Children at The Gleddings have been learning about traditional customs related to Chinese New Year. This year is the Year of the Dragon.

The children have been greeting each other by saying, “Gōng xí fā cái,” (恭喜发财 – which means congratulations and prosperity) and “Xīn nián kuài lè” (新年快乐 – which means Happy New Year).

They have also been writing auspicious New Year messages on red coloured cards. The colour red is chosen as it is a lucky colour for Chinese people.

Our Headboy and Headgirl would like to wish everyone a very happy and successful Year of the Dragon.

These children from MIV show us their hand-written Chinese New Year messages.

Close-up of the Chinese New Year messages：

大吉(pronounced as dà jí) means plenty of good luck.

福 (pronounced as fú) means fortune.

Middle IV children had great fun this week acting out a scene from ‘The Phantom Sausage Stealer’ by Johnny Ball .  They had learned their lines extremely well and brought props from home to enhance their performances.  We discovered a wealth of acting talent in our midst!

The children have also been learning how to write their own playscripts based on poems and fairy stories.

In their first French lesson of the new year, Middle IV children celebrated ‘La Fete des

Rois’. In this Epiphany festival, traditionally celebrated in France on January 6^th, families share a cake in which is hidden a bean or a feve (a porcelain charm). The person who finds the bean or charm in their slice of cake becomes king (le roi) for the day, and is able to issue orders.  Middle IV crowned a queen!

These two girls kindly brought along some of the items from home which they use to help them to practise their faith, Islam.  Their classmates were fascinated to learn about Islamic traditions and to hear the girls reciting confidently in Arabic.

In Middle IV, we enjoy learning about one another’s beliefs and agree that everyone should be free to follow their faith joyously.

 
Examining Arabic script

 
This is a prayer mat which children use.  Adults need a bigger one!

 
This is the special headwear I wear when I go to the mosque.

 
We read Arabic script from right to left across the page.

 
These are special prayer beads which help us to say our prayers.

 
The Quran is a holy book.  This one is digital!  Press a button to hear a translation in the language of your choice.

In dance lessons this term, MIV children are studying different styles of dance.  We have started with a flamenco dance where the children have used clapping rhythms, stamping feet, sweeping turns and arms arching over their heads.

This term, Middle IV children have been learning about what life was like for children in Victorian times.  So, on 17^th November, we hired a time machine (actually a Twin Valley coach) to take us back in time to Moorside Board School  – the Victorian classroom, recreated on the third floor of the Victorian mill which houses Bradford Industrial Museum.

The children were dressed as poor Victorians and experienced what lessons and attitudes were like in the late nineteenth century.  They were left in no doubt that children were to be ‘seen and not heard’, and that it would be sinful for them to aspire to improve their wretched lot in life.

As ‘half timers’, the real pupils of Moorside Board School would have worked half of each very long day in the textile mill, as well as attending school!

After lunch, we saw some of the working machinery in the weaving shed and tried to imagine what it must have been like when the room was full of clattering looms and dust, and the overseer was lurking to beat exhausted children.

Finally, we visited the workers’ back to back cottages and compared them with the opulence of the mill owner’s splendid house.

As always, this was a highly enjoyable trip and a very valuable learning experience.

Middle IV pupils put their heads together to work out the answers to some tricky problems.  They discovered that it is useful to discuss ideas and check calculations with one another.

The children in Middle IV have been discussing the different ways by which they can learn about what life was like for children in Victorian times. 

In these photographs they are working hard, using books, paintings, photographs, cartoons and historical documents to learn about the working conditions of poor children in early Victorian England.  Next week, each group of children will present their findings to the rest of the class.

During ‘My money week’, Middle IV pupils considered different attitudes to money through drama activities and interactive videos.  They recognised the difference between needs and wants and discussed the pros and cons of spending and saving.  They helped two children, through the medium of an interactive video, to make wise decisions regarding their finances.

A rather noisy game helped the children to understand the limitations of bartering, whilst a Bank of England video taught them about the history of our currency and introduced, in simple terms, the effects of changing interest rates on borrowers and savers. 

Humorous playscripts gave the children the opportunity to showcase their blossoming acting skills.  Whilst having fun, they explored the importance of prioritising spending and considered the consequences of different financial choices.

Finally, they peeped into the future and wondered what exciting things will happen there.

On Monday July 4^th, Middle IV children were welcomed to Crossley Heath for a morning of fun with languages ,along with Year 5 children from other local primary schools.

They enjoyed playing games and singing in a German lesson and brushed up their French using computer programs, as well as participating in a lively session of street dance.