTFA when they donated some money to school to help to improve our outdoor spaces. I bought seeds, propogators, pots and compost before school closed and have been busy growing in the hope that I can prepare something special ready for your return to school.

Take a virtual tour of the plants by watching the videos.

If you do have a garden and are able to get outside then make the most of this opportunity. Take a look at what is growing and perhaps try to grow something of your own. I am sure that all of you resourceful squirrels can find a way to have a go at planting seeds from tomatoes, apples and other ifood items. Potatoes are meant to be very easy to grow and you will reap the rewards of planting some - and it was Mrs Ford that told me so.

Thank you to Sara (Year 4) for bringing in some rhubarb and a crocosmia from her garden at home.

Oh my! Look how much the beans have grown over the weekend!

Yesterday, I went for a very lovely walk as part of my daily exercise. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, the sky was the most glorious blue and, as I was walking, I photographed lots of the flowers that were growing wild. (I am in the process of preparing an activity for you to look at relating to the pictures I took - keep checking this page of the website).

When I was a class teacher, I led a project with children through which we explored a range of media when drawing plants - watercolor, pen and ink, acrylic, collage and printmaking. Each medium has its own special qualities and, if you have access to some of these items, now would be a fantastic time to explore. (If not, you could use felt-tipped pens, poster paints, torn paper or even build your own plants out of Lego or other modelling materials - some flower shaped cookies would be amazing and also very delicious).

Here are some of my paintings.

Have a go and see what you come up with. I am sure that you will surprise yourself.

In the town where I was born, a very long time ago,
there lived an old man who had spent much of his life away at sea.
One day, he told me of his life and the adventures that he had experienced whilst living in his yellow submarine with three of his friends.

Using this story prompt, write an under the sea story that tells us more about the old man's adventures at sea. It could be an adventure or quest story and even include an element of mystery.

There are lots of ways through which you could tackle this challenge.

You could:

- Write and illustrate your story.
- Create a series of comic strip adventures.
- Create a simple Big Book for younger children with bold and bright paintings called Life under the Sea.
- Animate the story, if you have the resources at home to do so and help from adults.
- Let your imagination run wild and produce some underwater artwork, sculptures or prints.
- Create your own sea monsters or sea characters and design your own Top Trumps cards or Snap/Happy Families type games.
- Listen to the song Yellow Submarine and find out as much as you can about the pop group that wrote and performed it.
- Find out about someone who lived through what is now referred to as the Swinging Sixties. You could interview a grandparent by telephone or SKYPE them. You could research a well known person who made a special contribution during this time.
- Research Pop-Art. Who were the well known Pop Artists? Could you recreate your own piece in the style of one of these artists to email in for display?

Be creative and keep a record of what you have done to share with us in school.

We would love to see your creative interpretations.

Nat has set you all the challenge to practise your keepie-ups next time you are able to go outside.

Do take care, however, we don't want any broken windows or bones!

We would love to hear how many you manage to complete in one go.

No cheating!

Over the next few days I will be uploading photographs in what I am going to refer to as the When Harry Met... series.

Each day, you will see Harry, and Hedwig his owl, face to face with someone else.

Your task is to produce a short story that involves the characters that Harry and Hedwig meet.

These stories can be told in any form that you choose - narrative, poetry, pictures, cartoons, comic strips, playscript, animated movie.

Have fun, be creative and, more importantly, really let those vivid imaginations of yours run wild.

And do not forget to share your responses with us. We really do want to find out more about Harry and Hedwig and what they get up to.

WATCH THIS SPACE.

Miss Pegler made some delicious Easter cupcakes with the children who were in school earlier this week. They did a fabulous job and were thrilled with the results.

Have a go at these easy to make cakes over Easter.

If you aren't able to make them this weekend, simply replace the mini eggs with a topping of your choice and these can be 'anytime' cupcakes.

Send in a photograph of your creations.

Thank you Miss Pegler. We all think you should be applying for the next round of the Great British Bake-Off. Good luck!

Do you have a pet that would love to be painted? Why not give this task a go? First, take a look at the video that Mrs Lewis has made for you

You could extend this challenge and search for pictures of endangered animals across the world. You could produce a series of paintings and perhaps create your own illustrated fact-file of endangered animals.

Send a copy to school by emailing the school office and we will publish it on our home learning page.

Happy painting.

Take a look at the information provided by Miss Stalker that focuses on how to take care of bumble bees and protect them from predators and the risk of drowning.

Email pictures of your bumbe bee waterstations to the school office. We would very much like to see them.

Click on the picture above to access the information
provided by Miss Stalker.

Click on either of the Easter Card pics
to see Mrs Beazley's poster designs.

Just like I would do if we were in school, I am setting you weekly physical challenges for you to try at home.

Try to do the challenge at least 4 times over the week and then record your score after each attempt on the score card.

You could challenge your family members to do them too! You can also let me know how you got on by emailing the school your score.

You could even try to record the data that you collect in another format - a bar chart perhaps, showing improved performance over time.

Good luck!

Mr Marshall

You could also try Sussex SGO Easter challenges.
Click on the PDF above to access these challenges.

When I was four years old, my Aunty Sammi bought me a Micro-Stars chocolate egg for Easter. I hadn't seen one before. Inside the hollow egg was a plastic pod, a bit like inside a Kinder egg, containing a miniature footballer. It was Sol Campbell who, at the time, was playing for Spurs.

And so began my love of these tiny figures. Soon, they were available to buy separately without the egg. I collected more than 300 of these mini figures and spent many hours organising them in to teams .

These Micro-Stars inspired me to create the following for all you football super-fans.

Enjoy!

Please email the school office with your specially designed Match Attax cards. I would love to see them.

Nat.

Mrs Graimes, with a little help from her twins, has created this musical challenge for you to have a go at.

You need a notepaper and pen.

Good luck.

Mrs Graimes.

As many of you wull know, Mrs Gould has been absent from school for a whilse now after injuring her knee.

Fortunately, Mrs Gould's knee is recovering well and she will be in school later today (Tuesday 14th April) to help to look after those chidlren of key workers who are in school.

Mrs Gould has written a letter for you to read and shares how she and her family have been spending their time at home.

Click on the picture showing the anatomy of the knee to see what Mrs Gould has been up to.

Mr Smith is challenging you to create your own junk model from recycled packaging easily available around your home.

The robot pictured is Health Hero - a robot with the powers needed to battle against the Corona Virus and help to protect all those amazing NHS workers who are working tirelessly to help to look after people and save lives. Why nott have a go at creating your own junk model!

Mr Smith has also been painting pebbles found in his garden (with a little help from those around him) and growing pumpkins.

Have a go at this fascinating challenge from nrich. You will need - paper (2 colours), scissors (to be used carefully and sensibly), glue.

Click on the picture above to access the task at the website below.

https://nrich.maths.org/12205

Watch the video made by Miss Copping to find out more about the different parts of a flower.

The Poetry Mask
1. Find/choose a poem that inspires you.
2. Blow up a balloon - use some kitchen roll/tissue to cover half of it (long oval side) in a thin layer (not dripping) of oil.
3. Tear up some small strips of newspaper/scrap paper, then make a diluted, thin PVA mixture in a tray/bowl.
4. Dip the strips in the glue solution and cover the oiled side of the balloon in a layer, leave to dry and repeat 4 or 5 times.
5. When you are happy with the strength of it, pop the balloon and you should be left with an oval papier mache mask.
6. Decorate your mask in the style of your poem OR print it on coloured paper and stick carefully over the mask.
7. Carefully cut eye holes and a mouth hole and for the adventurous, make a nose!
8. Finally, wear your mask and be the poem (perhaps film and send into school)

My poem is In My Craft or Sullen Art by Dylan Thomas

Dear children,

I hope you like my challenge.

Remember that even when there are negatives, there are also positives which create balance and harmony.

Enjoy making your own Japanese Notan art.

The Time-Capsule resource might also be something that you would like to look at.

Miss Ayonrinde.

We all know that Bertie is a very smart dog! Recently, he's been learning how to play noughts and crosses. If you have any animals at home could you try, or learn, something new together. This could be a trick or a game. We would both love to see what you get up to but please be gentle and keep each other safe.

Mr Murray.

Dotty 6 is a version of noughts and crosses that can be found on the nrich website. Copy and paste the link below into your browser.

https://nrich.maths.org/7337

During my time in school caring for the chidlren of key workers, I have spent quite a lot of time playing Monopoly with the children and those adults in school. The children have really enjoyed this game and it was Mr Michael who suggested that we could try to design our own Stanford Junior School version of the game. It was a challenge that very much appealed to me and so I have spent some of my time at home having a go.

My challenge to you is to take your favourite game and update it in some way. I think you will be surprised by how much fun you could have doing this.

Take care.

Nat.

Ella-Mae's mum (Year 5) is asking that you create some new Lockdown Super Learners that parents and teachers can award during your time at home.

Characters could be designed to reflect: creativity, a positive attitude, adapatability, empathy, generosity, collaborative spirit, kindness - in fact, any positive attributes that help families to get through this challenging period.

Mum is also suggesting a weekly Stanford Clap for the Stanford Junior School community of children, parents/carers, teachers and school staff.

Why don't we attempt to do this every Monday at 10:35 when we would normally be going outside for break?

What if these new characters were all rainbow characters? Just an idea!

What a lovely idea. Thank you.

Jaidah contacted us through Class Dojo to share a picture of a CD that she had painted on. She had disguised it as the most delicious looking donut with pink icing and sprinkles.

What a great idea!

And wouldn't a whole collection of painted CDs look particularly impressive hnging from one of the trees in the garden when we do return to school.

If you do have any old CDs (please do check first with your adults at home - we don't want them cross because you have painted over their favourite collection of songs) then why not paint them ready to bring in to school on your return.

The garden areas in school are for you. They are to spend time in and to learn in and we need to be really creative in the use of the very limited outdoor spaces that we do have.

So, ask permission first and then get painting! If they are to be hung outside then you will need to think about the type of paints you use. We could, however, think about varnishing them at some point in the future when we can get to the shops.

Jaidah - what a BRILLIANT idea.

Mr Davis

When I was young, one of my favourite things to do was to build things out of anything I could find at home. I used to make dens out of cushions and blankets and I would build the biggest tower I could from Plasticine or Lego. 

It was World Heritage Day on 18^th April and The National Trust are challenging children at home to build a monument out of anything they can find. 

You could build a famous monument such as Stonehenge using cardboard. You could re-create the Sydney Opera House using origami or make the Leaning Tower of Pisa out of Play-Doh.  You could also use your Lego building skills to build Big Ben or the Tower of London.  If you wanted to stay closer to home, you could make the West Pier using lollysticks, the Brighton Pavilion with paper mache or Stanford school from anything that you can find!

We would love to see any monuments, buildings or just fun creations that you have built using the items in your house. Please send any photos into the office.

Take good care of yourselves,

Mr.Burnill

Click on the image of Stonehenge to access more information from the National Trust.

Hi Stanford Troops, 

Hope everyone is well and keeping safe. Today I made some fantastic artwork with Ollie and Sara at school. We created a beautiful multicoloured background by using wax crayon sharpenings and a laminator (you could use an iron and sheets of greaseproof paper at home with help from an adult!). Once the melted wax had solidified, we used a black piece of card to design the outline of things that are important to us. 

If you have some wax crayons at home, or some coloured wax candles, why not give this a go too! What is most important to you? 

Thanks Ollie and Sara for your lovely ideas and help today! 

Mr Smith

Mr Smith has a friend who is a chef in a secondary school in London. He has recommended two simple recipes. Why not ask your adult at home if you can try them out? Click on the two pictures opposite to access each recipe.